Big fan of the movie Juice but in my opinion it was too dark...Tupac did a great job and all but, personally...I liked him more in Poetic Justice.

On the other hand, I feel like Menace II Society was a staple of early 90's filmography...i'd even advocate to show that mug in certain high school classes.

Kane was an endearing figure that got lost in the hubris of his modern day urban environment. The other characters were also fascinating,

hopefully we can delve into that further on in this thread...

I love both films, but I'd take Menace as the better movie...

Any input? Any East coast or West coast bias in your interpretations of each film?

3/25/2012 6:27:19 PM

21 viewers are too scared to discuss this? come on mane...get in here pls

much respect to spookyjon This thread is legit, shout me a holler mane.



HURRY UP AND POST, yadig

3/25/2012 10:57:44 PM

Love Menace II Society. However, I think if you're putting it up against something for comparison's sake, it should be Boyz N the Hood, and Menace would totally win out in my opinion.

Not sure Juice even counts for anything that's worth a damn from an artistic perspective, honestly. It's not really "dark" as you put it, more than it's just too fictional-feeling...

3/26/2012 12:51:34 AM

Why don't you give me a damn cheeseburger you STANKIN ASS BEOYOTCH!

PS If anybody keeps up with Criterion's library, I totally think Menace should be in it. I feel like it was on Laserdisc, but maybe not...

3/26/2012 12:53:06 AM

dang,

great post...didn't even think about Boyz N the Hood...I guess i am just trying to play up the east coast vs west coast shit with Juice

I Loved boyz N the hood but i had a hard time taking Cuba Gooding seriously because i'm retarded and saw Jerry Mcguire and Don't be a Menace while drinking your juice in the hood (they mocked Trey's dad) before Boyz N the Hood...

Friday is another great film of the time period but a different genre i suppose

3/26/2012 1:42:13 AM

I always thought Menace was the most brutal of all the flicks in that genre that came out at that time

3/26/2012 10:21:06 AM

Above The Rim was 2pac's greatest acting role.


Menace > Boyz > Juice

3/26/2012 10:52:48 AM

Baby Boy

3/26/2012 11:36:21 AM

The Hughes Brothers were only like 21 or so when they filmed this, which is pretty cool.

A lot of it was filmed on location in the Watts/Crenshaw area, as well, I think...

3/26/2012 11:38:58 AM

a perpetually underrated urban crime drama from the early 90s:

3/26/2012 12:20:13 PM

Not sure I've ever seen that...

3/26/2012 12:23:43 PM

I prefer the cinematic styling of NAS and DMX

BELLY

3/26/2012 12:24:53 PM

Menace is hands down the best of the genre because of things like not having actors/actresses that were well-known (with few exceptions like Jada Pinkett and Bill whatshisname). It was able to get its message across without being too distracting. I think that's where Singleton went wrong in Boyz N the Hood to a certain degree, and definitely in High Learning, which is just a terrible movie in my opinion.

3/26/2012 12:27:30 PM

i liked Fresh as well.

Juice is definitely the lesser of the three compared to Boyz, and Menace imo. I liked them all, but I'd put Juice more in-line with Strapped almost. I think it's better, but I think it's a step below the quality of boyz, and menance. Like someone mentioned, it just had a more "fictional" feel to it.

And while it's different than any of the previously mentioned, I'm a huge fan of Clockers.

3/26/2012 4:53:12 PM

Clockers is dope, yo.

3/27/2012 12:58:26 AM

Juice! That was a good one!

3/27/2012 3:14:31 PM

Do the Right Thing.

New Jack City.


etc.

3/27/2012 8:57:30 PM

^two valid points...Never made it thru Do the right thing yet...seen bits and pieces

Nino Brown was a childhood idol of mine tho....didn't even think about New Jack City...we should definitely discuss that mug in terms of the east coast/west coast stuff...it makes way more sense than Juice when compared to Menace...

I mean, Menace is definitely the best and most entertaining in the genre i think, but all these films are great IMHO...its worth discussion

[Edited on March 27, 2012 at 10:08 PM. Reason : carrot error, yadig]

[Edited on March 27, 2012 at 10:15 PM. Reason : YUP!]

3/27/2012 10:08:02 PM

I second "Do The Right Thing". That movie was amazing, and helped set the stage for all the 'hood movies that followed. Watched it again a couple of years ago, appreciated that it focused more on the social issues of the time rather than playing up gang violence.

But beyond that, thinking about the early '90s, I'd agree with Menace > Boyz > Juice. I actually didn't really like "Juice" at all, as someone mentioned WAY too fictional...

...but that being said, if we were to compare soundtracks "Juice" would win in a landslide!!!!!!! KNOW THE LEDGE, son!!!

3/28/2012 10:09:42 AM

Do the Right Thing was an awesome movie.

Menace II Society was an awesome movie for a completely different reason. Maybe at the time it seemed dark and artistic or something, but it's hard to take seriously now due to all the violence dramatic themes. It's actually great for drinking games. Boyz in the Hood aged better than Menace II Society as a movie to be taken seriously. I haven't seen Juice, but I have seen Don't be a Menace.

3/28/2012 6:54:05 PM

^i respect your opinion but couldn't disagree with you more about Boyz aging better than Menace...

I guess they both captured the same thing, being young and black in LA but...i'd keep scrolling on the dial if I saw Boyz...where as i'd absolutely stop and watch Menace...even if it was on TBS

The greater question is...who still sells St. Ides?

4/2/2012 1:45:02 AM

what about south central?

4/2/2012 2:06:22 AM

^price just went up

15 BOX

aryan tax

4/2/2012 6:36:13 PM