Poetic Justice.

Review #2183: Poetic Justice.

Cast: 

Janet Jackson (Justice), Tupac Shakur (Lawrence "Lucky"), Regina King (Iesha), Joe Torry ("Chicago"), Tyra Ferrell (Jessie), Rose Weaver (Aunt Audrey), Khandi Alexander (Simone), John Cothran Jr. (Uncle Earl), Maya Angelou (Aunt June), and Norma Donaldson (Aunt May) Written and Directed by John Singleton (#545 - Shaft (2000), #1640 - Boyz n the Hood, #1807 - Baby Boy)

Review: 

"Why not do a movie about a young sister and how all the tribulations of the brothers affect her?”

I had been wanting to do this film for quite a while, because if there's one thing more interesting than picking a film with noted names in black cinema, it's the film that comes right after making a seminal classic. Yes, this is the film that John Singleton directed after Boyz n the Hood (1991), and it is one that Singleton wrote with Jackson in mind as the lead for her feature film debut (after appearing on television as a child and, well, being a noted singer). Incidentally, this is the second starring role for Shakur and the only romantic drama he appeared in as an actor before his untimely death in 1996. The poetry that is depicted in the film was composed by Maya Angelou, who has one scene in the film, which really does start with a title card saying, “Once upon a time in South Central L.A….” before having a neat set of cameos in Billy Zane and Lori Petty (work with me on this). Singleton wrote the film as one to look upon the girls that were left behind in relationships ripped away from them due to gang violence, right down to the hairstyle (box braids) as discussed with Jackson, Singleton, and others. It ended up as a modest success with audiences on a budget of $14 million that has had at least one argument for being a "cult classic".

The movie may not seem as "disciplined" when it comes to comparing it with his previous film, but so what? It is a road movie that happens to try it play fast and loose in would-be romances in a place where one has to find a way back to actually caring for others again (South Central LA in this case). It is a moody film that comes and goes at 109 minutes (apparently Singleton had made a cut of two and a half hours before going with Columbia Pictures in their request to trim 45 minutes out), and perhaps it isn't surprising that one of Singleton's influences for the film was Federico Fellini. Jackson and Shakur make a quality pair in that bubbling sense of vulnerability that comes with trying to keep one's guard up again and again. Opening one's heart to possibility of others reaching out is a curious one for all around us, and Singleton wanted to make one for black women to see something in themselves that I think he succeeded with in the long run. Of course, that doesn't mean Shakur is in the background, because his presence is electric even with that guarded sensibility of care for the people really close to him (whether children or in ideas for something better than the post office). King and Torry make a volatile pair among the main four that harkens most to soap opera in the natural conclusion of certain young people that think they know who and what they are. Ferrell is also pretty engaging in the scenes spent within the salon that varies in timing and relief. The fact that it was a film that happened to be done right after a seminal classic in Boyz that dared to have its share of profanity (do you need to guess how much I don't care about profanity usage?) and ideas about men and women means that, well, sometimes even love stories need some credit. In general, Singleton has a clear interest in showing a wider range of the street experience in terms of learning to start again in the face of change and surprise around them. It meanders from time to time on the road, but as a whole, it proved a worthy curiosity when looking upon Singelton and his work as a whole in black storytelling.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Boyz n the Hood.

Review #1640: Boyz n the Hood.

Cast: 

Cuba Gooding Jr (Jason "Tre" Styles III), Ice Cube (Darren 'Doughboy' Baker), Laurence Fishburne (Jason 'Furious' Styles Jr), Morris Chestnut (Ricky Baker), Nia Long (Brandi), Angela Bassett (Reva Devereaux), Tyra Ferrell (Brenda Baker), Redge Green (Chris 'Little Chris'), Regina King (Shalika), Whitman Mayo (The Old Man), with Dezi Arnez Hines II, Baha Jackson, Donovan McCrary, Nicole Brown, and Kenneth A. Brown (age 10 of Tre, Doughboy, Ricky, Brandi & Chris) and Jessie Lawrence Ferguson (Officer Coffey) Written and Directed by John Singleton (#545 - Shaft (2000))

Review: 

"I was a smartass film student who thought he knew everything about movies. When it got green-lit is when I got scared."

If anybody should look up to a director that made their mark while they were young, John Singleton would be a good choice to start with. The Los Angeles native made nine feature films before his death at 51, but his first feature certainly rocked the doors for audiences in its time. He grew up inspired by films like Star Wars (1977) and the works of Steven Spielberg to go with study at USC School of Cinematic Arts (choosing filmic writing over computer science) - one influence that does come across is Stand By Me (1986), since both involve emotional coming of age stories (and one other moment near the credits, but see for yourself). By the time he graduated, he already was signed by the Creative Artists Agency, and Columbia Pictures eventually came calling. Singleton noted that one of the questions asked by the school was pitching one's own ideas for a film and this was one of the pitches, for which Singleton based it on his experiences growing up in L.A. (such as his experiences growing up with his mortgage broker father after his mother sent him to live with him at 11), complete with filming there. In the era of films with hits like Hollywood Shuffle (1987) and Do the Right Thing (1989), it would only seem sensical for Columbia Pictures to desire a hit of their own to ride the wave with audiences. He wanted to do the film his way, with nobody else in mind to direct (because of his perspective of you know, actually living in the area), noting the fact of someone directing a neighborhood film without being from the area with Colors (1988), which took the perspective of white police officers in South Los Angeles when dealing with gangs. Ultimately, while Singleton's subsequent works may not have reached the heights raised by his debut work, he managed to make important distinctions in cinema - he was the youngest director to ever be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and he was also the first African American director to be nominated for the award (he also received a nod for Best Original Screenplay). 

You bet this was a film beyond the headlines. Singleton wanted to make a film with authenticity that turns the coming-of-age story on its head with hard-hitting realism that proves to be quite sobering and relentlessly consistent - a year later, Los Angeles would go through a serious of riots only a year after the release of this film (after the acquittal of officers that had beaten Rodney King during an arrest that happened right before this film was released, and Singleton would do a documentary on television about the riots 25 years later). Released with the tagline "Increase the Peace", it shows the danger of cyclic violence without bashing one's head with anything too obvious or false in notes that also deals with other aspects of life within urban streets, such as the nature of masculinity and prejudice. Singleton would later refer to himself as the first filmmaker from the hip-hop generation, using the aesthetic to cover a culture that made it into all of his films. There would be a variety of films involving what one would call the hood film that would come out in the wake of this film (such as South Central (1992) or ones with comedy such as Friday (1995), which Singleton encouraged Cube to write), but there is still something powerful about this feature that three decades cannot diminish. Wrapped in all this is a tremendously talented cast, one that makes these characters come alive with energy that makes a worthy composition about life in the neighborhood come across in all of its layers - it works as a drama, but there are moments too with these folks that makes one crack a smile to go with the gasps.  The film was the first major role for Gooding Jr (who believe it or not actually started in breakdancing before moving focus to acting) alongside Long and Bassett, and it was also the debut role for Cube (known for his rapping with N.W.A. before moving into solo performing) and Chestnut (who naturally came into acting through TV fare like Freddy's Nightmares). The unifying force for 112 minutes in terms of its time spent with the youth and growing teenage folks turns to Fishburne, who provides the best performance among everyone with crisp influence, one that is conscious in his confidence that resonates deeply from the first few moments on screen; there are a variety of highlights one could list, such as a scene in Compton and neighborhoods being taken advantage of, but the scene with a silent Gooding Jr and Fishburne, staring at the choices made and not made for the climax that hits just as hard. In that sense, Gooding Jr makes a quality lead to follow along with, curious in his surroundings with responsibility with perseverance alongside tension that doesn't get swept away. Cube carries his part well, brash but always on the moment for what needs to occur with perspective and timing. Chestnut fills well with potential, smooth in his balance of family and life beyond the field that makes a worthy rapport with Gooding Jr count until that key moment near its end, which results in an impactful sequence for shock without being exploitative. Long and Bassett each fill their time spent with Gooding Jr in key necessities that spark maturity and curiosity, while Green, Gobert, and Sykes fill the edges with useful timing, although Ferguson will likely stick with you in his own way with bitterness with just two scenes as the only cop figure in the film. As a whole, the film establishes itself quite quickly in an engaging and sobering atmosphere that keeps itself in perspective with regard to youth and responsibility that muses on issues that still seem prevalent today with violence that makes for a usefully entertaining feature. For a debut, it is a tremendous one, and for its era it is an enduring one for Singleton and the stars and moments that came from it.

Next Time: 1992 seems like an interesting year to do some films with, so we will start with the first one up in release with a first-time director in Juice.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.