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Menace II Society

Menace II Society

List Price: $14.96
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: More entertaining than Boyz n'the hood,but not as realistic
Review: A classic movie by the Hughes brothers.A realistic portrayal of life in the Watts distict of California.There are very few boring parts in this movie,but as a result,the story becomes unrealistic.Caine(the main character of the movie)grows up with a father who sells drugs and a mother who gets high on them before he has the chance to sell them.His father is killed in an argument,and his mother dies of a drug overdose.The movie then moves 7 or 8 years later,with Caine living with his grandparents. Certain points in the movie are exaggerated,but all the same,the movie is entertaing.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Horrifying and Real
Review: This is the Apocalype Now, Godfather, and Goodfellas. It's in your face and in your gut. It's survival. It's choices. It's murder. It's betrayal. It's insanity. It's reality. This is the stuff of greatness. Way to go, Hughes Brothers!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: GANGSTER GANGSTER!
Review: This is the best gangster movie ever! I gotta throw up my props to boyz N the hood cuz that was dope to. Menace had a lot more action than boys N the hood and thats what i likes about it. My favorite part was when O-dogg and his homey smoked them thugs that blasted the cousin of the main character. This movie was tight and if u like this gangster stuff make sure to check out Belly and Boyz N the hood!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Tha Best!
Review: This has to be the best "gangsta" movie that I've seen yet. It's way better than Boyz In Tha Hood. There is alot more action it this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THIS IS SOMETHING EVERYONE SHOULD SEE
Review: menace 2 society is one of the most real movies of all time, considering everything in this movie has probably happned sometime. the characters are all realistic. the things they do, they way they act. the movie makes you think about categorizing Compton's inner city blacks about crime. they gotta do what they gotta do, every event that happens in this movie is just looked at as another homicide or another gang related act, but from the characters points of view its revenge, getting juice, stayin real, and "not goin out like a chump". the movie is definately the best. my favorite quote is "make that a double burger WITH cheese", watch the movie and you will see what im talking about

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Movies of the 90's
Review: boyz n tha hood was good, but can't compare to this movie, this movie, accomplishes what boyz n tha hood, did not. it's like comparing 187 to Dangerous Minds (187 being the better movie, with the stronger message), look, some people only understand one thing, violence, ya gotta give em a strong message, i'd have to say, when I seen this movie, I just had this overwhelming feeling something important had just happened, and I still feel that way, when I see this movie...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A cut above the average "life in the 'hood" flick
Review: Menace II Society is probably one of my two favorite films of all time. I have never purchased a movie video for myself before in my life, but I am definitely buying this one (although probably on DVD). I've seen quite a few movies focusing on characters trying to make it in the "'hood" and I've enjoyed many of them on different levels, but this film is in a league of its own. It is definitely graphic, as one might expect, but it can be appreciated from a variety of perspectives--the realistic and captivating dialogue, the perceptive character development, the variety of emotions it conjures, the music, the cinematography--everything about it is memorable. A friend of mine, a film student who is practically my opposite in many respects, was brought to tears by the second half of the movie.

If you're into films of this genre (assuming you can pigeonhole this film into a genre at all), you should be ashamed of yourself if you've yet to see Menace II. And if you're the sort who stereotypes movies of this sort as being nothing but violence and foul language, give it a chance and you might be pleasantly surprised...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A frightening look at urban black youths in the ghetto
Review: I have to say that the Hughes Brothers made such a strong and powerful debut with their first feature, that it may have been an early peak for them. The same goes for the lead actors involved, Tyrin Turner and Larenz Tate, both of whom come across so well here that they will more or less become typecast.

But that is really not the point of this review... the point is that this is a chilling and horrifyingly realistic portrayal of the downward spiral of one young man named Caine in the ghetto, who has the brains to stay away, but not the courage and conviction. Every situation he becomes involved is a direct result of the people around him - his friend, O-Dog, a crazy, trigger-happy youth who will jump at the chance of popping off shots at anyone and anything, his father (played by Samuel L. Jackson) who is shown, in a disturbing flashback, blowing away a man at a card table in front of his young son, his cousins, people he calls his friends, honing shotguns and automatic weapons in their homes and then blasting off at someone just for the rims on their tires or because they feel they had been threatened or made to look bad.

This film is profane, blood-soaked, and just about every character we're supposed to identify with brandishes a gun at some point, so it can be difficult to stomach. At the same time, that makes it incredibly powerful and unflinching. It is an extremely disheartening thing to watch a young man showing off a surveillance video to his friends of himself blowing a convenience store clerk's head off for no reason, but these are things that some of us should see... those of us who want to look evil in the eye and turn away. Acknowledge it so that you can do something about it.

The Hughes Brothers influences are all in the right place; you can see the way Scorsese impacted their technique in the flashback sequence: the blood-red smoke-filled almost hellish lighting as well as the way the film slowly unnoticeably eases into slow motion, reminiscent of "Mean Streets." But they give it a credibility all their own, and, like "Boyz N the Hood" before it, it leaves its mark, whether you enjoyed it or not. While I don't feel this is a totally flawless film, it is one that will stick in your mind. Everything up until the sound of that pounding heartbeat at the end is imprinted on our soul and culture forever.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This is one of my favoirte gangsta movies
Review: This is one of my fav gangsta movies, next to juice and boyz N the hood... If you don't care about how your life ends, or if you live or die, I suggest you watch this movie. you'll change your mind. The ending of this movie is so sad...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: GRITTY GANGSTER MOVIE
Review: A dark and violent gangster film, set in the Watts district of Los Angelas, where young blacks become involved in robbery and murder. Hard hitting and powerful gangster film which is nothing exceptional in comparison to over gangster films but has many moments with the fierce incidents that take place which is certainly shocking. Performances are grittily realistic as is the dialogue. A beleavable observation of Inner city life. The film also boasts a great soundtrack. Included in the cast are Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Jade Pinkett and Arnold Johnson. The film was produced by Darin Scott and directed by Allan Hughes. Highly recommended!!!


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