Menace II Society, 1993
Like many of these films from this time, Menace II Society was a story about escaping the violence of the streets. It was one of the films that showed a dangerous glimpse into the perils of sunny California, helping the world to believe NWA and Ice-T’s suggestions that the City of Angels had a lot of demons.
The story is about Kaydee “Caine” Lawson, an 18-year-old finally in a position to change the trajectory of his life. Played by Tyrin Turner, he is ready for newness and tired of playing the cards dealt to young men in his community. Young men like his friend, O-Dog (Larenz Tate), whose impulsive and irrational behavior keeps him trapped in the gutter of his own mind, basking in a life of violence and crime, and believe that there are no other options. But Lawson is not alone. His mentor (portrayed by the brilliant OG actor Charles Dutton) and his lady Ronnie (played by Jada Pinkett Smith) stand by him and support his dreams of a better life … but it would not be a hood classic if it were just that easy. And it is this kind of suspense and action that made the Hughes brothers a storytelling force in the 90s.