The Blu-ray.com Community Top 25 Urban Films of All Time (Read Rules)

[Batmon77]

Originally Posted by JWFORD

I'm not using anyone's guidelines. Foggy asked for a list, so I gave him one. You can put whichever films you want on your list. But, I'm not sure you like, or have even seen those films you keep sharing, I think you are just trying to be contrarian. That's fine, but it's not my problem. I have seen enough films in my short life time to come up with a list of 25 films that fall within the OP's parameters.

Ive seen the films ive posted.

[Member-275053]

Originally Posted by Batmon77

Ive seen the films ive posted.

Well, good. I look forward to seeing your list.

[Troll2fan]

Originally Posted by Batmon77

Ive seen the films ive posted.

Same for me and I've watched all but two of them multiple times.

[Batmon77]

[Member-275053]

1. Hoop Dreams
2. Killer of Sheep
3. Do the Right Thing
4. Fruitvale Station
5. City of God
6. Chi-raq
7. Menace II Society
8. Boyz n the Hood
9. Fresh
10. Dope
11. Straight Outta Compton
12. Clockers
13. Training Day
14. Hustle & Flow
15. Friday
16. Barbershop
17. Crooklyn
18. He Got Game
19. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete
20. New Jack City
21. Juice
22. Lean on Me
23. Set It Off
24. Jason's Lyric
25. Belly

[Coenskubrick]

Never heard of urban specifically and exclusively meaning black.

Trainspotting is not urban? Taxi Driver is not urban?

[Batmon77]

Urban isnt being used literally. Its like Country music.
A Rock band can be from the country but that doesn't mean they're making Country Music.

Its a label/category for a certain era and sensibility.

And yes it was used in music and film as synonymous w/ Black culture erroneously.

[Mandalorian]

I'm not entirely sure what more to omit. Lemme know if something needs to be replaced.

01. Do the Right Thing
02. Fruitvale Station
03. Precious
04. Hoop Dreams
05. Straight Outta Compton

06. Devil in a Blue Dress
07. Pariah
08. Set it Off
09. Black Dynamite
10. Boyz n the Hood

11. Fresh
12. Mo' Better Blues
13. Jungle Fever
14. American Gangster
15. Training Day

16. He Got Game
17. Menace II Society
18. Friday
19. Coach Carter
20. Rize

21. I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School
22. Hustle & Flow
23. Love & Basketball
24. Crips and Bloods: Made in America
25. 12 O’Clock Boys

Honorable Mentions: Chi-Raq, Black Is...Black Ain't (1994), Dead Presidents, Clockers, Biggie & Tupac (2002)

[Coenskubrick]

Originally Posted by Batmon77

Urban isnt being used literally. Its like Country music.
A Rock band can be from the country but that doesn't mean they're making Country Music.

Its a label/category for a certain era and sensibility.

And yes it was used in music and film as synonymous w/ Black culture erroneously.

Hmmm, okay, I've never heard that... I think maybe the thread title should just be changed to "black urban" instead of urban just for clarity's sake.

I dunno, when I think of urban, it just makes me think of inner city, city life, and often concepts and issues that relate heavily to urban areas, like nightlife/clubbing, prostitution, music / art scene, shoebox poverty, urban crime, drug use etc.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

I'm not sure if I still understand the whole definition for this. Urban shouldn't mean black culture right off the bat right? Wouldn't something like Stand and Deliver be urban? I mean if Lean on Me counts than surely Stand and Deliver does even if instead of a black cast it is a Hispanic cast in an inner city school. Also how about something like Hard Ball? Sure the lead is white, but the entire movie is about coaching an underprivileged group of kids in the inner city. It deals with gangs and the kids needing a good influence.

It seems to really segment an already smaller section of films by requiring the cast to be mostly black.

Another one that just popped into my head is Spare Parts. In many ways it fits the urban film while also being family friendly.

Guys I am asking for Urban/Black films. Thats why I specified that. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by Troll2fan

My list is complete for now. OP, let me know if I included any that you don't think meets your criteria.

Great list. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by JWFORD

Never heard of them.

You must be a hood/urban film aficionado.

You never seen South Central? Great film. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by Batmon77

Yet the Warriors is given pass for its multi-cultural cast.

The settings are the same, but less Black folks.

[Show spoiler]

The Warriors dont count. Got Em!!

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Guys I am asking for Urban/Black films. Thats why I specified that. Got Em!!

I get that, but it seems like you're segmenting a genre already just because of skin color. Lean On Me isn't anymore urban than Stand And Deliver yet it is eligible because the actors are black an not Hispanic? Not my type of list then. I've seen some of the movies and they are great, but I'm not going to try and split hairs based on the race of the leads to create a list.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by ArmyOfDarknessAW

I get that, but it seems like you're segmenting a genre already just because of skin color. Lean On Me isn't anymore urban than Stand And Deliver yet it is eligible because the actors are black an not Hispanic? Not my type of list then. I've seen some of the movies and they are great, but I'm not going to try and split hairs based on the race of the leads to create a list.

Its up to you dude. I made a thread and specified what Im looking for. I am looking for Black Urban films. If you dont want to participate then you dont have to. Got Em!!

[Member-275053]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Its up to you dude. I made a thread and specified what Im looking for. I am looking for Black Urban films. If you dont want to participate then you dont have to. Got Em!!

[Member-275053]

Originally Posted by CZAR

You never seen South Central? Great film. Got Em!!

No, I will add it to my Netflix DVD queue.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by JWFORD

No, I will add it to my Netflix DVD queue.

Yea man its very good. Let me know what you think. Got Em!!

[ArmyOfDarknessAW]

Originally Posted by JWFORD

Bye to you too. We should hang out soon. We'd be such good friends.

[CZAR]

1. Straight Outta Compton
2. Boyz n the Hood
3. Menace II Society
4. Do the Right Thing
5. Coming to America
6. Life
7. The Five Heartbeats
8. Cooley High
9. Friday
10. New Jack City
11. Malcolm X
12. Set it Off
13. Juice
14. Harlem Nights
15. House Party
16. Poetic Justice
17. The Wood
18. New Jersey Drive
19. Drumline
20. Baby Boy
21. Dead Presidents
22. Above the Rim
23. Higher Learning
24. Paid in Full
25. South Central


Got Em!!

[Batmon77]

Love Jones

[ForEver Blu]

Originally Posted by DanTheMan

Would Freedom Writers count? It's certainly urban, though there's a balance in the cast of African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Caucasian. Just wasn't sure if that would qualify with what the topic is looking for.

A similar themed film I included is Lean On Me, which I know has to qualify as it's a predominantly African-American led cast.

Freedom Writers is more of a White Savior film, than Urban.


JMO

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by Batmon77

Love Jones

Did you do your list yet? Got Em!!