A friend of mine is working on composing music for a potential televsion show that forcus on teen in an urban type of environment. I think the cast is majorly African-American youths, but there will be other races and ethnicities as well.
He wants to find movies that aren't stereotypical (ie., gangbanger black kids, etc..), but rather ones that are "real" and in everyday-type settings. He wants to use some of it in his presentation with music involved. So far there's no music and the consensus is that the music is supposed to mellow it out more.
However, the question is not about the music, but movies he can get a similar idea of how the show will be like. So....
back to the original question:
Does anyone know of any movies (maybe like Black and White w/Brooke Shields and Robert Downey Jr., or Higher Learning, but that's more dated and not too typical I would think), that portray urban (mainly black) kids (college age mainly, but possibly high school) in a realistic, everyday situations-type of manner?
Thanks.
scott1598
12-04-04, 09:42 PM
"Thirteen"
"Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys"
"KIDS"
"Bully"
Jackskeleton
12-04-04, 11:40 PM
Isn't the branding of "Urban" a sterotypical thing in itself?
Sierra Disc
12-05-04, 12:03 AM
I really liked "crazy/beautiful" with Kirsten Dunst a few years ago. Nice movie about culture clash between rich girl and Hispanic teen, didn't go in the expected fashion to me.
The Nature Boy
12-05-04, 12:13 AM
Straight Outta Brooklyn
New Jersey Drive
Grimfarrow
12-05-04, 12:30 AM
Jim McKay's "Our Song".
A fantastic film with a stunning performance by Kerry Washington.
Tyler_Durden
12-05-04, 07:09 AM
How about Linklater's SubUrbia (http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0120238/)?
harosa
12-05-04, 09:17 AM
JUICE had some good scenes until it went the crazy killer route, The Wood, and Inkwell were nice coming of age films also.
Jamezuva
12-05-04, 11:32 AM
ken park ... ;)
tsohg
12-05-04, 11:33 AM
There was a show in the early 90's called South Central with Larenz Tate that fits your description sadly it was canceled like every good show on Fox is.
You could try watching Soul Food the Showtime series most of it is told from the teenager Ahmad eyes. VERY VERY good show about black family life. I wish the other seasons would get released on DVD I hate when they put out one and quit :grunt:
Nick Danger
12-05-04, 01:03 PM
Stand and Deliver
Hoop Dreams
obscurelabel
12-05-04, 01:36 PM
Zebrahead (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105885/)
Third Baseman
12-05-04, 03:06 PM
Corn (http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0330175/) :up:
The United States of Leland (http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0301976/) :up: :up:
Confessions of an American Girl (http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0329297/) :up: rotfl :up:
Also.. Mean Creek (http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt0377091/) :up: :up:
I reccommend all.
tommyp007
12-06-04, 01:23 AM
Hoop Dreams was my first thought too
RolloTomasi
12-06-04, 03:02 AM
You Got Served (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365957/)
DeputyDave
12-06-04, 06:31 AM
Kids
Gang Tapes
Al Padrino
12-11-04, 02:36 AM
I thought he wanted real kids who weren't stereotypical? If that's the case, why the hell is Kids being brought up? Just because it was a bunch of kids who'd never acted in their lives doesn't make it realistic movie. What Clarke did with this film was taking a realistic look at a portion of today's youth and completely amplified it. There are a lot of bad kids out there, but this movie was full of nothing but pieces of trash (with exception to maybe some of the females).
scott1598
12-11-04, 07:09 AM
I thought he wanted real kids who weren't stereotypical? If that's the case, why the hell is Kids being brought up? Just because it was a bunch of kids who'd never acted in their lives doesn't make it realistic movie. What Clarke did with this film was taking a realistic look at a portion of today's youth and completely amplified it. There are a lot of bad kids out there, but this movie was full of nothing but pieces of trash (with exception to maybe some of the females).
r u kidding? i think "KIDS" is exactly what the OP wanted!
ThickAsABrick
12-11-04, 08:23 AM
Yes, honestly, with what goes on in my H.S., I don't have any doubt that Kids is not unrealistic. Half the things I could tell you are completely true but probably seem as farfetched as Kids did.
Yeah, the people who do that sort of stuff are a small percentage, but they are out there, probably more than you would think.
Buy: