w2b callout thread RE: New Jack City

[NAHSTE]

Everyone should groan this post, for starters ...

http://www.virtualsportsnetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?1325-What-s-the-Last-Movie-You-Watched&p=2192046&viewfull=1#post2192046

Watched New Jack City for the first time in like 15 years. I wish I hadn't. What an awful movie this is. I have no idea why my memory was telling me this was good. So so bad. Judd Nelson gives an embarrassing performance. Ice T is brutal. Snipes mails it in. Chris Rock as "Pookie", in what I believe was his acting debut (non comedic, at that) easily blows away these veteran actors and steals every scene he's in (not a particularly difficult task, but still).

The wacky cinematography was distracting. The camera would tilt sometimes for no apparent reason.

Just a goofy B-movie dressed up as a real movie. -2 stars.

Then, once that's over with, everyone meet me back here and help me explain to w2b why this movie is such a classic.

[Houston]

The tilt is to add an off-balanced uneasy feeling to a scene that already has tension/suspense.

Works great when done right.

[SuperKevin]

I honestly can't stand this movie as well

[Warner2BruceTD]

I remembered it as being great. But then I watched it for the first time in many years.

Doesn't hold up. Total piece of shit. Terrible script, terrible acting, just terrible. Total straight to video B-movie trash when viewed with fresh eyes.

"So bad it's good"? Maybe I can buy that.

[Warner2BruceTD]

The tilt is to add an off-balanced uneasy feeling to a scene that already has tension/suspense.

Works great when done right.

wasn't done right, comes off cheesy and forced

Watch the scene with the generic, stereotypical eye-talian gangsters. Bad high school drama class level stuff. Pretty sure it was spoofed years later in R.Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet".

[SHOGUN]

New Jack City is an urban classic. Nino Brown is one of the best villains ever in this and there are too many quotables. There is a definite cheese factor, but that is a part of its charm. Snipes and Rock were the two star performances. I definitely agree that Ice-T's performance does not age gracefully.

[SuperKevin]

I guess me and Warner aren't urban enough to enjoy it. Who would have guessed?

[Warner2BruceTD]

If we are grading it on a "wow that line of dialogue was so ridiculous its hilarious" or a "jesus this shit is so cheesy..I love it" kind of scale, I get the appeal.

Maybe after all that time I forgot how silly it all was. I remember liking it at one point.

[Warner2BruceTD]

I thought Snipes was a total cartoon character. I didn't really find him dangerous, I found him funny.

[NAHSTE]

It's definitely campy and over the top, and Chris Rock definitely steals the show as Pookie. It sounds like the things you list as criticisms are what most people would consider as points in its favor. You just gotta embrace it, it's a fun 90s movie that doesn't belong in any other era.

[MvP]

I enjoyed it. Didn't think it was amazing or anything, but I liked it. It should be watched just for the character of Pookie alone.

[BigBucs]

I remembered it as being great. But then I watched it for the first time in many years.

Doesn't hold up. Total piece of shit. Terrible script, terrible acting, just terrible. Total straight to video B-movie trash when viewed with fresh eyes.

"So bad it's good"? Maybe I can buy that.

"Rockabye Baby"

[red33]

dont worry w2b i went thru the same epiphany with candyman not too long ago.

i stopped watching my old fav moives like this cause i dont want my memory tarnished. I remember really liking Juice as well.

[Warner2BruceTD]

"leave the memories alone"

[Atom1]

What was great about this movie is that it showed the mainstream
people how the crack game started in the hood back in the early 80's.
How it went from powder to rock and the "basehead" was born.

Unfortunately because where I grew up I knew all about
baseheads and crack dealers before this movie ever came out.