With an opening scene that rivals even the best music video Belly enraptured me from the title scene of child in a pentagram burning money to the first bits of dialogue. after that, it became a series of black stereotypes strung together by a great soundtrack. Rappers DMX(Buns) and Nas(Sincere) were the leading men of the urban ensemble which also included Taral Hicks(Keisha), Tionne Watkins(who knew T-boz would be such an awful actress), and Method man(perhaps the shining light in the movie). Besides the lesson in poor acting Belly gave us "one" the phone salutation used by every urbanly inclined young person circa 2001. Although Belly is terribly written it happens to be one of the most unwittingly funny movies I've ever seen. Classic Lines include(but not limited to):
"Jamaicas ggood, Jamaicas very good"
"She told me she sucked your lil black ding-a-ling last night, what you have to say now?"
"This fucking Rabbit Stinks"
"I rolls dolo from state to state, ha ha"
"Thats your man, thats your man"
"When it rains niggas get wet"
Even though the movie made very little sense, had a non-existent plot, and involved a trek to Africa(Lets just do it lets just go to Africa) it is still a hood classic and gets my full attention every time its on(secretly i know like almost every line of the movie)...most of the good ones come from Buns and Father Sha(loved the shameless wu-wear plugs)(what happened to wu-wear lol) but the movie leaves you with too many questions like how did Tionnes blond wigs hold up in the motherland, did Keisha and Buns get back together, whatever happened to Wise after he shot Lakid in the restaurant....anyway it was like a really long music video but still has one of the best sex scenes I have ever seen in a movie. You know the one, Bunz and Keish get in in after an arguement about a jumpoff, its so lovely and complete with African drumbs. Which are perhaps a nod to the movies move to africa culmination I hated the random 16 year old giving brain(ghetto factoid..its only brain in a whip and its only a whip if it cost over 80 g's) to Bunz while on the phone is one of the worse sex scenes Ive ever seen so perhaps they cancel each other out...there is much I like about this movie perhaps its kitschy hoodness is too much for some but I can always pop in Belly and at the end although confused, I am totally satisfied.
Now on to the contender:
Shottas
From its gritty scarface style opening(thats actually the end of the movie) Shottas shocks you with violence and plenty of island-style foolery. After watching shottas it occured to me that Jamaican ghetto shit is completely different from Black ghetto shit. For one the kids play cops and robbers but include a snitch in the game who invariably is also shot. The title characters Wayne(Spragga Benz) and Biggs(Ky-Mani Marley) start off as little barefoot, dirty children in the slums of Kingston. The type of depravity and poverty depicted in the movie is typical of third world countries and makes American poverty seem like a vacation. Anyway wayne and Biggs aquire a gun and hold up a delivery truck driver, thus beginning there careers as stick up men(Eat da big drug dealer dem food). This movie is also filled with classic scenes and a script that sticks with you....
"Who shot my little brotha?"
"Take the what and left the what, you sound like a pussywood"
"Ya really done fucked up you know that right Mr. Andy"
"Shotta no rob 9-5 people and you know dat king!"
"Max, done him"
(all of these sound cooler in Patois)i really could go on and on with this movie. i thoroughly enjoyed this movie although it was an urban flick it had an uncharacteristically thorough plot that was easier to follow than belly's even though half the dialogue was in Patois(subtitled in english). The soundtrack for this one was equally as awesome as Belly(if you like reggae/dancehall), Backshot by Spragga Benz ft. Lady Saw is my fav . It corresponds with one of the best scenes in the movie, where Wayne is in the bathroom and three shottas(gangstas) sneak up with guns intending to shoot him. He is rescued by Biggs who comes in guns blazing.The only part ofthis movie that perplexed me(and intrigued me) was Max the SHOTTA SERIAL KILLER. The scene where after killing someone Max is smoking a cigarette held by the dead persons hand caught me completely off guard(I still chuckled, I know...sick). Still although it came out ofthe blue, I find the notion of young black gangsters as serial killers quite intriguing and likely more real than we all know, but thats another blog.I mean in some respects Shottas has all the makings of a typical hood movie; guns, hoes, drugs etc. but its island flair and cohesive plot make it a standout.
My vote for Best Ghetto Melodrama goes too....(drumroll)....for its well thought storyline and cultural aptitude....SHOTTAS!!!!! To quote DMX..."Jamaicas good, Jamaicas very good!"
:)
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