The Wood (1999) is a coming-of-age romantic comedy which tells the tale of Roland getting cold feet on his wedding day and we are invited to a front-row seat to Ro, Slim and Mike's often awkward high school years as they bond in Inglewood, CA.

Topics discussed:

🎤 This is on the low end of the range of what we would define as Hip Hop movies, but the soundtrack is full of 80s and 90s jams.

😳 For men of a certain age, it's a familiar ride through the awkwardness of junior high and high school.

👊🏾 Strong chemistry among the lead actors, who give a warmth to their origin story.

📼 The flashbacks make the movie and most of the runtime.

📲 As with many films made before the smartphone era, some things would be different about the story today.

Also check out:

Roger Ebert's review of The Wood

Credits

Hip Hop Movie Club is produced by your HHMCs JB, BooGie, and DynoWright. Theme music by BooGie. Follow @hiphopmovieclub on Instagram!

And remember:

Don't hate...demonstrate!

Welcome to Hip Hop Movie Club, the show

that harmonizes the rhythm of hip hop with

2

the magic of movies.

3

Today, we're discussing The Wood, a

nostalgic comedy with a classic hip hop

4

laced soundtrack.

5

We're three old heads who put their old

heads together to vibe on these films for

6

you.

7

I'm Dyno Wright, podcaster, filmmaker,

longtime hip hop fan, and I'm glad to say

8

I saw OutKast at least once in 2002 on the

Smokin' Grooves Tour.

9

I'm JB, 80s and 90s nostalgia junkie, long

time hip hop fan, and I'm a big fan of

10

baseball references in hip hop songs, like

when the Beastie Boys mention Rod Carew or

11

Sadaharu Oh or Q -Tip mentions Lou Brock

and the Braves and the Yankees.

12

This is my Venn diagram.

13

I'm BooGie, a DJ, long time hip hop fan,

and I have a series of old school hip hop

14

mixes that are titled The Throwback

Series.

15

Check them out sometime.

16

In this episode we'll answer the question,

is The Wood worth watching?

17

We'll give you five key takeaways to make

you a smarter hip -hop movie fan.

18

The Wood is a coming of age romantic

comedy which tells the tale of Roland

19

getting cold feet on his wedding day.

20

And we are invited to a front row seat to

Ro, Slim and Mike's often awkward high

21

school years as they bond in Inglewood,

California.

22

Here are five things you need to know

about The Wood.

23

This is low on the end of the range of

what we would define as hip -hop movies,

24

but the soundtrack is full of 80s and 90s

jams.

25

Number two, for a man of a certain age,

it's a familiar ride through the

26

awkwardness of junior high and high

school.

27

Number three, strong chemistry among the

lead actors who give it a warmth to their

28

origin story.

29

The flashbacks make the movie, sorry.

30

Number four, the flashbacks make the movie

and most of the runtime.

31

And number five, as with many films made

before the smartphone era, some things

32

will be different about the story today.

33

Right on.

34

All right, let's get right into it.

35

First takeaway was, it's on the low end

range of what would be defined by us as

36

hip hop movies, but the soundtrack is full

of 80s and 90s jams.

37

So let's dig right into the soundtrack,

because I loved it as I do with other

38

films by Rick Famuyiwa So who wants to

kick us off about the soundtrack and what

39

are the jams you liked and how did they

play out within the story?

40

Yeah, I got a list of them.

41

I can run through half of them.

42

I can run through them.

43

But I would start off with the opening

credits.

44

Back in the day, classic.

45

Yeah, very appropriate for the type of

movie that we're about to see because as

46

we're talking about Ro getting cold feet,

a lot of the movie, as mentioned, does

47

take place in flashback scenes as the

three gentlemen are growing up in.

48

starts off in middle school into high

school.

49

So that was a very good one.

50

We got Eric B is President by Eric B and

Rakim.

51

And that is playing as Mike is basically

telling a story about how his family moved

52

from North Carolina to Inglewood and he's

kind of transitioning and showing the

53

layout for Inglewood and what we're about

to come across as you know, we get

54

familiar with the neighborhood that

they're in.

55

Yeah, You'll Be Illin by Run DMC.

56

And that's playing while Ro and Slim dare

Mike to grab Alicia's butt on the first

57

day of school.

58

Not the second, but the first day of

school.

59

Yes.

60

Yeah, that was some hazing like, hey, you

gonna hang with us, a new kid from North

61

Carolina?

62

This is something I dare you to do for

like a dollar.

63

They set him up.

64

We have Make the Music with Your Mouth Biz

by the late legendary Biz Markie as Mike

65

is trying to practice his dancing moves

before the first school dance.

66

And he realized that before that, that he

didn't know how to dance.

67

Then we have The Freaks Come Out at Night

by Whodini as the trio of them are walking

68

up to the school for the dance.

69

Yeah, if there's other ones I can keep

going or I can pass it off.

70

Yeah, you want to chime in with something

DynoWright?

71

I know you would identify a few as well.

72

no, BooGie covered it.

73

I just want to mention that it might be

debatable whether we think this is a hip

74

-hop movie or not.

75

It does provide some of the soundtrack to

the happenings.

76

But I think that's about the extent of the

hip -hop movie -ness of it.

77

Yeah, for us, this is kind of like Golden

Age.

78

It's kind of like from the infancy up into

the Golden Age, like late 80s, early 90s.

79

Like some of those jams you mentioned are

like all timers.

80

And Peter Piper was played and They Call

Me D-Nice And like, those are just beats

81

that are constantly played or sampled in

the clubs.

82

And,

83

you just nod your head as you go along.

84

So it's a fun time.

85

And just like I said, just like he does

with all the other movies, and especially

86

we just recently watched Dope, which

covered a lot of 90s hip hop.

87

This is a little bit earlier and it's

awesome.

88

Soundtrack's amazing.

89

give me a soundtrack with Eric B and

Rakim, Run-DMC you know, KRS- 1, classic D

90

-Nice.

91

Like, talk about D -Nice, like, we

remember D -Nice as being able to rap.

92

This generation knows him as a DJ.

93

I mean, he DJ'd back then, but he DJ'd and

rapped.

94

Like now, he's sort of, you know,

primarily known as DJ.

95

But yes, D -Nice actually had skills on

the mic.

96

Yeah, that's all right.

97

He's big time DJ.

98

So the next takeaway, takeaway two was for

men of a certain age, it's a familiar ride

99

through the awkwardness of junior high and

high school.

100

So I'll talk a little bit about it and

kind of hand it off.

101

Yeah, I mean, you do see the awkwardness

around girls that these guys had, you

102

know, the crushes and.

103

yeah.

104

You know, getting aroused at an

inappropriate time and, you know, hiding,

105

you know, in the classroom, things like

that, you know, betting who can, who can,

106

you know, lose their virginity and stuff

like that.

107

Very reminiscent of a lot of awkwardness

that teenage boys talk about or used to

108

back then.

109

Dyno Wright.

110

You want to expand upon some of, some of

the.

111

those types of antics.

112

yeah, antics is the right word for it.

113

Antics and, you know, I think I think all

of us can relate to a lot of that

114

awkwardness and trying to present yourself

basically fronting that you know what

115

you're doing.

116

No one really does.

117

And in some cases, treating women badly,

unfortunate, but it did happen and it

118

still happens.

119

And.

120

you know, things like touching her butt or

like, you know, setting out on a mission

121

to get as many numbers as you can.

122

Like, it's, you know, it's treated

accurately, I think, in the movie.

123

So it's really relatable in that way.

124

Like we see in a lot of these movies, it's

juvenile stuff and it's inappropriate

125

behavior.

126

And we'd like to think that we've evolved

as a society, but it did happen, it still

127

does happen.

128

And that was part of their coming of age

for these guys.

129

The other things they would do for sex.

130

You could relate to it.

131

Yeah, I think from like from the moment

Mike saw Alicia, he was almost obsessed

132

with her.

133

It was so funny in the beginning, you

know, that the awkward moment, you know,

134

teachers trying to get him to introduce

himself to the class and he's...

135

But they made some, I mean, I like how

they made light of the awkwardness.

136

Like in that moment, how they played that

scene, that whole scene, how they

137

didn't...

138

just make it like so, you know, he got

picked on, he got through the moment, but

139

it was kind of humorous.

140

You know, even the whole scene with Ro and

Slim daring you know, Mike to touch

141

Alicia's butt, you know, they made it,

they put a little humor to it.

142

They had that, I call it the Spanish

matador music, which actually was in the

143

soundtrack in a song called the Bullfight

Dramatico.

144

I'm like, I didn't realize that.

145

the name of the song.

146

I hear it all the time, but now I know the

name of it.

147

You know, they played the song as he's

rounding, you know, he's running around

148

trying to get the right angle to get in

there.

149

But it was funny.

150

But, you know, the contest, you know, even

that part, they were joking around trying

151

to see who can get the most numbers and

throughout the party.

152

And there were different scenes, you know,

different scenes going on.

153

They were dancing and

154

Mike got to show off his Dance Fever

moves.

155

I like how they put the little humor to

it.

156

Even the bet, they made it a little

humorous to it in that aspect where it's

157

like, yeah, it was a serious topic, but it

was, hey, that's what, it's one of those

158

quote unquote, boys will be boys type.

159

And then even when it gets towards the end

and they're like, you know, they're

160

actually at the dance as high schoolers

and they're hanging outside and they're

161

like, yo, you know, I think we should do

this forever.

162

Like what?

163

You know, macking and hanging.

164

It's like, you know, getting, not being

tied down by one woman, but just

165

continuously, you know, running through

the ranks and just, you know, but it's

166

like, yeah.

167

Of course we know that it didn't really

happen because.

168

The whole premise of the story is get Ro

to the altar.

169

But I like how they added a little bit of

humor to trying to get through those

170

awkward topics.

171

Yeah, I think it was done well in that way

because, you know, it's not awkward and

172

sad.

173

Like, we went through this as in our own

growing up.

174

Like, none of that stuff was like somber.

175

It was just sort of kind of funny, like,

ha ha ha.

176

So I think the accuracy of it is

endearing.

177

And there were repercussions for Mike's

indiscretion, you know, touch a butt, you

178

know, she called her brother and said,

listen my brother's gonna come and he did

179

beat him up.

180

And so like that harkens back to like the

school yard brawls and stuff and people

181

watching around and rallying around and

his newly found friends, you know,

182

somewhat supported them.

183

They had his back a little bit and they

started getting, catching some strays.

184

They started catching some strays like,

all right, you got this, you know, but.

185

You know, Alicia comes in and is like,

alright stop.

186

But an interesting dynamic later on with

her brother, Stacey, you know, with him

187

sticking up the store and the relationship

between all of those guys.

188

Not to give it away, but yeah, I think it

was well done.

189

Yeah, that's the whole scene where he was,

you know, when he's in class and he knows

190

what's gonna happen after school.

191

So Alicia said her brother was coming,

he's watching the clock like, God, God,

192

God.

193

It reminiscence like that, you know, three

o 'clock high or that, you know, after

194

school beat down or, you know, he's like

watching the clock like, man, man.

195

But yeah, as you hinted JB, he definitely,

you know, there was a...

196

a shift in a relationship between him and

the older brother, Stacey.

197

He actually ended up getting kind of

Stacey's respect in some aspects.

198

But yeah.

199

Yeah.

200

Another takeaway was the strong chemistry

among the male lead actors and that gives

201

a warmth to the origin story.

202

So there's a lot of this male bonding that

you can really relate to.

203

Dyno Wright, you want to take us through a

little bit of that?

204

Sure.

205

So even the movies, we'll talk about the

flashbacks, but the movie sort of takes

206

place in two timeframes.

207

It's the junior high and high school time,

and then it's the modern time.

208

And so even the adult versions of them,

the Omar Epps, Richard T.

209

Jones and Taye Diggs, they have a very

good chemistry together.

210

You can feel the warmth that was built

through the experiences that they had at

211

junior and.

212

in high school played by played by played

by Trent Cameron, Sean Nelson and Duane

213

Finley.

214

So in that play, in that sense, it moves

back and forth between the flashbacks and

215

the modern times.

216

And I had some problems with that, but

they really did a good job of casting

217

these young versions of them.

218

And you could really you can really feel

the warmth that they had for each other.

219

And that continued.

220

into their adulthood.

221

Yeah, it was very believable.

222

They played really well off each other as

youngsters and even in modern day versions

223

as well.

224

And I'll say, you know, Roger Ebert brings

this up, but a lot of films in that time

225

period don't really portray young Black

men in this kind of way.

226

They're stereotypically like gang bangers

or some other, you know, they're doing

227

something else than just being like high

school kids.

228

Even Slim, they allude to him being an

athlete, but they don't really, you don't

229

really see that in the movie.

230

They...

231

gesture at it.

232

But similar to Dope, we reviewed last

week, he shines a light on a marginalized

233

group of a marginalized group.

234

And so the normal, I guess, kind of Black

kids that aren't like drug dealers or

235

something like that, they get caught up a

little bit in the lifestyle when they get

236

stuck in the convenience store when it's

getting held up.

237

But other than that, it wasn't like the

defining

238

thing in their lives.

239

So that was kind of nice to see a

different kind of, similar we saw in Dope,

240

you know, a different kind of people

within its population.

241

So, and they did a really good job of just

having that kind of portrayal.

242

So, yeah, good male bonding stuff.

243

think of it from that perspective.

244

Think of all the movies we've covered up

at this time that featured younger Black

245

men and the great majority of them

involves drugs or violence or a life of

246

crime.

247

It is refreshing to see just buddy film,

like comedy.

248

buddy, you know, there's a lot of

different kinds of film in this one film.

249

Yeah.

250

me a normal coming of age story of some

kids growing up.

251

And then we see them in their older selves

and we see that they actually made it

252

through successfully and are living a

normal life.

253

Yeah.

254

Yeah.

255

because you think of like the Brat Pack or

the Frat Pack and all those guys.

256

It's like these white guys, a lot of these

films are buddy -buddy films and the big

257

box office smashes, but you don't really

see that much with, it was primarily a

258

Black cast.

259

Like I didn't really see too many white

folks.

260

And that was interesting because it was

unique, especially for that timeframe.

261

Yeah.

262

Yeah.

263

I mean, and I mean, it definitely allude

to the lifestyle.

264

You know, the first thing they asked, one

of the first things they asked Mike was he

265

Cuzz or Bloods.

266

So you know there's Bloods and Crips in

the neighborhood.

267

And then we see this, you know, with

Stacey and his crew, you know, we find out

268

that they are Bloods.

269

So we know that there's the element in the

neighborhood, you know, stores are getting

270

stuck up.

271

You know, there's still the element of,

you know, police seeing young Black men in

272

the car and pulling them over.

273

wanting to harass them for whatever

reason.

274

I mean, yeah, you say the tail lights out,

but there's no reason for them to be

275

pulled out of the car.

276

If they're on a search, they're on a

search.

277

If they're tail light out, give them a

ticket and send them home.

278

You know, stuff like that.

279

are there.

280

It's not like dominating the story that,

you know, they live in, you know,

281

Inglewood and all that entails.

282

I guess I'll address, I don't know what to

call it, elephant in the room, but I was

283

thinking that would have been like white

cops, it may have a different story

284

because of all the history, you know?

285

And I'm like, man, you know?

286

That was intentional probably, the way

they scripted it and everything, yeah.

287

Yeah, definitely intentional.

288

Well, I mean, even like, even NWA, but NWA

would even allude to it in some of their

289

lyrics.

290

They say, yeah, you know, we had white

cops in the neighborhoods, but some of the

291

ones that treated us the worst were the

Black ones.

292

Yeah.

293

So, I mean, it could have gone either way.

294

Yeah, for sure.

295

Yeah, so chemistry was there.

296

We mentioned that.

297

And then the takeaway number four was the

flashbacks.

298

They really make the movie and the most of

the runtime.

299

Like I was shocked at like how much time

was spent back in the day, like the song

300

says, but like the kids growing up.

301

Yeah.

302

So, BooGie, you wanna take us through some

of the happenings as the...

303

They were in middle school and high

school.

304

high school.

305

Yeah, I can take it.

306

So we had, you know, Sean Nelson, Trent

Cameron and Duane Finley, as we mentioned,

307

playing the younger versions of Mike, Ro,

and Slim, in Inglewood.

308

And I mean, it starts off in 1986, when

Mike's, his younger brother and his mother

309

moved to Inglewood from North Carolina.

310

And upon going to school, Mike encounters

Ro and Slim, and they're like, yo, are

311

you...

312

Like I mentioned earlier, are you Cuz or

Blood and he's like, what?

313

I don't even know what you're talking

about.

314

They're like, yo, maybe you need to hang

out with us so we can keep you from

315

getting shot.

316

They turn around and, you know, get him to

grab Alicia's butt, which prompts Alicia

317

to contact her brother, Stacey, who comes

up and we already went through that.

318

But again, a few months later, everything

seems to calm down and then, you know,

319

they have this school dance.

320

Which was kind of funny because throughout

the whole dance you hear nothing but the

321

old school classics and it was great to

hear those songs.

322

Then, you know, as they're, they, they,

actually before they get to the dance,

323

they're like, you know, when they, they

want to go get some mints and then they

324

witnessed the, you know, burglary taking

place at the convenience store.

325

And then they ended up getting tagged

along into the, into that, because of, you

326

know, Stacey and his crew were the

perpetrators and they, they were scared at

327

the same time, but you know, they kind of

went along because what were they going to

328

do?

329

but like I said, you know, Mike, you know,

330

you know, gets Stacey's respect and, you

know, Stacey kind of helps him out with,

331

you know, trying to talk to his sister.

332

You don't get too much into it there.

333

But then it goes to talk about high school

and, you know, they're a little older, you

334

know, Mike and Alicia no longer together

or whatever.

335

So there's the bet on who can lose their

virginity first.

336

And it shows like a montage of.

337

the guys just trying to convince random

girls or the girlfriends, you know, how

338

they move on to the next step.

339

And the girls are basically like, no,

they're not buying it.

340

They're not buying it.

341

Which is kind of funny because they're

trying to have a little bet jar going on

342

for every time they get rejected.

343

At the end of the week, they have to add

money to it.

344

So you just see them keep adding money to

the jar, which is showing up.

345

You don't think y 'all macking, but y 'all

not.

346

But yeah, it was cool, like I said, you

know, just seeing.

347

some of the funny antics that these guys

try to go through, just trying to make it

348

in that neighborhood.

349

But yeah, it was entertaining, funny.

350

And he covered it, a lot of antics and

hijinks, as we said.

351

Yeah.

352

Dyno Wright you wanted to talk maybe about

some of the fashion from the 90s that was

353

on display?

354

You

355

yes, it was great to see that again.

356

Even though you might think it's

questionable now, but some of those lapels

357

you could really like land a pontoon boat

on.

358

Yeah

359

Really wonderful.

360

It's great.

361

the loud colors they're wearing and which

was it was it Ro's younger version with

362

the the jheri curls like like the

ridiculous like jerry jheri curls back

363

then yeah reminiscent of Soul Glo so yeah

Soul Glo yeah yeah it didn't

364

they rubbed with the grab.

365

Like wiping it off on him, man.

366

I mean when was the last time you saw a

Guess?

367

jacket?

368

Yeah, the Guess?

369

jacket.

370

I remember I wanted that jacket so bad.

371

-hmm.

372

Yeah.

373

the Guess?

374

shirt underneath it, you know.

375

and the very boxy shoulder pad jazz suit,

New Jack suit.

376

Wonderful.

377

Mike had a Member's Only jacket on the

first day of school.

378

Yeah, he's definitely from a little

country.

379

I have a Member's Only a jacket right now

the same color.

380

I saw it and said, my God, throwback.

381

so fun.

382

everything retro comes back at some point

so hold on to that.

383

Yeah.

384

Yeah, it's cool to see those throwback

fashions.

385

Yeah, and takeaway five is, as with many

films made before the smartphone era, some

386

things will be different about the story

today.

387

What do you think would be a bit different

there, Dyno Wright?

388

In that regard.

389

that the three of them disappear for like

two or three hours on the wedding day.

390

And like, that wouldn't happen now.

391

There'd be like mad texts flowing and

stuff.

392

So, or find my iPhone and they would just

like track them down.

393

So, you know, that, that contrivance

doesn't, doesn't happen now.

394

So it's like, okay.

395

They just allowed to disappear.

396

Yeah, even the bridesmaids would probably

be like...

397

on a rampage trying to get him to the

wedding.

398

Yeah.

399

Yeah.

400

They would have got him.

401

And the plot is, I'm not even sure what

the point of the movie was.

402

I think the point of the movie was the

power of friendship and the power of male

403

bonding, but...

404

The rest of it was like, why should I be

convinced that Rolando actually likes

405

Lisa?

406

That was sort of tacked on at the end.

407

Why are we trying to drag him to the

church or to the wedding?

408

No, other than he's got cold feet.

409

So why?

410

Yeah.

411

ex Tanya, you know, for guidance or for

safety, you know, like when he got into a

412

jam.

413

Yeah.

414

he even alluded that you guys need to get

out of here because it's looking kind of

415

good.

416

I might get a last minute one in.

417

you know the point of the the the driving

force of this movie was to get him to the

418

wedding but they didn't really talk about

the marriage like Is this is a good idea

419

They kind of glossed around it a little

bit.

420

yeah, they sort of hint at it.

421

So that part didn't really work for me in

this movie.

422

And the flashbacks of the other, the young

versions of them were really good.

423

But you think of a movie with these

actors, you don't get to see them that

424

much.

425

Taye Diggs and Omar Epps, and they sort of

get like second billing.

426

What more can I say?

427

Top billing.

428

Yeah.

429

sorry.

430

So the one, I guess, surprise element or a

subplot was, you know, Mike being able to

431

get back together with Alicia, you know,

at the end, because that was the big

432

crush.

433

And if you think about it or you listen

closely, they had the opportunity to kind

434

of stay together because one of them went

to Columbia, one of them got into NYU or

435

vice versa, but like one of them decided

not to go.

436

Right.

437

So.

438

They had an opportunity and they didn't.

439

And then it turns out that she comes back

for the wedding to see the old friends.

440

And Mike's kind of surprised to see her

and they get to talking and it looks like

441

they.

442

Reconcile or...

443

Yeah.

444

actually go to New York this time instead

of not going like last time.

445

Yeah.

446

That was one thing about that, like the

movie takes all this time to talk about

447

their relationship, but that wasn't even

like the point of the plot.

448

I thought, we're not here about Mike and

Alicia.

449

We're here to talk about Rolando and Lisa.

450

We don't even see Lisa for like an hour

and a half.

451

We're watching.

452

I'm like looking like when they keep

showing the getting ready the bridesmaids

453

like I don't even where's the bride?

454

Where's the bride?

455

I see the parents.

456

on Frasier.

457

It's Maris - It's Maris Crane or whatever

they - from Frasier.

458

Like you never see her.

459

It's like Snuffleupagus.

460

I like the neighbor at home improvement,

Wilson over the fence.

461

You never see the person.

462

man.

463

The Wood.

464

man.

465

weird elements like that.

466

I actually struggled to write some of the

notes.

467

I mean, yeah, we document what happens.

468

It was fun.

469

I was laughing at the camaraderie and the

stuff, but the whole kind of plot thing

470

was kind of like a little bit odd.

471

But the soundtrack was insane.

472

So I loved it.

473

Yeah, it's a fun time overall.

474

Yeah, there's certainly some good like

laugh lines.

475

Yeah.

476

So.

477

felt for him.

478

I felt for Slim getting his Ferragamo's

puked on.

479

I mean, those are...

480

Those are thousand dollar shoes now.

481

I mean, I felt that.

482

Someone threw up on my Park Avenue Allen

Edmonds, I'd be upset.

483

Yeah.

484

It was fun.

485

part in the movie that had me cracking up

a little bit.

486

After they left the convenience store with

Stacey and his guy Boo, and they sit in

487

the back seat, and there's this dialogue

going on between Stacey and Boo's

488

character.

489

Stacey's like, you know, I think I might

want to become a rapper.

490

Yes, that was funny.

491

I'm writing an album about smoking weed.

492

And Boo looks at him and says, ain't

nobody about to buy no album about smoking

493

weed.

494

And I look at him like, hmm, we had an

album called The Chronic.

495

Yeah, yeah.

496

I mean, that was an intentional joke, like

an inside joke because of the chronic,

497

because of Cypress Hill.

498

Like, you know, because I got high, like

seriously, like how many people, how many

499

rappers, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, like

seriously, like how many songs and artists

500

have made lucrative careers around rapping

about weed?

501

Seriously.

502

Like that was kind of a joke, yeah,

because he was ahead of his time.

503

I mean, that was like it was so close.

504

It was like 1992.

505

You're going to hear about it.

506

Right.

507

Pick up the mic in about six years, you

might be onto something.

508

Yeah, exactly.

509

away, Dre is like about to drop this

album.

510

It's a change.

511

Blow your mind.

512

Yeah.

513

the lab.

514

So this movie's from 99, I think, if I

recall, right?

515

So I think Rick Famuyiwa and I apologize

if I'm mispronouncing his name, it's

516

tricky, but I think he's evolved as a

director.

517

I think the writing got better and better.

518

Dope, the dialogue, I think, was much

better.

519

That funny line about the weed and rapping

and then like...

520

Other funny dialogue is like the one guy

was like a savant about breath mints and

521

that was kind of funny here and there.

522

Other were just like little jokes inside

jokes, but I he has evolved like, I think

523

he matured with his directing.

524

I don't know if he wrote, you know, the

writing in his movies got, I guess, better

525

too.

526

I think he did write this one.

527

He wrote the screenplay.

528

So I mean, this is his story.

529

So yeah, yeah, he definitely improved, you

know, The Wood walked so of Dope could

530

fly, right?

531

Yeah, exactly.

532

And remember, he's the guy behind Brown

Sugar also, which is a really good film as

533

well.

534

three years, you know, I think some of the

things he learned from Making the Wood,

535

who made its way into Brown Sugar, you

know, we would re -enjoy that movie too.

536

I definitely mentioned this with DOPE, the

one thing that I still find humorous.

537

It's just a small thing, but it's so funny

because we get to see young Stacey in the

538

woods and we see older mature security

guards, Stacey and DOPE.

539

Yes.

540

Yeah.

541

Well, but he a little soon said, hey, ask

your father about me.

542

It's like a Famuyiwa cinematic universe.

543

FCU.

544

it's kind of cool when people use these

guys.

545

and see if he's like the, gotta look at

Brown Sugar and see if he's just a

546

security guard in the background.

547

He got to New York and Mike didn't.

548

Yeah.

549

Thanks.

550

Speaking of Brown Sugar we got another

Sanaa Lathan sighting

551

Yes!

552

You

553

really is a Sanaa Lathan stan podcast

anymore.

554

It's fine with me.

555

How many mentions?

556

the analysis, her name gets mentioned the

most.

557

Yeah.

558

I mean, although, you know, we got Lisa

Ray in here now, so that's a, she got some

559

comp.

560

Well...

561

Yeah.

562

Sanaa Lathan.

563

We gotta get her on the podcast.

564

Somebody knows our get her on the podcast

565

If anybody knows her, reach out to us.

566

hiphopmovieclub .gmail .com Hook us up.

567

right.

568

We got a lot of love for her.

569

Alright fellas, let's go around the room

and give our ratings for The Wood.

570

BooGie, for this movie The Wood.

571

Bring that funky flick back or leave it in

the vault?

572

Yeah, I've seen this quite a few times

already, so I'm gonna bring a funky flick

573

back.

574

It makes me laugh.

575

Yeah.

576

Dyno Wright?

577

What is your rating?

578

Bring that funky flick back or leave it in

the vault.

579

Despite the gripes I have, bring this

funky flick back.

580

Yes, and that makes three of us.

581

The soundtrack, the camaraderie, it is a

fun, fun movie.

582

And so bring that funky flick back for me

as well.

583

Okay.

584

Come for the music, stay for the

gratuitous male nudity in the movie.

585

I forgot about that part.

586

you know, you don't really see that in

movies these days.

587

Whoa.

588

OK.

589

All right, then.

590

if any of our listeners are into those

guys, you know, make them a surprise.

591

The moon is out over Inglewood.

592

The moons.

593

You can see the moon during the day.

594

Hip Hop Movie Club is produced by your

HHMC's JB, BooGie and Dyno Wright.

595

Theme music by BooGie.

596

Whether you're listening to the podcast or

watching us on YouTube, please give us a

597

follow.

598

Please give us a follow.

599

It's a real power up for us.

600

Thanks for tuning in.

601

And remember, don't hate, demonstrate.

602

Show us.

603

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