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- Apr 3, 2002
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I just rewatched New Jack City this morning, had not seen it since the early 90s, and had not remembered it well. I thought it did great in showing how brutal crack itself can be, how violent things got during the height of the crack epidemic, and how inner cities (not just NYC), were ignored for the most part.
I only decided to make this thread, because I wanted to comment on how good Chris Rock did in somewhat major part as a crack head, and also do a semi tribute to Bill Nunn. Seems like one of his first major roles outside SNL and being an extra. I have always liked Rock as an actor (and comedian). He always was a great comic to me but, I have a LOT more respect for him as an actor now.
Snipes was Snipes. I think he is a little underrated as an actor from that era. He did show some good emotional range within the premise of his normal bad guy, psychopath persona.
But I thought the pacing was off, and some of the other acting was awful. I looked at IMDB, and it seems this was Ice-T's first acting gig, outside of an uncredited bouncer and playing himself. He was absolutely awful, and showed no range/emotion. I have not seen Law and Order, but I did like him in Surviving the Game. I do not think I have seen him in anything else.
Mario Van Peebles was also the director. I thought he was both a terrible actor and director. A lot of the scenes seemed rushed. It could have been a better, more developed story, but he relied way to much on montages to progress the story, without good dialogue.
Also made the thread to give a RIP shout out to Bill Nunn, who was in the movie. I did not know he died, until I looked up the movie prior to watching it. Only 62, from Leukemia. He is pretty great in the roles he has been in, and did well in this movie, despite not being given many lines.
More of a TV actor, but he has been quite good as a minor supporting character in a number of movies.
Sister Act
New Jack City
Spiderman 1-3
Runaway Jury
Kiss The Girls
edit: overall I give it a 6.5, its avg is 6.6 on IMDB.
edit: I actually meant to include this in my OP and forgot. The Carter Apartment complex reminded me of the premise for Dredd (2012) with Karl Urban. Lena Headey's character had a very similar set up. Obviously Dredd was more about epic violence over the workings of inner city drugs, but they certainly share some overlap. I wouldn't be surprised if the writer/director got some ideas from NJC.
I only decided to make this thread, because I wanted to comment on how good Chris Rock did in somewhat major part as a crack head, and also do a semi tribute to Bill Nunn. Seems like one of his first major roles outside SNL and being an extra. I have always liked Rock as an actor (and comedian). He always was a great comic to me but, I have a LOT more respect for him as an actor now.
Snipes was Snipes. I think he is a little underrated as an actor from that era. He did show some good emotional range within the premise of his normal bad guy, psychopath persona.
But I thought the pacing was off, and some of the other acting was awful. I looked at IMDB, and it seems this was Ice-T's first acting gig, outside of an uncredited bouncer and playing himself. He was absolutely awful, and showed no range/emotion. I have not seen Law and Order, but I did like him in Surviving the Game. I do not think I have seen him in anything else.
Mario Van Peebles was also the director. I thought he was both a terrible actor and director. A lot of the scenes seemed rushed. It could have been a better, more developed story, but he relied way to much on montages to progress the story, without good dialogue.
Also made the thread to give a RIP shout out to Bill Nunn, who was in the movie. I did not know he died, until I looked up the movie prior to watching it. Only 62, from Leukemia. He is pretty great in the roles he has been in, and did well in this movie, despite not being given many lines.
More of a TV actor, but he has been quite good as a minor supporting character in a number of movies.
Sister Act
New Jack City
Spiderman 1-3
Runaway Jury
Kiss The Girls
edit: overall I give it a 6.5, its avg is 6.6 on IMDB.
edit: I actually meant to include this in my OP and forgot. The Carter Apartment complex reminded me of the premise for Dredd (2012) with Karl Urban. Lena Headey's character had a very similar set up. Obviously Dredd was more about epic violence over the workings of inner city drugs, but they certainly share some overlap. I wouldn't be surprised if the writer/director got some ideas from NJC.
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