Is 1999's The Wood worth watching? (Spoiler alert: Yes!)
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!
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Transcript
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
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: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
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:are the jams you liked and how did they
play out within the story?
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: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.
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:Back in the day, classic.
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:Yeah, very appropriate for the type of
movie that we're about to see because as
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: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.
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:Yeah, that was some hazing like, hey, you
gonna hang with us, a new kid from North
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:Carolina?
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: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
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:up to the school for the dance.
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:Yeah, if there's other ones I can keep
going or I can pass it off.
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:Yeah, you want to chime in with something
DynoWright?
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: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
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:-hop movie or not.
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:It does provide some of the soundtrack to
the happenings.
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: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.
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: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.
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:And,
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: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
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:we just recently watched Dope, which
covered a lot of 90s hip hop.
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:This is a little bit earlier and it's
awesome.
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: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.
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:Yeah, that's all right.
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: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.
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: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.
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: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
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:sad.
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: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
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:beat him up.
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:And so like that harkens back to like the
school yard brawls and stuff and people
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: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.
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:They started catching some strays like,
all right, you got this, you know, but.
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:You know, Alicia comes in and is like,
alright stop.
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:But an interesting dynamic later on with
her brother, Stacey, you know, with him
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:sticking up the store and the relationship
between all of those guys.
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: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,
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:God.
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: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...
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: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.
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:But yeah.
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: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?
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:Sure.
205
:So even the movies, we'll talk about the
flashbacks, but the movie sort of takes
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: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
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:junior and.
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: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
:Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha