Boyz n the Hood: Still Hits Hard After All These Years

Yo, moviebuff_marc here again, and tonight I was revisiting "Boyz n the Hood." Man, this movie still packs a punch. I remember seeing this back in '91 and being completely floored. It felt so real, so raw. Singleton, rest his soul, really captured something important about life in South Central. Thinking about it now, it's like a modern version of "Rebel Without a Cause," but instead of just angsty teens rebelling for no reason, these kids are fighting to survive a system stacked against them. That scene where Furious (Laurence Fishburne, absolute legend) is talking to Tre about gentrification? Still relevant AF. What I always appreciated about "Boyz n the Hood" versus, say, something like "Menace II Society" is the focus on trying to get out. Tre had a shot, thanks to his dad, and Doughboy, bless his heart, he was a product of his environment, doomed almost from the start. The juxtaposition of those two characters is pretty brilliant. And Ice Cube? Straight outta NWA and killin' it on screen. He was Doughboy. It's not a perfect movie, sure some of the acting is a little uneven in places (Ricky's girlfriend for example), but the message, the emotion, it all comes through. They don't really make 'em like this anymore, do they? I mean, we get plenty of "gritty urban dramas," but few with this level of heart and social commentary that doesn't feel preachy. Anyone else remember seeing this in theaters? Did it hit you as hard? What are some other films you think are cut from the same cloth? Let's discuss!