Music and movies have curated some of the most memorable moments in our lives. As kids we used to fancy ourselves as our favourite movie stars and thus emulated and mimicked everything actors did on screen. It never really dawns on us until a certain age that some movies are educational and inspiring, therefore prompting us to do some self-introspection after watching them.
Below are 5 Coming of Age movies that every young Cool & Black person should watch:
5. The Wood (1999)
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Starrring: Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones, Taye Diggs, Lisa Raye, Tamala Jones, Sanah Lathan, Malinda Willliams & Sean Nelson
Synopsis – Roland [Diggs], Slim [Jones] and Mike [Epps] are childhood friends who are now leading different lives. The trio reunites for Roland’s wedding as he prepares to marry Lisa [Raye]. Roland soon realises that getting married isn’t a walk in the park and starts getting cold feet. It is now up to Slim and Mike to find him and convince him to honour his word to his bride-to-be. The now-grown men go through nostalgia about growing up in ‘’The Wood’’ by reminiscing about the great times they had as young boys, which leads to a self-discovery exercise for each of them.
4. A T L (2006)
Director: Chris Robinson
Starring: Clifford ‘’T.I.’’ Harris, Lauren London, Evan Ross, Myketel Williamson, Keith David, Jason Weaver & Jackie Long
Synopsis: ATL follows Rashad [T.I.] and his group of friends as they are about to graduate high school. As a skating crew, they are focused on winning the Skate Wars competition at Cascades, where they can be found skating their troubles away, every Sunday. Rashad juggles school and running the Swann family business alongside his uncle George [Williamson] and his troublesome brother, Antwone ‘’Ant’’ [Ross]. Soon thereafter, Rashad falls for the ghetto-fabulous Nu-Nu [London] and the two commence a teenage love affair that seems unbreakable, unknowing to Rashad that Nu-Nu is not who she pretends to be…
Conflicted by his girl’s betrayal, being loyal to his crew, and keeping Ant out of trouble, Rashad finds himself at the crossroads and in need of a way out, which happens to be his love for art.
3. Coach Carter – (2005)
Director: Thomas Carter
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Ashanti, Rick Gonzales, Robert Ri’chard, Channing Tatum, Antwonne Tanner & Rob Brown
Synopsis – The Richmond Oilers basketball team is fairing dismally on and off the court and Coach Carter (Jackson) is recruited by his former high school basketball coach to get the boys in line. Marred by a dreary basketball season and poor schooling results, the players soon learn that in order to earn playing time, they’d have to do well in the classroom. Coach Carter is tasked with assembling a winning team that will not only put-up numbers on the scoreboard but also do well in their academics. Coach Carter advocates for his boys that college is important and that their future goes far beyond playing the game of basketball.
2. Boyz N’ The Hood (1991)
Director: John Singleton
Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr, O’Shea ‘’Ice Cube’’ Jackson, Morris Chestnut & Nia Long
Synopsis – Boyz N’ The Hood is a gripping tale about life choices and self-introspection. It’s the mid 80s and LA is filled with gang violence and all sorts of illicit activities. Young ‘Tre [Gooding] is sent to live with his father Furious [Fishburne] in order to learn how to be a man. He soon forms a kinship with brothers Dough Boy [Ice Cube] and Ricky [Chestnut], one being a street gangbanger and the other a rising high school football star. An altercation with a local gang, turns ugly when Ricky is fatally shot and killed. Plotting retaliation, Tre finds himself in a predicament of having to avenge his friend’s murder and risk throwing his future away.
- Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Director: F. Gary Gray
Starring: O’Shea Jackson Jr, Corey Hawkins Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr, Aldis Hodge & Paul Giamatti
Synopsis – Straight Outta Compton is a biographical movie about renowned LA rap group NWA (N*gagaz With Attitude). The movie depicts the meteroric rise of the rap collective as they strive to be a voice for the Los Angeles minority in the late 80s. After an unpleasant encounter with the local police department, Eazy E (Mitchell), Ice Cube (Jackson Jr), DJ Yella (Brown Jr), MC Ren (Hodge) and Dr. Dre (Hawkins) take to the studio to record the scathing street anthem ‘’F*** The Police’’, a song which gained widespread notoriety and attention from all parts of the USA. The rappers go from obscurity to mainstream success and soon, their bond and camaraderie is tested when fame and fortune tears the group apart.
