Menace II Society

Selected by the Writers Branch. 
 
Caine (Tyrin Turner) is an amoral young drug dealer in South Los Angeles whose life—and that of his sociopathic best friend, O-Dog (Larenz Tate)—spirals into an escalating series of crimes after a pointless double murder. Screenwriter Tyger Williams was 24 when the film—from a story by 21-year-old twin directors Allen and Albert Hughes—was released, and his nihilistic look at contemporary urban life made a huge impact on audiences while updating the gangster genre for a modern era. Lisa Rinzler provided the bold cinematography, and the powerhouse supporting cast includes Jada Pinkett, Bill Duke, Charles S. Dutton, and Samuel L. Jackson.