30 of the best hood movies
by joetatton | created - 21 Jan 2013 | updated - 21 Jan 2013 | Publicmy favorite movies set in the ghetto
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1. City of God (2002)
R | 130 min | Crime, Drama
In the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin.
Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund | Stars: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Matheus Nachtergaele, Phellipe Haagensen
Votes: 800,970 | Gross: $7.56M
2. Wassup Rockers (2005)
R | 111 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A group of teenage boys opt to form their own identity by riding skateboards, wearing tight pants.
Director: Larry Clark | Stars: Jonathan Velasquez, Francisco Pedrasa, Milton Velasquez, Usvaldo Panameno
Votes: 5,018 | Gross: $0.22M
3. New Jersey Drive (1995)
R | 98 min | Crime, Drama
Jason and Midget are two young, black teenagers living in Newark,New Jersey, the unofficial car theft capital of the world. Their favourite pastime is that of everybody in their ... See full summary »
Director: Nick Gomez | Stars: Shar-Ron Corley, Gabriel Casseus, Saul Stein, Gwen McGee
Votes: 3,452 | Gross: $3.57M
4. Kidulthood (2006)
R | 89 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A day in the life of a group of troubled 15-year-olds growing up in west London.
Director: Menhaj Huda | Stars: Aml Ameen, Red Madrell, Noel Clarke, Adam Deacon
Votes: 19,785
5. South Central (1992)
R | 98 min | Crime, Drama
A former gangster fresh out of prison wants to change his life for the better and must save his 10 year old son who has already chosen a gang life.
Director: Stephen Milburn Anderson | Stars: Glenn Plummer, Byron Minns, Lexie Bigham, Vincent Craig Dupree
Votes: 6,711 | Gross: $1.37M
6. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
R | 116 min | Crime, Drama
An African-American Mafia hit man who models himself after the samurai of old finds himself targeted for death by the mob.
Director: Jim Jarmusch | Stars: Forest Whitaker, Henry Silva, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman
Votes: 96,950 | Gross: $3.31M
7. Pixote (1980)
TV-MA | 128 min | Crime, Drama
The life of a boy on the streets of Sao Paulo, involved with crimes, prostitution, and drugs.
Director: Hector Babenco | Stars: Fernando Ramos da Silva, Jorge Julião, Gilberto Moura, Edilson Lino
Votes: 9,233
8. Ill Manors (2012)
Not Rated | 121 min | Crime, Drama, Music
The lives of four drug dealers, one user, and two prostitutes are explored.
Director: Plan B | Stars: Riz Ahmed, Sliem Ben-Salah, Ed Skrein, Lee Allen
Votes: 11,240
9. The Wounds (1998)
103 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
This film follows two Belgrade youths on their rise to gangster legends in a decaying society.
Director: Srdjan Dragojevic | Stars: Dusan Pekic, Milan Maric, Dragan Bjelogrlic, Branka Katic
Votes: 11,725
10. Adulthood (2008)
99 min | Crime, Drama
The story revolves around Sam who is released from prison and has to face the people he hurt on a daily basis.
Director: Noel Clarke | Stars: Noel Clarke, Scarlett Alice Johnson, Adam Deacon, Jacob Anderson
Votes: 13,153
11. Tsotsi (2005)
R | 94 min | Crime, Drama
Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader.
Director: Gavin Hood | Stars: Presley Chweneyagae, Mothusi Magano, Israel Matseke-Zulu, Terry Pheto
Votes: 31,607 | Gross: $2.91M
12. Elite Squad (2007)
R | 115 min | Action, Crime, Drama
In 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits.
Director: José Padilha | Stars: Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira, Milhem Cortaz
Votes: 110,254 | Gross: $0.01M
13. Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within (2010)
Not Rated | 115 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After a prison riot, former-Captain Nascimento, now a high ranking security officer in Rio de Janeiro, is swept into a bloody political dispute that involves government officials and paramilitary groups.
Director: José Padilha | Stars: Wagner Moura, Irandhir Santos, André Ramiro, Milhem Cortaz
Votes: 86,761 | Gross: $0.10M
14. Johnny Mad Dog (2008)
98 min | Drama, War
A cast of unknown performers are used in this drama about child soldiers fighting a war in the West African Country Liberia.
Director: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire | Stars: Christophe Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Joseph Duo, Dagbeth Tweh
Votes: 3,534
15. City of Men (2007)
R | 106 min | Crime, Drama
Best buddies Acerola and Laranjinha, about to turn 18, discover things about their missing fathers' pasts which will shatter their solid friendship, in the middle of a war between rival drug gangs from Rio's favelas.
Director: Paulo Morelli | Stars: Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo dos Santos
Votes: 16,296 | Gross: $0.31M
16. Dead Presidents (1995)
R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A Vietnam vet adjusts to life after the war while trying to support his family, but the chance of a better life may involve crime and bloodshed.
Directors: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes | Stars: Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker, Freddy Rodríguez
Votes: 24,483 | Gross: $24.20M
17. Bullet Boy (2004)
R | 89 min | Drama
In one of East London's most volatile neighborhoods, pride, rivalry and revenge are the only codes on the street. Touted as a British Boyz in the Hood, Bullet Boy is a gripping and ... See full summary »
Director: Saul Dibb | Stars: Ashley Walters, Luke Fraser, Leon Black, Clare Perkins
Votes: 2,743
18. Gridlock'd (1997)
R | 91 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Two friends try to kick their drug addiction after a friend dies from an overdose, when they try to enroll in a detox program, things quickly go wrong.
Director: Vondie Curtis-Hall | Stars: Tupac Shakur, Tim Roth, Thandiwe Newton, Charles Fleischer
Votes: 16,593 | Gross: $5.48M
19. Do the Right Thing (1989)
R | 120 min | Comedy, Drama
On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson
Votes: 112,402 | Gross: $27.55M
20. Hustle & Flow (2005)
R | 116 min | Crime, Drama, Music
With help from his friends, a Memphis pimp in a mid-life crisis attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee.
Director: Craig Brewer | Stars: Terrence Howard, Ludacris, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning
Votes: 43,221 | Gross: $22.20M
21. Bound by Honor (1993)
R | 180 min | Crime, Drama
Based on the true life experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on step-brothers Paco and Cruz, and their bi-racial cousin Miklo.
Director: Taylor Hackford | Stars: Damian Chapa, Jesse Borrego, Benjamin Bratt, Enrique Castillo
Votes: 34,018 | Gross: $4.50M
22. Clockers (1995)
R | 128 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Young drug pushers in the projects of Brooklyn live hard dangerous lives, trapped between their drug bosses and the detectives out to stop them.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, Mekhi Phifer
Votes: 23,529 | Gross: $13.04M
23. One Eight Seven (1997)
R | 119 min | Drama, Thriller
15 months after being stabbed 9 times by a student at work as a high school teacher in NYC, Mr. Garfield is working in LA as a substitute teacher come full-time. He refuses to be a victim anymore.
Director: Kevin Reynolds | Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, John Heard, Kelly Rowan, Clifton Collins Jr.
Votes: 25,095 | Gross: $5.72M
24. Friday (1995)
R | 91 min | Comedy, Drama
It's Friday, and Craig and Smokey must come up with $200 they owe a local bully or there won't be a Saturday.
Director: F. Gary Gray | Stars: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tom Lister Jr.
Votes: 124,563 | Gross: $27.47M
25. 8 Mile (2002)
R | 110 min | Drama, Music
Follows a young rapper in the Detroit area, struggling with every aspect of his life; he wants to make it big but his friends and foes make this odyssey of rap harder than it may seem.
Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Eminem, Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer
Votes: 320,848 | Gross: $116.72M
26. Training Day (2001)
R | 122 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A rookie cop spends his first day as a Los Angeles narcotics officer with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears to be.
Director: Antoine Fuqua | Stars: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger
Votes: 472,811 | Gross: $76.63M
27. Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema (2008)
R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A young hoodlum's rise from a small-time criminal to a powerful crime entrepreneur during the turbulent years before and after the fall of apartheid.
Director: Ralph Ziman | Stars: Rapulana Seiphemo, Jeffrey Sekele, Ronnie Nyakale, Shelley Meskin
Votes: 10,916 | Gross: $0.00M
28. Anuvahood (2011)
R | 88 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Meet Kenneth. He thinks he's got the moves. He thinks he's got the swagger. He thinks he can spit bars. But in reality, he's a WASTEMAN!
Directors: Adam Deacon, Daniel Toland | Stars: Adam Deacon, Femi Oyeniran, Ollie Barbieri, Darwood Grace
Votes: 5,379
29. Menace II Society (1993)
R | 97 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A young street hustler attempts to escape the rigors and temptations of the ghetto in a quest for a better life.
Directors: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes | Stars: Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, June Kyoto Lu, Toshi Toda
Votes: 64,456 | Gross: $27.90M
30. Above the Rim (1994)
R | 96 min | Crime, Drama, Sport
Story of a promising high school basketball star and his relationships with two brothers, one a drug dealer and the other a former basketball star fallen on hard times and now employed as a security guard.
Director: Jeff Pollack | Stars: Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur, Leon, David Bailey
Votes: 17,089 | Gross: $16.04M
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