Do you know what I want to see? More snazzy ethnic versions of highly successful Hollywood productions. For instance, an all Asian version of Brokeback Mountain would be peachy, as would a German language rendition of The Color Purple. It would challenge actors to step outside the box, to tackle roles that would otherwise be unavailable to them. Who in their right mind wouldn't pay to see Jackie Chan and Jet Li explore their hidden homosexual desires while herding livestock across a snow-covered mountain range? If I'm the only person who finds that saucy scenario oddly compelling, feel free to leave me lots of snarky comments.
Until Olaf Ittenbach delivers on that oh-so-splendid adaptation of Alice Walker's classic novel, I guess I'll just have to make due with Paul Wynne's African-American take on Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts' campy television epic Charlie's Angels. Not one to stray too far from the source material, Wynne's 2003 effort Hood Angels is very much like its Caucasian counterpart. Three hot chicks — the slut, the brains, and the riot grrl — take it upon themselves to unravel the mystery behind a rap star's untimely demise. Did I mention they also take orders from an authoritative male figure? Well, there's that, too. Can't have a trio of sexy chicks fighting crime without a penis calling the shots, now can we?
Chauvinist pigs!
Specifically, the film follows the exploits of Cinnamon, Traci, and Felicia, three butt-stompin' sistas who find friendship while spending an evening in the county lock-up. Their eventual release from jail — with a little help from a dashing young lawyer, no less — isn't all moon pies and penny whistles, I'm afraid. It would seem that someone has taken it upon themselves to gun down Cinnamon's hip-hoppin' brother Nitro (Juvenile) only days before the release of his next album. All signs point to someone working at Murder Boi, the record label owned and operated by Nitro's old pal J Day. Watch as the plot thickens and boils!
Article comments
1 - Kaonashi
Void in Kentucky, Iowa, California, Alaska, and parts of Belgium.
Dammit, I live in California. Guess I'll just have to live vicariously through your awesome review instead.
2 - T. Rigney
I'm glad you enjoyed the review! I myself live in Kentucky, so handling this product was quite risky. My solution: tell anyone who asked that I was watching Levar Burton on Reading Rainbow. That seemed to work.