I find the 1980’s and 1990’s to be a fascinating era in New York City and the Bronx. The fashion, the graffiti inside the trains, the music, and the youth are all aspects that made up this unique culture and time in our city’s history. Here’s my personal list of films that I think every young Bronxite or New Yorker should watch:

1. Wildstyle (1983)

Produced by Charlie Ahearn, Wildstyle is regarded as the first hip-hop film. The film features hip-hop pioneers such as Fab Five Freddy, Lee Quinones, Lady Pink (aka “the first lady of graffiti”), and Grandmaster Flash, just to name a few. If you want to see a classic hip-hop flick full of breakdancing, freestyle MCing, and graffiti subway scenes, Wildstyle is perfect for anyone interested in the early beginnings of hip-hop culture.

Lady Pink and Zoro (Lee Quinones)

2. Kids (1995)

Everyone loves a good film about a group of angsty teens. Except, Kids is the urban version. This controversial movie has underage sex, AIDS, drug use, and teens who all seem to come from broken homes. Kids was director Larry Clark’s first film (at age 52), and the script was written in two weeks. Kids showed how inner city kids (the skater punks and the hip-hop kids) meshed together in the 1990’s grittiness of New York City. Kids has also bred two successful Hollywood actresses, Rosario Dawson and Chloe Sevigny.

3. Do The Right Thing (1989)

Perhaps one of Spike Lee’s greatest films, Do The Right Thing is also a film that is still relevant today. Set on the hottest day of the year in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, it is a story depicting the racial tensions between an Italian-American family and the African-American locals, until  the tension finally explodes from the buildup. Do The Right Thing also stars a slew of iconic actors such as Rosie Perez, Martin Lawrence, Danny Aiello, and Samuel Jackson.

4. Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1992)

Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. is a coming-of-age film about an African-American girl named Chantel Mitchell, who resides in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn with her working-class family. Chantel is ambitious, sassy, and determined to make it out of the hood and fulfill her dreams of becoming a doctor. However, Chantel’s plans of graduating high school early are interrupted by an unexpected pregnancy, and she must figure out where to go from there. One of the unique aspects of the film is that Chantel is the mediator between the audience and her story, explaining her actions and what it means as she’s doing it, making the audience feel as if it is experience Chantel’s life right with her. Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. was director Leslie Harris’s first and only film.

Not only was Chantel charismatic, she was also quite a fashion inspiration.

5. Raising Victor Vargas (2002)

Raising Victor Vargas is definitely more lighthearted than the rest of the movies on this list, but it is also another great coming-of-age story nonetheless. Starring Victor Rasuk and Melonie Diaz, this film is set in the Lower East Side and has all of the Latino/summer elements that bring back nostalgia: stoop-sitting, salsa blasting on the block, and public pool shenanigans. After getting caught romancing Fat Donna, Dominican teen Victor Vargas must revive his game and reputation and attempts to do so by seducing Judy, the hottest girl on the block. Written and directed by Peter Sollet, Raising Victor Vargas realistically captures inner-city Latino life. Even though this film is set in the early 2000’s, I just had to include it in my list as a cult classic.

Although there are a ton of POC/urban youth culture films today, these films are just a few of my favorites. It’s always fun to go back in time and see how NYC youth lived and created their own culture, especially being in my generation where I’m constantly seeing fashion and music interests from the 80’s and 90’s revived all over again. Enjoy these films!

*The opinions and ideas expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the opinions of The Bronx Brand*

Sydney is from Bedford Park, in the northwest section of the Bronx. She’s lived in the Bronx all her life, and is inspired by the strength of the people of the Bronx. She says, “If you can make it from the Bronx, you can make it anywhere.” She believes the Bronx has a charm that can’t be found anywhere else. She wouldn’t trade it for anything growing up here because it’s shaped her into the fighter she is today. You can follow her on Twitter: @sydney_joy and tumblr: http://sydneyj0y.tumblr.com/