Once Upon a Time in South Central LA: John Singleton's Hood Trilogy

After the groundbreaking success of his debut film, Boyz N the Hood, in 1991, filmmaker John Singleton (1968-2019) gained worldwide acclaim, earned the respect of major film industry figures, and became the topic of both scholarly and popular culture film conversations. He also made history by becoming the youngest--and the first African American--nominee for the Academy Award for Best Director. However, lukewarm reception for his sophomore release, Poetic Justice, in 1993, dampened the mom...