Menace II Society | Welcome To The Basement

[@stormcloudsabound]

"We get it, Matt, you know The Raps:" The Episode.

[@stormcloudsabound]

Not gonna lie, after the 'movie synopsis' portion of the episode, I just went: "Wow. I'd forgotten how white Matt is." He's as white as me when I rap Hamilton.

[@whoknowswhocares885]

AJ Craig is much whiter.

[@TranzparentMethods]

"Menace II Society" was the best of the pack of "hood movies" that came out in the early 90's. All due respect to "Boyz N The Hood" because it laid the groundwork. "Menace" was much more nihilistic, a little more true to reality. In that, raised in a certain way guaranteed, if you live by the sword, you died by the sword. I first saw this movie when I was 12, yes, 12 and it really has never left me. Still one of my favorite dramas of all time.

[@nathanlobono5818]

You guys have become your own "Simpsons did it," joke. But it's so endearing that you just take it on the chin in a light hearted way. Keep up the great work.

[@jamesmackay4529]

well handled lads, not easy to have a valuable insight into a culture you're removed from. you nailed it, very thoughtful and meaningful stuff

[@LloydJamesWu]

Haven't watched this channel in years and it just popped in to my head, so glad I found it again.

[@ivanclark2275]

That’s how I watch too. I don’t watch for a long time, but then I come back and it’s very comforting.

[@williamfoss3400]

The way the bleakness in this movie is described reminds me of “Winter’s Bone.” They’re probably very different flavors, but the constant crushing weight of not being able to escape a place where life isn’t valued seems paralleled in this discussion. I’ll have to check this movie out, but I’m definitely intrigued! Thanks for making the show

[@gogojojo331]

Another great review! I like how you explore movies that may be outside of your full understanding. I also like how you didn't patronize anything in the movie. As an African American man, that is refreshing. Keep up the good work!

[@JorgeSanchezFilms]

Hearing you read my Seen It comment really made my night! I started replaying that bit like a dumb kid, thank you so much! Another Seen It " I called him Morgan" I remember Matt saying he loves music docs and Lee Morgan's story is one of hardship, beautiful music and really hard to swallow tragedy.

[@superjules]

Totally forgot Arnold Johnson, aka Putney Swope, was in this movie.

[@wailshark]

How can Matt go from whitest man ever to cultured rap genius to even whiter in mere seconds.

[@sheamynoce99]

Are there any movies you guys have watched on this show that you revisited and that caused you change your initial assumptions on the movie or reinforced them?

[@doodbee]

speaking of 24:05 ..., I wonder what both think about the new "The Lighthouse" trailer

[@Aramis419]

Watching two white dudes from Madison try and rap is probably the most hilarious thing I've ever seen, and you've out-done this white boy from the Philly suburbs.

[@robertbentley2897]

There are 2 Drunken Master movies featuring Jackie Chan. The most common one that you have probably seen is actually the sequel, which was the more popular of the two and was just referred to as "The Drunken Master" in the US. The first one actually shows his journey of becoming the drunken master after being such a pain in the ass kid his whole life. Good watch and I suggest it!

[@CassieVulpine]

Damn, Craig is looking dapper as heck today.

[@caffeineadvocate]

Thoughtful and hysterical as always, fellas! Seen It: Welcome to the Basement's 'Tour of the Basement' KZbin video? :)

[@dawndarling8853]

Petition for funk dancing to be a part of every WTTB episode! lol

[@seanhenry2921]

Hooray for Alexander Smith and his stepping up to help! The viewers thank you too.

[@stevnated]

It was weird to see the origins of scenes from "Don't be a Menace to South Central (...Juice... Hood)" after all these years!! I definitely need to watch this one.

[@dirkbastardrelief]

At 21:34 you can see Lorenzo in his dad's eyes & smile, despite the weird mouth thing

[@godzillanightmare]

It’s nice to see you guys love a movie. You guys were in a really good mood today.

[@tekdev]

Craig Johnson: Responsible Citizen *jingle*

[@zeitgeistyreport]

I think everyone of our generation remembers when their cable was first installed. First movie I ever saw was the four seasons with Alan Alda. And of course the beast master a trillion times. Great episode fellas as always

[@briangriffin5701]

You got your cable installed about the same time as me. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior was a late night favorite.

[@TroubleToby3040]

Four Seasons? You couldn't have been old enough to enjoy that. I'm 48 and I'm still not old enough to enjoy that! 😂🤣😂

[@zeitgeistyreport]

Haha thanks, but I’m 50.

[@BAMikeyD]

Dang, this is an early upload for you guys! Nice!

[@kevindorn2508]

im watching this from episode one and its still one of my favorite shows. pls dont die or hate each other, i wanna see season 50. and watch "beyond the black rainbow" already! i recommendet it 5 years ago and its still crazy and great 😀

[@madammo7786]

Im a white guy who used to hang out in the projects where this movie was filmed. Feel very lucky to be alive.

[@linkfan160]

9:48 Wow Matt knows his rap

[@HankCarver]

I just rewatched the original Drunken Master over the weekend. Gonna have to find my copy of the sequel to watch.

[@pellonwraith]

I knew matt was a DT fan..... called it!!...long days and plesant nights

[@harryo82]

This is possibly my favorite episode of Welcome to the Basement. Funny and incredibly thoughtful and insightful. It absolutely needs more views.

[@bernardnjones]

I love the episodes when the Smiths lyrics come out.

[@Zylork0122]

I thought this was a sequel to Menace. Then it should be Menace II: Society. Afterword it would be Menace III: Civilization.

[@melothecat6662]

Zylork0122 then Menace IV: Humankind

[@hteekay]

Everyone know this is a prequel to Denise the Menace

[@Zylork0122]

hteekay, did Dennis get a sex change?

[@Henjo29]

Smiths quote was awesome!

[@ZachClossin]

I want to watch this movie but I haven't seen Menace 1 Society

[@TroubleToby3040]

How did it take for 2 years for you to get a thumbs up? Meanwhile, people get THOUSANDS of them for writing, "Can we just talk about how (blah, blah) is the everything I never knew I needed in my life?" WHAT THE F**K DOES THAT MEAN?! 👍👍👍

[@meteorrejector]

have you guys seen the 1986 remake of invaders from mars? would love to hear you talk about it

[@John_Demarco]

8:38 "Chase bass" needs to become a regular thing.

[@nervouspudding]

Hey guys! I'm sure you've seen the Christopher Nolan film "Memento" but have you watched the version of the movie where the scenes are in chronological order, unlockable on the collector's edition? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts. If not, check it out!

[@thelab8799]

@9:48 YES!!!!!!!!! LOL

[@09amandaaustin09]

The very first movie I saw on cable was "Hot to Trot" with Bobcat Goldthwait! I was probably 9 or 10.

[@danielwong5378]

The first movie I watched when we first got cable was Skatetown USA.

[@TroubleToby3040]

No. No, that's not it. It was something else. Something with Sylvester Stallone, I think, right?

[@Doomdeen]

Have you guys seen "Sonatine" by Takeshi Kitano? If you haven't I think it would be great for the show!

[@oaf-77]

Anything by kitano really.

[@Doomdeen]

Oh yeah. Boiling Point, Hana-Bi, Zatoichi, Brother are all good, I love all of them.I just feel like Sonatine's sweet absurdity would fit perfectly in the show and Matt and Craig would probably love it.

[@oaf-77]

Sonatine is something special, that’s for sure. But I wouldn’t riot if they choose Kikujiro instead.

[@Doomdeen]

Yeah man, like you said: everyting by Kitano. The guy is an absolute genius and all his movies are a treasure

[@oaf-77]

I absolutely agree. Have you seen ‘getting any?’ I’d recommend it.

[@mouseggurl102]

Got me out here "doing the funk" with you.

[@CassieVulpine]

I've loved the Dark Tower series since there were only three books. Here was my review I wrote after seeing the movie: The Dark Tower movie in brief. Imagine the whole Dark Tower series is on a boat, but the boat gets shipwrecked. Random bits and pieces of story wash up on the shore of a desert island. Those pieces are then salvaged by a crazy person. They construct a crude raft from out of context imagery and references to other Stephen King works. The raft sinks on its maiden voyage and the crazy person is eaten by an extradimensional space spider. The acting was ok. Seven outa ten.

[@OneUponADime]

Matt youre thinking of Drunken Master 2 aka Legend Of The Drunken Master

[@luisoliver4355]

We love your stuff... just curious, have you ever reviewed Lair of the White Worm or Q, The Winged Serpent?

[@therollingbeatles123]

Just recently seen David Lynch’s Wild at Heart a mix between Elvis and Wizard of Oz but with Nic Cage and Laura Dern a descent David Lynch film but Blue Velvet is still his masterpiece have you guys seen it?

[@oaf-77]

A rewarmed cold open

[@jollyjakelovell4787]

I am curious about is what is the source of contention Matt has for the Brothers Hughes direction of 'From Hell'?

[@danelykins4409]

I love the Dark Tower novels so much. I refuse to ever see the film

[@sloth0jr]

Same. I think at least the first 4 books would make GREAT films (maybe each book done as a multi-part show on one of the streaming platforms). And that's what I wanted to see out of Dark Tower. I wanted to see Roland, and Susannah and Dean. I wanted to see Dean meet the Gunslinger on the plane. Ah well.

[@Abose87]

sloth jr don’t

[@rkgaustin9043]

Seen it? 'Bad Influence'. Possibly Rob Lowe's greatest role!

[@mosherte]

This episode has come out on my birthday... And the film is from the year I was born! Coincidence? I think not.

[@craigjohnson6423]

We have been planning your birthday present for months. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[@ethanschultz3089]

what did the convenience store guy say to them? I keep playing it but I just can't figure it out. Something about their mother?

[@mini.46]

"I feel sorry for your mother."

[@fakeascanbe423]

The kid doesn't die because he needs to lose his innocence and continue the cycle.

[@policeguy6761]

Have you seen The Walk from 2015 I'd be very epic if you were to tall about it(keep up the great work)

[@Coffinhunter77]

that is a Mac10, not an uzi....MATT

[@profshad3429]

Golden Voyage of Sinbad at drive in. I was 5

[@therollingbeatles123]

Have you guys seen Animal Factory it stars Willem Dafoe and Edward Furlong in one of the better prison movies made in awhile

[@RinLightweaver]

I could watch an entire angry Dark Tower episode. I can’t even get through the Every Thing Wrong With I get so mad.

[@robertkarnick1286]

Watching the worlds two whitest midwestern guys talk about gangsta culture was a joy I didn’t know I needed until now

[@miguelporras2515]

The music at the end creeps me out...

[@PinheadLarryVEVO]

"He starts crack production"

[@hadassah179]

When you're young watching this movie you miss certain things being pointing out. The asian store scene in the beginning gives reference to the Asian American and Black American tensions that were being perpetuated by mass media and newspapers. The new wave of Asian Americans mainly Koreans that were coming in in the early 90s missed the whole history class on what previous immigrants learned before that of the true racism America had towards the Asian American population. They didn't know what to make of the 1991 protests that went down from Rodney King's case and just had a confused nervousness of the black community around them hence the prejudice in that scene.

[@TroubleToby3040]

Interesting insight. I feel like I learned something. 👍👍👍 (I will say that I had to re-read the 3rd sentence several times to understand its full meaning. Kind of convoluted and "run-on", I think.)

[@EdgeO419]

2pac was originally going to be Sharif in Menace II Society but he wanted a different role and things actually got heatedin real life.

[@Matt_Barkley]

The squirt camera has not aged well, maybe if they made it look like a cell phone?

[@Nick-yk4pq]

Your take on the Dark Tower is spot on, it's a terrible film that ruins the memory of the books, Idris Elba wasnt right for the part but switched could have been perfect if Matthew channelled the weirdness from True Detective

[@softlightlaboratory]

Best best

[@lyricsfromsweden]

Blasphemous! You can't have an east coast record in the backrgound when you're watching an urban LA movie!

[@vampricramen]

I loved "From Hell" the film until I read the comic.

[@Folgemilch21]

why isnt this show gettin more views? you must be doing something wrong marketing-wise.

[@iancurtise8755]

Warning: another Smiths/Morrissey reference is thrown in. View discretion advised.

[@profshad3429]

How about Stop Thief

[@idrahajedan6515]

I know I’m 2 years late but that little talk about “being a man” is a huge part of growing up in the hood. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing, but growing up without a lot of friends from the hood was kind of a good thing because I didn’t need to prove to them that I wasn’t a punk bitch. It’s a big problem, especially since nearly everybody doesn’t have a father figure to look up to

[@GODCONVOYPRIME]

So basically be an overemotional unpredictable toddler? They'd make great leftists.

[@davidranderson1]

A random thought on the use of the word "bitch" and other derogatory terms. There's always an implied ranking in them and I think that's why there isn't a derogatory term for "white" or "men" that's really stuck. Derogatory terms are meant to remind you that you're supposedly lesser than someone else. Either because you're part of the group the term is normally applied to or you're membership in the supposedly superior group is brought into question because the term is being applied to you. Calling a man "bitch" is both reminding you that women are supposedly inferior to men and you might be at risk of losing some of your social status. Same holds true for terms about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

[@levitan71]

*wasted* i could not resist ^_^

[@SakuTyorinoja]

Blame II Society.

[@EsotericOccultist]

Ahh the good ol days when you could make a movie accurately portraying the black community without being called racist for it.

[@AGP187]

This is a walkthrough, not a review.

[@rkgaustin9043]

I'm like #500!

[@trdi]

One of the very few videos that made cringe... Feeling "sympathy" for these murderers is showing just how bad our society has become.

[@77Creation]

You mean like how so many in society seek to sympathize with and understand the "troubled", "mentally ill", "lone wolf" incel mass shooter or the US soldier who murders innocents they're occupying abroad? Rhetorical questions, of course.

[@trdi]

​@@77Creation That's an obvious faulty analogy, even though personally I don't understand why soldiers who are not defending the homeland from an occupying force should be praised. But it's still faulty analogy. It's apparently something that society has accepted as norm, or else they wouldn't be voting in politicians that are not opposing warmongering.

[@GODCONVOYPRIME]

@@77Creation So you have no sympathy. Got it.

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

yes because these 2 goobers represent all of society. man fuck off.

[@omnitemplarvii2160]

If Menace II Society doesn't red-pill you in the slightest, there is no hope.

[@miguelnewmexico8641]

using the term "redpill" already robbed you of any hope.