Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
FX’s latest drama has been a bit of a mixed critical bag. Whereas some have praised the origin story behind crack for its diversity and scrappy but engaging antiheroes, others have criticized the series for being confusing and for lacking a developed tone. Arguments can certainly be made for both sides, but Snowfall unmistakably gets one this right. It captures Los Angeles perfectly.
Filled with brightly lit and beautifully composed shots, Snowfall makes even the grimiest elements of its inner city drama look oddly dreamlike. As is the case with most of John Singleton’s work, L.A. is more than just a location in Snowfall. It’s another character. The series drifts from the hillside mansions that have enchanted viewers for decades to extravagant parties to deeply claustrophobic lower income homes, setting characterized by blazing hot streets and frustration. Perhaps more than any other director, Singleton excels at capturing the combination of lazy driftlessless and wound up energy that defines Los Angeles, but Snowfall is far from the first time Singleton has found this balance. Below are some of Singleton’s best L.A.-centric work. Other directors may be able to depict the ebbs and flows of show business, but this critically-acclaimed and revolutionary director understand the city around Hollywood more than anyone else.
‘Boyz N the Hood’ (1991)
Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Larry Fishburne, Nia Long, and Ice Cube, this coming of age drama was the film that put Singleton on the cinematic map. This movie was praised for its unflinching and humanizing look at the problems faced by South Central Los Angeles, and many lauded Boyz N the Hood as a highly impressive film for a directorial debut. However, it’s not just Tre’s hardship-defined life that tests his morality. It’s the ever-present and often oppressive force of inner city L.A. itself that hurts this film’s hero.
‘Poetic Justice’ (1993)
Singleton’s second major feature wasn’t the critical darling that Boyz N the Hood was, but the Janet Jackson-helmed film definitely got one thing right: L.A. isn’t L.A. without commuting problems. Though Justice is still grieving over the murder of her boyfriend, it’s the hairdresser’s broken-down car and dependance on bumming rides that introduces her to her new love interest, Lucky (Tupac Shakur).
‘Higher Learning’ (1995)
Out of all of Singleton’s L.A.-set movies, Higher Learning is one of the most contained. Instead of roaming the streets of inner city L.A. or exploring parks and beaches, most of the film’s drama is confined to the walls of academia. However, the film’s drifting tone in the face of its intense drama and unblinking focus on race relations is pure Los Angeles.
‘Baby Boy’ (2001)
Starring Tyrese Gibson and Taraji P. Henson, Baby Boy marks a return to the wide, brightly lit, daytime world that Singleton’s stories thrive in. Much like in Boyz N the Hood, LA is a character in Baby Boy, both mirroring and contributing to Jody’s stunted growth and inability to transition to the responsible world of adulthood. It’s a far more suburban look into LA than most of Singleton’s other films, but it still has some really beautiful shots.
‘L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later’ (2017)
It makes sense that the cinematic master of this city would direct A&E’s look back on the most destructive riot in American history. Packed with talking head interviews and news footage from the riot, 25 Years Later details the revolt that left 53 people dead and caused over a billion dollars in damage. It’s a difficult but necessary watch.
