The Best Movies of 1993

4. Strapped

3. A Bronx Tale

A Bronx Tale is sorta the gangster version of Robert Kiyosaki's bestseller "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". Because nine-year-old Calogero Anello ("C" for short) witnesses a shooting and keeps his mouth shut when questioned by the cops, he earns the attention and respect of local mob boss, Sonny. Sonny, who's become a hero to "C", takes him under his wing and teaches him street smarts and how to pull girls. But he advises his young friend to avoid a life of crime despite his own membership in the Mafia.

Meanwhile, "C"'s actual pops, Lorenzo, objects to the relationship because he realizes that the trappings of Sonny's success will make more of an impression on "C" than what he says. Sonny, on the other hand, resents what he sees as Lorenzo's holier-than-thou attitude.

Lorenzo, who drives a city bus, teaches "C" integrity and the value of hard work. Because he listens, he avoids winding up in an early grave like his teenaged friends -- and Sonny.








2. Schindler's List

1. Menace II Society

Menace II Society is Boyz N the Hood with a vengeance. While that '91 Best Picture nominee took a hard look at the violence that plagues poverty-stricken African-American communities in Los Angeles, Menace looked even harder. Menace is the Rolling Stones to Boyz' Beatles; the Death Row Records to its Bad Boy Entertainment; the dark side of its already dimly-lit moon. While topically and thematically similar, Menace stands in stark contrast to its predecessor.

The differences between the two films are no accident. Writer Tyger Williams and co-directors Allen and Albert Hughes clearly studied Boyz' blueprint and decided to dig deeper - much deeper.