The film industry has produced a number of great gangster films over the years.  Gangster films give us an in depth look at the lives usually associated with danger, crime, money, and camaraderie among so called brothers.  A really good gangster film that came out in 1990 called “Goodfellas” was a monumental achievement for director Martin Scorsese.  It was an intense look at the Italian mafia. 

Another one of my favorite gangster films stars one of the most intense working actors to date.  Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) exploded onto the scene as Kelly, a young poor paperboy who’s outrage over media moguls William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer makes for a sticky situation in the groundbreaking piece NEWSIES.  I found myself reciting lines from that one for weeks. 

And best of all, the best of the best, and what I think is the most influential gangster film of all time, HOODRATS 2: HOODRAT WARRIORS.  The Hoodrats series is the existential gangster film that takes story telling from the streets to the next level.  If you haven’t had the privilege to view this landmark film, I suggest you gather your friends for a viewing party.  It will change your life. 

And now Stacy Peralta has given his take on gangster life with his new film “Crips and Bloods: Made In America”.  In all honesty though, this film looks really good.  This isn’t a subject matter you would expect Stacy Peralta to tackle but it seems to me he has created something very special here.  Check out the trailer below.  And check out this extra awesome interview Stacy did with FUEL.TV‘s lovely blogger, Shanti. 

Pepsi or Coke?  Boxers or briefs?  Fall Out Boy or Avrile Levigne?  Rollerblades or HEELYS?  Everyday we find ourselves asking these questions life-dictating questions that ultimately shape who we are.  Your parents may serve Pepsi at the dinner table but your friends drink Coke at school.  You and your friends probably listen to Fall Out Boy while rolling deep downtown but you and your brother may pump iron to Avril Levigne’s “Skate Boi”.  And trust me you can’t have it both ways.  You just can’t.  You’d be a walking oxymoron.

Skateboard legend Stacy Peralta, along with advertising giant, Crispin Porter + Bogusky posed the same question regarding the McDonald’s “Big Mac” and Burger King’s “Whopper”. The campaign is called “Whopper Virgins”.  This is a highly scientific, highly anticipated taste testing experiment putting the delectableness of a Whopper against the supposed mediocrity of a Big Mac by using the palate of rural foreign people unfamiliar to this westernized cuisine.

Lets face it; they’re exploiting these wonderful people to sell their crappy foods.  I prefer TOMMY BURGER.  But it’s still an interesting watch.  Check it.  After check out this piece on MCDONALDS.