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#1
06-06-2006, 05:46 AM
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Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
Orginially intended to be a 30 minute documentary about how high school kids from the inner city raised on playground basketball adjust to the more structured system of high school basketball, Hoop Dreams instead became about so much more than basketball: family, adversity, society and of course dreams.
The film follows two Chicago eight graders. Arthur Agee and William Gates, as both are set to enter St. Joseph's high school in West Suburban Chicago-about a ninety minute train trip (each way). Both have been recruited to attend and both are promised that their tuition will be taken care of. From the start William proves himself to be an immediate talent and starts on the Varsity team as a freshman while Arthur remains with the Freshman. Similarly, William catches up to his peers in the classroom-he entered reading at a 4th grade level-while Arthur falls behind there too. As a result, the promises given to the Agee family are unfulfilled and he eventually has to attend Marshall-a Chicago public school when his poverty stricken family cannot make tuition payments. Throughout the approximately three hours of the ilm we chart the course of not only William and Arthur's ups and downs but also those of their family members. Indeed, both the Gates and Agee families are featured throughout as they are integral in the lives of both. Admittedly I am extremely partial to this movie as I am big basketball fan-and yes basketball plays a huge part in the film-but it is not the whole story but throughout the film it becomes about so much more than just two kids trying to make it from the playground to the big time. 
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#2
06-06-2006, 05:52 AM
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Re: Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
I absolutely adore this movie. Definitely my favorite documentary of all time.
The scenes where we see Arthur's dad buying drugs and the power going out at Arthur's house are amazingly sad and moving.
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#3
06-06-2006, 05:57 AM
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Re: Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
[ QUOTE ]
The scenes where we see Arthur's dad buying drugs and the power going out at Arthur's house are amazingly sad and moving. [/ QUOTE ] An interesting aside about the former scene in the commentary on the Criterion Collection DVD-which I wholeheardtly recommend if nothing more than to netflix it-that court is actually the same court where Earl Smith discovered Arthur. Also, Bo Agee did turn his life around but tragically was murdered in Decemeber 2004.
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#4
06-06-2006, 06:03 AM
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Re: Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
Oh, I know. I love my Criterion disc. Everyone needs to see this movie. I love that the filmmakers asked Bo if they could include the scene where he's buying drugs, and he agreed that it was important, and that they include it.
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#6
06-06-2006, 07:56 AM
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Re: Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
Cool review. I'm going to see if Blockbuster has this movie. I really like documentaries.
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#8
06-06-2006, 08:46 AM
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Re: Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
Very good book too. CABRINI GREEN.
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#9
06-06-2006, 11:51 AM
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Re: Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
One of my favorite movies. I found this where are they now article from the Washington Post. Decent read.
http://www.byroncrawford.com/2004/07...reams_10_.html
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#10
06-06-2006, 12:45 PM
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Re: Hoop Dreams pseudo review (spoilers)
I don't care about basketball and still found this documentary very memorable. Definately worth watching and it's nice to finally see it on DVD.
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