“These were six of the most compelling individuals I had ever met,” says first-time filmmaker Kristopher Belman of the five African-American basketball players and their coach that he documented for six years. “I wanted to tell a story about friendship.” Four kids in Akron, Ohio started playing together at age eleven. In high school a fifth joined them. Championships, setbacks and comebacks are tracked in home videos from the early years and later by sports channels. One player, LeBron James, draws special attention driving a $55,000 Hummer and making the cover of Sports Illustrated prior to going pro with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s also an executive producer here. For all his access, Belman never gets at the bonds between the players. Nor is there much attention to their playing style or their coach’s tactics. Also missing is the context of their off-court lives in school, church, or the streets. With Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, Willie McGee, Romeo Travis and Coach Dru Joyce II. 103m. (Bill Stamets)
Ray Pride is Newcity’s Senior Editor and Film Critic. He is a contributing editor of Filmmaker magazine.
Ray’s history of Chicago Ghost Signs is planned for publication next year. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram. More photography on Instagram.
Heart: A Review of Soul The real world is soulful, too, in Pixar's bountiful life of the mind.
Seeing The Elephant: A Review Of Babylon The boisterous, brawling yet melancholy "Babylon," is a variation on film history, but more drawing for drama. It's gaudy and mean, celebratory and sorrowful.
Heart of Darkness: A Review of The Batman The three-hour film noir unfolds briskly, an intensive study in the pervasive interplay of power, money and corruption in what seems like perpetual rainy night.
Uncanny Ally: A Review Of M3GAN "M3GAN" sells itself in its first handful of seconds in how it introduces the handiwork of roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams, "Get Out") and her present product, PurrPetual Petz from Funki.
“These were six of the most compelling individuals I had ever met,” says first-time filmmaker Kristopher Belman of the five African-American basketball players and their coach that he documented for six years. “I wanted to tell a story about friendship.” Four kids in Akron, Ohio started playing together at age eleven. In high school a fifth joined them. Championships, setbacks and comebacks are tracked in home videos from the early years and later by sports channels. One player, LeBron James, draws special attention driving a $55,000 Hummer and making the cover of Sports Illustrated prior to going pro with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s also an executive producer here. For all his access, Belman never gets at the bonds between the players. Nor is there much attention to their playing style or their coach’s tactics. Also missing is the context of their off-court lives in school, church, or the streets. With Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, Willie McGee, Romeo Travis and Coach Dru Joyce II. 103m. (Bill Stamets)
