Hoop Dreams (1994)

I watched Hoop Dreams (1994) for the first time on DVD (new release from the Criterion Collection). It runs almost three hours and you’ll feel like you’re watching the final seconds of an NBA championship at times—an amazing documentary.

Over a five year period, the filmmakers followed two kids who dreamed of making it to the NBA. This is only part of the story. You get an amazing glimpse into the family life of these two kids in some pretty rough Chicago neighbourhoods.

Siskel and Ebert declared Hoop Dreams as the best film of 1994 and lobbied for it to win best picture or at least best documentary. Incredibly, it wasn’t even nominated for best documentary (supposedly the Academy knew it would win because of its popularity).

It made most top ten lists that year and was loved by critics. At the time, it was also one of the best documentaries at the box office. It’s a ground-breaking film and deserves at least a viewing if you’ve never watched it.

The nice thing about the Criterion Collection release is the booklet that comes with the disc. There is an update on the two boys in the film and their families. Amazing stuff.

Posted in DVD Reviews at 10:12 PM