Review of Hoop Dreams (1994) by Harry W — 17 Feb 2014

Hoop Dreams was a film I stumbled across while reading about the documentary Crumb, as it was one of the two most critically acclaimed documentaries of 1994 not to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, with Crumb being the other one. But since it had such an interesting story and had Roger Ebert naming it the greatest film of the year as well as campaigning for it to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, I could not miss out on it.

Hoop Dreams is an example of a documentary which follows the lives of two everybodies with big dreams that they are willing to jump for, so it can be determined that since it covers their lives over a period of 5 years and over the course of 170 minutes that it is going to be a long film. And so at times it's a little bit dull and feels a little stretched, but the real heart of the story and the determination of director Steve James to make sure that every detail of the story is told in the most important way. E goes into deatail, chronicling the dreams, lives, directions and families of its two dreamers as they journey forwards through education and basketball. The subject matter is a simple story but complicated territory, and it allows their talents to unfold in front of the screen for everyone to see. If anything, Hoop Dreams also gave its figures determination to reach their dreams because it would be inspirational for the world to see their success on the cinematic screen. And the visual depiction of just how determined and talented William Gates and Arthur Agee are in their NBA ambitions is incredible. There is so much real spirit in the movie, so its easy to get inspired by it.

The thing that makes Hoop Dreams so inspiring is that it has all the heart and passion of a true sports film, but it's actually all a true story. It's a documented case of two young boys, William Gates and Arthur Agee. It shows just what kind of long and difficult path it really is when your dreams are huge and the world around is a difficult place to deal with.Hoop Dreams begins as a story about two young boys with ambitions to play for the most popular basketball association in the western world, and yet gradually it becomes more focused on what is important. The emphasis doesn't stay on playing for the NBA, it becomes about playing Basketball. Hoop Dreams reminds us what sports are all about, and how it's important to have passions and ambitions in life so that we are given direction. And as thee key element of the story in the documentary, William Gates and Arthur Agee are chronicled in their journeys as they shoot for the stars and jump for their dreams, their Hoop Dreams if you will..

Hoop Dreams is deep and meaningful without lacking the heart of a sports film, and its one of the most inspiring sports films and documentaries ever. Audiences that can sit through its length will find themselves with a new appreciation for the inspirational power of films and sports. And the power of the film is undeniable, as it has confirmed to have changed the lives for both William Gates and Arthur Agee who were able to turn the success of the movie and subsequent fame into better lives for themselves.

Really, Hoop Dreams contains the type of inspiration and importance that cannot be written into a film and has to come from the real world, and through exploring every inch of both William Gates and Arthur Agee's real worlds, Steve James makes Hoop Dreams an undeniably success and one hell of fine documentary worth seeing for any fan of the NBA or high school student that has a very big dream to pursue.