Gunnin' For That #1 Spot | 
| Director: Adam Yauch
Actors: Jerryd Bayless, Michael Beasley, Tyreke Evans, Robert Garcia, Donte Greene
Studio: Oscilloscope Pictures
Buy New: $2.99
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 9185
Genre: Art House
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 98 Minutes
ASIN: B001I8T8HO
Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 2008
Release Date: November 13, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Synopsis:
On the corner of 155th and Frederick Douglas Boulevard in Harlem lies Rucker Park. By appearances, the concrete pavement, anchored on one side by its run down slab bleachers, is no different than any other basketball court in the city, but this is the place where nicknames are indelibly branded, and legends are born. On September 1, 2006, the top 24 high school basketball players in the nation stepped out on this court, that once saw the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dr. J to compete in the first annual "Boost Mobile Elite 24" all-star game. GUNNIN' FOR THAT #1 SPOT follows eight of these players as they prepare to showcase their skills at the most legendary playground in the world. Directed by Adam Yauch (MCA of the Beastie Boys and director of "Awesome; I F***ing Shot That!"), the documentary trails these players on the fast track to the NBA, as they are being groomed to be in the spotlight of a multi-million dollar game. Combining Yauch's unique directing style with raw hip hop music, GUNNIN' highlights these soon to be NBA All Stars. |
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| Customer Reviews:
 Jamin' Doc with Slamin' Music October 15, 2008
Berlinale (NYC)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Wow - Saw this at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC. Great characters, the b-ball scenes were so well blended with music from Jay-Z and NAS and others. A great Doc as well as a great sports flic.
hoopin' it up November 12, 2008
Daniel B. Clendenin (www.journeywithjesus.net)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This isn't an important film by any stretch of the imagination, but sports nuts and especially basketball fans will find it a fun watch. In September 2006 the top 24 high school basketball players in the country gathered in Harlem to inaugurate the first annual "Elite 24" all-star competition. The game is held at the legendary outdoor playground court in Harlem's Holcombe Rucker Park, where for sixty years many of basketball's greats lit up the score board in front of a raucous urban crowd, hecklers, urban rap music, and trash-talking announcers. This is a venue where you would never presume to give yourself a nickname; your opponents do that after you prove your mettle. The documentary focuses on eight high schoolers in particular, interviewing their families, coaches, and scouts. An interesting sub-text is how the attendant media, shoe companies, professional rankers, recruiters, and sponsors all point toward one thing -- money that results from basketball stardom. By the way, the final score was 141-139, but you'll have to watch the film to see which team won.
Bull's Eye November 17, 2008
Allan Baldwin (Miami, FL)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When I read New York Magazine's recommendation of Gunnin' as their top pick of the 300+ flicks at TriBeCa Film Festival, I took a couple days off from work just to check it out. It turned out to be a magical trip. The audience at Tribeca talked to the screen the way any good congregation does on a Sunday morning. Neal Usatin, the film's lead editor, got a particularly good reception when his credit floated on a ball across the screen. (Makes me think I should keep my eyes on his work.) I loved it so much I went back to NYC for its theatrical premier, just down the street from the Rucker in Harlem, to see how it had been tweaked. And I'm not even a basketball fan.
This film fits the way I think. It's fast, and like good comedic timing, presents the player's stories in a way that left me wanting more -- if I'm interested, I'll look it up. The imagery goes from Redacted-style website searches, to fisheye trips over and through NYC, VHS-quality home video, to YouTube footage and HD slow-mo. It's like every photographic and film experiment ever discovered, sampled and flashed before my eyes. On that level, it's the ultimate style collage.
I bought an educational license and showed it to my high school varsity basketball team. They rolled at Bobbito's nicknames (Shampoo!) the way only those who live it know how it sounds. In fact, they loved the soundtrack so much, I'm buying a copy so they can warm-up to it.
The stand-outs in my book are the bird's-eye, fisheye tour of New York to the smooth sounds of "Let's Do it Again" (on loop). The lens makes Manhattan seem like it's half the world. I love chapter 16's fisheye tour at ground-level; especially when the beat hits on the pigeon and taxi moving in opposite directions. Chapters like this in a movie make for perfect party background pieces. I show them to my friends who don't have time to see the whole movie, but know a good visual over a beat.
You could rent it, but this is also a great example of the artistry of packaging. It's a stand-out example of graphic design gone fine art. From the paper and ink choices, to the colors and the trading cards. (Would have been cooler if they'd been actual cards. Maybe an add-on purchase soon?), this is one of those instant classics that deserves to be in any film-lover's permanent collection.
 Hip-Hop Real-Life Hoop Dreams of Prep Stars ... November 20, 2008
Kevin Quinley (Fairfax, VA)
If you are a basketball player or fan, chances are you will enjoy "Gunnin' for that #1 Spot." This chronicles an elite group of 24 high school ballers who are invited to play an exhibition game in Harlem's famed Rucker Park.
All these kids are "beasts" in their respective orbits around the country, but here they get to test their mettle against other elite players. You learn the back-story on eight specific players, some of whom - like Kevin Love and Michael Beasley - have already jumped to the NBA after a one-year college "career." You also get some perspective on Rucker Park and its iconic status in American basketball.
The movie is not all hype job, though. It touches upon some darker issues in the scholastic hoop frenzy, such as:
* Elite players are scrutinized closely and often can't live just a normal life
* Some prep rating services are glorified cut and paste jobs, more concerned with generating subscription revenue than anything else
* Sneaker companies drilling down as far as promising 5th, 6th and 7th graders to "brand" their shoes and build brand loyalty
* College coaches who text players they have never met three times a day to say, "I love you and can't wait for you to come play here ..."
* The lack of loyalty among some players; to wit, in high school, Michael Beasley attended four different schools in four years.
* Concerns about whether perfecting highlight dunks on Sports Center may eclipse emphasis on other aspects of the game . (I'm not saying team defense is dead, but the final score of the exhibition game is something like 131-128 - judge for yourself.)
If you like hip-hop music and rap, you will also enjoy this movie!
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