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Title: He Got Game (1998)
Post by: Chiprocks1 on August 19, 2012, 12:36:30 am
He Got Game
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i266/Chiprocks1/Star%20Ratings/HTL_04halfstar.gif)

(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i266/Chiprocks1/DVD%20Covers%2002/He%20Got%20Game/HeGotGame.jpg)

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njLUPZr4DeU

You don't have to like the sport of Basketball to enjoy He Got Game. The movie itself may be centered around the sport, but it's more about the relationship....or lack of one between a Father (Denzel Washington) and his Son (Ray Allen). When the movie starts, we see that Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel) is being released from Prison temporarily, with one thing in mind, to get Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray) to commit to the College of the State Governor with the promise of a reduce prison term. Why Jake is in prison isn't immediately revealed to us and why the animosity that exist between Jake and Jesus will slowly present itself over the course of the film.

For the longest time, this was a 10 Star movie for me. But the last couple of times I've watched it, it has  really started to show its age, especially in the dialogue of the screenplay. With this being written and directed by Spike Lee, some of the slang that was used at the time, now seems like a million years ago. Definitely dated. Also, the movie does run a bit too long now and I think the scenes with Jake and Dakota (Milla Jovovich) do seem pointless and takes away from the main plot of the movie. I get why the scenes are there, tp expand on the character of Jake. But it could definitely have been trimmed for time.

One thing that I really like about the film, aside from the acting, is the aesthetic of how the film was shot and edited together. This is straight up a film in every sense of the word. But there are times when the movie shifts gears and feels like a documentary, especially when the coaches are talking about Jesus. Also, there are some great cutaway scenes to random shots, that really aren't random, but tell a story. 

I still love the movie, but it's no longer the perfect movie it use to be. I own it, but I can see that unless you are a Denzel fan or a Ray fan or a Spike fan, you're better off at least giving this a Rental. For me, it's still a Buy. I'm not a Basketball fan as most already know. You can count on one hand how many Basketball players I have followed in my lifetime: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Ray Allen. I started tracking his career after seeing He Got Game when it first came out. He's that good in his role as the High School Basketball Phenom.
Title: Re: He Got Game (1998)
Post by: Chiprocks1 on August 19, 2012, 12:37:05 am
He Got Game DVD Screencaps

Coming soon....
Title: Re: He Got Game (1998)
Post by: Mac on August 19, 2012, 03:13:07 pm
I may have heard of this, but I know I haven't seen it.
Title: Re: He Got Game (1998)
Post by: Chiprocks1 on January 25, 2014, 01:11:22 pm
He Got Game Sequel?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lLPPLBdsKM


I had no idea that this was even a possibility. It still may not bear fruit, but I for one would definitely embrace a sequel. But it HAS to have the entire cast for it to work. Denzel, Ray and Rosario must have big roles in it. And definitely get some of the other actors from the first film involved as well. Definitely have to get Milla Jovovich as well. Even though she didn't have a big role, she did play a very memorable one and should be included. More on the idea of a possible sequel can be found here (http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/10260224/ray-allen-spike-lee-mull-got-game-sequel). All this talk about a sequel is making me want to bust on the DVD right now. I just might do that if I get some free time.