Gunnin' for that #1 Spot
Docs Love New York
•
1h 37m
Directed by Adam Yauch • Documentary • 2008 • 97 minutes
On the corner of 155th Street and Frederick Douglas Boulevard in Harlem, New York, lies Rucker Park. By appearances, the green concrete pavement, anchored on either end 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 earned and legends are made. On September 1, 2006, the top 24 high school basketball players in the nation stepped out on this same 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 Hoops Classic." GUNNIN' FOR THAT #1 SPOT documents these athletes' skills on the most legendary court in the world, showing never before seen footage of that "Elite 24" game. Directed by Adam Yauch (founding member of the Hip Hop trio the Beastie Boys and director of "Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That"), the film follows eight of the country's premiere high school basketball players on the fast track to the NBA, as they are adored by fans, wooed by colleges and sneaker companies, and groomed to be in the spotlight of the multi-million dollar game. Blending this next generation of b-ball players with a mix of raw hip-hop, jazz, break beats, and Yauch's unique kinetic filmmaking, GUNNIN' is an explosively entertaining look at soon-to-be NBA All Stars.
Up Next in Docs Love New York
-
Painted Landscapes of the Times
Directed by Helene Klodawsky • Documentary • 1987 • 25 minutes
Sue Coe continues to shock and inform the art establishment with her graphic depictions of the world around her. This energetic and moving film introduces Coe’s passionate art and explores her vision. Produced early in her career, it...
-
I Like Killing Flies
Directed by Matt Mahurin • Documentary • With Kenny Shopsin • 2004 • 78 minutes
In 2002, an unusual eatery called Shopsin's loses its lease after 32 years. Filmmaker Matt Mahurin goes inside the diner to figure out its gastronomic appeal, and paint a portrait of its colorful owners Kenny and Eve...
-
P.S. Burn This Letter Please
Directed by Michael Seligman & Jennifer Tiexiera • Documentary • With Michael Alogna, Henry Arango • 2022 • 101 minutes
A demi-monde that would have been lost to time were it not for the chance find of a treasure trove of letters in a storage bin in LA. Written by drag queens all using aliases t...
