This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This film was kind of hard to watch at times. On one hand I was sad for the extreme challenges and difficulties the two lead teenagers had thrust upon them. Challenges that they have to deal with through no fault of their own. On the other hand I was equally sad they and everyone around them seemed to think that the only way to lift themselves out of their difficult environment was through success at basketball. Their life situation and extremely limited outlook toward lifting themselves out of it sadly very common. The only thing is, they are counting on a plan that statistically rewards a very, very small percentage of those who attempt it. We all know that, and they also must realize that on some level as well. We see that they struggle with their school work and the immediate downside to that, and yet we continue to see all of their energy, and of their entire support group, continually devoted to almost exclusively to basketball. The film was filled with moments of joy but in the end it left me feeling depressed more than anything, and yet I would say it's still worth checking out.

A film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional. Gates lived in Cabrini–Green while Agee and his family resided in West Garfield Park.Although never a basketball player or from a poor neighborhood, this touches home for me a bit because I am from the Midwest and have spent a fair amount of time in Chicago. And then add Marquette University, a place I have been to countless times, and you are practically in my backyard.The strength of this film is that -- despite the title -- it is not about basketball. That is what drives the narrative, but the deeper story is one of race, class, poverty, unemployment, crime, family values and more. These are real issues, and whether or not we face them, they are holding entire communities back from succeeding.Although violence is never a focus of the film, it remains ever on the edges. The families of both men have experienced losses since the release of the film. On Thanksgiving morning 1994, Agee's older half-brother, DeAntonio, was gunned down at Cabrini–Green. In September 2001, Gates' older brother, Curtis, 36, was shot to death in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. Arthur's father, Bo Agee, was murdered in 2004.

"Hoop Dreams" follows two Chicago teens, Arthur Agee and William Gates, for 5 years. Both hope to eventually make it to the NBA to play basketball but their more immediate goals are to receive scholarships to top basketball colleges.In the history of documentaries, "Hoop Dreams" is super-important and it helped usher in a newer style and scope of documentaries (such as the many excellent films by ESPN). I do appreciate that. However, after I watched it, I found myself underwhelmed. After all, the film has a current score of 8.3--and that is incredibly high. So, I think I found my expectations were just too high. Additionally, and I know this will perhaps sound mean, but I really didn't find myself that connected with the characters. I was hoping they'd get to live their dreams...but why should I pull for them as opposed to any other young wannabes?

Hoop Dreams is one of the richest film experiences of 1994, a spellbinding American epic that holds you firmly in its grip for nearly three hours. Two African-American teenagers (William Gates and Arthur Agee) from inner-city Chicago struggle to enter the world of professional basketball.Epic, moving and intensely memorable, the film tackles the issue of sport as an escape route from the ghetto, but heroically transcends the clichés, delving into the backgrounds of the boys and their families, detailing the obstacles they have to face over four years, and showing us what it means to them to win - a game, a place in the team, a new life. It is truly a great American documentary.