Very well executed

Really Surprised!

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Blistering performances.

As a kid the only thing I knew about Coney Island is that is where the gang, the Warriors came from. It was never a glamorous place and its fairground rides attractions always gave the appearance of having seen better days.Amy Nicholson's documentary shows the plight of the working class ride operators, one of whom owns and operates the Zipper ride, at risk with the increased gentrification of New York city and the machinations of politicians and real estate developers. The developers buy up land and take a punt that re-development will be allowed in the future, thus they will be seating in a gold mine. We get a brief glimpse of a past developer who attempted to buy land in the 1960s, Fred Trump, father of that famous friend of the working man, Donald.Of course, despite statistics showing increased visitors to Coney Island, it was only a matter of time that city officials would have plans to spruce it up and this means bringing private investment. Joe Sitt (with a missing H) is the real estates mogul who has been buying up land and who has grandiose plans for a new Coney Island. We see him repeatedly reel of some of the big chain names that have shown an interest.Sitt is plainly painted as a villain in a documentary which portrays its heroes and villains in black and white.I have grown up in seaside towns in decline with its fair share of shady characters and dicey ride operators. Although local residents are painted as colourful and real, I just felt that there was something artificial about it all.It is a shame that the rides were being taken down yet looking back at the film The Warriors released back in 1979, maybe it was about time progress was made.