Dilated Peoples Movies
- 2008
- R
Screen newcomers Kim Hidalgo and Grayson Boucher headline director Brin Hill's inner-city sports drama concerning a talented but deeply troubled high school basketball star, and featuring an impressive ensemble cast including Rosanna Arquette, Nick Cannon, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Harold Perrineau, and Emilie de Ravin. Sticky (real-life basketball player Boucher) may be a king on the court, but when that final buzzer sounds his life turns upside down. Despite the fact that the skinny high school junior is a talented athlete, an early-life tragedy, a bad experience in the foster care system, and an obsessive-compulsive disorder that miraculously vanishes when he steps on the court seem to be hindering Sticky from living up to his true potential. One day, while Sticky is sinking hoops on a Venice Beach basketball court where tempers are known to flare, he begins to realize that he's not the only one struggling to overcome his troubled past and achieve true success. Later that night, Sticky plans to meet up with his girlfriend, Anh-thu (Hidalgo), and celebrate her birthday. He wants to buy her a present that will impress her and show his true devotion, but with only a few dollars to his name that's going to be a pretty daunting task. Now, over the course of one long day, Sticky will struggle to conquer his lifelong feeling of isolation, transcending his perceived limitations, and make a difficult choice that could alter the course of his entire life. Screenwriter and novelist Matt de la Peña teams with director Hill to adapt de la Peña's popular novel of the same name. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Grayson Boucher, Kim Hidalgo, (more)
- 2007
Reportedly ten years in the making -- with much of it shot by an enthusiastic fan -- the documentary Dilated Peoples: The Release Party recounts the "inside" tale of the meteoric rise to fame of L.A.-based underground rappers Dilated Peoples (DJ Babu, Evidence, Rakaa). The group emerged seemingly from out of nowhere in 1995, shot up to qualify as a national legend on the underground rap scene within a year, and -- thanks to their launch of one of the most popular indie recordings in history -- received offers in 2000 to sign with several mainstream American labels. They chose Capitol, thanks to that corporation's said flexibility and hesitance to toy with the group's image. Then, four years and four multimillion-dollar Capitol albums later, disillusioned group members shocked record company executives by withdrawing from affiliation with the corporate giant. Their much anticipated 2007 album, The Release Party (its title a witty reference to a "release" from the restrictions of a major label), finds Evidence, Rakaa, and Babu "going independent" once again. That recording constitutes an accompaniment piece to this documentary. The film features guest appearances by Kanye West, Beni B, Xzibit, B-Real, and others. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
The efforts of one tireless concert promoter reuniting legendary hip-hop outfit the Wu-Tang Clan for one final farewell concert form the central story of filmmaker Denis Henry Hennelly's look at the events that led up to the group's historical performance at the Rock the Bells Music Festival. From luring the disagreeable Ol' Dirty Bastard from the comforts of his hotel room to the desperate attempts to calm the swelling crowd, this documentary offers a compelling look at one of hip-hop's most creative and influential acts. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
