He Got Game

Product Description

Academy Award(R)-winner Denzel Washington (Best Actor, 2001, TRAINING DAY) stars in this must-see story about a convict given one shot at a second chance to be a father! With promises of a reduced sentence, Jake Shuttlesworth (Washington) is granted temporary release from state prison in order to persuade the nation's top basketball recruit ... his estranged son, Jesus (Ray Allen of NBA's Milwaukee Bucks), to play ball for the governor's alma mater! But just as Jesus faces intense pressures and irresistible temptations contemplating his big decision, Jake is also forced to consider not only what's best for himself ... but what's best for his son! With a groundbreaking soundtrack by the legendary Public Enemy -- plus great cameos from John Turturro and basketball personalities Dick Vitale, John Thompson, Dean Smith, and more, HE GOT GAME is a critically acclaimed hit you don't want to miss!

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As a filmmaker and passionate fan of basketball, Spike Lee was the perfect director for this ambitious and heartfelt sports drama, which brought out the best in both Lee and his well-chosen cast. In his third film for Lee, Denzel Washington plays Jake Shuttlesworth, who is in prison for the manslaughter of his wife. His estranged son Jesus (well played by Milwaukee Bucks basketball player Ray Allen) is the nation's best high school basketball star, and Jake receives a compelling offer from the state's governor: If Jake can convince Jesus to sign a letter of intent to attend Big State University, the governor will reduce his sentence. Lee turns this back-room bargain into a fascinating examination of capitalism in college and professional sports, but the film also works as the moving story of a father's desperate attempt to regain his son's respect. Lee handles the basketball angle with an insider's awareness, and takes a few stylistic risks (including a memorable final image) that pay off with considerable emotional effect. He Got Game fully explores the visual poetry of basketball and the greed that fuels this particular vision of the American dream, but Lee never loses sight of the sport's inherent beauty, or the higher priorities of redemption and family that form the solid foundation of this exceptional film. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Inner strife and self hatred are the worst enemies.......2007-07-23

This film shows the real crossroads where the Blacks are in America, and I say the Blacks because they call themselves Blacks and not Afro-Americans or African Americans. The mother is dead, killed accidentally in a temper but the father. The father is in prison for a very long time. The son hates his father and has to learn how to get over his hatred. The daughter is missing her father but her brother is isolating her. The uncle and aunt only see the money the son represents. He is a high school star in basketball and he can get directly into making a lot of money if he joins the NBA or he can go to some university and have a scholarship. One more tricky element: the governor wants the kid for the team of his university, the one he sponsors and likes. So why not use the father, give him a week of semi freedom and force him thus to negotiate his son's signing the right papers. What's more the basketball star is invited by some schools to come and visit and there he is provided with everything he may desire, including the girls and the useless other entertainments. The NBA is offering a car to the uncle, though in fact it is for the son to run it. And the high school coach is able to put ten thousand dollars on the table for him to join, guess what, the NBA of course. Immoral. The film is saved from this muddy marshlandish country by the son choosing the only moral solution, the one that will help his father to get out faster, the one that is going to cure him from his hatred, even if that is slightly idealistic, frankly utopian.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

Lee Got Game.......2007-07-07

"He Got Game" is another solid outing for director Spike Lee. He paints a realistic picture of life for a inner city basketball phenom and its many demands and pressures. Ray Allen isn't as proficient an actor as he is a shooting guard, yet his performance works here. Denzel Washington and a supporting cast of Lee film veterans deliver in their roles, making up for any inexperience Allen has. Washington is impressive as Allen's father, a convicted felon who is given a short work release to try to convince his star son to attend the governeor's alma mater. Revisiting this film about 9 years after its release, I still feel entertained and connected with the main characters. I feel it stands as a triumph for Lee and a good tale of basketball, exploitation, wounded family relations, and redemption (in a way).

Wish I saw it in the theater.......2007-06-12

I actually caught this on television when I was flipping channels one day. I didn't even plan on sticking around but this movie kept me watching. The reason why I didn't give it a chance in the theater was because I was growing weary of Spike Lee's style of film making. I thought I'd give it a break and I didn't know anyone else who actually saw this to endorse it. Watching it on tv meant that it was censored so I rented the original version and liked it even more. Denzel is awesome as usual, but the story itself and the trials of the main characters were thought-provoking and interesting. I know a lot of fathers like the one in this film who pushed their child hard. The son ended up living up to his potential so I guess it felt justified. I would've liked this film even if was a sport I didn't like. This is definitely worth a look.

Denzel shines, Ray Allen aint bad either......................2007-01-01

This is one of Denzel's best performances as a loser father who accidentally kills his wife. His only hope for parole is to get his high school senior, star basketball player son to attend the college alma mater of one of the dude's that sits on his parole board. Great story that shows the greed in people's eyes and hearts when money is involved.

Spike out did himself with this one!.......2006-08-31

One of my top five movies of all time.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Hip Hop Soundtrack to Spike Lee film!
Great Soundtrack
Game Time
Absoultely Sick Good
YES!!!

He Got Game [Region 2]
Starring: Denzel Washington , Ray Allen , Milla Jovovich , Rosario Dawson , and Hill Harper
Director: Spike Lee
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000056CU6

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Hip Hop Soundtrack to Spike Lee film!.......2007-06-04

He Got Game--
"He Got Game" is the hip-hop music soundtrack album to the Spike Lee-directed, Denzel Washington-starring film. It is the first movie soundtrack to feature one rap act exclusively--in this case, genre pioneers Public Enemy. The first Public Enemy album in four years (since 1994's Muse Sick N Hour Mess Age), what is also notable about the album is that members of Public Enemy's founding producers, the Bomb Squad, return to oversee several tracks. The concept album explores the dark side of professional basketball culture and its toll on the largely African-American players in its ranks: The pressure from family, friends and especially big-business interests, leading to what Chuck D calls "a house built off of them skulls and bones" in "House of the Rising Son". The title track is a great meld of hip-hop & classic rock: it samples Buffalo Springfield's "For What it's Worth" and features a guest spot from Stephen Stills himself. Some of the other great songs include "Go Cat Go!" (produced by Meat Beat Manifesto's Jack Dangers), "Game Face" (which hijacks Monty Norman's James Bond theme), "Unstoppable" (with guest vocalist KRS-One) and the gospel-style hook of "What You Need is Jesus". Flavor Flav's bouncy spotlight track is the self-explanatory "Shake Your Booty". The closing track is the spoken-word piece "Game Over", where Professor Griff muses on behalf of the frequently-criticized `hip-hop ballplayer': "Yeah, I got an attitude; How'd you figure?"

Great Soundtrack.......2005-08-08

Public Enemy's soundtrack to Spike Lee's He Got Game is some great music. Public Enemy's return after disappearing for a few years is a spellbinding concept album about the sport industry. KRS One and the Wu Tang Clan's Masta Killa make guest raps on this album. This also has another great collaboration on it. On the title track the loop sample of Buffalo Springfield continues through and the Stephen Stills starts to sing the song at the end with Flava Flav introducing him. Favorites include Resurrection ft. Masta Killa, He Got Game ft. Stephen Stills, Unstoppable ft. KRS One, Revelation 33 1/3 Revolutions, Politics of the Sneaker Pimps, What You Need Is Jesus, and Go Cat Go. Recommended

Game Time.......2005-03-11

This soundtrack performed fully by Public Enemy is just another aspect of consciousness. Public Enemy has been just that with their prior releases and didn't leave us thirsting for knowledge on this one. As the hook goes on "Game Face", "...you know the name, P.E. / you know the game, P.E. /we ain't for the fame / we're for the change / I wake up every day with my game face on..." "Unstoppable" featuring KRS-One is a beautiful collaboration and a personal favoriate. Even though a lot of subjects pertain to basketball, Chuck D. still finds a way to compare it to everyday's society and life. The rock fueled "Go Cat Go" is even a good tune for rap and hip hop lovers. Not quite a classic but well worth the money. Maybe it should have been called Public Enemy Got Game instead.

Absoultely Sick Good.......2003-08-28

One of the best rap cd's I have ever heard. Chuck D, as always, delivers a dominating vocal performace. When Chuck talks, you listen. There is certainly a more modern and less abrasive sound to this disc in comparison with some earlier PE recordings. As expected, the lyrics are political and even more on the mark than usual. The beats are incredible almost without exception. Favorite tracks include Unstoppable (KRS-One gives great guest vocals), Is Your God a Dog, House of the Rising Son, Game Face, Politics of the Sneaker Pimps, What You Need is Jesus. The title track is also great -- I've just burned myself out from hearing it a lot. The tracks not mentioned are also very good, better than the vast majority ...that passes as rap these days. Highly recommended.

YES!!!.......2001-03-16

This CD scores! This CD has hit after hit and keeping the Public Enemy style. It's got everything: the beats, the lyrics, the swears. He Got Game is one CD that is hard to stop listening to. If you like Public Enemy than I suggest you buy this CD!!

Charlie Rose with Joseph Bertino, Michael Waldholz, John Holaday; Spike Lee; Peter Duchin (May 5, 1998)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Joseph Bertino, Michael Waldholz, John Holaday; Spike Lee; Peter Duchin (May 5, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

First, John Holaday, chairman and CEO of EntreMed, Dr. Joseph Bertino, an oncologist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute, and Michael Waldholz, editor at the Wall Street Journal and author of Curing Cancer, discuss the strides made in cancer research to cure cancer as well as the need for better funding for cancer research. Then, Spike Lee, African-American filmmaker, speaks about Denzel Washington and his new film, He Got Game. Finally, Musician Peter Duchin talks about Ghost of Chance, A Memoir about his life.

Charlie Rose with James Toback; John Turturro; Yehudi Menuhin (April 24, 1998)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with James Toback; John Turturro; Yehudi Menuhin (April 24, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

First, director James Toback discusses his new movie, Two Guys and a Girl, which stars Robert Downey Jr. and tells the story of a man who must come to terms with the dual life he has been leading. Then, John Turturro discusses his three new movies, the Coen brothers' The Big Lebowski, the Spike Lee film He Got Game, and The Truce, about the life of author Primo Levi. Genius violinist Yehudi Menuhin discusses his eight-decade career, the highlights of his musical moments, and his new school for young musicians.

Average customer rating:

He Got Game/Good Morning, Vietnam
Starring: Robin Williams , Forest Whitaker , Tung Thanh Tran , Chintara Sukapatana , and Bruno Kirby
Director: Barry Levinson , and Spike Lee
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000067DH6
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Description

Good Morning Vietnam Special Edition - English/French DVD- When the U.S. Army engages irreverent, nonconformist radio deejay Adrian Cronauer, it unleashes a secret, if unpredictable, weapon: laughter. Academy Award(R) winner Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor, GOOD WILL HUNTING, 1997) shakes up 1965 Saigon in the role that garnered him his very first Oscar(R) nomination. Imported by the military to host an early a.m. radio show, Cronauer (Williams) blasts the formerly serene, sanitized airwaves with a constant barrage of rapid-fire humor and the hottest hits from back home. The G.I.s love him, but the top brass is up in arms. Riddled with sidesplitting comic salvos, bittersweet bombshells, and hot '60s rock 'n' roll, this landmark film chronicles one man's raucous Saigon adventures amidst a world gone mad. Featuring all-new bonus material that includes hilarious outtakes from Robin Williams' "raw" monologues, this Special Edition of GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM, scores a direct hit every time you watch. He Got Game - DVD- Academy Award(R)-winner Denzel Washington (Best Actor, 2001, TRAINING DAY) stars in this must-see story about a convict given one shot at a second chance to be a father! With promises of a reduced sentence, Jake Shuttlesworth (Washington) is granted temporary release from state prison in order to persuade the nation's top basketball recruit ... his estranged son, Jesus (Ray Allen of NBA's Milwaukee Bucks), to play ball for the governor's alma mater! But just as Jesus faces intense pressures and irresistible temptations contemplating his big decision, Jake is also forced to consider not only what's best for himself ... but what's best for his son! With a groundbreaking soundtrack by the legendary Public Enemy -- plus great cameos from John Turturro and basketball personalities Dick Vitale, John Thompson, Dean Smith, and more, HE GOT GAME is a critically acclaimed hit you don't want to miss!

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