Great entertainment backed with profound social and cultural insight about the worldwide grass roots importance of breakdancing. After admiring the dancers' athleticism, you'll want to hit the gym.
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05/26/09
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Planet B-Boy (2008)
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Reviews Counted:37
Fresh:33
Rotten:4
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: Lee's dazzling documentary makes a compelling argument for breakdancing as an art form.
Theatrical Release:Mar 21, 2008 Limited
Synopsis: With compelling characters and vibrant dance sequences, Planet B-Boy is set in the International world of b-boying - the urban dance more commonly known as "breakdancing." Weaving between the vivid... [More]
Director: Benson Lee
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Reviews for Planet B-Boy
What they all have in common, as Quik, a member of Japan's Ichigeki Crew, explains, is a passion for the border-busting power dance, movement as a movement, freedom of expression, wild-style.
10/18/08
Hip-hop fans should flock to Planet B-Boy to see what break dancing looks like around the world, but so should movie-musical and performance-art fans who love intelligent and aggressive improvisation and energy.
04/25/08
The battles in Benson Lee's documentary Planet B-Boy are exceptional. The movie's not bad, either.
04/04/08
Top CriticClick to read the article
04/23/09
Utilitarian documentary about international breakdancing championship in Germany proves lackluster in its depiction of inventive choreography and culture.
03/21/08
While the film stresses how hip-hop unifies different cultures, it's interesting to see how each culture's youth has appropriated the principles of hip-hop for its own self-expression.
05/09/08
Benson Lee's crackling 2007 video documentary follows five teams as they compete for a world title, with one amazing number after another showcasing the dancers' chorus-line precision, gymnastic athleticism, and thematic novelty.
12/17/08
"Planet B-Boy" takes a step toward bringing together foreign communities by sharing a communal model of freedom of expression--the freedom of movement.
03/17/08
After watching this movie, I felt like every nerve ending in my body was shooting sparks. No wonder these boys dedicate their lives to this dance. It's electrifying.
03/30/08
An exuberant study of the ways competition and collaboration can team up when it comes to the creativity of these guys.
04/11/08
As any good film that culminates in a dance competition must, it hypes the pounding music, cheering crowds, and mawkish family backstories to the extreme.
06/30/07
What's fun about Benson Lee's documentary Planet B-Boy isn't just the amazingly athletic displays of B-boys he puts on screen, but the film's sense of cultural discovery.
05/30/08
Top CriticAn independent generation's struggle to be understood by parents, the ravenous hunger to be affirmed as a champion, and the phenomenal creativity, skill, and athleticism of breaking.
03/21/08
Planet B-Boy pays fitting homage to both breakers' impressive dance skills and the roots of hip-hop culture. Agile camerawork propels the narrative at a brisk pace, and crisp editing synchs rhythmically with the score's propulsive beat.
03/26/08
If I could, I would spin on my head to express how much I enjoyed Planet B-Boy.
05/16/08
Lee does a decent job making us care for the squads, but he does his film a better service just by pointing his camera at the breath-taking contortions of the human body.
03/20/08
An exhilarating documentary about street dancers from around the globe.
05/30/08
So while I might complain about some of Lee's filmmaking choices, I feel nothing but wonder and delight at seeing these dancers excel at something they love so passionately.
03/28/08
Will have you bobbing your head and tapping your feet, wishing you could contort yourself like that but knowing you'd probably displace a hip.
03/20/08
Latest News for Planet B-Boy
November 06, 2008:
Evolution of breakdancing into an international phenomenon examined by electrifying documentary. 
More...
March 01, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review
More...
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