Gimme the Loot (2013)

Sadly Over-hyped

People are voting emotionally.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

The Bronx is alive with this film.This is the neighborhood that I came up in. It's so actuate to the New York flavor and it was filmed right in my upbringing.It starts on the streets of the Bronx and spreads all over the place, the village, Queens, etc. It hits the mark of everything New York is now.And the cinematography helps to give it that realness.Two best friends plan to graffiti bomb the Mets Home Run Apple by getting enough money to bribe a friend to let them into Shea stadium(not Citi field(perfect). They'll gonna get this money anyway they can. But the movie is about more than this, It's about being a teenager and having a relationship with the only person on the planet who gets you. Malcolm is lucky cause when I was his age my Significant other was a dude, he got pretty girl in Sofia who was as gangsta as she was pretty.The movie is all about capturing this moment, and using the city as a beautiful background. It made me relate more, but who doesn't known what it's like to have a friend to battle the world with.Loved it! This is my New York!!

What I loved most about this film is that it didn't take anything extra or special to make the film great. There wasn't a lot of special effects etc. it was just raw. Almost felt like a documentary. I was able to get very involved with story. I was also able to get a real feel for the characters. They definitely grew on me. Stories like this make you start rooting for the characters whether they are wrong or right and also teach you about some of the small things in life. It brings you back to that old Hip-Hop feel. I love everything about this film. One thing that I heard about this film is that the director waited about a year or so before he got the character for Sophia. That says a lot about how he in visioned the film and who he wanted the characters to be. The more reason to know that this film is not just telling a story but it is moving art. I don't know why but I was just blown away by the realness. Thanks to everyone involved. I hope to some day make a film like this. Definitely a must see.

Sometimes, it's not always good to read too much about a film before you go to see it. When entering the cinema, I was already at the point of expecting a film with some good graffiti action, with a plot thrown around it. But, as the film went on, I became more and more disappointed.The plot is simple: Adam Leon starts with a clip from 'All City Hour', in which writers talk about tagging the Mets' apple at Shea Field, sorry Citi Field. Seeking revenge on a rival gang, two writers, Sofia and Malcolm, look to make a name for themselves by achieving this very feat. Needing $500 for a blind eye to be turned to gain access to the stadium, the pair take to the streets to try and hustle up the money.What follows is a two-day journey around the city in a similar style to 'Kids', as the duo repeatedly struggle to raise the cash. This is where my expectations went missing. What I'd read about the film made me expect a lot of graffiti, a bit of a tagging war and maybe a bit of Notorious B.I.G.. Instead, the film is more about the failings of the two leads – and for me, this is the film's failing.The two leads, Sofia, played by Tashiana Washington, and Malcolm, by Ty Hickson, don't particularly live up to their image: Sofia, while described by Malcolm as being hard and tough, spends a lot of her time naively getting scammed and played for a fool by people of all ages, with whiney shouting her only reaction; Malcolm, among fellow taggers, seems to command respect and sometimes fear, as if he got the juice – to use a Nineties phrase – though again spends much of the film foolishly, coming across as a bit of an idiot. Being that this is such a character- led story, it needed some stronger characters.Though, with this, perhaps Leon is trying to create more realistic characters, full of flaws and inconsistencies, making them seem like the ordinary idiots you know. With the cast and director not having the longest careers in film on their CVs, there is a slightly amateurish feel throughout, that gives it a charm, but also some drawbacks. 'Gimme the Loot' is not a bad film, and has its moments, though by the end it's not wholly satisfying and leaves one feeling of 'gimme a little more.'politic1983.blogspot.com

When their latest work is buffed by a rival crew, two determined graffiti writers embark on an elaborate plan to bomb the ultimate location: the New York Mets' Home Run Apple.For his feature film debut, director Adam Leon has really hit a home run his first time out of the gate. He was previously a production assistant for Woody Allen and somehow got Jonathan Demme to "present" this film (although what exactly this means is unclear), which will hopefully get it a little extra attention. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.Being a Midwesterner, I have no experience with graffiti wars, New York City, and general lower class big city culture. That made me worry I would not be able to identify with the characters. On the contrary, I found them very universal -- the goal of tagging a sign was foreign, but the bonds of friendship were not. And that is the real strength of this picture, is watching the two main characters grow as their endless stream of misadventures blow up in their faces.Even their mentor or idol, Champion, is something of a lost cause and is amusing in his own hopeless way. He claims to be something of a master criminal, but fails miserably when presented with a lock to pick -- and creates enough noise that the police could be alerted at any second! The romance angle never fully plays out, but this in some ways adds to the picture. Ginnie is quite the quirky character, and I would not be surprised if we saw actress Zoë Lescaze using this performance to launch a bigger acting career. (As of now, it seems she is working at the New York Observer, free of any acting responsibilities.) In short, I hope people find this one and give it a chance. I think there is plenty to love about it, and I stand behind everyone involved 100%