| So you think break dancing was an art form that died | | | | grasp what is left in b-boying today through Lee's lens |
| in the '80s? And you think you've seen it all and the | | | | as he accurately portrays the physical hard work and |
| dance isn't worth five minutes of your time when you | | | | mental dedication necessary to succeed in such a |
| are passing through the Times Square subway | | | | competitive scene. What's more, Lee demonstrates |
| station? Well, you haven't seen the last of b-boying | | | | the social misconceptions and family background |
| because this dance documentary mines b-boying from | | | | struggles that b-boys have to endure in their pursuits. |
| the underground and proves it is still as alive as any | | | | Their passion remains evident, "I don't break to make |
| other dance form that has ever existed. | | | | money; I make money to break." - B-boy Baebaeng, |
| Benson Lee's study of this art form, Planet B-boy, has | | | | Last For One, Korea. |
| all the flashy elements that spectators love; head-spins, | | | | Lee is wise not to include too much background history |
| flips, windmills and air flares, but he also witnesses the | | | | on the come-about of b-boying, as this aspect has |
| true glory of a b-boy; their exuberant passion. B-boying, | | | | already been widely explored in other films. If you are |
| with its serious competitive dynamic, allows each | | | | looking for a historical lesson, dig into Wild Style (1983) |
| dancer to break through the social constraints and | | | | or The Freshest Kids (2002); essential films for any |
| channel his/her creativity and even frustration and | | | | "Hip Hop enthusiasts," they do a good job of taking |
| anger. | | | | you to the source and breaking everything down to |
| Planet B-boy is a dramatic documentary about an | | | | the core fundamentals. Lee's approach to modern |
| international, famed b-boy battle, "Battle of the Year" | | | | b-boying is perhaps, an oriental one as much of the |
| which marks its place in Braunschweig, Germany. The | | | | lens is framed at the Japanese and Korean b-boys. |
| film follows five predominant crews from Japan, | | | | We are already familiar with the way b-boying is dealt |
| Korea, France and the U.S and gives an inside look into | | | | in the West and now that Hip hop is a global |
| the life of a b-boy. Much like the title suggests, it is | | | | phenomenon, there is no need to restrain it in one |
| literally and figuratively the battle of the year as every | | | | continent. You should note that the Japanese are |
| crew from around the world trains and prepares to | | | | talented at flipping the Western traditions around and |
| bring the title back to their respective countries. It's like | | | | adding flavors of their own, thus making it unobtrusive |
| the world-cup for b-boying where street performers, | | | | to trace back its roots. Interestingly enough, all this |
| crews and breakers travel across the world to | | | | foreign acclamation has made it even more difficult for |
| compete for the ultimate title. | | | | U.S. b-boys to overcome an art form invented and |
| Although the b-boying culture has been | | | | clearly forgotten decades ago on their soil. |
| commercialized, exploited and left behind, you're able to | | | | |