Brooklyn Castle

I waited a good 4 months for this much hyped doc to come to DVD. I read the Bobby Fischer book called Endgame and was so amazed at the life of that man. About a year later I happened upon a documentary version of that book which was pretty weak (common for films based on a book).Reading the summary of this movie and reviews from people who had seen it at a screening, I'm thinking this is going to show me the manifestation of the second advent of Brooklyn's finest, Bobby Fischer, however no such salvation came my way.I thought this film was going to be more like the chess version of More Than A Game, or at least similar to Pressure Cooker, Heart of the Game, Undefeated, First Position, or Hoop Dreams--all documentaries of young rising stars. Throughout the film, I never feel a connection to any of the main characters. It doesn't really bring us into the home lives of these child prodigies so we can see what makes them tick (or ticked off).I know it's real life and you can't really create the perfect outcomes for your film, but there seemed to be too much fluff and distracting materials. The budget problems of the school seemed to be given too much screen time for my tastes (unless of course Brooklyn was trying to hustle me to send them some money for that school). Soon as you say "urban public school" I already know you are in some of the most deprived schools of the industrialized world. I get it.The whole class president election got too much shine time, as well as the fundraising events.Seems like they got basic cinematography fundamentals on point but the film was too bland. No thirst quenching climax at all. The music was off too. In pop culture, when Brooklyn is mentioned, it instantly brings to mind hip hop music. This film put in hip hop music maybe like 3 times and little splats of it at that. It would have helped also if they put more comparisons with the children and the Brooklyn King--Mr. Fischer. A little fun history of Brooklyn/NY would have helped too.A nice light documentary overall, but nothing to brag to your rooftop documentary film watching brotherhood about

While I am a chess fan and like chess movies, I did not see this one when it first came out. After getting back into the community when my son started playing, I heard recommendations for this documentary. The movie follows the real life story of chess playing students of IS 318 in Brooklyn - most of whom live in homes with poverty level incomes. It shows how these middle school students struggle to play the game they love and how it helps them with more than just getting wins and losses in the 64 squares on the board. It held up to the recommendations. Even my wife (who doesn't play chess or like most chess movies (she wouldn't even watch Searching for Bobby Fischer) enjoyed this.

If you love kids and you love learning, watch Brooklyn Castle! If you still believe that teachers make a difference (or even if you don't) watch Brooklyn Castle! If you want a contrary argument for those who say that money doesn't matter, watch Brooklyn Castle! In this age of High Stakes Standardized Testing, this movie gets to the heart of engaged learning for kids. Each of the main characters of this amazing documentary owns their own education. From the national champions, to the struggling novices, to the inspiring teachers and administrators, this is a school that gets what learning should be all about. The amazing thing is that there are several programs in this school that could have been featured. There may not have been the national championships to show, but it appears that most kids in this school are deeply engaged. Believe me - you will regain belief in the human spirit and in the promise of our youth.

On the one hand, "Brooklyn Castle" demonstrates how, given a chance, chess can enhance the lives of young people much the way physical sports do - teaching them "life lessons" about working hard to achieve a goal, staying focused, reasoning things out, not giving up, accepting defeat and moving on, "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." The film is not about the Ruy Lopez or rook-and-pawn endings, but about the kids who play them and the coaches who train them. The highly successful chess team at a middle school in an impoverished Brooklyn neighborhood has given the school and its students pride in themselves, a sense of self-worth, a belief that they can achieve, a sense of hope. However, there is a questionable subtext concerning funding for extracurricular school programs - an agenda that one can never, ever spend too much money on "education," no matter how remote from basic subjects such as English and history. The incredible success of the chess program at this school makes it worthy of funding, but the implication every after-school activity ought to receive generous funds may annoy some viewers.

Brooklyn Castle is a wonderful documentary full of dramatic events and emotionally touching moments. It tracks a Brooklyn middle school chess team during a year of highs and lows in which the players, parents and teachers must cope with the challenges of competitive scholastic chess, high expectations, and educational budget cuts.Documentaries involving live events and featuring young persons as the primary subjects are certainly a challenge to any film-maker. Katie Dellamaggiore and her colleagues nevertheless do a great job creating a nicely filmed, edited and paced story. In many ways, it is reminiscent of the academy award winning "Chariots of Fire" in that both follow the competitive and personal stories of teammates working towards both individual and team success.The ultimate theme of the film is that young people who are motivated, well-taught, and who have caring parents & teachers can accomplish almost anything.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who has a child or children, because it’s inspirational and entertaining. This movie is based on a true story, and it’s well written. The acting is superb, and I thought that the actors were the real people that were portrayed.

GOOD MOVIE