Steve James
What distinguishes Steve James’ documentaries is the exceptional character development and evolution witnessed in his films. Hoop Dreams (7.5), documents the journey of two promising basketball ball players from South Chicago over the course of five years through high school, ending with both of them starting college. At the beginning of the film the only thing matters to the boys is making it to the NBA, but as they grow up their priorities change as their lives unfold and they become victims of circumstance and chance. Slowly, the game becomes less and less important to them, changing from an all-pervasive way of life, to simply a means to an end. Seeing this evolution first hand on film, and watching the two boys become men in the span of two and half hours, is incredibly engaging; even if you don’t really like the sport. Because it is real, this character development is so natural and fluid, making the film very enjoyable to watch. 
His latest film The Interrupters (7.75), also takes place in South Chicago and focuses on personal evolution as a major theme. It is about a group of ex-gang members who patrol the streets, putting their lives at risk on a daily basis to pacify confrontations. The camera documents their encounters, as they intervene in fresh conflicts and follow up on people from previous episodes. It is amazing to watch how these volunteers, simply by taking someone aside and letting them cool down for a couple minutes can save lives. One exceptional case, where a man, leaving his house gun in hand with intention of extracting revenge on a rival gang, grudgingly accepts an invitation from one of the volunteers to lunch. After putting away his weapon, he cools down over fast food, and begins a relationship that eventually saves his life. At the end of the film, we see him gainfully employed, extremely grateful for the program and acknowledging it for saving his life. Capturing these precious seconds where people make life and death decisions on film, makes for incredibly powerful and engaging cinema. Akin to ‘Hoop Dreams’, the film has fluidity and realism that no director could ever recreate with professional actors in a studio, not even Ozu! This is what makes James such an exceptional documentary filmmaker and truly raises the genre to new heights.
What distinguishes Steve James’ documentaries is the exceptional character development and evolution witnessed in his films. Hoop Dreams (7.5), documents the journey of two promising basketball ball players from South Chicago over the course of five years through high school, ending with both of them starting college. At the beginning of the film the only thing matters to the boys is making it to the NBA, but as they grow up their priorities change as their lives unfold and they become victims of circumstance and chance. Slowly, the game becomes less and less important to them, changing from an all-pervasive way of life, to simply a means to an end. Seeing this evolution first hand on film, and watching the two boys become men in the span of two and half hours, is incredibly engaging; even if you don’t really like the sport. Because it is real, this character development is so natural and fluid, making the film very enjoyable to watch. 
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