Customer Reviews

Kobe Doin' Work: A Spike Lee Joint

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I got a chance to watch this on ESPN and had high hopes that it would be very good. Not exactly what I was expecting. Basically you get Kobe with a hidden mic during a game and as the game (between L.A. and Spurs) goes on Kobe is watching the game and commenting on what he was thinking at that very moment. It's like watching a dvd with commentary option set to on. The game itself was boring as you sit there watching and thinking, "wow...is this going to get good?" I think of highlights from Jordan days and his films being like, "wow.....that was amazing...." Kobe has plenty of highlights they could have mixed in or at least on a bonus disc but this was as bland as a popcorn rice cake.

The nice part in the documentary is getting on the inside. Getting in the locker room and seeing what goes on was nice. The whole idea is good but it really just wasn't interesting. Kobe fumbled alot when in the game and the film crew was trying very hard to capture this awesome moment and.......just didn't get it. The only nice parts in the movie where when they showed his family and his daughters at the end. Very touching but in terms of "execution" of the film and basketball? Not entertaining. I rate it three stars just because I'm a Kobe fan. Just was expecting more from Spike on this one. It was okay to watch once....but that's about it. Nothing to go running to your friends to strongly suggest. Nice to see good team play but it looked like a bad game for Kobe overall on the film.

Now if Spike could have only captured the game against Toronto where Kobe dropped 81 points. That would have been great to see. I'd rather watch that game in it's full length than watch this movie again.

"Kobe Doin' Work" is a short documentary with the goal of showing a part of the game that people have never seen before. Spike Lee chose Kobe Bryant because he is not only the greatest player in the game right now but because of the impact he has on his team. If you watch this film, you will understand why they call the Lakers "Kobe's Team." You will also gain a new respect for Kobe who has proven to be the reason for Laker success. Despite the game being a blowout for the Lakers, it is interesting to hear what exactly goes through Kobe's mind. Spike shot Kobe beautifully and succeeded in in getting his vision across. This film is not for everyone. Only the Laker faithfull and true basketball players can appreciate this insightfull documentary.

I like the idea, I like the player, I like the director, but I don't like the end result.

Disclaimer first. You have to understand that filming inside the locker room, in HD, is something players and coaches are not very cool with. The league and the front office is also not to keen on this as they have an image to maintain. Also, with all the broadcasting rights (although I guess they were with ESPN so not much problem there perhaps) and additional cameras, Spike had ONE shot at getting this.

He chose the Spurs game because there was some rivalry and there could be some juicy plots in addition to it being a very competitive game bringing the best out of Kobe.

Unfortunately, the game was a dud, with the outcome very well in hand and thus the movie itself became dull. It is still 'interesting' in that you get to see and hear things that you normally wouldn't, but in this age of blogs and tweets, nothing is really groundbreaking, and Kobe himself has not yet earned his Shaq-less championship so he is not as relaxed and candid. You could almost see the awkwardness in the reactions of his teammates, although you can't be sure if that was because they were being filmed or because Kobe was at his Media behavior.

It is cool to watch as a TV special, although on the boring side, but I am not sure if it's worth $10 in blu-ray. In a sense I guess it's really living up to its title - 'doin' work' - in that nothing extraordinary happens and it is really just another game, just another day of work.

I respect Kobe so much more now. This is a must have for any basketball fan. But I'm a Lakers for life, so definitely if you are a lakers fan buy it! I'm using all of Kobes pre and post game work. I respect him so much more now. Spike did a great job. Must have!

There's a jokey, fun-loving side to Kobe Bryant's personality, and we've seen flashes of it in interviews and in behind-the-scenes locker room stuff. KOBE DOIN' WORK, in spots, does demonstrate this lightheartedness. But Kobe, who provides the commentary for this documentary, seems focused on informing the audience of his thought processes as he surveys the floor and on delving into the strategies behind the plays which unfold. For pure basketball fans, Kobe's articulate but dry assessments make for a fascinating listen. It's certainly enlightening stuff and you can't help but note his love for the game and the sheer competitive nature of the guy. But if you're a casual hoops person, you might yawn a few times.

The director here is Spike Lee and he sums up this documentary nicely: "This film is about one great player, one day, on the job." He also says, "We just wanted to capture how Kobe sees the game." and that also sums it up nicely. On April 13, 2008, during the 2007-08 NBA season, Spike Lee was granted access and a lot of leeway to the tune of 30 cameras which tracked a miked-up Kobe Bryant as the Los Angeles Lakers played their perennial rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, in one of those statement games, these two teams jockeying for playoff position in the Western Conference.

This is all 20/20 hindsight talk but Spike Lee should've picked another game to film. Like maybe the barnburner in which Kobe scored 61 points against the New York Knicks. That same evening, Kobe recorded his commentary for this documentary, and he was certainly busting Spike's chops enough about his record-setting performance over Spike Lee's beloved Knicks. Against the Spurs Kobe didn't have as luminous an accounting, although he certainly had his fingerprints all over that game.

I was looking forward to this documentary because a) I live in Los Angeles and so am a Lakers fan and b) I'm a basketball fan, period. This could've been LeBron or Dwight Howard or Shaq doing the commentary and I would've been riveted. But there's something about Kobe. You see the skills and the grace, the toughness and the cold-bloodedness, and then you also recognize the cerebral aspect. Kobe knows his stuff. We get treated to Kobe's pre-game preparations and to the hallway ritual before the game, and to most of the game itself, from the opening tip up to the closing seconds. We glimpse timeout huddles and halftime in the locker room, and the entire time, Kobe doesn't shut his yap. I knew Kobe was involved and talked to his teammates during games, but I didn't know it was to this extent.

Commentary-wise, Kobe tends to focus most on the X's and O's of the game, but he does reward us with occasional nuggets regarding his teammates and colleagues. He talks about the joy of playing against the very physical (and sorta dirty) Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas. He ribs Sasha quite a bit, Sasha being like a kid brother to him. He observes the tendencies of his teammates and orchestrates plays to get them involved, and it really does seem as if he knows his opponents of the day; he's played the Spurs often enough. Kobe is great at breaking down the minutiae of the game. He goes a bit into the nuances of the triangle. You hear him speak fluent Italian. He cusses occasionally and then makes an observation about profanity in sports.

Watching this, one is struck with the transitory nature of team makeup in sports. It's not as common nowadays for athletes to stay with one team for their entire career. In the NBA, currently, there's Kobe, there's Tim Duncan, when one mentions eye-catching names. In KOBE DOIN' WORK there's a bittersweet taste for Lakers fans as they catch fleeting footage of Chris Mimh, Vlade Radmanovich, and, most notably, Rony Turiaf, teammates who've moved on.

The cameras place you right in the center of the action, giving you a fresh and different viewpoint than from what you normally get watching hoops on TV. You also get to hear the dialogue that goes on during the game. Meanwhile, the jazzy score ideally frames Kobe's dynamic, silky smooth presence. Kobe at the height of his prowess should always be scored with cool jazzy riffs or with one of those classic jams from Erik B. & Rakim. Maybe "Don't Sweat the Technique."

Oh, by the way, the Lakers ended up blowing out the Spurs.

I thought this video was awesome. It really showed Kobe's knowledge of the game, and makes you really look at him in a different light. His basketball IQ is really off the chain and that makes him the best in the game today.

the movie basically kobe doing just that...work. had kobe not won the championship yet, this video would seem a bit sad. but its rewarding to see kobe's work pay off.

i just wish this was on blu-ray.

During the 2007-2008 season, the Los Angeles Lakers found its groove as the team had the best record in the West, Kobe Bryant who started out the season with media questioning if he will continue to be a Laker answered all questions on the court as he had a magnificent year and many people feeling the young basketball star deserves to be the MVP.

Unfortunately for Lakers fans, that same season, the team came up short in the championship series against the Boston Celtics but rebounded the following year winning the championship in 2008-2009 and many praised the leadership of Bryant.

But director Spike Lee wanted to create a film and give fans a chance to see the real Kobe Bryant before, during and after a game. So, Kobe Bryant, Coach Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers organization let Spike Lee have Bryant mic'd, 30 cameras all over the stadium all focusing on Kobe Bryant and capturing not only the athlete in play but also giving people the chance to hear all the trash talking, the play calling, what goes on in the bench, what goes on during half time and just unlimited access to Kobe Bryant as the Los Angeles Lakers took on the San Antonio Spurs for a pivotal game that would give the Lakers home court advantage.

You literally start off when Kobe arrives to the Staples Center and watch him how he prepares and watch him lead and encourage the team through four quarters. Although the full game is not shown, you do get over an hour of basketball footage and hear how things are on the court uncensored.

While watching the film, you can hear audio commentary by Kobe Bryant as he explains certain scenes from the game and also his conversations with director Spike Lee.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Kobe Doin' Work: MVP Limited Edition" is presented in widescreen (1:78:1) - Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions. Picture quality is very good as Spike Lee made sure the game was captured from various angles. High above, right on the court, on the big screens, you name it... Lee covered all angles and gives an intimate portrait of the MVP.

Audio is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. For the most part, the film is front and center channel driven. You hear everything on court. The audience, the players, the music, the squeaking of the sneakers on the court, the bouncing of the basket ball, the trash talking, the play calling....you hear it all throughout the film's soundtrack.

Kobe Bryant's commentary doesn't get in the way of the dialogue on film. For the most part, commentary is understandable.

For the most part, editing is well done and not dizzying at all. Spike Lee and cinematographer Mattew Libatique did a wonderful job covering the game but most importantly capturing video and audio of and around Kobe Bryant.

Subtitles are in English SDH, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Kobe Doin' Work: MVP Limited Edition" comes with a special Upper Deck Kobe Bryant trading card and the following special features:

* Introduction to the Film by Spike Lee: (:49) An introduction by Spike Lee talking about what they did on that night.
* Spike Lee on Kobe's Commentary: (3:18) Spike Lee talking about the challenges of getting Kobe Bryant to provide the audio commentary but also how Kobe came to New York after his stellar 61 points against the New York Knicks and how the New York hometown crowd yelled MVP.
* Deleted Scenes - The Unseen Fourth Quarter - (9:21) The fourth quarter that was not featured in the film. No audio commentary by Kobe Bryant but this featurette showcases Kobe Bryant and his teammates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs captured by Lee's 30 cameras.
* Deleted Scenes - Press Conference - (2:53) A short press conference with Kobe and the media after the game.
* Photo Montage - (4:30) Photography of Kobe Bryant during the game. Awesome photography montage played along with Bruce Hornsby's piano playing.
* Music Video - "Levitate" by Bruce Hornsby - (4:19) featuring Bruce Hornsby's music video which shows video footage and photography of Kobe Bryant.
* E:60 - Behind the Scenes - (2:15) Interview with Spike Lee about Kobe Bryant and the production meeting with the crew. Interview with the crew members working on the film.
* Game Only Experience - (1:25:24) The film version with no commentary track.
* Broadcast Audio Version - (1:25:24) This is the censored version of "Kobe Doin' Work" which was broadcast on television.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Kove Doin' Work: MVP Limited Edition" was definitely because you actually get to hear a lot of the play calling, the trash talking and what takes place on the bench, at half time and more. This is probably the most unlimited access I have seen in a sports related film and really gives you an idea of what goes through Kobe Bryant's head. On the court, he's observing and directing his team, on the bench...he's really looking for holes in the opponent's defense. And even in half time, he's really into discussing what he sees and how the team can overcome in the second half. But for the most part, Kobe Bryant is a class act during the commentary. He's complimentary to his teammates and his opponent, he's a competitor but also seen as a father and husband. You really get to see a side of Kobe Bryant that you just never see on television.

Usually, these type of coverage is censored for television but for this DVD, you get the full uncensored version, the broadcast censored version and also a no commentary version. And I think that Kobe Bryant said it best of what he thinks about this film and that is, during a post-game interview, he tries to explain the team dynamics. But through this film, you get to learn how the technical part is done on court. You hear Kobe directing the teammates, knowing when to get in the head of his opponent, switching plays in order to get his teammates into the groove.

So, basketball players can definitely look at this DVD as really instructional. Coaches can definitely showcase this DVD to their players and have them learn from it. And for the casual viewer, it's just an up-close, personal look at one of the greatest athletes today.

Really, there's nothing I can complain about this DVD release. If anything, I think there will be more demand for Spike Lee or others to continue this up-close look at how athletes are during the game. Granted, I'm sure some organizations and coaches do not like to give that much access to the viewer of play call discussions but Kobe Bryant addresses it during his commentary saying that basketball is unlike other sports because opponents are going to know what the team is going to do, but it's all about how the play is executed.

For the parents and coaches (who were thinking of showing this to their high school basketball atheletes), the main feature does contain quite a bit of profanity but there is a censored broadcast version if you are concerned.

Overall, I'm sure Lakers fans will love this release but this is not just for Lakers fans, this is for basketball fans especially those who aspire to be on team, those who want to be better on the basketball court and to learn how leadership is carried on the court and also out from one of best basketball player of all time. "Kobe Doin' Work: MVP Limited Edition" is definitely recommended!

I don't think I've ever in my life watched a whole basketball game, maybe not even 15 minutes of one, but when I was flipping channels and saw this, I instantly became riveted. I had no idea why at first. Team sports don't usually interest me. But the camera work and Kobe Bryant's explanations of his thinking and how his team does things differently really captured my attention. The directing is superb. Rather than watch the usual basketball stuff: one team in one color running toward one side in a wide shot and then the other team following, etc., you get really up close and personal. You can see each individual player and how they're reacting to their opposition. It really got me hooked. I'm definitely going to buy this for my brother-in-law, who's a huge sports fan, when it comes out on DVD.

Hands down one of the greatest sports movies I have ever seen. Gives a great glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest athletes of our time!