Customer Reviews

Stomp the Yard [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

STOMP THE YARD comes as a pleasant surprise to those of us who have yet to be introduced to 'stepping' - a sport/dance form that is not break dancing, not hip-hop, not modern dance, not clogging, not ballet, but instead is an exhilarating display of rhythm, physical dexterity, and creative choreography that makes this little film well worth watching.

The story is minimal and hackneyed and serves basically as an outline for the dance performances. DJ (the enormously talented dancer/actor Columbus Short) is sent from Los Angeles to Atlanta's Truth University after his conviction for street brawling, a fight in which his brother (Chris Brown) was killed. Once on campus DJ is works for his uncle as a gardener and is soon courted for his step dance skills by two rival fraternities. One fraternity gains DJ's attention and he pledges. Of course there is the requisite love conflict (the beautiful Meagan Good as April), who just happens to be the girlfriend of the rival fraternity step leader (Darrin Henson), and the usual undercurrent of familial dichotomies between DJ's humble background and April's influential father bring the tension to the front: the result is DJ's triumphant performance in the annual stepping competition between the two fraternities. The ending is predictable but sensitive and with a message.

The real star of the film is the magnificently choreographed and executed dancing, performed by the actual cast members. Director Sylvain White and his choreographers center their attention on the big sequences and the result is very fine entertainment. In addition to the gifted Columbus Short and Darrin Henson the cast includes such fine actor/dancers as Brian J. White, Ne-Yo, Laz Alonzo, Oliver Ryan Best, Richmond Duain Martyn, Justin Hires, and many others. It is difficult to resist the excitement of the commitment of this fine cast to the introduction of step dancing to the public at large. So much talent! Grady Harp, May 07

The story might be predictable...but the stomping is amazing. The big standout in the film is of course Columbus Short as a lead actor. Though he has many dancing and television credits on his resume, this film marks his first turn in a lead film role--and it is the perfect opportunity. Short is an above-average talent who possesses the kind of charm and screen presence that could make him a leading man for his generation. He plays the part of D.J., a teen-age dancer who battles competitively in Los Angeles until tragedy strikes. Eventually, he is sent by his mother to live in Atlanta with his uncle and aunt, who have helped him enroll in the historically Black Truth University. While D.J. takes classes and works at Truth, he is drawn to the culture of stepping at Black fraternities. He soon finds a way to mesh his talents with his new environment, while also pursuing a new love interest, April (Meagan Goode). Against the odds, D.J.--young, talented and arrogant-- is drawn into the competition of his life.

After watching this you will come to fine out that some musicians such as Ne-Yo and Chris Brown can be actors too. They both provided some comical relief and some pretty good acting I thought that "Stomp the Yard" was a good movie. Very entertaining, and the dancing was remarkable, but it had a deep inner message to go with it... for young and old alike! There is so much talent in our young African Americans but at times directed in the wrong direction. What was also likable and quite inspiring, is a scene in which the main character visits an honorary hall, filled with various pictures of national African-American figures affiliated with many well-known fraternities. Some of the people shown? Esther Rolle, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Martin Luther King, to name a few. This scene really gave me a sense of pride when I saw it, and a respect for the leaders of the past.

Though the electric dance routines give this movie its vibrant energy. It may not be representative of what happens on Black campuses or inside Black fraternities but it offers nuance about the campus stepping culture--new school versus old school, traditional versus styles influenced by hip hop and break dancing. I appreciate "Stomp the Yard" for trying to show a well-known culture in a respected community, but it might not go as deep as you might expect it to be other than that it's a good movie.

This is an enjoyable movie. The actors all do a very good job -- no small feat considering some of the leads are dancers and not actors -- and of course, the dancing is all it's cracked up to be. The plot is mildly engaging, even though it's thoroughly predictable and has been done over and over. Sometimes characters seemed to change too quickly and do things that were out of character; but plot isn't really what this movie is about. This is a dancing film with a very simple conflict story thrown in -- the kind that usually drives low-brow sports comedies, of underdog team against a dynasty, and two members of those teams having a personal grudge.

Honestly, I didn't start off enjoying this film. I'm not hip enough to keep up with the gangsta dance battle that takes place at the beginning of the film, especially the way the camera was jerking around; I had a hard time distinguishing between dancers, etc. and was not anywhere near familiar enough with the dancing to have any kind of sense for who was better or why. But I did end up liking (not loving) the film by the end. And I do appreciate artistically the way the director deftly changed the whole look and mood of the movie from the dangerous street dancing in the opening's gangland LA to the more peaceful intensity of the rest of the movie's Georgia college setting. It helped lend a sense of repressed danger to Columbus Short's lead character that made the threats of his frat-boy enemies seem disingenuous.

Short, by the way, turns in a quiet performance in the most critical role that really glues the film together.

To summarize, this film is worth a look as a rental. Whether or not you want to own it would depend on how much you enjoy the dancing sequences.

If you don't like urban movies,urban hip hop slang or hip hop dancing then don't watch or try to rate this movie because you won't understand the essence of it. This movie is for the true hip hopper's and urban movie fans who like sick(hip hop slang for incredible)dance moves. No this movie isn't golden globes or oscar material nor do I think it was meant to be. It's shear entertainment with talented actors and gifted dancers. There is no way you can watch this movie and not see the skill it takes to pull off some of these dance moves. My only regret is that the director makes the mistake of not showing the dance moves in real time. If he had shown the moves the way they really went down it would shut some of these haters up. These dancers worked too hard to have there talent be minimized by some none dancin' haters. The movie could have come off real corny but these actors have such skill that there acting made the movie worthwhile. Great job on the casting!

It's a terrible experience when someone close to you passes and it's even rougher when it's your baby brother. After dancing in a battle and winning a hat full of money Dj "Columbus Short", his brother "Chris Brown" and his team beat the wrong team this time. While walking home in a dark alley the other team jumped them to get their money back but bad turns to worst and DJ's brother is shot and killed. DJ is sent to live with his Uncle and aunt in Atlanta and is expected to go to college. When he arrives on campus he sees some things he's never seen before like fraternities and stepping and it's all downhill from there. During this film DJ learns things that boys need to learn to become men especially love and even gets to do what he loves most while he's there. He ends up becoming a major key to one frat in dieing need of something fresh.

The first time I saw the preview for "Stomp the Yard" I automatically thought, "Wow, the stepping version of Drumline" but at the same time I felt it would be pretty good. Though this movie does resemble Drumline the story differs a bit. The first being "Darrin Henson" (Soul Food the series) who is a good actor but a dancer and choreographer first and I would say a better choreographer than actor since he probably makes more money off of it. Of course the others being "Chris Brown" and "Columbus Short", most of the cast are dancers acting unlike "Drumline" where Nick Cannon was an actor who had to learn how to play the drums. Even the two frats remind you of "Drumline" one frat has an old school style and hasn't won in 7 years and the other has a grimey aggressive new shchool that never loses.

Darrin played his character well and though Chris Brown wasn't in there that long he did ok but Columbus Short danced better than he acted and it took a little from the movie. He didn't show the same feeling and emotion in his acting as he did in his dancing. You can see this in the film when he loosens up when he dances and then starts to get really tight when he goes back to acting. There was only one big problem I had with "Stomp the Yard", the first being how the story is told. In the middle of the movie when DJ is pledging to get into a fraternity his pledging is basically skipped and he's in.

The stepping and overall choreography is amazing and gets better towards the end of the film. The acting was cool as well as the story but still the dancing outshines them. The history told in this movie makes me proud and gives the movie that extra something. It would've been really cool though if they shined a little more light on where stepping came from and why it's so important in black colleges today. Overall this is a very good movie that was made very well but I have to say that I think women will enjoy this more than guys, when you see it you'll know what I mean.

If your looking for earth shattering acting, deep character development and a moving plot -erk- then what the heck are looking at dance movies for?!?! Sure this movies has been done before - isn't this a remix/make of You've Been Served with the newest crop of R&B/dancer hot-boys? Now if want ear-shattering! Then this IS the movie for you! I had a ball trying to learn some of the rump-shaking moves after. And I definately had to add some new workout songs from the soundtrack to my IPod - Let's Go by Trick Daddy is hot!

Say what you want about the storyline, the acting, whatever... you know you cheered for the under dog. To manage making a black movie with no sex, moderate violence, promoting higher education, unity and brotherhood, come on, you got to love it, especially in these days and times.

The movie Stomp The Yard is a movie about a young man thrown into the college life and fraternities. As the young man DJ(Columbus Short) enrolls in Atlant's Truth unniversity he his caught up in the ongoing rivalry between to fraternities. In the movie he learns lessons dealing with brotherhood,family and love. I believe that the movie was very good. Tht movie showed the life off a black male in the college fraturnity life. Also showed a very good dance scens.

At its core, Stomp the Yard is a romantic drama disguised as a dance film. Or is it the other way around? DJ (Columbus Short) is a troubled teen from Los Angeles who gets a chance for a better life when he is admitted into Atlanta's privileged Truth University. Just when he thought he had escaped a life of gangs, DJ finds himself in the middle of a "war" between two upper-crust fraternities where stepping (a popular dance form) is their weapon of choice. When DJ realizes the coed he falls for is the girlfriend of the school's champion stepper, he joins the rival fraternity to try to show her--and himself--that he's as good as anyone else there. Stomp the Yard is not an original film. Add some drums and you've got Drumline. Change some of the characters around and you've got Save the Last Dance. What sets the movie apart is the stepping. The precision involved at this level is impressively complicated and Short--a dancer and choreographer--is beautifully expressive both as an actor and a dancer. Sure the plot is predictable and hokey at times. But Short and Meagan Good (as his crush April) have wonderful chemistry together, and the supporting cast--including Harry J. Lennix as DJ's no-nonsense uncle--are delightful to watch

I loved this movie and it was a surprise to me. Yes, the story's typical. Heck, the whole movie was to highlight the dancing. So what? The story was very well done and the characters show immense growth. DJ goes from "all about me" to a "team" player, even swallowing his pride to do so. April went from an insecure girl who was just hanging on to 'big man on campus' to please others to a woman who made her own choices for herself. And Grant, the nemesis of the movie was consistently shown up for his underhanded and too controlling ways.

The dancing/stepping was awesome and a beautifully primal example of the fullness of being alive. The beats were all culturally significant and hinted at the old spirituals of days gone by. In a sense they spoke to the same strengths of the people.

Columbus Short was really an amazing dancer. I'd watch him again and again.

I think that even though this story was about African Americans and the dances were predominantly from that culture, the story and the moral of the story transcends any race. It's about respecting each other, about love, about teamwork and about being your best.

I give this movie a full five stars for it's entertainment value, it's moral and mostly the wonderful dancing.