SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Mad Hot Ballroom (2005): Dir: Marilyn Agrelo: Crowd pleasing documentary about the energy emphasized by children involved in ballroom dancing. Director Marilyn Agrelo details the repetitious structure with humorous comments and reactions of the children themselves who grow more passionate as the state competition grows near. We witness hard work rewarded as well as disappointment including teachers that inspire these kids to do better. One particular teacher voices the fact that it is difficult choosing finalists because these kids work very hard. It is inspiring with a lot of heart and soul. Three schools are combined here including Tribeca, Bensonhurst, and Washington Heights. These children are presented as very bright within each activity. There are various dance methods featured throughout as they learn new skills and struggle to connect with the opposite genders but viewers will likely applaud their efforts. Director Agrelo succeeds in presenting a film where children are given alternatives in terms of skill and communication, and teachers are rewarded for the long drawn hard work in coordinating the whole event. It also gives off the impression that one's dreams can be sought this early in life. It is a wonderful documentary that showcases a new scene to ballroom dancing resulting in a film that is every bit the winner as the children themselves. Score: 9 / 10

"Mad Hot Ballroom" is a documentary about New York City inner school kids who have ballroom dance as part of their curriculum. We follow three schools as they prepare for a huge competition. Along the way, we get to know the students and the teachers.The children are adorable, and the effect that ballroom dance has on their lives is remarkable. They learn goal-setting, discipline, good manners, grooming, and get to know the opposite sex in a safe atmosphere. These are children who could just as easily become gang members.The teachers are totally invested in the students, which is quite moving. It's sad to see the tears and crestfallen faces during different parts of the competition - but the teachers realize that's a life lesson that the kids all need to learn.Very uplifting, inspiring, with some very good dancing, "Mad Hot Ballroom" shows the positive value of having arts in the schools, as well as dedicated teachers who care.

Each year within the New York Public School system is a ballroom dancing competition. This year we follow a couple of schools from inner-city areas and the pupils who find themselves sucked into the competitive dance-offs despite the reservations some of them feel.This film was billed as "this year's Spellbound", which was both a smart marketing move but also an unhelpful comparison. In regards the subject then it is a fair comparison because it deals with school kids in competition but unfortunately the quality is not quite as high. The weakness here is in the delivery and structure because I think it tries to throw its net too wide, taking in groups rather than individuals. As a result it never brings out specific characters as well as Spellbound did and as a viewer I never got engaged with individuals that much. In the general sweep approach though the film does work as a rather fun documentary. The kids are all wonderfully "Noo Yark", "BK" etc clichés and there is a certain pleasure in watching them get engaged in the dancing and enter into the competitive spirit.In a very white, middle-class way I suppose I'm suppose to take something bigger from this and certainly some of the reviews have come across as being "moved" in a rather condensing way. But this is the downside of having "underprivileged" (read "non-white") kids as a general group and not bringing individuals out apart from here and there – they become a mass and not a subject. The dance contests and the sass of the pupils does give it enough energy to carry it along but outside of this there is not a lot to get from it and I rarely found myself engaged in a general competition that I had little personal stock invested in. The classes focused on are all quite fun but again I did want the individuals to be brought out more.Overall then a colourful and quite fun film with plenty of energy but a weakness in the approach and structure. Unlike Spellbound we don't really have individuals that we can follow but rather groups and this approach stops stories and morals coming out. The result of this is an OK documentary but nowhere near as strong or as interesting as it could have been and in regards the quality of the film it certainly does not deserve its comparison with Spellbound.

I could watch this movie every week and it wouldn't be boring...just to watch these boys and girls move...try to move..and their enthusiasm, their emotions after they lost the competition, how they teachers suffer with them and are happy with them, everything is pure and authentic, the camera almost forgotten. It's really good to see that competition can exist without the influence of money or doping. It''s even fun if you are not a fan of Latin music, but this movie needs to be watch standing...moving...dancing! Do not forget the comments of the kids at the very end about their expectations of their life as adults, just those statements are worth the whole movie !Tom