From: Patrick B Bjork <[log in to unmask]> I saw Spike Lee's _Crooklyn_ last night, and I enjoyed the storyline, a kind of non-linear "slice-of-life" with specific signposts pointing to the community dissolution yet to come. Although I thought Lee might have provided a stronger contrast; without it, the film is perhaps a bit too nostalgic. The death of the mother, on the other hand, is a strong metaphor for the coming dissolution. However, what is perhaps most striking about _Crooklyn_ is not the dissolution theme but the dissolution of its production. It is, to put it mildly, slightly flawed, so much so that if _Crooklyn_ were a student film, it would probably receive a failing grade. So all you tech experts out there tell me: What the hell happened? Was Lee so cash-poor that he couldn't reshoot or does he think boom stands and mikes play intregal roles in the overall production? One other thing: somebody please explain to me the significance of Lee's continued use of dolly shots--you know, where the character, instead of walking down the street, rolls down the street? Patrick Bjork [log in to unmask]