GamerTab
That was an excellent one.
Dynamixor
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
Senteur
As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
fanaticpress
This documentary was very well done. It followed the case between the two guys that said they should have the 73rd home run ball. While watching it I was thinking the one that caught it should have the ball but after watching it I'm thinking the one that ended up with the ball should have had it. In a free-for-all situation like that, the one that walks out with the ball should keep it. It had me wondering how it would turn out in the end and I wasn't very surprised really. The only real surprise was what the lawyers for the guy that "found" the ball did at the end. Don't want to spoil it for you. Well worth a watch. And I'm not even a baseball fan.Side note: The person that ended up buying the ball at the auction was once a very popular comic book artist for Marvel Comics. He later worked for Image Comics and created SPAWN. He owns a company now that puts out high quality collector figures. McFarland Toys.
Agent10
For all of the future self-serving idiots that look to grab a stake of history, watch this movie. Granted, Up for Grabs is a pretty basic documentary in the straightest sense, but it's the human drama that is involved that makes it such a comedic experience.Popov and Hayashi were both idiots, let's make that clear. But Popov's overwhelming sense of self worth seemed to provide just what he wanted. He was a loathing, idiot that was purely out to make money, just like Hayashi. But you couldn't turn away from Popov. His idiocy is what truly makes the story, and let's face it, his greed ultimately cost him a lot of money and debt.What I also found so compelling about this movie is how times have changed. People only care about the money making aspect rather than the thrill of the game. People don't go to a game to see someone like Barry Bonds (or these days, Albert Pujols), they're just waiting for the day he sets some record so they could grab a potential meal ticket. It's a pretty startling assessment when Bonds is the sensible and well-meaning conscience that neither Hayashi or Popov seemed to have.
wjtrinkle
First, being an avid S. F. Giants fan who had the wonderful fortune to be present when Barry Bonds hit his 73rd home run in 2001, this was a must see for me. To have so much focus on such a major sports event and its repercussions was nice just for the memories it brought back. Plenty worthwhile just for this reason alone.Beyond that this film is just plain funny, with its exposure of the humanity - greed, stupidity, arrogance, confusion, etc. - of those involved in the dispute surrounding the ownership of the 73rd home run baseball. There is even a dreaded Dodger fan in all his intellectual wonder, commenting in his inimitable way upon the events and dispute.I didn't reach any personal conclusions on the individuals disputing the ball ownership, as a result of the film. I was quite impressed with the comments from the Judge who handled the trial of the case and decided what would happen to the ball.From a purely "documentary film" critical point of view, the documentary was fine, but not great. It was definitely the story here which has center stage in this one and how it was told did not interfere with the pleasure in it at all. I am sorry so few people will likely get the opportunity to see this one.
KCDTA
I saw "Up For Grabs" at the Phoenix Film Festival, where it took away the best doc prize. I just ran across this film again and it looks like it found a distributor, and is being released in theatres! Glad to see it. It reminded me of a Christopher Guest mock-umentary, but it's real - lots of laughs and dynamic characters! "Up For Grabs" follows two men who are fighting over possession of Barry Bonds' #73 homerun ball. These characters are really exposed for who they are, inside and out. The ending couldn't have been better! But, I don't want to introduce any spoilers, so go see for yourself! Was anyone else lucky enough to see this in its film festival run?
