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(1 - 22) of 22 OFCS Rating: 77% Fresh Page   1   "Kudos to all the wonderful students and teachers of 'Mad Hot Ballroom.' Not since watching 'Spellbound' have I felt this much faith in the youth of today."   ReelTalk Movie Reviews   Betty Jo Tucker "Ballroom dancing is a set of social abstractions, of strategies and choices rather than any "natural" order."   PopMatters   Cynthia Fuchs B- "I just wish the filmmaker did a better job putting it all together so it had more meaning as to the big "educational" picture."   Ozus' World Movie Reviews   Dennis Schwartz 3/4 "The filmmakers evoke children empowering themselves by coming together."   Slant Magazine   Ed Gonzalez A- "Documentaries that are this much fun and this full of innocent energy are rare."   EricDSnider.com   Eric D. Snider C+ "Too scattershot an affair, offering surprisingly little depth in its coverage of either students or teachers."   One Guy's Opinion   Frank Swietek 4/5 "A delightful documentary that shows how creative expression is a necessity in the lives of urban children."   Spirituality and Practice   Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat 40/100 "Were I not from Manhattan, I can’t imagine gleaning anything from Mad Hot Ballroom beyond a desire to pinch those ragamuffin’s precious cheeks."   eCinemaCenter.com   Gabe Leibowitz 3.5/4 "This is an amazing documentary achievement -- easily as good, if not better, than any recent 'feel good' fictional story that Hollywood has put on the screen."   ReelViews   James Berardinelli '3.5/4' "A precocious documentary that speaks the universal language of rhythm and soul."   Palo Alto Weekly   Jeanne Aufmuth 3/5 "While Agrelo pushes a little too hard at times the attitude of the kids and the enthusiasm with which they perform dance makes it well worth a look."   FilmFocus   Joe Utichi 7/10 "Even if you don’t like dancing and think the world would be a better place without so many kids, there’s a pretty good chance it will still click and put you in a good mood."   Planet Sick-Boy   Jon Popick C "the filmmakers have a shaky grasp on differentiating their classrooms ..fail to delve into any...controversial aspects and build no suspense for the final competition"   Reeling Reviews   Laura Clifford C "The kids are cute and the intentions are good, but ultimately [the film] plays like a teacher's presentation to the school board about the importance of arts education."   Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema   Mark Pfeiffer 3.5/5 "For its length, it would have been nice to learn a little bit more about some of the children. Nonetheless, Mad Hot Ballroom is still an uplifting and inspiring tale."   Film Threat   Michael Ferraro A- "The beauty of this movie is the way that it shows that grace, dignity, elegance, and pride in mastering a skill are important and thrilling and transformational. "   Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies   Nell Minow B+ "[Its] heart shines through during conversational scenes with the candid children."   Lessons of Darkness   Nick Schager 3.5/5 "By the end we're glowing with pride just like their parents and teachers."   Shadows on the Wall   Rich Cline C+ "It is a bit like watching a home movie. Still, the kids are very cute, and I did get caught up in the drama of the competition, such as it was."   Laramie Movie Scope   Robert Roten C+ "[Mad Hot Ballroom is] the kind of film that used to be relegated to an after school special"   Reeling Reviews   Robin Clifford B- "... the real story lies in the characters, kids from all races and cultures who pair off and learn to rumba, tango, foxtrot and swing."   Seattle Post-Intelligencer   Sean Axmaker 9/10 "What an unexpected delight! If you enjoyed 'Spellbound,' put this on your must-see list. It's a winner!"   Modamag.com   Susan Granger  (1 - 22) of 22 OFCS Rating: 77% Fresh Page   1