Rubble Kings

Shan Nicholson's film consists of oral histories from the now-reformed gangsters. As such, it can't help but sound a bit embellished, what with all the street monikers and seemingly glorified titles.

"Rubble Kings" might have been great. As it is, the film is a one-sided, but satisfying tribute to an alternatively terrifying and beguiling city that we can only revisit in movies.

A fascinating, valuable work of social, music and New York history, a celebration of a peaceful revolution by those who helped birth it.

Cramming a lot of anecdotes, urban lore and frenzied movement into a mere 71 minutes, Nicholson's docu imperceptibly builds to an unexpected, revelatory climax.

An entertaining doc vividly chronicles a troubled era.

"Rubble Kings" is the rare movie I actually wished were longer.

Inspiring docu on hip-hop's roots has some violence, cursing

The social and economic strife in New York in the sixties and seventies gave birth to one of the most influential and popular subculture's in recent memory, hip-hop.

Despite its sketchiness, this offers a vivid insight into the rejuvenation of a decaying city through fury, activism and music.

Real life is a messy, bloody, haphazard affair, punctuated by soaring highs and crushing lows. Bless the documentarian who strives to make his work the same.

"Rubble Kings" is a documentary that could easily used another hour, and it wouldn't be felt, if the assured editing in this picture is any indication.

As fascinating and well-told as it is, Rubble Kings suffers from a garbled chronology that pushes the narrative of its two main interview subjects.