Battling Goliaths in the Concrete Jungle

Read Time:3 Minute, 51 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
There Goes the Neighborhood
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2023
Runtime: 1h 14m
Director(s): Ian Phillips
Where To Watch: making its exclusive North American premiere on SVOD service IndiePix Unlimited and via virtual cinema on October 6, 2023

RAVING REVIEW: Dive into a world where the stories of resilience amidst towering concrete giants come to life! In THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD, filmmaker Ian Phillips sweeps us off our feet and right into the midst of New York City's Lower East Side, focusing his lens on a rich and textured landscape where resistance and defiance against corporate behemoths become the narrative. The right to live, the right to prosper, and the right to have your voice heard are at the heart of this story.

Phillips, who soaked in the essence of Manhattan from his early years, now guides us through a cityscape that contrasts nostalgia with the stark realities of urban metamorphosis. The towering structures of Hudson Yards and the looming shadow of Amazon’s proposed HQ2 become more than mere architectural entities; they become visual metaphors for struggle, transformation, and the relentless progress that threatens to reshape the communities embedded in the city’s cultural and social fabric.

Phillips paints a picture as he crafts an eloquent reflection of human perseverance, embedding us into the lives of genuine resistors like Arnette Scott and Dannelly Rodriguez, two fearless New Yorkers who become the embodiment of grassroots struggle against powerful entities bent on shaping the city into a corporate haven. These characters’ stories spring to life, not as disparate or isolated tales but as integral chapters of a unified story where everyday people morph into larger-than-life David vs. the unyielding Goliath, defying the gargantuan architectural behemoths and corporate titans attempting to redefine their homelands.

Moreover, THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD isn’t solely about individual struggle. It embraces a symphony of additional narratives – a guardian of Brooklyn's singular Black L.G.B.T.Q.+ nightclub, a seasoned individual managing a hardware store in Prospect Heights amidst a sea of rapid developments – each adding an essential note to the overall melody of defiance, struggle, and fortitude amidst the rise of gentrification and impending erasure of their vibrant cultures.

Navigating through the diverse neighborhoods, such as Queens and the Lower East Side, Phillips does not only reveal a city under siege. He identifies and unearths its pulsating heartbeat – the people – whose mere existence boldly contests the inevitable eclipse cast by corporate ambition.

The film intricately weaves moments where victories sprinkle an optimistic tone upon the viewers, demonstrating the tangible impact of communal resistance. Triumph over giants like Amazon, resulting from a deluge of community voices rather than political maneuvering, underlines a theme that's both classic and urgent: collective resistance can reshape narratives, even amidst the seemingly impossible.

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD stands out as an inspiring narrative of empowerment, a poignant tale of people, and a strikingly robust reminder of what unfurls when collective voices and actions, undeterred by the formidable clouds of gentrification and displacement, ring out in unified, resilient opposition.

Phillips has directed a symphony of narratives that resounds with harmonies of struggle, empowerment, and potentiality. It's a potent reminder of profound power within communities and individuals, even amidst a stormy sea of shifting memories, histories, and identities in the wake of towering steel giants and corporate initiatives. With THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD, we're not just spectators but participants, immersed in a genuine world where our voices, too, can become a part of a more prominent, resilient melody.

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[photo courtesy of INDIEPIX FILMS]

MY SAG-AFTRA STRIKE STATEMENT:
As an advocate for creators, actors, and writers, I firmly stand with SAG-AFTRA in their current strike. The entertainment industry is built on these individuals' extraordinary talents, and their contributions must be appropriately recognized and rewarded. They deserve fair compensation, sensible work hours, and respect for their creative rights. I believe in the power of unity and collective action, and I'm steadfast in my support for their fight for better working conditions and fair remuneration. Together, we can shape a more equitable future in the entertainment world.

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