Director – Greg DeLiso (Hectic Knife, Canada’s Best Kept Secret)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 4/5
Tagline – “Meet basketball’s next big thing and where he was made…”
Many years ago I decided to start a blog where I could review forgotten action and exploitation films from the 70s and 80s. It was my way of finding a way to relax while enjoying movies that I love. My original blog ran for a few months and before long my love for horror and blaxploitation took over and my main focus was indie horror. I’ve primarily reviewed horror movies for almost a decade now but sometimes I want to switch it up a bit and review something out of my wheelhouse. That is why I started my Trashploitation series that way when I don’t feel like reviewing a horror flick I can toss something else in and check it out.
A few weeks back director Greg DeLiso reached out to me to check out his short documentary Ypsi’s Emoni about a Michigan athlete rising to fame. I’m a huge fan of DeLiso’s Hectic Knife so I agreed to check it out even though I’m not one that follows sport. Surprisingly, this documentary was extremely entertaining.
**Spoiler Alert**This documentary follows a lifelong Detroit basketball fan who hears about a high school student making a name for himself among the sports community. He visits the school, along with his film crew, to watch Emoni Bates in action where they are met with mediocrity at first but soon see the rising star shine on the court.**Spoiler Alert**
Honestly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I agreed to review this for DeLiso. I never watch sports and most of my spare time is spent on horror or Xbox but I review movies and decided that if I went into this one with that mindset I would be able to write a review. I may not know a damn thing about Michigan basketball but I do know documentaries and this one was worth the time.
The interviews in this one mostly consist from Emoni himself or those very close to him. They give an very in-depth look at his personal life and what drives him to be better on the court. His passion is clearly shown in the 20 minute film and you can see why he is becoming the star that he is. The interviews do seem to focus more on current and recent events rather than years prior which does make sense considering he is so young. We get some smooth transitions between each segment and the topic being discussed with some nice shots added in for aesthetics.
Overall, Ypsi’s Emoni may not be a film I would seek out on my own but it is very entertaining and worthwhile. I hope I see this young athlete achieve all his goals and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for DeLiso. Check this one out!
