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It's a joy when a documentary does more than explain what something's about.  Planet B-Boy - a feature length doc about breakdancing crews all over the world preparing for Battle Of The Year - is more interested in the why.  There's a great interview with one of the members of Japan's Ichegeki crew - he's with his girlfriend and newborn baby, and he tells director Benson Lee he's "borderline the worst father ever" for abandoning them while he and his team take off for Germany for a small chance to split a piece of the paltry $3K in prize money.  "We don't dance to make money, we make money to dance" says a fellow Ichegeki.  These dudes aren't breaking for cash - they're obsessed with being the best, and they're in it for the bragging rights.

We checked out a screening last night in LA (just before a sick Bjork show at the new Nokia Theater), which is slated for a late-March release in about 25 cities across the country (in LA it'll be at the Nuart Theater).  Immediately we were impressed by the presentation - graf art and animated urban landscapes oozed subtly behind the requisite talking head interviews, song choices were tight (old school b-boy anthems abound), break scenes were shot beautifully in crazy locales all over the world.  What lasts with you afterwards, however, is the humor and rugged desperation of these characters.  The director keenly interviews many of the guys alongside their girlfriends and parents, which not only is hilarious (disapproving parents, parents that are a little too into breakdancing, bemused girlfriends, racist moms, etc), but also gives the viewer an idea of where each of these guys come from, and why they're completely obsessed with breakdancing.  This then provides a great backdrop for these 5 crews we follow - from Japan, Korea, France, Germany, USA - as they arrive in Germany, hole themselves up in an elementary school, and then straight up battle in front of 10,000 fans.  For the film's official site click here.