May, 3 2023 | 7:00 pm

305 South Campbell Avenue #101 Springfield, Missouri 65806
https://moxiecinema.com/films/love-basketball-2000

Staff Picks Series
Every month a member of the Moxie staff picks a film that impacted their lives and put it up on the big screen. The Staff Picks series is Free for Members.

May’s pick was made by Lindsey Hansen.
“I love this film because I used to watch it all the time with my sister when we were younger. Of course, when we were younger we didn’t catch all of the nuisances of the film, but when I rewatched it recently, it’s so much deeper than I ever appreciated when I was younger. It digs deep into sports, sexism, and media. I personally think it’s a beautiful coming-of-age story that has so many layers. Also, the soundtrack is excellent.”
Click here to read the full Q & A.

Sparks fly both on and off the court in this groundbreaking feature debut by writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard), which elevated the coming-of-age romance by giving honest expression to the challenges female athletes face in a world that doesn’t see them as equal. Sanaa Lathan (Alien vs. Predator) and Omar Epps (Higher Learning) make for one of the most iconic screen couples of the 2000s as the basketball-obsessed next-door neighbors who find love over flirtatious pickup games, fall apart under the strain of high-pressure college hoops and families, and drift in and out of each other’s lives as they pursue their twin aspirations of playing professionally. Aided by stellar supporting performances and an eclectic R&B soundtrack, Love & Basketball captures the intoxicating passions, heartbreaking setbacks, and sky-high ambitions that mark a young woman’s journey to the top of her game and to lasting love. [Criterion]

Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Glenndon Chatman
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Genre(s): Drama, Sports, Romance