There’s a saying about certain years feeling like a hinge — a moment where the world tilts and history moves with unmistakable momentum. For music, 1971 was one of those hinges. Apple TV+’s 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything dives headlong into that chaotic, creative swirl of a year, taking viewers through a time…
There’s something oddly profound about watching people revisit the chaos of their youth with the clarity of hindsight. That’s exactly what Beastie Boys Story offers—a reflective, sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant walk down memory lane with Michael Diamond (Mike D) and Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) as your guides. Directed by Spike Jonze, the documentary doubles as a…
What does it mean to truly know someone—especially someone who has become larger than life? In Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues, Sacha Jenkins doesn’t try to pin Armstrong down into a neat biography. Instead, he invites us to wander through the echoes of the great jazzman’s life, weaving a tale that’s as soulful and layered…
Every once in a while, a documentary comes along that doesn’t just inform—it sweeps you off your feet, wraps you in nostalgia, and leaves you marveling at the sheer brilliance of human creativity. Hulu’s McCartney 3,2,1 does precisely that, inviting us into an intimate conversation between Paul McCartney and producer Rick Rubin. It’s not flashy…
It’s no exaggeration to call Sesame Street a cornerstone of American childhood. For decades, it’s been the neighborhood every child wanted to visit, where the values of love, community, and education were wrapped up in bright puppets and catchy songs. Now, with a shorter runtime and a new home on HBO, you might wonder if…
There’s something almost mythological about the Beatles’ rise to fame, a tale so universally familiar that it risks losing its humanity in the retelling. That’s where Beatles ’64 steps in, stripping back the layers of legend to show us the real people and the cultural whirlwind they ignited. David Tedeschi, with a team that includes…
There’s a strange ache that lingers long after Maria fades to black, like the echo of a note sung with such precision it borders on pain. It’s not the sort of ache that comes from a tightly-wound tragedy or the abruptness of loss. No, this ache comes from watching the gradual unraveling of someone whose…
Some films hit you with a tidal wave of action, others coax you into contemplation like a whisper. Then there’s Frank—a movie that wears a giant papier-mâché head, dances around the line of absurdity, and somehow leaves you pondering the deep things of life. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, this dark comedy mixes eccentricity with pathos…
Elton John’s life is a tapestry woven with flamboyant performances, staggering fame, personal heartaches, and eventual redemption. Never Too Late, a film biography co-directed by David Furnish (John’s husband and manager) and RJ Cutler, ventures into the intricate layers of this icon’s life. It feels grand, yet oddly restrained—like it wants to dive deep but…
Dawn Porter’s Never Too Much isn’t merely a stroll down memory lane of Luther Vandross’s career, nor is it just another documentary full of the usual facts and figures. Instead, it’s a heartfelt invitation to meet the man behind the music. For those of us who have a special place for Luther’s voice and vision,…