Directed by Asif Kapadia ('Senna'), the documentary 'Amy' is a posthumous and highly personal portrait of Amy Winehouse, going beyond her meteoric rise, fame and, yes, her substance abuse problems that led to her tragic death in 2011, at 27. This movie, worthy of the BAFTA and Oscar for Best Documentary in 2016, compiles unseen archive footage of the British artist, before and after her commercial success, through which she manages to offer an honest and balanced view of the delicate balance between being an artist and a celebrity, without falling into sensationalism. A balanced tribute to women and their music, essential for her fans and for those who want to watch the construction of a powerful documentary all built on archive.
A worthy journey through the career of one of the most important artists to ever grace this world. David Bowie is eternal, and we already knew that, but this documentary manages to bring that phrase to life. 'Moonage Daydream' has a different format of documentary narrative, with archive footage. Through interviews, shows, and clips, director Brett Morgen makes the viewer surrender to what Bowie's visionary mind must have been like. Highly emotional and also reflective, this feature makes you think about life and how culture is so important for our development as people. It's a sensitive and beautiful production - whether you're a fan of the artist or not. Click here to read the full review.
Elvis Presley is one of the most well-known names in world music, still with a legion of fans - and generating a lot of revenue - decades after his death. But how was the young man from Memphis, Tennessee, elevated to the status of King of Rock? The biopic "Elvis" traces exactly this path, showing how black music influenced the musician, the discovery of his style, the furor (for good and for bad) that he caused in society and his countless phases. The thread of the narrative is the singer's manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), who propelled Elvis to stardom - and who, for many, is to blame for his death. From there begins a real event movie, including an accelerated edition and a sometimes stylized visual. All to give stage to Austin Butler, who plays the star in a masterful way, making us really believe that Elvis did not die - even when he sings. Although long (2h39 of duration), the production addresses practically all the relevant facts of Presley's career and personal life, which will certainly leave fans extremely satisfied.
Queen was one of the most iconic bands of music between the 1970s and the early 1990s, with Freddie Mercury becoming the face of an astounding musical success – which gave us hits such as 'Love of My Life', 'We are the Champions', 'We Will Rock You' and, of course, 'Bohemian Rhapdosy'. This movie, directed by Bryan Singer ('X-Men'), evokes great moments of Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor, but without great ties to chronology – the goal here is to trace a line that leads from a modest beginning to the big show at Live Aid in 1985. Although part of the criticism has taken it a bit too hard with the shortcomings of the film (complaining about the cliché narrative, lack of empathy and softening elements to have a milder rating), the audience loved it. The biggest highlight, of course, is Rami Malek ('Mr. Robot') in the frontman role.
'Rocketman' combines real history, poetic liberties and fantasy to tell the story of how the shy Reginald Dwight became Elton Hercules John, one of the greatest musicians and pop culture performers in the world. Taron Egerton's performance as the lead is exquisite, as is the period reconstruction and editing - all done just right to combine musical pieces with more dramatic events. The direction is by Dexter Fletcher (producer of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'), and the cast also includes Jamie Bell ('Billy Elliot') and Bryce Dallas Howard ('The Help'). Although the story gets lost among so many memorable songs (especially from the second act), the movie is guaranteed fun for all rock'n'roll fans.