Musicians have always made interesting film subjects. They are natural storytellers, weaving every experience into tidbits of sound that masses of people gravitate towards. As iconic as your favorite music documentary may be, there is also a section of music films that capture the real and fictional stories of being a musician.
Story by Savannah Olson
Photos courtesy of IMDb
On Friday nights, the ultimate wind-down involves slapping on your favorite face mask and turning on Netflix. Choosing a movie that you will commit to for at least an hour and a half is sometimes more stress-inducing than it has any right to be, but films about music are always a safe bet. Although there is a plethora of documentaries to fulfill your desire for music history, Netflix has an amazing set of feature films that center on the lives of musicians, real and fictional.
From the coming-up of a rap legend, to Irish schoolboys discovering their identity through ‘80s music, check out the film recommendations below for a taste of the music world.
“Roxanne, Roxanne”
Experiencing the highs and lows of being a teenage girl are already difficult enough, but life becomes even tougher when you are also challenging the male-dominated world of ‘80s rap. “Roxanne, Roxanne” tackles these issues in the true story of Lolita “Roxanne Shante” Gooden, a rap legend who awed fans with her music. Her song “Roxanne’s Revenge,” is a female-perspective clapback to UTFO’s own record “Roxanne, Roxanne.” The film explores the challenges Shante faces as she becomes a star at only 14 while living in the Queensbridge Housing Project in Queens. This film gives the audience a deeper appreciation of an icon who has not received enough recognition for paving the way for women in the rap world.
“Sing Street”
Music plays a pivotal role for teenagers to understand who they are as they venture through puberty. In “Sing Street,” every genre of ‘80s music is used to discover the identity of the young teenagers in the film. Starting off as many teenage bands do, to impress a girl, the main character Conor joins forces with a few of his other Irish schoolmates to create a band called “Sing Street.” Sprinkled with great original music, this coming-of-age film is filled with heartbreak, teenage rebellion and crafty homemade music videos.
“August Rush”
There may not be crying in baseball, but there is definitely full-blown bawling while watching the drama “August Rush.” After escaping from an orphanage to find his parents, a pre-Willy Wonka, Freddie Highmore attempts to survive in New York City with only the shirt on his back and his musical talent. Albeit a little cheesy, “August Rush” exemplifies how music can bring people together in the most magical ways.
“Begin Again”
Dressed up as a romantic dramedy, “Begin Again” takes you on an adventure in creating music. Portrayed by Mark Ruffalo, Dan is a messy but talented ex-music label executive who stumbles across a gifted singer-songwriter named Gretta, played by Keira Knightley. Through the characters’ struggles and their cosmic artistic chemistry, they agree to make an album together. Set against the colorful background of New York City, each song is recorded in a different space, from the subway to the roof of an apartment building and even while rowing boats in Central Park. The original music is poignant and catchy, elevated by Ruffalo and Knightley’s chemistry.
