By: Danyal Somani Squaring The Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) is a documentary about the creation of Hipgnosis, a UK company that has created iconic album covers, such as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, AC/DC’s Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, and Led Zeppelin’s Houses Of The Holy.
Lisa Cortés’ Little Richard: I Am Everything is a perfect documentary for people with an interest in the legendary musician. It’s a thorough breakdown that guides unfamiliar movie goers (like myself) through Little Richard’s life and career, and it sports plenty of exciting concert footage and entertaining interviews that would make any loyal fan giddy.
By: Trevor Chartrand In this feature directorial debut of Thyrone Tommy, Learn to Swim focuses on the failing relationship between a stubborn jazz saxophone player Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide) and an up-and-coming singer, Selma (Emma Ferreira). The film plays with time and takes place both before and after the relationship has failed. I hesitate to compare the film to 2009’s 500 Days of Summer, simply because Learn to Swim takes a much more sophisticated, and…
If a poppin’ and lockin’ Willy Wonka owned a music studio instead of running a chocolate factory, perhaps he would’ve run a contest like the one featured in the hokey Build-A-Bear Entertainment co-production Honey Girls.
By: Trevor Chartrand Director Bassam Tariq and actor Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler, Sound of Metal) are the co-writers of BBC Films’ Mogul Mowgli, and together they explore the concepts of family, tradition, and cultural identity/responsibility with their recent collaboration.
Not very often do audiences receive a biopic as pointless and embarrassing as Creation Stories. Then again, the filmmaker could still benefit from a turkey like this. If they believe their biopic holds valuable nostalgia or fan service, ham-fisted qualities can be forgiven by movie goers, allowing the movie to even win Oscars. It worked for Bohemian Rhapsody.
An artist making an autobiographical documentary is a bold and, quite frankly, strange move. But in the case of Moby Doc, this choice is on brand for enigmatic electronic musician Moby. Early into the movie, even Moby acknowledges how seemingly unconventional this choice is. This doesn’t excuse the odd conception of Moby Doc but, at least, it gives us an idea of how self-aware the musician is. However, a detrimental line is crossed when Moby…
Directed by Johan von Sydow, Tiny Tim: King for a Day is the story of Herbert Khaury. A social outcast from childhood, Khaury grows up to become Tiny Tim, one of the most unexpected and unusual pop stars of the 1960s. With long hair, a falsetto voice, and a ukulele, Tiny Tim was seen by many as a freak for defying social norms. Tiny Tim: King for a Day argues that Tiny Tim’s insistence on…
By: Trevor Chartrand Director Stacey Lee raises some important questions in Underplayed, a documentary about diversity in the music industry. Specifically, the film focuses on electronica (or dance music) and the women who make it. Often left behind on a concert schedule predominately populated by men, these artists are underappreciated and underrepresented, especially in this particular genre.
By: Trevor Chartrand Director Wendy Morgan has made an interesting and thought-provoking film with her drama Sugar Daddy. The movie features the story of Darren, an aspiring musician who joins a paid dating service to make ends meet until her music career takes off. While acting as arm candy for wealthy older guys at high society functions is by no means prostitution, Darren struggles with her own self-worth and the moral implications of selling herself…