8/2/07

     These are not musicals (with one exception), these are movies that are more or less about music in some capacity. This list is compiled from a “nominee” list of 22 films that I’ve seen that are about or relating to music. As always, not necessarily best, just my favorites. Here they are:

10) The Blues Brothers
- An instant classic with Aykroyd and Belushi in ther prime. Fun as hell and Carrie Fisher looking f.i.n.e.

9) Hustle and Flow
- As much as I hate hip-hop/rap, this movie struck me pretty hard with some great performances (I’m a Terrence Howard fan for life now) and one of the best scenes of that year - the first recording session of “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” Which was ripped by people for winning the Oscar, but those people didn’t see the song in context of the film. It was amazing.

8) Fantasia 2000
- Saw this on the IMAX screen and was blown away. Love all the songs and the animation is beautiful, cute and heartwarming. Rhapsody in Blue, the flying whales and Donald Duck in Noah’s Ark being personal favorites. It’s just a gorgeous film - betters the original.

7) Moulin Rouge
- Here’s the one exception. Not a lover of musicals AT ALL! But this one struck me as different. Baz Luhrman’s directing style is autier enough to keep me interested; but what really makes the film fun is the fact that almost all of the songs are renditions of popular tunes. Every band ever was represented here (Nirvana, Poilce, Madonna, U2, Elton John, and on and on and on).

6) Walk the Line
- Johnny Cash has been one of my favs since I was a little kid. And Reese and Joaquin made it absolutely come alive with spectacular performances (including their amazing singing voices that sound just like Cash and Carter). It’s toe tapping the whole way through.

5) High Fidelity
- My first brush with Jack Black and of course Cusack is great as always. Wonderful little performance from Todd Louiso as well. As a teenager, I probably spent more time in the record store than I did at school and if you’ve seen this film, you might find it fitting that this movie is coming in at #5 on my list (and I swear I didn’t plan it that way).

4) This is Spinal Tap
- The original “mockumentary.” Absolutely HYSTERICAL.

DAVID: “I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. I think that the problem may have been, that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being crushed by a dwarf.”
or
NIGEL: “It’s like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black.”

3) The Pianist
- OK, admittedly this one is a bit of a stretch as being about music, but Brody plays a pianist and it’s the memories of music that keep him going. An absolutely fantastic and powerful film (Polanski’s best in my opinion - though I haven’t seen them all). I saw this three times in the theater.

2) Once
- We’ve talked about this ad nauseum on this site. I ADORE this movie to death and can’t wait to see it again. One of the ten best of 2007 (maybe even in the top 5 by year’s end). Another hidden gem that everyone should seek out. If you don’t like it, you’re not only wrong, but cold hearted as well.

1) Almost Famous- In my top 20 movies of all time. From the dialogue to the beautiful shots to the great acting by all around (Macdormand, Hudson, Crudup, Lee - back when he had a decent career, and the fantastic cameo of Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs). It’s also a great coming of age story set in the world of the 70s rock phenomenon.

It also has maybe my favorite scene of all time of any movie ever: The band and all the roadies and “band-aids” have a huge fight and everyhing looks like it might fall apart. The next day when they’re driving through the countryside on their bus is a transcendant scene. One guy starts singing Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” out loud, but softly to himself. Soon, someone else joins in and then another and another until the whole bus is singing joyously in unison… bloody fantastic. It truly almost brings a tear to my eye just writing about it. Everything bad in the world just goes away with a little bit of good music and friends.