This list would normally include hits such as This Is Spinal Tap, Sid & Nancy, and Blues Brothers, but looking beyond the obvious is usually more helpful. The list also excludes musicals (which applies to Moulin Rouge) and bio-pics, such as Walk the Line or La Bamba.
In no particular order, these movies revolve around music; it drives the plot and it's often one of the film's best features.
1. Amadeus, 1984. Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham are perfection as the two musicians Mozart and Salieri (respectively). Not a bio-pic so much as a story of jealousy, talent and revenge. The envy with which Salieri is utterly consumed drives him as he plots to destroy Mozart, all the while speechless from the beauty and talent before him. This film is moving, timeless and beautiful in every sense.
2. Almost Famous, 2000. A Cameron Crowe love letter to the 70s (it's somewhat autobiographical) following a fictional band and its groupies, shown through the eyes of a fifteen year old budding rock journalist. Another somber affair, but luckily it comes with sweetness and uplifting touches.
3. Bandits, 1997. This German film follows four women in a band--a band they formed in prison before they ended up breaking out (somewhat accidentally). Their fame escalates as the pursuit intensifies, and the film subtly addresses the twisted way fame works. Another killer soundtrack, the film also ends up being one of the best unknown "chick flicks" (in the good sense).
4. The Commitments, 1991. An Irish flick, this one features a deluge of swearing and loud soul tunes. The band is incredible, the story somewhat melancholy. Regardless, it's full of laughs and the music demands to be turned up loud.
5. Once, 2006. One of the most romantic movies to come out in years, this low-budget Irish tale focuses on two young people taking a huge financial risk to finally record an album. The music is sweet and inspiring, the tale itself swells with emotion--the understated kind.
6. Streets of Fire, 1984. The opening credits call it a "rock and roll fable," set in "another time, another place." It's clearly a child of the 80s, but the look mixes in plenty of 50s for style. A largely unknown cult favorite, the story follows a kidnapped rock star (Diane Lane) and the group that has to rescue her back from a gang led by Willem Dafoe. The movie features a soundtrack of The Blasters and Ry Cooder, but the fictional rock bands steal the show--including the hit 80s song, "I Can Dream About You."
7. The Visitor, 2007. This film may ultimately be about immigration, but music is at the heart of it. The story unfolds at a nice pace, drawing you into a man's lonely world as he becomes close to two people who introduce him to new music and a new world. The music and the connection between the characters make this a very memorable film.
8. Four Minutes, 2006. For a movie that features piano playing, this film is fairly violent. It's a surprising juxtaposition, given the various films that exist about classical music. However, this German film is ultimately about tortured souls and the music that is born from talent and pain. It has an unusual soundtrack and it benefits from not following the path you expect.
9. Nana, 2005. This Japanese film is both a love story and a great "chick flick" (again, in the best sense of that phrase). It focuses on two girls named Nana, one of whom is a punk rocker. She leaves her boyfriend and his band behind to be on her own, but she later learns that he gets picked up by a mega-sensation band. The other Nana secretly plans to help reunite her with him. The film really speaks to the trials of being a musician and trying to "make it," while also being a sweet story of two friends who couldn't be more different.
10. That Thing You Do!, 1996. Many seem to either love or hate this film. It's cute and sweet right to its core, with a great soundtrack and funny performances. The rise and fall of a 60s one-hit-wonder band is mostly seen through the eyes of the drummer (Tom Everett Scott) and the attention to character detail keeps this well out of the superficial category.
 |
 |
 |
