Music & Musicals
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Lemonade Mouth
rating:4.1

Lemonade Mouth

2011Runtime:0 minutes
Detention may seem an unlikely launching pad, but that's exactly what it turns out to be for five high school students who meet there by (mis)chance and form a band that not only rocks their school but becomes a force for good in this Disney musical.

Directed by:

  • Patricia Riggen
    • rating:4.1 4.1 Average Rating

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    Music Instinct: Science and Song
    rating:4.0

    Music Instinct: Science and Song

    2009Runtime:0 minutes
    Its impact bridging time, geography and culture, music serves to unite all peoples of the globe. This groundbreaking documentary explores how and why humans are so inexorably affected by rhythm and melody. Art and science intersect as leading researchers and prominent musicians such as Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma reveal surprising connections between music, the brain, the body and human evolution.

    Directed by:

  • Elena Mannes
    • rating:4.0 4.0 Average Rating

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    Gogol Bordello: Non-Stop
    rating:3.9

    Gogol Bordello: Non-Stop

    2008Runtime:0 minutes
    Soak up the eclectic sounds of Gogol Bordello -- the New York City-based "gypsy punk" outfit headed by vibrant front man Eugene Hütz -- as filmmaker Margarita Jimeno takes you onstage and behind the scenes with the band from 2001-06. With musical influences running the gamut from klezmer to dub to the works of Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, the band generates a serious buzz as fans flock to their notoriously raucous shows.

    Directed by:

  • Margarita Jimeno
    • rating:3.9 3.9 Average Rating

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    High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music
    rating:3.7

    High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music

    1994Runtime:0 minutes
    Longtime fans of bluegrass music and those only recently discovering it will appreciate this documentary on the genre, which was born of a combination of African and Celtic sounds and is the base of American country music. This film traces the musical form from its Appalachian roots to the present and features more than 100 songs performed by legends such as Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, Mac Wiseman, Jimmy Martin, Flatt & Scruggs and others.

    Directed by:

  • Rachel Liebling
    • rating:3.7 3.7 Average Rating

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    Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind
    rating:3.7

    Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind

    2003Runtime:0 minutes
    Joni Mitchell's career as a singer-songwriter and painter is extensively profiled in this in-depth documentary, which originally aired as part of the PBS American Masters series. Take a look at this prolific artist as she reflects on a career that spans decades and includes some of the most influential music of that era.

    Directed by:

  • Susan Lacy
    • rating:3.7 3.7 Average Rating

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    Across the Universe
    rating:3.7

    Across the Universe

    2007Runtime:0 minutes
    In this musical mix of live action and animation featuring songs by the Beatles, Liverpool dock worker Jude falls for Lucy on an excursion to America in the 1960s. But when Lucy's brother is drafted, Jude and Lucy take a stand as anti-war activists.

    Directed by:

  • Julie Taymor
    • rating:3.7 3.7 Average Rating

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    Harp Dreams
    rating:3.7

    Harp Dreams

    2010Runtime:0 minutes
    Blythe Danner narrates this music-driven documentary about the prestigious USA International Harp Competition, a discriminating contest held every three years that attracts talented harpists from all over the world. With footage shot in the United States, Paris, Moscow and Zurich, Switzerland, the film follows a handful of young contenders all vying for the coveted grand prize: a lucrative recording contract and a priceless instrument.

    Directed by:

  • Susan Schwibs
    • rating:3.7 3.7 Average Rating

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    Songcatcher
    rating:3.6

    Songcatcher

    2000Runtime:0 minutes
    During a visit to her sister in Appalachia, a gifted musicologist stumbles upon a musical treasure trove of dozens of Scots-Irish ballads that have been preserved for generations by the local populace and are unknown to the outside world.

    Directed by:

  • Maggie Greenwald
    • rating:3.6 3.6 Average Rating

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    Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields
    rating:3.6

    Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields

    2010Runtime:0 minutes
    A decade in the making, this documentary by filmmakers Kerthy Fix and Gail O'Hara examines the career of prolific singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt, the enigmatic, deep-voiced heart and soul of indie pop band the Magnetic Fields.

    Directed by:

  • Kerthy Fix
  • Gail O'Hara
    • rating:3.6 3.6 Average Rating

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    Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound
    rating:3.6

    Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound

    2009Runtime:0 minutes
    Celebrating the life and career of folk legend and activist Joan Baez, this documentary features a wealth of archival footage, recent performances and interviews with David Crosby, Jesse Jackson, Bob Dylan and others. Her performance at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island and footage of her human rights activism highlight her public persona, while a candid chat with ex-husband David Harris offers a private glimpse into this American icon.

    Directed by:

  • Mary Wharton
    • rating:3.6 3.6 Average Rating

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    Yentl
    rating:3.5

    Yentl

    1983Runtime:0 minutes
    Based on Isaac Bashevis Singer's story, this Oscar-winning musical stars Barbra Streisand as Yentl, the bookish daughter of a Talmud teacher who instructs her even though it's forbidden to teach the sacred text to girls. Determined to continue her schooling after her father dies, Yentl disguises herself as a boy to gain entry to a yeshiva. There, she meets the brilliant Avigdor (Mandy Patinkin), who only has eyes for Hadass (Amy Irving).

    Directed by:

  • Barbra Streisand
    • rating:3.5 3.5 Average Rating

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    The Flute Player
    rating:3.4

    The Flute Player

    2003Runtime:0 minutes
    After the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975, 9-year-old Arn Chorn-Pond was thrust into the darkness of Cambodia's Killing Fields. For four years, Arn's musical talent kept him from perishing in a genocide that took the lives of 2 million Cambodians. Now, after living in the United States for 20 years, Arn faces the dark shadows of his war-torn past as he fights to save Cambodia's once-outlawed traditional music from extinction.

    Directed by:

  • Jocelyn Glatzer
    • rating:3.4 3.4 Average Rating

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    The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
    rating:3.4

    The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

    2009Runtime:0 minutes
    Trace the fascinating lives of New Zealand's provocative music and comedy duo Jools and Linda Topp through this enjoyable documentary, which details the lesbian twins' rural upbringing, political activism and immense popularity at home and abroad. Featuring hilarious interviews with several of the sisters' most outrageous alter egos, this joyous celebration also includes brilliant insights into New Zealand's history.

    Directed by:

  • Leanne Pooley
    • rating:3.4 3.4 Average Rating

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    Absolute Wilson
    rating:3.4

    Absolute Wilson

    2006Runtime:0 minutes
    This provocative documentary from Katharina Otto pays homage to famed stage designer Robert Wilson, who overcame childhood learning disabilities growing up in Waco, Texas, and rose to become one of the most respected avant-garde artists in late 1960s New York. As much a tale of social injustice as a portrait of an artist, this mix of interviews and live performance is testimony to how Wilson's early challenges influenced his creative expression.

    Directed by:

  • Katharina Otto
    • rating:3.4 3.4 Average Rating

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    Jackson Browne: Going Home
    rating:3.4

    Jackson Browne: Going Home

    1995Runtime:0 minutes
    This chronicle of Jackson Browne's remarkable career contains interviews, performances and rare footage spanning 25 years featuring Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, David Crosby, Graham Nash, The Eagles, David Lindley, Jennifer Warnes and many more.

    Directed by:

  • Janice Engel
    • rating:3.4 3.4 Average Rating

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    The Producers
    rating:3.2

    The Producers

    2005Runtime:0 minutes
    A has-been Broadway producer and a neurotic accountant scheme to raise a ton of money for a production that's sure to be a flop -- a play titled "Springtime for Hitler," penned by a Nazi -- so they can then pocket the extra cash.

    Directed by:

  • Susan Stroman
    • rating:3.2 3.2 Average Rating

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    Now and Then
    rating:3.8

    Now and Then

    1995Runtime:0 minutes
    Waxing nostalgic about the bittersweet passage from childhood to puberty in this tender coming-of-age tale, four childhood girlfriends -- Teeny, Chrissy, Samantha and Roberta -- recall the magical summer of 1970. During their walk down memory lane, they reconcile experiences with boys, secrets, bullies and more. Lesli Linka Glatter directs; Gaby Hoffmann, Ashleigh Aston Moore, Cloris Leachman, Thora Birch and Christina Ricci co-star.

    Directed by:

  • Lesli Linka Glatter
    • rating:3.8 3.8 Average Rating

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    Now and Then (1995)
    A heartwarming movie about four childhood girlfriends who, in adulthood reunion, relive their experience of the life-changing summer of 1970, including a mystery death, divorce, standing up to the boys, first kiss, and the meaning of true friendship. Each explores her unique identity amidst family and friends. Beautifully directed by Lesli Linka Glatter.
    - Frances   
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