Michael (2026)

Longtime readers know I'm a sucker for musician biopics, with few exceptions. I was also as much of a Michael Jackson fan as the next tween in the early '90s. For that reason, I decided to see this in an immersive theater while I could.

The story follows Michael from the formation of the Jackson 5 in 1966 (when he's played by Juliano Valdi) to the start of his first solo tour in 1988 (when he's played by Jaafar Jackson, son of Jermaine). His father, Joseph (Colman Domingo), makes for a demanding manager, prone to emotional and sometimes physical abuse; his mother, Katherine (Nia Long), can do little to counter Joseph. The overarching theme is of Michael wishing to do his own thing, with help from attorney John Branca (Miles Teller) and bodyguard Bill Bray (KeiLyn Durrel Jones) among others.

The Disciple (2020)

I don't think I've ever seen another movie in which the main language is Marathi. Nor am I aware of another Indian movie executive-produced by Alfonso Cuarón. Neither of those facts are why I checked this out; I just wanted a drama, and this one is short by Indian standards, at 127 minutes.

The story follows Sharad Nerulkar from young adulthood (with a childhood flashback or two) to...well, I'm not sure; the mustache might make him look older than he's supposed to be. The important thing, he goes from an amateur classical vocalist to enough of a pro to get many YouTube reactions in English. Nonetheless, he remains plagued by doubts, or perhaps certainty that he'll never equal his celebrated elderly tutor, Guruji. Maybe not even his strict father.

Sinners (2025)

I don't recall ever going to a theater two nights in a row before. But I was getting tired of knowing so few Best Picture nominees ahead of the Academy Awards. This one makes four for me, and it has the best shot among them at winning.

Sammie (Miles Caton), against the wishes of his preacher dad (Saul William), decides to use his blues singing and guitar skills at a new rural juke joint run by his older twin cousins, "Smoke" and "Stack" (both Michael B. Jordan), who are thuggish yet charismatic to anyone they don't rob or attack. This being 1932 Mississippi, it's only a matter of time until the Black-centric establishment gets unwelcome attention. Well, the Ku Klux Klan shows up in force only near the end, but an even worse menace plagues opening night....

KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

This may be the most on-the-nose movie title since Snakes on a Plane. I wondered if it would be similarly stupid in a self-aware way. When I saw that it was partly comedic and had a warm reception, I took a chance on it.

Korean pop girl group HUNTR/X, consisting of never-relaxing lead singer Rumi (Arden Cho for speech/Ejae for singing), dour dancer Mira (May Hong/Audrey Nuna), and eager-to-please rapper Zoey (Ji-young Yoo/Rei Ami), has a rare secret reason for performing: Their music and extreme popularity reinforce a mostly invisible barrier to keep soul-sucking demons out of the land. They also use mystical melee weapons to kill demons they meet on the wrong side of the barrier. They are on the verge of fully sealing away Demon Lord Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun) when things start to go wrong. First Rumi's voice keeps cracking in rehearsals. Then a faux-friendly, disguised demon band, the Saja Boys, debuts to steal their fans, and the heroines don't dare fight in public. Then Saja Boys leader Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop/Andrew Choi) discovers compelling evidence that Rumi had a demon parent, which she hasn't told even Mira and Zoey -- but Jinu doesn't either, because he now feels kinship with Rumi. Their interactions become...complicated....

Tár (2022)

I was surprised to discover that this is not based on a true story or, indeed, any preexisting thing. It also is a primarily American production and attaches no importance to the protagonist's nationality. So why pick such an uninformative title that could easily confuse English speakers, especially if presented in a format that doesn't support an accent? That factor may have contributed to me waiting this long to check out the Best Picture nominee.

The story begins with Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) at the peak of success as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, citing Leonard Bernstein as inspiration. Alas, as a major concert approaches, one thing after another goes badly. Tensions rise between her and her wife (Nina Hoss), her secretary (Noémie Merlant), her assistant conductor (Allan Corduner), and pretty much everyone else except her daughter (Mila Bogojevic). On top of that, she develops physical and especially mental issues, including apparent hallucinations.

Lost in Starlight (2025)

I don't think I ever saw a South Korean animation of any length before. This new one is presently the most popular on IMDb. I did not know it was Korean when I tuned in; I just thought it looked interesting.

In 2051, Nan-young (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) has been training for a mission to Mars, but since her mother died there 25 years ago and she keeps getting lost in flashbacks, she is not the space agency's top choice. In the meantime, she literally bumps into Jay (Justin H. Min), an amateur singer-guitarist whose music she digs. Gradually, they fall in love, despite her determination not to form an earthly attachment. He's none too keen on her following her dream either, tho she does inspire him to return to his rock band.

Blue Giant (2023)

This title is better known for a manga series. Indeed, the film adaptation doesn't get its own Wikipedia page; it rates merely a few paragraphs on the manga's page. Nonetheless, it enjoys high ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, so I got curious.

At 18, Dai (Yuki Yamada) moves in with long-time friend Shunji (Amane Okayama) in modern Tokyo, hoping to succeed as a largely self-taught saxophonist. He discovers Yukinori (Shotaro Mamiya), a same-age yet mature jazz pianist who started taking lessons at age four. They take to practicing together, and Shunji joins in as a complete tyro of a drummer. Despite Yukinori's misgivings, they perform publicly as a trio called JASS. (Hey, it's Japan, where many adults have never heard jazz.)

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

I did not know until last night that this was a biopic, nor was I familiar with the fictitious Dolemite or his actor/creator, Rudy Ray Moore. My prior knowledge of blaxploitation flicks was largely limited to the original Shaft and the genre parody Black Dynamite. If nothing else, I'd learn a few things herein.

In '70s L.A., Moore (Eddie Murphy) struggles to make a name for himself in show business, whether singing or standup. His first success comes from inspiration by street poets, telling naughty stories in rhyme over instrumental music. He develops his Dolemite persona and grows popular enough to launch the career of partner Lady Reed (Da'Vine Joy Randolph). Then he decides to star in an action comedy movie, Dolemite, which doesn't come together easily without major studio support.

A Complete Unknown (2024)

Gosh, this is the first time in more than a year that I've gone to a theater with, or even seen a feature-length movie with, any member of my family. Specifically my dad this time. If not for his suggestion, I would likely have overlooked this title.

The story begins in 1961 when "Bobby Dylan" (Timothée Chalamet) visits the Huntington's-stricken Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) in the hospital, where he also meets a visiting Pete Seeger (Edward Norton). Dylan is indeed unknown at this point, but as his music gains big-name supporters such as Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook), he becomes rich and famous almost overnight. This does not please him, because his fans and studio execs always want to pigeonhole him when he'd rather keep trying new things.

Sing (2016)

A notice that Netflix would stop streaming this animation at the end of the year inspired me to prioritize it. I'd been uncertain because the ad campaign didn't appeal much to me, but the decent ratings and slightly more popular sequel got me interested.

Slightly corrupt producer Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) is on the verge of losing his live theater after a string of flops. He decides to host a sing-off, but his elderly secretary (director Garth Jennings) accidentally overstates the prize money in the flyers. His only hope is to impress a rich, haughty retired diva (Jennifer Saunders/Jennifer Hudson in youth) with the talents of amateur finalists.

A Star Is Born (2018)

I had watched the first two movies by this title and skipped the third, so this was one of my last priorities among Best Picture nominees for the year. At my harshest, I declared that a re-re-remake shouldn't even exist. But the United menu was running low on promising options I hadn't seen.

Ally (Lady Gaga) is an up-and-coming singer and songwriter. Her career gets a boost from established country rock star Jack Maine (Bradley Cooper). The two eventually marry, but it's a rocky marriage as Jack's success flounders amid alcoholism and he grows jealous of his own wife. Other notable actors include Sam Elliott as Jack's brother and manager, Dave Chapelle as Jack's friend, and Andrew Dice Clay as Ally's father.

Maestro (2023)

My parents recommended this to me. I obliged partly because it was easy to find streaming. It actually has the lowest IMDb score of all current Best Picture nominees, but it still looked more promising for me personally than some of the others.

The story follows Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) from his big break conducting the New York Philharmonic in the 1940s to a retrospective interview in the 1980s, with a bit of skipping. The emphasis lies on his relationship with Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), whom he marries and has three kids with despite his preference for men. She's not just a "beard" to him; he does love her, at least sometimes. But his extramarital affairs aren't discreet enough to prevent rumors, and they and his heavy smoking and drinking start to drive a wedge between him and Felicia.

tick...tick...BOOM! (2021)

This sat on my Netflix list quite a while before I actually looked at the description. The title and poster image didn't grab me, but then I saw that it was a musical directed (not composed) by Lin-Manuel Miranda. And at about two hours, short enough for a comfortable night's viewing.

In 1990, 29-year-old Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) is a bit of a starving artist, waiting at a New York diner but failing to pay his energy bills. He badly wants the sci-fi musical he's writing to be a Broadway hit, but he's stagnating on a key song advised by Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford) in a workshop. As the deadline draws near, Jonathan neglects everything else, including girlfriend Susan (Alexandra Shipp) and gay best friend Michael (Robin de Jesús).

Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962)

On a whim, I decided to watch something playing at the AFI Silver Theater today. This French oldie was playing at a convenient time for me. That's right: 5 p.m. Since it showed only once today, I can only assume someone chose the slot on purpose.

Cléo (Corinne Marchand) is a fairly successful singer, albeit not widely recognized on the street. Expecting to take an exam for a potential cancer diagnosis soon, she visits a tarot reader (Loye Payen), whose verdict is unpromising. Convinced of her own doom, Cléo spends most of the film trying to come to grips with it or take her mind off it while doing various things with other people in the city before seeing the doctor (Robert Postec).

Sound of Metal (2019)

When the 93rd Academy Awards came and went, I thought I'd never see all its Best Picture nominees -- hadn't wanted to see any of them -- yet here I am. I guess all those not-so-depressing others encouraged me. In case you're wondering about the date, SoM was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival more than a year before its wide release.

Ruben (Riz Ahmed) plays drums in a fairly popular heavy metal band. Almost overnight, he loses too much of his hearing to make sense of most speech. He ignores a doctor's advice to lay off loudness for a while, so it gets worse. Concerned at his stress and poor coping, girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) strong-arms him into rooming at a rural shelter supporting deaf people, especially those with a history of drug addiction like Ruben. Leader Joe (Paul Raci) insists on rather ascetic practices in order to cut off old avenues and develop new habits. It takes a while to feel anything like home to Ruben.

Elvis (2022)

Making a bio about anyone this prominent is practically asking for trouble. It might tell us nothing new or fudge well-known facts. Considering Baz Luhrman's penchant for anachronisms, I fully expected the latter. Still, he must have done something right -- if only not getting in the way too much -- for his flick to garner eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.

If there's one way this stands out from most musician biopics, it's the first-person narration by the musician's manager, honorary Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). He discovers Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) when the latter has become a local sensation, young enough to require contract signatures from his parents (Helen Thomson and Richard Roxburgh). The partnership spells a lot of fame and income, but the two lock horns a lot. Tom seems to mean well when he demands that Elvis dial back the popular yet controversial elements, not so much when he won't let Elvis tour overseas because Tom immigrated illegally and has to make up gambling debts with Vegas performances.

Les Demoiselles de Rochefort/The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)

For foreign-language musicals on screen, mostly Indian movies come to mind. The only exceptions I could think of were Nosotros los pobres and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, both of them serious and the latter possibly qualifying as an opera with its nonstop singing. By contrast, TYGoR is more of a Gene Kelly-type vehicle; indeed, Kelly gets a supporting role as visiting composer Andy. And yes, most of his lines are in French.

The official English title is misleading in that the leads, sisters Delphine (Catherine Deneuve, also in TUoC) and Solange (Françoise Dorléac), are old enough to work as teachers. Delphine is on the verge of dumping her obnoxious gallery-owning boyfriend (Jacques Riberolles), and both sisters hope to find romance and move from Rochefort to Paris to pursue musical success. As it happens, showmen Étienne (George Chakiris) and Bill (Grover Dale) could use help with a town fair stage act. But they're not the true love interests. Solange will literally bump into hers (Kelly), and Delphine will keep missing Maxence (Jacques Perrin), the sailor and artist who already has a crush on her. Meanwhile, their café-owning mother (Danielle Darrieux) is thinking she broke up with the unfortunately named music shop owner Simon Dame (Michel Piccoli) too rashly.

For intro paragraph brevity, I have skimped on the credits. Most of the above characters have alternate actors for singing voices: Anne Germain as Delphine, Claude Parent as Solange, Romuald Figuier as Étienne, José Bartel as Bill, Donald Burke as Andy, Jacques Revaux as Maxence, and Georges Blaness as Simon. Some of the less prominent characters do too, leaving me to wonder whether Darrieux was the only on-screen actress to sing.

About half the musical sequences focus on dance over singing. No, we don't get to see a lot of that from Kelly, who was in his mid-50s by then. But it's no La La Land either; the choreography is pretty good.

As for the songs, the melodies are fine, and I've grown fonder of the sound of French. Sometimes the subtitles try for rhymes, tho not consistently. One odd scene has characters talking in rhyme, in both languages, without music. Maybe more than one did and I was too caught up in other elements to notice.

What could distract me so? Well, the plot, which I also skimped on above. It may look conceptually basic, and the loves are certainly shallow, but events get pretty intricate, and the dialog isn't slow. Some of its humor may get lost in translation, though I perked up at an explicit reference to Jules and Jim. The rest of the humor is largely in situational improbabilities, along with the cute brattiness of the sisters' much younger brother (Patrick Jeantet on screen, Olivier Bonnet for singing).

Apart from Kelly's age, you could almost believe that this musical came out a great deal earlier. There are just a couple lines too risque for the Hays Code era, not that that ever applied in France.

Overall, I just kinda like it. I feel I would've gotten more out of it if I were better versed in French. And maybe more alert at the time.

Allegro Non Troppo (1976)

It's rare for me to take a movie suggestion from an anonymous online stranger, especially when I'm sure I won't have the same opinion. In this case, someone claimed that ANT is even better than Fantasia, which it openly mimics. I discovered that it's not available on Netflix but can be watched in its entirety for free on YouTube. And it's only 85 minutes.

To be honest, I didn't even watch all 85 minutes, because I skipped most of the live-action sequences, which run longer than in F. These sequences, depicting the filmmakers before and after the animations, are typically comedic, but they're certainly not the main draw (no pun intended). Just try finding those clips separate from the rest. As for the musical parts, well, they vary in mood as well as value. I'll review each in order of presentation.

White Nights (1985)

The title refers to the far-northern phenomenon of sunlight way into summer nights. Sure enough, the story takes place in that setting, and while the white nights themselves are not important to the plot, they serve as a symbol of confusion and frustration. I had not known this when I saved the DVD for the start of daylight saving time.

Famed first-generation American dancer Nikolai (Mikhail Baryshnikov himself) has a stroke of bad luck when his malfunctioning commercial plane (I assume this was never an in-flight movie) has to make an emergency stop in the USSR, from which he defected. In his unsuccessful haste to hide his identity, he does not brace himself for a rough landing and thus gets injured and knocked out. When he wakes, he's not in prison in the conventional sense, but neither is he allowed to go much of anywhere unless he agrees with the proposal of Col. Chaiko (Jerzy Skolimowski) to dance for Soviets again. In the meantime, in addition to being on camera, he's supervised by roommates Raymond (Gregory Hines), a stage actor and tap dancer who defected in the opposite direction; and Darya (Isabella Rosselini's U.S. debut), Raymond's wife. Can Nikolai persuade them to take the risks needed to let him flee, bearing in mind that the KGB could very well claim he died from his crash injuries?

Control (2007)

In retrospect, I wouldn't have chased a musical biography with a biography of a musician. Still, that's about where the similarity ends.

The story focuses on Ian Curtis (Sam Riley) starting in 1975, shortly before he marries Debbie (Samantha Morton) and becomes the lead singer of Joy Division, the British post-punk rock band. I'm afraid the timeline isn't very long, because he dies at age 23. And no, the cause is not drugs or a plane crash.