The Grammys are known for getting things wrong a lot. But the long-standing awards category of best musical film quietly but frequently gets it right.
When the category was first introduced in 1984, it was called “Best Long-Form Video” and was aimed at two collections of MTV clips, such as the inaugural winner, Duran Durana compendium of the band’s first 11 videos, and documentaries such as The Rolling Stones Concert Film by Hal Ashby let’s spend the night togetheralso nominated in 1984. The rise of music documentary production since the turn of the century, and especially the advent of DVD, has tilted the category towards this goal – and, thanks to the likes of invisible voice in Minneapolis and Austin. Therefore, in 2014, the Grammy Awards changed the name of Best Feature Film to Best Musical Film. (Note that the year cited refers to the year the Grammy Award was awarded, not the year the movie or record was released.)
The added seriousness of the name change makes sense. Over the past two decades, the Grammy winner has included Martin Scorsese (Bob Dylan’s no direction home2006), Peter Bogdanovich (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) chase dreams2009) and Lang Howard (The Beatles: Eight days a week2017). Several theatrically released Best Musical Film winners also won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, including 20 feet from the star (2015), Amy (2016), and Summer of Souls (2022), while streaming projects such as rebel (About Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, 2018) and Homecoming: The Movie by Beyoncé (2020) both received multiple Emmy Award nominations.
It’s a noteworthy group of films that makes us curious about the upcoming Grammy nominees in the category. What do these best musical film contenders have to teach us? Do they really serve a filmmaking function, or are they just promotional? Or, you know, both, because every Providing production credit to its artist and/or their family. They are reviewed alphabetically by title.
American Symphony Orchestra (Director: Matthew Heineman)
The documentary is decidedly contrived—at one point, we see jazz keyboardist Jon Batiste lying in bed with his Bible to his chest and his hands folded on top of it as he sleeps. Maybe he does it every night, but is it really this neat? In fact, one can imagine that Batiste, a New Orleans native who led the band on Stephen Colbert’s show for seven years, always seems to exist. He also comes across as genuine – a natural performer who knows how to adapt to circumstances. Baptiste may have attended Juilliard for seven years, but he was a common man. So of course, he was Grammy bait. The film picks up on a period in 2022 when he was nominated for 11 awards; he ended up winning five awards, including Album of the Year we are. The film centers on Batiste writing a symphony while also helping his long-time partner, writer Suleuja Joauad (they actually married on screen) go through Intense chemotherapy, her cancer returned after a decade of remission—and, in a cruel twist, her cancer returned. These scenes are heart-wrenching; others are not. Baptiste exudes positivity even when telling us the opposite. As he describes an early career filled with “resistance, resistance, resistance,” we see him hugging a building’s janitor—not the typical type of intimacy, mind you—which is far from “resistance.” All of this is shot up close with a seemingly floating camera; at times, a little too lovingly. The very real problems the couple face here don’t prevent the film from being just indulgent at times. But Baptiste has delivered Grammy surprises before. There’s a chance he can do it again – with a documentary for which he’s won five other awards, which would be a Grammy Ouroboros of sorts. (Netflix)
The greatest night in pop music history (Director: Bao Nguyen)
It would also be a Grammy at its own peril—awarded to a film documenting previous major award winners. But really, that’s the first rule of the Grammys: Whoever hires the most session players wins. Think about it frank sinatrathink Christopher Crossthink daft punk. Most importantly, think of Quincy Jones. once, when asked If Jones had ever thought about the 28 Grammys he had won in his lifetime, he would have paused for half a second, smiled like a canary and said, “I would have thought about the 52 Grammys I lost!” Jones was not involved in the event. Africa’s “We Are the World” (1986 Grammy Record of the Year) produced this documentary about America, which Jones did produce. But his spirit and memory will certainly be highlighted at the 2025 awards ceremony — and perhaps the voting. Prominent position in hosting The greatest night in pop music history Lionel Richie is a co-producer and chief spokesperson for the film. He tells the story of Michael Jackson’s menagerie of horrors in a dryly humorous way. (Jackson and Richie co-wrote the song.) Anyone who remembers “We Are the World” knows how ubiquitous and widespread the song was at the time. But even if you already know that, this forty-year look back is truly fascinating Many details of the project Go inside. It’s another thing to watch this ultimate summit live, to see and hear it in the proper context. This documentary is much better and richer than the previous recordings. And anyone who remembers Stevie Wonder hall of fame turn as saturday night live The 1983 presenter will enjoy his role as the event’s chief comedian, from when he was finally ready to co-write the song while editing the demo, to when he coached Bob Dylan through his lines – a cheeky impersonation of Bob Dylan Lun. (Netflix)
June: The Story of June Carter Cash (Directed by Kirsten Wario)
June Carter Cash was a child star in the Carter Family, country royalty, who briefly went to New York alone to study acting. But she eventually returned to Nashville and married fellow country royalty Johnny Cash, and put her solo career on hold – although still performing regularly with him – until her career surged later in life, shortly before her He died in 2003 after recording two critically acclaimed and Grammy Award-winning albums. There’s plenty of eye candy – live and televised performances, private videos, candid photos, productions – and all that impresses young and old alike is Joan’s stunning presence – her restless wit and compelling blue eyes. But there’s not enough here to convince a newcomer that she belongs in the pantheon on her own terms—one of the featured songs, “Back to My Rock and Roll Days” is downright terrifying—and ends with a shot of that bizarre rainbow in the film’s sky It’s really pushing it. not even American Symphony Orchestra Do this. (paramount plus)
The King from Queens: RUN DMC Story (Director: Kirk Fraser)
RUN DMC, as it is now, is the fulcrum of hip-hop’s story. As RUN (Joseph Simmons) and DMC (Daryl McDaniels) and Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell) have repeatedly stated in archival footage, the reason for this group’s popularity is that It’s because they’re just like their fans—wearing streetwear styles (unlace-up adidas, basic black, gold chains) that anyone can aspire to. As the genre’s first superstars, they were also the first to achieve widespread notoriety (thanks to a 1986 incident of gang violence in Long Beach, California that was unrelated to the group) and dominate the charts chart dominance (their cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” reached the top five in 1986). RUN DMC emulates the foundations of hip-hop—a DJ shaking two turntables while two MCs trade top-notch rhymes—and after four years of recording, they’ve longed for R&B rather than emphasizing what’s unique about the genre. , thus leaving it completely open. Two and a half hours divided into three parts, king from queens does a great job telling the group’s story – the personal camera footage included is a huge hit, especially some of the proud-dad home movies Mizell shot of his wife and son. It also fills in their backgrounds as big names in the scene surrounding Def Jam Records co-founders and producers Russell Simmons (RUN’s brother) and Rick Rubin: “He had a drum machine full of hits,” says the former. About meeting the latter. The 2002 murder of jam master Jay is at the heart of the finale, handled with tenderness and heartbreak. Seeing RUN and DMC interact with their younger selves during the Hip-Hop 50 show at Yankee Stadium was enough to get fans’ hearts racing. As DMC said early in the series: “We changed the fucking world.” (Peacock)
Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple (Director: Bill Tyke)
Steven Van Zandt, known by many nicknames (Miami Steve, Little Steven), made some great music (especially with Bruce Springsteen) and did some Excellent acting (especially in Montenegro family), but his rock faithful gimmick has long since become background noise. with a subtitle like disciple——Wait, he is Stevie Now? It’s a surprise—a straightforward retelling of a rich, beautiful life. The film boldly opens with a non-pop-metal ’80s music video for “Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul,” which makes Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul’s hair and jazz The sports band becomes more distinct. The greatest night in pop music history Looks timid and reserved. This goes for pretty much everything VanZant wears in the movie – he’s a proud peacock. other greatest night Analogy: Van Zandt was the musical mind behind Artists Against Apartheid’s “City of the Sun,” a sharp shift from the clichés of “We Are the World” to the harsh political details that Van Zandt took from Europe The direction my work took after setting sail. As Springsteen said in his acceptance speech, he “comes from No political to all politics. (BTW, Bruce also released his own doc on Hulu this year, Diary on the road.) Van Zandt changed again at the end of the 1980s: “I realized I didn’t want to be a politician,” he said. Instead, as he puts it, “I walked dogs for seven years.” He rediscovered himself bit by bit—a publishing deal, a few Hollywood commissions—before Montenegro family Emerging and carving out a series of new lanes to his satellite radio stations, underground garages and outlaw country; a reinvigorated touring schedule; and a reunion with the blues. The doctors brought in some big names—Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Bono, Eddie Vedder—who defended VanZant in fairly convincing terms. (maximum)
The 67th Grammy Awards airs on cbsSunday, February 2. here.
