Some of the best films from the decade at hand revolved around musicians. Whether fictional characters or those based on real-life figures, their respective actors performed their hearts out to see these instrumentalists come to life. A few Academy Award-winning stints appear on this list, with those respective films boasting tremendous name value that will likely ring a bell in your head. But along the way, a title or two will undoubtedly appear more unfamiliar. Rest assured, they're of the utmost quality. All that said, these are the ten best movies from the 2010s that revolve around musicians, ranked.
10 Miles Ahead (2016)
Miles Ahead
- Release Date
- January 22, 2016
- Director
- Don Cheadle
- Cast
- Ewan McGregor, Don Cheadle, LaKeith Stanfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emayatzy E. Corinealdi, Austin Lyon
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
With Don Cheadle in the lead role, Miles Ahead (2015) should solidify that American actor as one of the all-time best portrayers of real-life figures in film. From Paul Rusesabagina in Hotel Rwanda (2004) to Petey Green in Talk to Me (2007), he's built quite the catalog of biopics throughout his underrated career. And with this chronicling of famous jazz musician Miles Davis, he made his feature directorial debut.
Why It's So Great
Cheadle even co-wrote the script alongside Steven Baigelman, with other names involved including Ewan McGregor and Emayatzy Corinealdi among the cast. Everyone received rave reviews for their work, even if the overall product didn't exactly make waves with pundits of the industry. On critical consensus website Rotten Tomatoes, the film at hand holds a 74% approval rating overall. Not the worst score you'll read about today, but still. It does do a slight injustice to the quality of Miles Ahead.
Rent it on YouTube and Prime Video
9 Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody
- Release Date
- October 24, 2018
- Director
- Bryan Singer, Dexter Fletcher
- Cast
- Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Drama
Starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, the award-winning biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) chronicles that famous musician's experience with the rock band Queen. He was of course their lead singer, co-founding the band in 1970 alongside Brian May on the guitar and Roger Taylor on the drums. Each player is portrayed to perfection by their respective actors, none more so than Mercury.
Why It's So Great
Lead actor Rami Malek garnered widespread praise for his performance, even winning Best Actor at the 91st Academy Awards. With good reason. He channeled his inner rock star in grand, mesmerizing fashion, with expressions and intonations that truly matched his real-life counterpart. As a whole, Bohemian Rhapsody holds up brilliantly, as well, thanks to careful sound design and intriguing tactics of film editing. Without a doubt, it's among the best of its kind.
Stream it on Hulu
8 Love & Mercy (2015)
Love and Mercy
- Release Date
- May 29, 2015
- Director
- Bill Pohlad
- Cast
- Elizabeth Banks, John Cusack, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Jake Abel, Kenny Wormald
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Drama
Telling the story of Beach Boys lead singer Brian Wilson, Love & Mercy (2014) particularly homes in on his struggles with mental illness. It gives audiences glimpses into two eras of Wilson's life, with Paul Dano portraying young Brian and John Cusack showing up as his middle-aged counterpart. For those unfamiliar: the title is taken from Wilson's 1988 song of the same name, which is of course featured on the soundtrack, as well.
Why It's So Great
Critics raved about the film mostly by dint of its appealing to a wide array of audiences. Lifelong Wilson fans will walk away pleased with the singer's portrayals, while those unfamiliar with the Beach Boys and their history will resonate just as fondly with the overall product. That's not just thanks to the performances from the aforementioned leads, but also a bevy of behind-the-scenes elements. No matter the angle of analysis, Love & Mercy deserves a spot on the list.
Stream it on Prime Video
7 Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Only Lovers Left Alive
- Release Date
- December 12, 2013
- Director
- Jim Jarmusch
- Cast
- Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Anton Yelchin, Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt, Jeffrey Wright
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
The stars of Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) are Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton, who portray Adam and Eve, respectively. A famous musician, the former collects vintage guitars while mulling over the decline of modern society. Meanwhile, Swinton's character Eve basks in the new state of the world, while the two share a common eccentricity: both lead characters are vampires.
Why It's So Great
Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, this is among the more underrated films on the list as it holds far less name value than the others. But critics enjoyed the project, praising the performances from everyone involved — not just Hiddleston and Swinton, but also Mia Wasikowska, Anton Yelchin, Jeffrey Wright, and John Hurt. Their supporting roles add great character dynamics to the mix, and each actor shares a tangible rapport with the next. Worth a watch for their efforts alone, Only Lovers Left Alive is also bolstered by the work of Jim Jarmusch.
Stream it on PlutoTV
6 Get On Up (2014)
Get on Up
- Release Date
- August 1, 2014
- Director
- Tate Taylor
- Cast
- Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis, Lennie James, Fred Melamed
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Drama
Here in Get On Up (2014), the great Chadwick Boseman portrayed James Brown, the Godfather of Soul. Its plot showcases the nature of your typical biopic, while its structure and individual story mechanics render Get On Up among the most inventive films of its kind. It utilizes a non-linear narrative, and as the main character, James often breaks the fourth-wall in genre-defying fashion.
Why It's So Great
Although it came up short at the worldwide box office, Boseman led Get On Up to great critical acclaim with his portrayal of James Brown. That late American actor played numerous famous figures on film — along with the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business, he's also showed up as Floyd Little, Jackie Robinson, and Thurgood Marshall. He portrayed each of them with aptitude and grace, with Get On Up being highlighted by his efforts overall. Viola Davis is in it, too, playing the protagonist's mother. And frankly, she nearly steals the show.
Stream it on Netflix
5 Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
scott pilgrim vs. the world
- Release Date
- August 12, 2010
- Director
- Edgar Wright
- Cast
- Michael Cera, Alison Pill, Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
Adapted from the graphic novel series of the same name, Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010) saw direction under famous English filmmaker Edgar Wright. It's a famous plot these days, revolving around Michael Cera's titular slacker of a bass-guitarist who hopes to land a record deal by winning a battle of the bands competition. He's in a group called Sex Bob-omb, with other members being played by Alison Pill, Johnny Simmons, and Mark Webber.
Why It's So Great
They all perform in convincing fashion to see an absurd action comedy into wonderful fruition. As Scott battles the seven evil exes of Ramona Flowers (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead), unique cinematography and off-the-wall dialogue facilitates the most original plot you'll read about today. And with other performers like Chris Evans, Brie Larson, Kieran Culkin, Aubrey Plaza, and Anna Kendrick making their respective appearances, the star-studded cast alone makes Scott Pilgrim an undeniable entry for the list.
Rent it on YouTube and Prime Video
4 Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) hit movie theaters. And by assigning Oscar Isaac to the titular role, the filmmaking duo crafted one of their finest films yet. It's a somewhat thin plot, with Llewyn drifting around the collapsing environment of the 1960s folk scene in New York City. But the beauty of Inside Llewyn Davis is revealed in subtext.
Why It's So Great
Through carefully curated character dynamics, engaging dialogue of absurdist qualities, and one of the more dulcet soundtracks you're ever likely to hear, this should be cited among the finest movies to ever feature a guitarist as the protagonist. But nearly every character herein is part of the music industry, with Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Adam Driver, and F. Murray Abraham comprising the supporting cast. And frankly, this is among the finest films from all those names and more.
Stream it on Showtime
3 Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Straight Outta Compton
- Release Date
- August 11, 2015
- Director
- F. Gary Gray
- Cast
- O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Antonio Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr., Aldis Hodge, Marlon Yates Jr
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
Among the finest films of the decade is Straight Outta Compton (2015), which chronicles the rise and fall of American hip hop group N.W.A. Famous artists DJ Yella, MC Ren, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube are portrayed by an impressive roster of talented young actors, perhaps the most prominent of the bunch being O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Why It's So Great
In the film at hand, he plays his father Ice Cube, and he's led to greatness by the direction of F. Gary Gray. Each name involved in Straight Outta Compton received reverence from around the world, and justifiably so. This is among the most gripping biopics of the century thus far, with intelligent dialogue and poignant moments around every corner of its plot. It should without a doubt go down among the finest music movies ever, not just of the decade.
Stream it on Hulu
2 La La Land (2016)
La La Land
- Release Date
- November 29, 2016
- Director
- Damien Chazelle
- Cast
- Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Amiée Conn, Terry Walters, Thom Shelton, Cinda Adams
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Musical
Seeing direction under Damien Chazelle from a script he crafted with passion and precision, La La Land (2016) hit career-defining numbers in terms of overall success. A romance musical, it chronicles a jazz pianist played by Ryan Gosling and an aspiring actress portrayed by Emma Stone as their paths to greatness intertwine in downtown Los Angeles. The leads received widespread acclaim for their performances, and justifiably so.
Why It's So Great
Gosling and Stone had already established a tremendous rapport as love interests thanks to Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). And while the film at hand lands on the opposite side of the genre spectrum, the musical twist by Chazelle put a true spotlight on their chemistry. Considered among the finest filmmakers of his generation, Chazelle's efforts in La La Land won him a golden statuette for Best Director at the 89th Academy Awards. That pretty much paints the picture.
Stream it on Netflix
1 Whiplash (2014)
Whiplash
- Release Date
- October 10, 2014
- Director
- Damien Chazelle
- Cast
- Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell, Nate Lang
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
Among the most critically acclaimed films of the decade is Whiplash (2014), written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Miles Teller as Andrew Neiman, a music student at Shaffer Conservatory in New York City. He's taken under the verbally abusive wing of Terrence Fletcher, the institution's notorious yet brilliant instructor who's portrayed by J.K. Simmons.
Why It's So Great
Both performers received widespread praise for their work, creating a tangible chemistry that defined the film's quality in the end. But of course, writer-director Damien Chazelle deserves just as many flowers sent his way. His original plot progresses at a fluid yet whiplash-inducing pace that rivals the rhythm of Andrew himself, and Chazelle implements proverbial drum rolls around every corner of production. Without skipping a beat, he created one of the best movies to ever revolve around a musician.
Stream it on Hulu
Comments
Post a Comment