As movie ticket prices continue to climb and streaming platforms strike bigger and better deals with distributors, laptops are quickly becoming the modern movie theater. From nature documentaries to slasher flicks, there's a little bit of everything at your digital disposal.
And we are a music blog, so what follows is an attempt to highlight some of the best documentary offerings available from your very own couch, with nothing more than a borrowed password. Here are 10 movies on Netflix that every music lover should watch.
'Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives'
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Year released: 2015
Director: Bobbito Garcia
In the early '90s, few radio stations embraced hip-hop like "The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show." Their time on-air started as a college radio hobby for two hip-hop obsessives, but this was New York City's so-called golden age, and the show quickly became a mecca for young artists looking to cut their teeth live on air.
Some of those artists became legends. This documentary's interviews tell the story: Jay Z, Nas, Raekwon, Busta Rhymes—the list goes on, each artist indelibly changed by their time on-air with Stretch and Bobbito. From interviewing a 16-year-old Christopher Wallace to introducing Nas to the world before Illmatic, rap's history book owes these two a paragraph or two. This doc is the proof, a long-deserved victory lap for two of music's unsung heroes.
'What Happened, Miss Simone?'
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Year: 2015
Director: Liz Garbus
Undoubtedly one of the greatest entertainers of all time, Nina Simone lived a life of absolute honesty, fearlessness, and melodic brilliance. Liz Garbus’s biographical documentary shares the story the singer, pianist, and activist from the beginning of her compelling career to its unfortunate end.
The doc explores the mental illness, racism, sexism, domestic violence, and other obstacles Nina endured throughout her life. She’s received countless accolades and consequential fame, but more than legendary status, she sought equality. Simone became the activist voice of her time, defining her sound as “civil rights music.” She cracked monocles and raised awareness with songs like ‘Mississippi Goddam" and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black."
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and Liz Garbus took home an Emmy this year for "Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special." Simone's story might not have a fairy tale ending, but it's one worth knowing.
'Chasing Trane'
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Year: 2017
Director: John Scheinfeld
We talk about hip-hop a lot on this site, but there are certain kinds of greatness that transcend genre. John Coltrane provokes praise from anyone who cares about music. John Scheinfield's 2017 biopic does much to educate modern audiences on the life and times of Coltrane, featuring interviews with a wide swath of subjects that include former president Bill Clinton, Common, Coltrane's immediate family, and a host of friends and biographers.
Speaking on his early relationship with music, biographer Ashley Kahn says, “It’s almost like he hangs onto the music like a life preserver.” In both somber and exalting tones, Chasing Trane dives deep on the talent, drive, and mind of one of the greatest musicians of the last century.
'The Art of Organized Noize'
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Year: 2016
Director: Quincy Jones III
Everyone from André 3000 to Metro Boomin' comes out for The Art of Organized Noize. The story of that one name is the story of modern hip-hop in the South—the combined talents of Rico Wade, Sleepy Brown, and Ray Murray were responsible for a whole new era of music production.
They did it from a place called "The Dungeon," converting a crawl space into a hotbed of musical innovation for artists they appropriately called their family. They took the careers of Outkast, Goodie Mob, and TLC to new heights, and it put Organized Noize on a music industry rollercoaster they're still riding.
'Gaga: Five Foot Two'
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Year: 2017
Director: Chris Moukarbel
You certainly don't need to be a Lady Gaga fan to watch this documentary, which follows her in the lead-up to the release of her fifth studio album Joanne and performance at last year's Super Bowl. As one of her generation's biggest and often most flamboyant pop stars, it is interesting to see Gaga's quieter, more intimate moments, including with her family and in the studio with producers Mark Ronson and BloodPop.
The film is also yet another reminder of the intense, frenetic pace of life for anyone who is in the spotlight, as Gaga battles through rehearsals, performances, and press runs while dealing with chronic pain caused by the onset of fibromyalgia. Gaga: Five Foot Two succeeds in presenting a balanced portrait of a modern pop star, and feels more honest than many similar "behind the scenes" documentaries.
'Mr Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown'
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Year: 2014
Director: Alex Gibney
For any lover of soul, Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown is equal parts education and entertainment. The biography of Brown starts from early childhood in South Carolina, chronicles the racial tensions of his early career, the ups and downs of his fame and success, his political leanings, and plenty of rare footage that proves James Brown's struggle was as political as it was musical.
He died in 2006, but this is hardly a rosy portrait of commemoration. For all his musical genius, James Brown was a confounding character who left a slew of questionable decisions in his wake. Mr. Dynamite doesn't shy away from Brown's dark side, but director Alex Gibney and producer Mick Jagger (who Brown famously upstaged during a 1964 concert film) always come back to one undeniable fact: James Brown is one of the greatest performers to ever live.
'Finding Fela'
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Year: 2014
Director: Alex Gibney
One of music's most enigmatic and controversial figures, Fela Kuti was truly a living legend until his death in 1997. Now he's just a legend—one who pioneered Afrobeat rhythms on a global stage, openly denounced and defied a dictatorial Nigerian government, and redefined what it means to be a political musician. Finding Fela is a conventional biopic on many levels, but with a character this vibrant and a director as experienced as Alex Gibney, the end result is a worthy testament to a true musical revolutionary.
'Fresh Dressed'
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Year: 2015
Director: Sacha Jenkins
Fashion and hip-hop have always been intertwined—think Biggie’s COOGI sweaters, Pharrell’s oversized hat, or Kanye West and his budding style career. Fresh Dressed is a documentary that considers how deep that relationship really runs.
The verdict? In the film’s trailer, Kanye puts it best: “Being fresh” in hip-hop “is more important than having money.” Even haute couture can’t ignore the style influence of artists like Pharrell, Sean Combs, and A$AP Rocky, all of whom are interviewed for the documentary.
If nothing else, the film is also a way to get to know director Sacha Jenkins. The NYC native is a former Rolling Stone journalist and music editor of Vibe, the producer behind 50 Cent: The Origin of Me and other TV programs, and performer in his own rock group. Oh, and he also went to the same junior high school as Nas, who produced Fresh Dressed.
'Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child'
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Year: 2010
Director: Bob Smeaton
Told in the words of Jimi Hendrix himself, as voiced by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Boosty Collins, Voodoo Child is the story of Hendrix as he experienced it. The film's narrative is compiled from his personal artifacts and interviews he gave between 1966 and 1970.
Letters and documents detailing the musician's storied journey through England help us realize what was going on in his head at the time. Noticeably absent are details or evidence surrounding the drug abuse that led to Hendrix's untimely death—the film was produced by the Hendrix estate, so that's not a complete surprise. In exchange, we get unique insight into the man, rather than just the guitarist, in the form of postcards, drawings, and second-hand quotes.
'Kurt & Courtney'
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Year: 1998
Director: Nick Broomfield
This one is for the conspiracy theorists. There's a lot of speculation regarding the death of Kurt Cobain, and director Nick Broomfield decided to investigate the circumstances. Things get interesting during the investigation as the focus begins to turn towards Courtney Love.
There are some very strange moments in this documentary, one of them being when a man named El Duce claimed that he was hired by Courtney Love to murder Kurt Cobain. Shortly after the interview, he's hit by a train. At a certain point in the documentary you may find yourself concerned about the safety of Broomfield himself, but in the end you get a unique perspective on one of the most talked about deaths in music history.
'The Other One: The Long Strange Trip Of Bob Weir'
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Year: 2014
Director: Mike Fleiss
The Grateful Dead are one of the most iconic bands of all time, and when you ask anyone about the group, Jerry Garcia is the first name that comes to mind. In The Other One: The Long Strange Trip of Bob Weir, director Mike Fleiss tells the little-known story of Bob Weir, the rhythm guitarist of The Grateful Dead.
By shifting the focus away from bandleader Jerry Garcia, Fleiss manages a unique and unexplored perspective on the band that helped shape American counterculture, and the void left by Jerry Garcia's untimely death. Weir is a musical virtuoso in his own right, and has led a life more complicated than his lack of a public persona indicates.
'Danny Says'
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Year: 2015
Director: Brendan Toller
Danny Fields is one of the most influential names in punk rock history. He's signed and managed acts such as the Ramones and has worked with Jim Morrison, Velvet Underground, and many more artists in various roles. Although first dismissed, Fields' taste and opinion became one of the most valuable in the entire industry.
Danny Says follows Fields from early times as a Phi Beta Kappa whiz-kid, to dropping out of law school, to the Warhol Silver Factory, to Director of Publicity at Elektra Records, to becoming a “punk pioneer,” and beyond. If you need a blueprint on how to have a life well-lived, check out Danny Says.
'Across The Universe'
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Year: 2007
Director: Julie Taymor
This musical adaptation of The Beatles' music was heralded upon its release for Julie Taymor's incredible set design. And it really is a beautiful movie, able to weave the narrative of 1960s America into a silky fabric of set pieces and brightly saturated tones.
The music is the real story—the cast had to adapt/cover all The Beatles music that appears in the film, but in rearranging the songs in unique ways (instead of trying to copy The Beatles), they didn't butcher them! Highlights include "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Dear Prudence."
'Keith Richards: Under The Influence'
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Year: 2015
Director: Morgan Neville
Against all odds, Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones are still recording, touring, and refusing to give in to old age. Now in his seventy third year, Richards teamed up with Netflix for a documentary chronicling his life and times. The somewhat stale format is given new life by the Stones' forever-wily guitarist, who imparts wisdom on musical history and provides plenty of catnip for Rolling Stones diehards.
'Alive Inside'
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Year: 2014
Director: Micheal Rossato-Bennett
Ready to cry your fucking eyes out? Alive Inside is a beautiful movie, but it'll rip your heart in half. It's about aging Alzheimer's patients reconnecting with their last vestiges of memory by listening to songs they loved when they were younger, a reminder of the incredible power of music. The 74-minute doc makes a powerful case for music therapy, and while the film's actual action moves rather slowly, its message will resonate long after.
'Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed'
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Year: 2013
Director: David Trueba
This charming Spanish road movie is set at the height of The Beatles' popularity—Revolver has just been released, and schoolteacher Antonio is dead-set on meeting John Lennon.
He's in luck—Lennon is in Spain filming a movie, so Antonio sets off on a cross-country trip to meet his idol. He picks up two hitchhikers along the way, and the stage is set. What follows is a classic coming-of-age tale, but director David Trueba handles it with subtlety and style.
'Los Punks'
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Year: 2016
Director: Angela Boatwright
The energy of a raw, youthful music movement is unlike anything else in the world. And while the original punks saw their cultural stock fall long ago, don't try telling that to the subjects of Los Punks.
The documentary dives face-first into the backyard concerts and bloody brawls of the Los Angeles punk scene. The charismatic young Nacho is our spirit guide, and through him we meet a variety of young, talented humans who are also fiendish punks—not the other way around.
'Footloose'
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Year: 1984
Director: Herbert Ross
'Muscle Shoals'
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Year: 2013
Director: Greg "Freddy" Camalier
On the surface, Muscle Shoals celebrates the career of record producer and founder of FAME Studios, Rick Hall. But it's really about the place itself, one imbued with a mysticism many stars try and fail to fully put into words.
Located in the banks of the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama produced some of the world’s biggest hit records from the '60s on. The film offers a compelling glimpse at the some of the most acclaimed musicians and distinctive sounds in modern rock music. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Gregg Allman, Clarence Carter, Etta James, Alicia Keys, and others gather to remember Muscle Shoals' most awe-inspiring moments.
'A Drummer's Dream'
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Year: 2010
Director: John Walker
The title of A Drummer's Dream should be taken literally. The world's most accomplished drummers in Latin fusion, soul, rock, and jazz assemble to mentor students on farmland far out in Ontario, Canada.
Featuring Nasyr Abdul Al-Khabyyr, Dennis Chambers, Kenwood Dennard, Horacio Hernandez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mike Mangini, and Raul Rakow, the film documents this rare and profound experience in music—without delving into interminable drum solos and extended jams.
Those are all well and good, but A Drummer's Dream succeeds in the space between fills. There's real emotion here, and director John Walker does an excellent job of drawing it out.
'Marley'
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Year: 2012
Director: Kevin MacDonald
Everyone knows his music, but do you know the human story of Bob Marley? With the help of the Marley family, director Kevin MacDonald explores the music, life, and legacy of Bob Marley with Marley. There's rare footage, timeless performances, and telling interviews that work together to create an image of the legendary artist's life. Rather than focus on the man's eternal words, Marley focuses on the people around the legend, and you end up learning a lot more about the man—faults and all—than he could have told you himself.
'Reincarnated'
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'Janis: Little Girl Blue'
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'The Doors: When You’re Strange'
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Year: 2009
Director: Tom DiCillo
Nominated for an Emmy and winning a Grammy in 2011, When You’re Strange is severely juxtaposed to the 1991 Oliver Stone directed film and is celebrated as the most accurate depiction of Jim Morrison and his influential band. From his acid-dropping propensities to his rumored narcissism, DiCillo’s documentary, as narrated by Johnny Depp, examines The Doors as deeply as history will allow, cataloguing the missteps as evenly as the truimphs.
