Top Rated Music Movies on Kanopy - Page 13

Orion: The Man Who Would Be King

2015

Orion: The Man Who Would Be King

2015
7
August 16, 1977. All of America was stunned by the news of Elvis Presley's untimely passing. Some went so far as to believe that it couldn't be true. Somehow he had faked his death. For the executives at Sun Records that fantasy became an opportunity in the form of Orion, a mysterious masked performer with the voice of The King. First appearing in 1979, Orion recorded 11 albums and performed live to packed houses and rapturous fans around the nation. But who was the man behind the mask? In this stranger-than-fiction true story, Jeanie Finlay exposes the incredible life of an unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight with the complicity of a manipulative music industry and a public fan base unwilling to let The King go. Resonant in its themes of identity, fate, and the double-edged nature of fame, Orion is a stylish mystery story that finally gives a name and a face to a gifted artist who had been unjustly deprived of both.
Soul Boys of the Western World

2014

Soul Boys of the Western World

2014
5.8
A journey through the 1980s and beyond; the story of a band, an era and how one small gathering of outsiders in London shaped the entire world’s view of music and fashion. The film is not only a fascinating, often hard-hitting social and cultural document of the time, but a brutally honest story of how friendships can be won, lost and ultimately regained.
Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All

2013

Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All

2013
8
Long before Green Day and Blink 182 inflicted punk-rock's puncture wound on the map of mainstream music, the Descendents were at home concocting the perfect mix of pop, angst, love, and coffee. FILMAGE: The Story of DESCENDENTS/ALL follows drummer/square-peg Bill Stevenson and his 'caffeinated retardedness' as he pushes his rotating door of bandmates to 'achieve ALL,' his philosophy of going for greatness at all costs. Stevenson is a force to be reckoned with--not even grapefruit-sized brain tumors can keep him down.
Aya

2012

Aya

2012
6.2
When Thomas Overby mistakenly believes Aya is his assigned driver, she spontaneously decides to go along with the charade and drives him to Jerusalem. A stiff and guarded pianist, Overby is intrigued by the impulsive though melancholy Aya. As they slowly begin to connect, the film takes us on a journey we hope will never end.
Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet

2012

Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet

2012
7.6
When doctors diagnosed 19-year-old rock star Jason Becker with Lou Gehrig's Disease, they said he would never make music again and that he wouldn’t live to see his 25th birthday. 22 years later, without the ability to move or to speak, Jason is alive and making music with his eyes.
A State of Mind

2005

A State of Mind

2005
7.7
Two young North Korean gymnasts prepare for an unprecedented competition in this documentary that offers a rare look into the communist society and the daily lives of North Korean families. For more than eight months, film crews follow 13-year-old Pak Hyon Sun and 11-year-old Kim Song Yun and their families as the girls train for the Mass Games, a spectacular nationalist celebration.
Afghan Star

2008

Afghan Star

2008
6.3
This documentary on the effect the talent competition "Afghan Star" has on the incredibly diverse inhabitants of Afghanistan affords a glimpse into a country rarely seen. Contestants risk their lives to appear on the television show that is a raging success with the public and also monitored closely by the government.
Ouzeri Tsitsanis

2015

Ouzeri Tsitsanis

2015
5.8
During World War II in Greece, under the submission of Germans, one Christian, Giorgos, falls in love with a Jewish, Estrea, something completely forbidden. Can they and their families overcome all the obstacles, along with racial discriminations and hardship? The story mainly takes place in an ouzeria, in which Tsitsanis works, one of the greatest Greek composer, librettist and singer in the 20th century.
Things Behind the Sun

2001

Things Behind the Sun

2001
5.9
A young music journalist's dark memories are awakened when he goes to interview a female rock singer, and both are forced to confront troubling secrets from their pasts.
Up, Down, Fragile

1995

Up, Down, Fragile

1995
7.1
A librarian, a gangster's ex-lover and a woman who has recovered from a coma spend an eye-opening summer in Paris.
The Blood of Jesus

1941

The Blood of Jesus

1941
5
Razz accidentally shoots his wife Martha when his hunting rifle drops on the floor and discharges. The church congregation gathers at Martha’s bedside to pray for her recovery, and during this period an angel arrives to take Martha’s spirit from her body, but she is tempted by the slick Judas Green, who is an agent for Satan.
The Beatles and India

2021

The Beatles and India

2021
6.3
Explores the The Beatles’ love affair with India, its religions and its culture and, in turn, the impact of their music and style on a young generation in India.
Seriously Red

2022

Seriously Red

2022
5
Raylene 'Red' Delaney trades her nine to five career in real estate for a life under the spotlight as a Dolly Parton impersonator. A romantic liaison with Kenny Rogers then occurs while her tumultuous journey continues full of fake hair and artificial boobs.
Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road

2021

Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road

2021
6.2
Join The Beach Boy's Brian Wilson on an intimate journey through his legendary career as he reminisces with Rolling Stone editor and longtime friend, Jason Fine. Featuring a new song written and performed by Wilson and interviews with Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Nick Jonas, Linda Perry, Jim James, Gustavo Dudamel and Al Jardine.
Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story

2019

Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story

2019
6.8
The hilarious and bizarre story of Frank Sidebottom, the cult British comedian in a papier mâché head, and the secretive life of Chris Sievey, the artist trapped inside.
Saturday Church

2018

Saturday Church

2018
6.3
Ulysses is a shy and effeminate boy who finds himself coping with new responsibilities as man of the house after the death of his father. Living alongside his mother, younger brother, and conservative aunt, Ulysses is also struggling with questions about his gender identity. He finds an escape by creating a world of fantasy filled with dance and music. Ulysses' journey takes a turn for the better when he finds a vibrant transgender community.
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble

2016

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble

2016
6.9
Follow several talented members of the ensemble as they gather in locations across the world, exploring the ways art can both preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution.
A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness

2013

A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness

2013
6.2
A man at three disparate moments in his life: as a member of a fifteen-person collective on a small Estonian island, alone in the wilderness of Northern Finland and as the singer of a neo-pagan black metal band in Norway. Three moments for a radical proposition for the creation of utopia in the present.
The Last Elvis

2012

The Last Elvis

2012
5.9
In the unique world of the Buenos Aires celebrity-impersonator scene, “Elvis” Gutiérrez is a star. By day, though, he must contend with a dead-end factory job and an ex-wife who worries about how his obsessive behavior affects their young daughter, Lisa Marie. Feeling more connected to his persona as the King than to his own family, Gutiérrez retreats from reality until a tragic accident interrupts his plans and forces him to grapple with his real-world responsibilities.
Rudeboy: The Story of Trojan Records

2018

Rudeboy: The Story of Trojan Records

2018
6.7
This stylish documentary about the iconic ska, reggae and rock-steady label is a timely and wide-ranging celebration of british Jamaican working-class youth culture.