Music by John Williams (2024)

A cursory glance into the life and storied career of composer and conductor John Williams, although it leaves out much of his vast, 70+ year repertoire.

Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, E.T., Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, etc. You know the music. He's a part of all our collective psyche. John Williams was long overdue to have his own documentary, and here he tells his story in his own words, along with interviews from filmmakers and fellow composers, many of whom I had never seen their face before. It seems like no one has a bad word to say about the man; everybody praises him and it's hard to argue with the results. Mr. Williams himself comes off as humble, intelligent and charming. If it was even possible for me to have more respect for him, I did. 

Spielberg knew the genius of Williams early on and hitched his wagon to him from the start of his journey, and they brought out the best in each other. Not just collaborators, but great friends. It's exciting to see their collaboration in motion in behind the scenes footage, and also learning that it was Spielberg who convinced Williams and Lucas to work together and score Star Wars.

On a personal note, JW is responsible for so much of my love of filmmusic and classical music alike. An inspirational figure through all of his 100+ scores. He represents the music of childhood and the rich symphonic tapestry to my life.

4 leitmotifs out of 5

Ennio: The Maestro (2021)

AKA: The Glance of Music

A comprehensive look into the life, legacy and extensive career of Italian film composer Ennio Morricone. Known for so much more than the "wah wah" sound of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, his rich orchestral soundscape spanned the course of 500 compositions in 75 years, which is an incredible metric by any standard. Featuring in-depth interviews from contemporaries, the biggest treasure trove here is a newly filmed conversation with the maestro himself, completed shortly before his death in 2020. It's an exhaustive deep dive that revisits his career, decade by decade, landing on all the greatest hits. As the ultimate retrospective, it's impossible to cover the entire breadth of his work, but this is a good start. None is more deserving of such a celebrated tribute.

4 cinematic vistas out of 5

Piece by Piece (2024)

Hip-hop mogul and producer Pharrell Williams inexplicably tells his life story through a documentary presented entirely in animated Lego form. Why? is the question I kept asking myself throughout. Pharrell experiences the world through synesthesia, which is a way of processing everything through color in the mind's eye. It's your typical, cookie-cutter rags to riches story, with the usual rise and fall (ever so brief) before inevitably coming back stronger than ever. Nevertheless, it contains a wide range of songs from his musical career and it succeeds by marrying the colorful images and catchy songs together. However, at the heart of it all, it still feels like a cynical ego-driven vanity project. I probably would have enjoyed this more as a series of music videos.

2½ Lego McNuggets out of 5

Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) (2026)

Over the past two decades, James Cameron has directed three movies about tall blue alien dudes...and this, a concert film/documentary featuring 24-year-old, 10-time Grammy winner Billie Eilish during the final leg of her 2025 tour. It's a dynamic performance full of spectacle and boundless energy, as the pop singer-songwriter bounds up and down the 360° stage with a swollen ankle. No matter what you think of her music, you have to respect the gumption and raw talent it takes to command a stage like that, while we observe glimpses of her working hard behind the scenes. It's the very definition of a vanity piece, but it's made with the fans in mind, so you know you're going to get a lot of footage of teen girls crying in the rafters. It's the closest approximation to a live concert experience I've probably ever had sitting in a movie theater.

Regardless of whether you're a fan or not, this is what true power looks like.

3½ bad guys out of 5 (duh)

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (2025)

While Peter Jackson is busy preserving The Beatles' legacy, Baz Luhrmann is doing his part for Mr. Presley. As part of his research for the 2022 biopic, Elvis, he came across newly uncovered archival materials and stitched them with audio recordings from the King himself to create this ultimate documentary and concert film, told through his own voice, some 50 years after his death.

What's great about this movie is how much it humanizes the man, because there is a tendency nowadays to tear down and reframe the past from a modern perspective, and it's become increasingly easy for people to cast aspersions towards people who are no longer around to defend themselves.

Interweaving interviews with behind-the-scenes footage, the film is at its best when it allows the raw performances to play out in full, and becomes frustrating when it chooses to chop up performances with vocal overlays. 

Digitally restored with enhanced audio, it looks and sounds great, which makes it a must-see for any fans. It features Elvis in his prime; always the premier showman, with a playful stage persona, he lives up to his reputation.

4 hip gyrations out of 5

Michael (2026)

The long-awaited, "official" Michael Jackson biopic finally arrives, and I was its biggest skeptic. Honestly, while I was entertained throughout, it does feel less than impressive. It sands down most of the edges, but still manages to hit all the biggest story beats and peculiarities, like his obsession with Peter Pan and exotic animals (complete with CGI Bubbles), various surgeries and the infamous Pepsi incident. It only tells about half of the story (from 1966 to 1988) and basically turns into a concert film at the end, but mostly focuses on Michael's strained relationship with his abusive father and how he finally manages to break free and come into his own. His story is larger than life to match his massive talent, but the music speaks volumes and remains as iconic as ever. Jaafar Jackson (real-life nephew to Michael) embodies his spirit, even as I was put off by the uncanny valley cast by all the makeup and prosthetics involved therein. Michael had a real gift that can't be denied, even to those who are dedicated to smearing one's legacy. While it can be argued that it's heavily sanitized and has no teeth, it ends on a high note rather than a low.

The movie: 3 nose jobs out of 5

The music: 5 moonwalks out of 5

Note: It's amusing to me that Mike Myers basically plays the same type of executive character here as he did in the Queen Bohemian Rhapsody biopic.

The Return of Spinal Tap (1992)

AKA: A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out

In honor of Spın̈al Tap's new album release ("Break Like the Wind"), we have another rockumentary following them on their latest tour. Mostly consists of stage footage of Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) performing at the Royal Albert Hall for their "final" reunion concert. Where the joke ends and the performance begins, no one knows. These guys are basically fused as these characters forever at this point. It's mostly played straight as a concert film, blurring the lines between art and life even more. I found it enjoyable, but nothing new.

2½ incorrect Stonehenge proportions out of 5

The Beach Boys (2024)

An introductory look at "America's band" and the surf music revolution of the 1960s, from humble beginnings to household names. As fans of both The Beach Boys and The Beatles, it was interesting to learn how their reach influenced and challenged each other to develop their sound, especially into Pet Sounds and the experimental, never-released Smile. It's a good doc, but they really skimmed over the more unsavory details and omitted pretty much everything after 1980. I found myself doing a deep dive on Wikipedia afterwards in order to quench my need for more knowledge. That shit is so sad though, I can see why they wanted to focus on the "greatest hits" period instead.

3 good vibrations out of 5

W.A.S.P. - Reidolized (2018)

Full title, Reidolized (The Soundtrack to The Crimson Idol), is a sixty-minute 'film' that accompanied W.A.S.P.'s re-recording of their fifth studio album, The Crimson Idol, which was originally released back in 1992.
Directed by Ralph Ziman, the 'film' is the album's songs with occasional v/o narration; i.e parts of The Story of Jonathan (Prologue to the Crimson Idol), included on the 1998 remaster of the 1992 concept album. It's basically an extended music video that got made and shelved back in the day. As such, it's the original track listing, with none of the 'lost' tracks on the re-recording.
If you've not already guessed, it's primarily something for W.A.S.P. fans, and will have very limited appeal outside of that demographic.

2½ industry teeth out of 5

Ulver: The Norwegian National Opera (2010)

If you know Ulver then you'll know to expect the unexpected. That's exactly what their live concert film presents a viewer with from the outset. Captured at The Norwegian National Opera on 31/07/10, it begins like some kind of bizarre performance art with the music as accompaniment.
The band members eventually appear in front of a projected screen that displays imagery with a power all of its own, being frequently religious, warring and sexually explicit in nature. It's also occasionally horrific and even somewhat questionable. I unwisely watched it before settling down to sleep.
As a live entity they're impressive, which is something you might not expect from a band that until the previous year had worked solely in the studio since their formation in 1993. And while the full oeuvre of the wolves may not get an airing, their experimental/ambient side certainly does.

4 hallways of always out of 5

Manowar: Live In Bulgaria, Kaliakra Rock Fest (2007)

Is your sword wet? Is you hammer held high? Good, but the energy of Manowar live on stage is impossible to capture on DVD. However, if all you want is a decent set-list played live then it’ll deliver the goods.
If you’re a fan (let’s face it, you’d need to be in order to enjoy ageing guys in leather chaps masturbating their instruments) you’ll likely be expecting the lengthy guitar and bass solos, and maybe even the hilariously sexist pit at the front reserved for the pretty ladies? Well, that’s exactly what you get!
It’s all somewhat Spinal Tap in places, but that just adds to the charm.
For me, Hail and Kill was the majestic highlight of the show.

3 divine rights out of 5

Iron Maiden: Visions of the Beast (2003)

A two-disc set featuring every promo video that the band made up to and including footage from the Rock in Rio (2002) DVD. What that amounts to is two and a half hours of Maiden; not too shabby.
The audio on the videos is fine, but make sure and place your action-thumb on the volume control when the disc flicks back to the menu because for some reason the audio there is cranked to deafening proportions!
Both discs have a few Easter eggs that really aren’t worth the hassle needed to access them, even if the method for doing so is inventive.

5 skips through the Blaze years out of 5

ROGER WATERS THE WALL [2014]

...we came in?
Roger Waters The Wall concert film really doesn't need an introduction if you're familiar with Pink Floyd, their iconic album, the elaborate touring show production, the misfired cult film or the man behind the greater bulk of the compositions.
The film bounces back between extended sequences of his 2010-13 tour in various parts of the world to personally sublime moments of Waters traveling the European countryside, following in the tracks his father & grandfather made as soldiers during the World Wars.
The live sequences are beautifully shot, showcasing the intimacy of the Waters & the band as well as giving the viewer a good idea of the extravagance of the amazing live theatrics.  The 'intimate' melodramatic scenes in betwee, are clearly staged and all signs point to disaster, but Waters' sincerity allows us to truly believe in the moment.
Isn't this where...

4 more bricks out of 5

Anathema: Universal (2013)

If you’re one of the people who are comfortable with Anathema’s evolution from early years doom and gloomsters into the majestic Pink Floydian entity that they are today, then the live concert contained on the disc, filmed at the ancient Roman Theatre of Phillippoplis, is essential viewing.
At first I didn't think the deeply moving music would work in a live setting, but I was very, very wrong. It works. The band is joined by conductor Dave Stewart and the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra. They support but never overpower or fade; whoever set the levels did a grand job.
Everyone is on top form, but for me the most amazing moments come courtesy of Lee Douglas, whose voice is like unfiltered emotion transformed into a beautiful sound. She takes my heart from my chest, heals it, makes it better than it ever was before, and gently places it back in its proper place.

5 dreaming lights out of 5

Yello: Touch Yello: The Virtual Concert (2009)

A regular filmed concert is too mainstream for the Swiss duo. Instead, they made a virtual auditorium and filled it with arty weirdness and women staring longingly at the viewer. It starts out in classy black and white and then gradually gives way to a stylish arrival of colour.
So far so good, but the blue screen effects lack the kind of warmth the music needed as a backdrop. Sometimes the emptiness of the venue makes us feel as if the entire performance is exclusively for us, but other times it makes us feel like a distanced onlooker. It was an interesting idea, like most of Yello’s crazy conceptual ideas are, it just didn't work for me.
Some of the hits are reworked versions that aren't as good as their original album counterparts. Nevertheless, seeing Dieter Meier smirk his way through a full set is entertaining. If I had his bank balance I'd be smirking too.

2½ musical images out of 5

Alan Parsons: Eye 2 Eye: Live in Madrid (2010)

Six guys on a stage with no gimmicks and no frills, letting the music speak for itself, which, thanks to their combined talent, it does admirably. It was recorded on May 14th, 2004 at the Plaza Mayor. Each man takes their turn to shine, never trying to upstage the others. If you’re an AP fan you’ll know that vocal duties are shared, even the drummer has a go and he’s amazing at it!
My only criticism is that there’s very little energy from the audience. The ‘live’ atmosphere isn't very prevalent, but that’s okay, it’s all about the music.

3½ games played out of 5

Katatonia: Sanctitude (2015)

Leaving just one year between live shows released on dvd smells like an over-milked tit, but Sanctitude really is worth dipping into the wallet for. It’s the Swedes 'unplugged' and seated, with drums replaced by lighter percussion, including toms. The atmosphere contained within the reworked tracks is a perfect fit to the candle-lit setting of London's Union Chapel. Everything is more tranquil; even Renske seems more at ease than normal. The new line-up get through seventeen tracks in the eighty-minute set. It’s a generous amount but I would've happily sat for another seventeen.

5 unfurlings out of 5

The Sisters Of Mercy: Shot Rev 2.0 (1992)

A standard collection of music videos from the era before YouTube made the same thing easily attainable to anyone with internet connectivity. They’re very much TSoM in essence. Eldritch is instantly recognisable in his tailored suits and shades, playing hide and seek in foreign-looking places. Patricia Morrison features, adding big hair, allure and mystery.
It omits some of the earlier videos (Body and Soul, Walk Away, No Time To Cry, Black Planet), so points deducted for that. Everything else in included, though, right up to Under the Gun. Temple of Love is the 1992 rerelease with the amazing voice of Ofra Haza, but it’s the edited 7” version.

3½ healing hands out of 5

Twisted Sister: Live at Wacken: The Reunion (2005)

Pero’s snare sound is a bit off at the beginning but his timing isn't, and as the show goes on everything gets progressively better. French and Ojeda are both on the mark. If you didn't know prior to watching how long Twisted Sister had been apart, you’d never guess from the performance alone. Mendoza pounds the bass like the animal he’s named for. But best of all, frontman Dee Snider hasn't lost any of his passion. It’s uncanny how much of his lyrics, penned decades ago, are fitting to a reunion occasion.
It’s not just music; it's intercut by each member separately discussing the breakup and eventual road to reformation. It’s interesting, but I’d prefer that kind of thing on a separate disc and have the gig uninterrupted.

4 destroyers out of 5

Kate Bush: The Whole Story (1987)

The Whole Story is a collection of thirteen promo videos from the first five Kate Bush albums. You can view the kooky dancing as a thing of choreographed beauty or as the movements of a madwoman let loose with a video camera. I’m firmly in the former camp. Like her previous release, The Single File (1983), TWS is currently unavailable on dvd or blu, so either seek out a second-hand VHS or Japanese Laserdisc copy, or as before go to Wiki, get the song list, then go to youtube and make a playlist. The last I checked, the Official Kate Bush channel had them all in good quality.

5 Irish fairy tales out of 5