We've got another batch of docs and biopics about musicians and movements, all of them compelling, entertaining, and available to stream via the binge-watching enabler at your leisure.
This is a varied bunch, both in format and in musical style. They're not all straightforward documentaries, and the approach of those that do qualify as such isn't exactly conventional – one of them doesn't even address the genre it relates to until the tail end. Each of the five recommended films, however, has the potential to be illuminating for everyone.
If this biopic rings sensationalized, then you must not know much about Gloria Trevi. The Mexican pop-rock icon traveled an incredibly rocky road, especially in the '90s. There's absolutely no need for over-dramatizing when your legit history includes a manipulative, egotistical manager/lover, allegations of corrupting minors, sexual abuse and kidnapping, four years in jail, and, afterward, vindication and a career revival. Gloria doesn't ignore her songwriting merits or her progressive politics, either. Trevi wasn't happy with her portrayal at first, and there was some back-and-forth about her actual level of involvement in its creation. She's since recanted any negative comments, though, and now fully backs the film.
While it's primarily about the real-life Warriors of New York City in the '70s, the inescapability of gang life at the time, and the socioeconomic and political causes behind it, Rubble Kings ultimately reveals the period's influence in the development of hip-hop. It's inherent, really; the groundwork was laid out in the Bronx and surrounding neighborhoods during that tumultuous era. Learning about the plight of the Ghetto Brothers and other groups – including the Black Spades, to which Universal Zulu Nation's Afrika Bambaataa belonged – and their eventual turnaround toward community oriented goodwill ahead of the genre's emergence is incredibly enlightening.
While Montage of Heck amassed loads of buzz around its August debut on HBO this year, a lesser known doc about Kurt Cobain was also released this year. Soaked in Bleach definitely didn't see as much fanfare – maybe in part because it's not a tribute in the traditional sense. It's not an inspiring story about Cobain's influence as an artist, but rather an investigation into his death that attempts to sturdy the long-standing suspicion that Courtney Love played a role. Whether or not you find credibility in the evidence – which is built on the contribution of a private investigator hired by Love just days before Cobain was found, as well as input from their close friend and lawyer at the time – some of the questions raised by the film are undeniably unsettling.
This historical piece captures the early moments of Northern Soul, a Northern England movement of the '70s borne of a fervor for black American soul music of the '60s, through a tale of two Lancashire teens who wholeheartedly live it. All the right details are there, from the influence of Bruce Lee (both in dance moves and dress) to the obsessive search for the rarest 45s (and the "cover-up" moves to keep those exclusive tunes unknown to other DJs). There's little that warrants complaint, honestly. Anyone who loves Northern Soul already will likely appreciate the authenticity of this fun and endearing homage, and those unfamiliar with it can learn its beginnings without sacrificing an entertaining storyline.
You can't talk about the Brooklyn rapper's career without also acknowledging his business savvy, but this 2014 doc analyzes his career even more deeply – and the participation of early collaborator Jaz-O and respected media figures affords all its speculation some serious clout. Kim Osario, former editor-in-chief of The Source, Hip-Hop Wired deputy editor Alvin Blanco, and Zack O'Malley Greenburg, author of Empire State of Mind: An Unauthorized Biography of Jay Z, all contribute to a portrayal that simultaneously praises his success and questions his methods. Did Jay Z abandon those who'd helped his career after getting what he wanted? Was he an opportunist? Is he still?
When O'Malley Greenburg finally connected with the mogul about his book, he received this succinct criticism: "That book was horrible!" We think he'd likely say the same about the doc. There's a degree of unfairness in the fact that Mr. Carter's input is obviously absent from the story, and one might view some of the commentators as bitter. Still, there are plenty of nagging truths here – and an unfaltering respect for his hustle.
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Jhoni Jackson is an Atlanta-bred music journalist currently based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she juggles owning a venue called Club 77, freelance writing and, of course, going to the beach as often as possible.