A beautiful tribute and intimate portrait of Jeff Buckley that features footage from performances in NYC cafes, answering machine messages, personal video recordings, archival interviews and touching interviews with loved ones. This film offers a view into how special of a human being Jeff Buckley was in his approach to music, loving, and living before his sudden death in 1997. Raised by his single mom and extended family in Southern California, the most notable revelation for me was learning that Jeff is of Panamanian descent!
For fans of heart-achingly beautiful vocals and vulnerable storytelling.
Selena y Los Dinos: A Family’s Legacy (dir. Isabel Castro)
This documentary offers personal behind-the-scenes camcorder footage taken by Selena and her siblings (and later, her husband Chris Perez), following their early childhood music careers into young adulthood superstardom, as well as original interviews with her family members. Finally, a project that pays proper tribute to Selena’s legacy. Beyond her musical contributions, Selena offered groundbreaking representation for Mexicans raised in the United States. She was a Texican who sang Cumbias, but also enjoyed Freestyle and Hip Hop and dressed like a pop star (as opposed to wearing regional Mexican attire). Selena gave us the first time a brown woman was depicted in beauty campaigns (in the U.S. or Mexico). Despite her perfect Spanish pronunciation when singing, she struggled to express herself in Spanish language interviews, and diligently worked to improve her fluency (shout out to the ‘no sabo’ kids).
For fans of the Queen of Tejano and those trying to learn Spanish in time for the Superbowl.
Björk: Cornucopia (dir. Ísold Uggadóttir and Björk)
This was one of the first concerts I was able to attend as the world started to re-open following the pandemic. I remember being on the floor of the Chase, stunned by the experience of live music again, seeing Björk perform inside what I would describe as a human sized egg from behind layers of screens displaying projections, with a Los Angeles gospel choir joined by a variety of musicians. It was a multi-sensory experience encapsulating the experience of ‘awe.’ The film does an excellent job of focusing your attention to the principle notes, sorting through all the stimuli. The lyrics (that are displayed as subtitles throughout the film) bring an additional layer of joy and silliness.
For fans of fairies and playfulness and loving your inner child.
Depeche Mode: M (dir. Fernando Frías)
This concert film is set during the band’s Mexico City performances of the Memento Mori tour, which served to collectively process the grief of losing Andy Fletcher, one of the Depeche Mode founding members, who died in 2022. Centering Dave Gahan’s signature dance moves and Martin L. Gore’s distinctive “angelic” vocals throughout, the film also offers Mexican culture’s relationship with death as a container through interviews with Mexican artists, intellectuals, and Depeche Mode fans.
For fans of wearing all black and Día de los Muertos.
Lillith Fair: Building a Mystery (dir. Ally Pankiw)
This film brings together archival footage and original interviews with a myriad of artists that performed as part of the touring music festival in the 90s. Underscoring the lack of radio play and concert billing for women musicians, the festival founded by Sarah McLachlan brought together all the big names in the indie/alternative rock scene. In response to criticism, in subsequent years the tour expanded to include hip hop and R&B women artists, as well as folk and country. Originally motivated by wanting to prove that there is market demand for women artists, and to eliminate pitting them against each other, the real magic was the byproduct it created: a healthier community backstage and an audience atmosphere friendlier to women on all fronts.
For fans of ‘90s nostalgia and intergenerational women empowerment.
