Fun Movies Centered Around Bands

Today @steevc put out the a post around music/band based movies. That, and the three tune post I wrote yesterday, led me to think on three fun movies around bands that I have loved. None of them are deep movies but it was surprising how much I love each of them.

that thing you do!

I want to start with the fantastic movie "that thing you do!"

This is a beautiful movie about a small band come together in a garage, hit the big time, and then ... well that's the whole story so I will not reveal it. It is not some great mystery but still fun to watch and enjoy. A lot of the movie reminds me of stories around Beatles and other such bands and it does look like they do play on a lot of the clichés from that time. However the treatment of the movie, the beautiful soundtrack, and the magnificent Tom Hanks all pull together with all the other wonderful actors to really tie in this movie together. A wonderful movie, I remember seeing it in the cinema for the first time, and have seen it multiple times since. A must watch for people who like light movies, movies around music, and old pop music.

Metal Lords

Metal Lords was a quaint movie that came out on Netflix, just post pandemic. As it was a time I was completely rivetted to Netflix and other OTT platforms this one popped up and the poster really interested me.

The screenplay did seem cliched again, but the final movie was a true beauty! A story of a sorry pair of school goers trying to make a metal band in a school where no one expects it, and then pulling in a cello playing girl to help them with bass, has the beginning of a story most of us have seen many times before. Yet while keeping a familiar shape it works out a unique feel all of its own. The protagonists are interesting, their teenage angst is quite convincing, and there is an interesting cameo. And good music! Well worth a watch !!!

School of Rock

I have so many more movies to talk about, and I might some time later, but I really want to try and restrict myself to three, so I will choose School of Rock

Most Jack Black movies shine because of Jack Black, but in this movie he is just one of the stars. The children in this movie almost outshine him in parts. Great movie that most might have already seen. Again a cookie cutter scenario but with some interesting twists, most of them which work just because -Jack Black. However the soul of the movie is the children, how they take to rock, how vibe with it, how it lets them collaborate and shine. And once again great music! For those interested there is even a cast reunion video on YouTube where they sang and played their songs from the movie. Great movie if you want to have a fun time.

Why these three

Well, one reason was I am trying to not ramble on, So three seemed a good idea after putting out three tunes yesterday. But these three are interesting, in that none of them are conventionally deep movies. We can even call them pulp or pop corn fare, maybe the last too might even be called YA movies.

However what I love in all of them is that feeling of wanting to make your mark, achieve something, and then working hard and hustling to make that happen.

The first movie is about a lackluster band transforming into a shooting start thanks to their new drummers eccentric playing. And then it is about what such success can do.

The second movie is about the classic teenage angsts, the need for an identity, the ambition to create a band and the effort to make it a reality.

The third one is once again about the path less travelled, about the passion towards music, about the creativity it can spark and the satisfaction such creativity can give.

So though all three are light fare, they sit deep in my soul. And I hope you will enjoy it too, if you have not already seen them already :)

Rock On!!!

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