BeatRoute Magazine ON Edition - December 2019

N O 3
TRAVIS SCOTT –
LOOK MOM I CAN FLY
Directed by White Trash Tyler
This is undoubtedly the most ‘2019’
film on the list, and it just might be
the purest specimen representing
today’s face-tat trap movement.
It’s a behind-closed-doors look
at Scott’s last two years, and his
rise from a little boy that misses
Astroworld to a diamond-toothed
demigod.
N O 8
AMAZING GRACE
Directed by Sydney Pollack and
finally realized by Producer Alan Elliott
In 1972, Aretha Franklin recorded
a live album in a small Baptist
Church, but due to both technical
and legal reasons, the documentary
is only now being released.
Franklin had a voice that registered
on a religious level, so put on your
Sunday best and prepare for a
soul-rockin’ performance like never
before because this sermon is one
you need to hear.
N O 9
DAVID CROSBY:
REMEMBER MY NAME
Directed by A.J. Eaton
He’s a crusty old bugger that’s
lost nearly all his friends on
the journey of life, but he feels
there’s still a chapter or two
yet to be told. David Crosby,
from Crosby Stills and Nash
(amongst others), reflects in
this poignant reminiscence on
life, love, regret, and what’s left
when each day really might be
the last.
N O 4
LEAVING NEVERLAND
Directed by Dan Reed
Leaving Neverland extends beyond
the bounds of music. While the
black cloud that’s followed the
‘King of Pop’ for years has been
common knowledge, in this HBO
documentary we get the bare
bones perspective from the victims
— now men — behind that black
cloud. Take a deep breath, watch
both parts, and make up your own
mind once the dust has settled.
N O 5
ANIMA - THOM YORKE
SHORT Directed by PTA
Music videos are more relevant
today than ever, but this
collaboration results in an other-wordly
15-minute long visual
art piece that tells the story of
a sleep deprived passenger
and his solemn search for connection
through the uniquely
feverish cinematic language of
Thom Yorke.
N O 6
COUNTRY MUSIC
Directed by Ken Burns
If all that comes to mind when you
hear the words ‘country music’ is
Taylor Swift and an urge to light
something on fire, then this docuseries
is probably perfect for you.
In the 8-part series, legend Ken
Burns gives us all a lasting lesson
on why the genre is so much more
than what they play on the radio.
N O 7
ECHO IN THE CANYON
Directed by Andrew Slater
It’s Dylan again, but this time,
Dylan Junior. Jakob Dylan
revives what was a meteoric
flash in the music world,
when some of the most influential
musicians — from the
Mamas and the Papas to the
Byrds and the Beachboys
— were creating all amongst
one another in the Los Angeles’
Laurel Canyon area.
N O 10 HOMECOMING
Directed by Beyoncé
and Ed Burke
No music-related list would be
complete without some form of
reference to the Queen herself,
and this one comes as an all-out
nod to what’s being called one
of the best concert docs, not
just this year, but of all-time. It’s
a celebration of black culture
and the countless painstaking
hours it took to prepare for Beyonce’s
performance as the first
ever black woman to headline
Coachella. There’s an enigmatic
presence that surrounds her, and
the documentary serves to peel
back the curtain ever so slightly
through the intersection of brilliantly
filmed and edited concert
footage with candid backstage
and preparatory snippets painting
hints of personality that come
in the form of voice memos and
voiceovers, only adding to Bey’s
allure. Where the film truly thrives
is the ways in which it transcends
the present moment, reflecting
not only on the colossal accomplishment
of the performance
itself, but speaking to its place in
history. Quotes from great black
thinkers and creatives are interspersed
throughout the film, with
no one line better summing the
piece up than actress Danai Gurira’s
thoughts on what it means to
be the guiding light for a world of
so many faithful dreamers: “The
youth need to see greatness
reflected in our eyes. Go forth, let
them know it’s real.”
DECEMBER 2019 BEATROUTE 29