Top Ten Tuesday: Movies about music

Happy Tuesday!

So this week’s TTT, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is a “movie freebie,” eh? OK.

I’m not a huge movie buff, but I’m still not sure I can narrow my favorites down to just 10. I really enjoy films about music, so let’s go with that!

In no particular order …

1. “The Blues Brothers”

HIT IT.

Seriously, how fun is this movie?! Ex-convict Jake Blues and his brother, Elwood, put together a benefit show to save the Catholic home where they were raised. They get into all sorts of shenanigans along the way. But that’s OK, because …

I love all the cameos by legendary artists like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. And there is just something about movies set in Chicago that I absolutely adore.

So much epic dancing.

 

2. “Walk the Line”

If I were making a list of all-time favorite movies, this biopic about The Man in Black would be on it. “Walk the Line” basically sealed my love for this guy.

Work on this film began before Johnny Cash’s death in 2003, and his family was very much on board with it.

Joaquin Phoenix is like a reincarnation of Cash.

You tell him.

And Reese Witherspoon makes a great June Carter Cash. The perfect mix of sass, spine and sweetness.

Can’t … even.

 

3. “Empire Records”

A quintessential ’90s movie with an awesome soundtrack, great cast, a crap-ton of quotable scenes …

And of course, this creeper:

“Say no more, mon amour …”

 

4. “Almost Famous”

How many music nerds have daydreamed about hitting the road with a rock ‘n roll band? And writing a piece about said band for the Rolling Stone?! I know I have.

Here’s where it gets interesting – what if you fulfill this dream before you’ve graduated high school?!

“Almost Famous” is packed with beauty and wisdom, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from a movie directed and written by Cameron Crowe.

PREACH.

“Almost Famous” is the kind of movie that plants itself in your head and refuses to leave. And I mean that in the best possible way.

“I need to go home.” -William … “You ARE home.” -Penny

 

5. “High Fidelity”

Teach me your ways.

Based on the book by Nick Hornby, “High Fidelity” is the story of record store owner and compulsive list writer Rob Gordon (John Cusack). I can relate to this guy because I’d love to own a record store, I used to make all kinds of lists (most of them pointless), and I once had a tendency to dwell on failed relationships.

Rob’s latest love interest, a sultry singer/songwriter, is portrayed by Denise Hux … I mean, Lisa Bonet.

That’s right, credit this line to Nick Hornby … not Fall Out Boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rob is dealing with some pretty heavy stuff … good thing one of his employees is played by none other than Jack Black. Granted, he’s kind of a douche, but as usual he keeps things light.

 

6. “August Rush”

Oh, my goodness. This movie gives me all the feels. So much so that I saw it in the theater THREE TIMES.

A young musical prodigy follow the music to find his birth parents, a rock musician father and a cellist mother …

I had a bit of a crush on Jonathan Rhys-Meyers after this movie came out …

… goes to work as a street performer for a bitter, grown-up orphan who calls himself Wizard …

One of Robin Williams’ lesser-known roles … R.I.P.

… and, well, I won’t give too much else away. But I will tell you, I bawled like a baby several times throughout this movie. And I think I’d probably cry again if I watched it now. It is heartbreaking and exquisite and totally underrated.

This scene … gah …

 

 

7. “Pitch Perfect”

I KNOW we’re all looking forward to seeing the Barden Bellas return for “Pitch Perfect 3” in 2017 … am I right?!

I can’t even say how much I love “Pitch Perfect” and “Pitch Perfect 2” so I’ll just say it with more amazing gifs.

“It’s a lot of floor work.”

“… Mmm, better not.”

 

8. “A Hard Day’s Night”

Beatlemania!

This movie really has no plot, but it doesn’t need to. It’s just The Beatles getting chased around by girls, causing trouble and playing music. What more could you want?

Pssh. No one is prettier than Paul.

Last but not least, my favorite scene …

9. “That Thing You Do!”

A band from Pennsylvania hits it big in 1964 with, well, that one song …

I don’t have an awful lot to say about this movie, as it’s been a LONG time since I’ve seen it. But it’s got an amazing cast.

“We’re on the radio!”

Such a funny scene!

 

10. “School of Rock”

Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is a washed-up musician who poses as a substitute teacher and forms a band of grade-schoolers. Totally on the up and up.

 

It takes the class a while to warm up to him …

But they catch on.

 

So, there you have it … my top 10 favorite movies about music. Have you seen any of the movies on this list? What music-related movies are your favorites?

If you did Top Ten Tuesday this week, please paste your link in the comments below so I can check it out!

I’ll be back in a couple of days or so with some more bookish goodness.