Welcome back to the Cause Cinema Spotlight.
This week we have two more music films to present, a new release by the filmmaker behind Once, and a restored classic celebrating its 40th anniversary. Our series pick has just released its final season and is scoring off the charts. We’ll start there.
Top Boy
This drama takes viewers into the housing estates of East London. There is tension between the drug gangs that operate almost openly and those who strive to live honest lives against the odds in the crime-riddled area. That tension is explored through the interlocking stories of 20-something drug dealer Dushane, who is determined to become the area's Top Boy, and good-natured but vulnerable teenager Ra'Nell, who is forced to grow up quickly following his mother's breakdown and enforced absence. The show combines elements of a tense gangster thriller with subtle social realism, some tenderness, innocence and humor.
See Top Boy on Netflix
Next, we go back to the past, as we celebrate the re-release of a classic, I would argue the best concert doc ever, Directed by Academy Award winner Jonathan Demme. A24 stepped up to restore and re-release the movie in IMAX this week.
Stop Making Sense
Director Jonathan Demme captures the frantic energy and artsy groove of Talking Heads in this concert movie shot at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in 1983. The band's frontman, David Byrne, first appears on an empty stage, armed with only an acoustic guitar, and is gradually joined by bassist Tina Weymouth, drummer Chris Frantz, keyboardist Jerry Harrison and a group of backup singers, as they perform the band's hits, culminating in an iconic performance featuring Byrne in an enormous suit.
Stop Making Sense is on 200 IMAX screens before going wider next week. You can also see on iTunes.
Flora and Son
Single mom Flora is at a loss about what to do with her rebellious teenage son, Max. Encouraged by the police to find Max a hobby, Flora tries to occupy him with a beat-up acoustic guitar. With the help of a washed-up LA musician, Flora and Max discover the transformative power of music. From the musical mind of John Carney, “Flora and Son” explores the bond between a mother and son on a journey toward a new harmony.
Flora and Son was released today in limited theaters and is coming to Apple+ on September 29th.
Behind the Scenes with Flora and Son
Stop Making Sense Promo
Can you guess what he is picking up at the cleaners?!
Flora and Son, Top Boy, & Talking Heads