Best Music Movies of 2015

1.

Straight Outta Compton

6.4

7.9/10

In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Taking us back to where it all began, Straight Outta Compton tells the true story of how these cultural rebels—armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent—stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down and formed the world’s most dangerous group, N.W.A. And as they spoke the truth that no one had before and exposed life in the hood, their voice ignited a social revolution that is still reverberating today.

2.

Cobain: Montage of Heck

5.4

7.6/10

The authorized documentary on late Guitar/lead singer Kurt Cobain from his early days in Aberdeen Washington to his success and downfall with Grunge band Nirvana.

3.

Love & Mercy

5.3

7.4/10

In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, Wilson, under the sway of a controlling therapist, finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter.

4.

We Are Your Friends

5.1

6.2/10

Young Cole Carter dreams of hitting the big time as a Hollywood disc jockey, spending his days and nights hanging with buddies and working on the one track that will set the world on fire. Opportunity comes knocking when he meets James Reed, a charismatic DJ who takes the 23-year-old under his wing. Soon, his seemingly clear path to success gets complicated when he starts falling for his mentor's girlfriend, jeopardizing his new friendship and the future he seems destined to fulfill.

5.

Danny Collins

5.0

7.0/10

An ageing rock star decides to change his life when he discovers a 40-year-old letter written to him by John Lennon.

6.

Soaked in Bleach

4.6

7.5/10

Twenty years ago, Kurt Cobain was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound to the head. The world was told it was a suicide, but evidence would lead many people to believe it might be otherwise. The film investigates the possibilities that exist that Kurt Cobain's death might not have been a suicide, that the Seattle Police Department rushed their verdict, and the global media perpetuated lies and misinformation fed to them by Courtney Love that created the belief in many that Cobain killed himself, but when revealed to be lies, lead many to now question what happened.

7.

Deathgasm

4.5

6.3/10

Two teenage boys unwittingly summon an ancient evil entity known as The Blind One by delving into black magic while trying to escape their mundane lives.

8.

Ricki and the Flash

4.3

5.9/10

Meryl Streep stars as Ricki Rendazzo, a guitar heroine who made a world of mistakes as she followed her dreams of rock-and-roll stardom. Returning home, Ricki gets a shot at redemption and a chance to make things right as she faces the music with her family.

10.

Miles Ahead

4.2

6.4/10

An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis.

11.

Junun

3.9

7.5/10

Paul Thomas Anderson joined his close friend and collaborator Jonny Greenwood on a trip to Rajasthan in northwest India, where they were hosted by the Maharaja of Jodhpur, and he brought his camera with him. Their destination was the 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort, where Greenwood was recording an album with Israeli composer Shye Ben Tzur and an amazing group of musicians.

12.

Strange Magic

3.9

5.8/10

A love potion works its devious charms on fairies, elves and the swamp-dwelling Bog King as they all try to possess the potion for themselves.

13.

A Very Murray Christmas

3.9

5.5/10

Bill Murray worries no one will show up to his TV show due to a massive snowstorm in New York City. Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at Gotham’s Carlyle Hotel to help him — dancing and singing in holiday spirit.

14.

Janis: Little Girl Blue

3.9

7.4/10

Musician Cat Power narrates this documentary on Janis Joplin's evolution into a star from letters that Joplin wrote over the years to her friends, family, and collaborators.

15.

Daft Punk Unchained

3.8

7.3/10

Daft Punk Unchained is the first film about the pop culture phenomenon that is Daft Punk, the duo with 12 million albums sold worldwide and seven Grammy Awards. Throughout their career Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have always resisted compromise and the established codes of show business. They have remained determined to maintain control of every link in the chain of their creative process. In the era of globalisation and social networks, they rarely speak in public and neither do they show their faces on TV. This documentary explores this unprecedented cultural revolution revealing a duo of artists on a permanent quest for creativity, independence and freedom.

16.

Born to Be Blue

3.7

6.9/10

Jazz legend Chet Baker finds love and redemption when he stars in a movie about his own troubled life to mount a comeback.

18.

Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour - Live

3.6

8.8/10

Taylor delivers the concert event of the year. Filmed at Sydney's ANZ Stadium in front of 76,000 fans, The 1989 World Tour - Live captures the excitement and energy of the hottest pop star in the world. Filled with great music, an electrifying stage show, and superstar guest appearances, the concert film is only on Apple Music.

19.

Keith Richards: Under the Influence

3.6

7.1/10

A portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.