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Britney Ever After
Brit-Brit's reps have been very clear to state that this project is completely unauthorized and Spears has not contributed to it nor given it her blessing. You know what that means: This aught to be juicy! Fans are looking forward to looking back on her Mickey Mouse Club beginnings, rise to superstardom, Justin Timberlake romance, personal battles, and monumental comeback. It airs February 18.
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Straight Outta Compton
This Oscar-nominated hit follows the early careers of N.W.A. members Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube,
with Ice Cube portrayed by his son O'Shea Jackson, Jr. Paul Giamatti also stars as N.W.A's manager, Jerry Heller.
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The Jacksons: An American Dream
This 1992 two-part miniseries is based on the the autobiography 'My Family' by Katherine Jackson, the matriarch of the legendary Jackson family. It follows the Jackson 5 through their Motown success. The program won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Choreography.
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I'm Not There
Who is Bob Dylan? Director Todd Haynes investigates the many identities of the musician, using six actors to embody different periods and personas of Dylan's life. While Cate Blanchett takes on Dylan's Don't Look Back-years, and Heath Ledger, in one of his final roles, portrays his Freewheelin'-era and relationship with Joan Baez, an eight-year-old plays the black soul singer Woody Guthrie (said to be Dylan's idol), culminating with Richard Gere's performance as Billy The Kid (a subject of Dylan's fascination). Haynes' use of appropriate-era photography and homages to Dylan's many influences and loves is also a tribute to any Bob Dylan fanatic. Whether he's Robert Zimmerman, Blind Boy Grunt, or even Santa Claus, I'm Not There is the closest we've come to an appropriate Dylan biopic.
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BackBeat
The Beatles' pre-fame Hamburg era is in the spotlight in this 1994 film that focuses on the friendship between John Lennon and original Beatles bassist Stu Sutcliffe who (SPOILER ALERT) dies of a brain hemorrhage two years before the band hit the big time. None of the Beatles were in love with the film but the actors look so much like young Beatles that you'll do double-takes as they appear on screen.
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Ray
Jamie Foxx absolutely commits to the role of blind gospel singer Ray Charles, who lost his sight at age seven shortly after watching his brother drown. Spanning through childhood until his incredible breakthrough success, the biopic is full of effusive love for the R&B musician who created his own signature style. Charles's heroin use and extensive love affairs are also chronicled. Foxx won an Oscar for his portrayal.
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CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story
Hip-hop trio TLC are profiled in this hit 2013 made-for-TV biopic, which was the highest-rated television film premiere of 2013 with a viewership of 4.5 million. TLC released a companion album, '20,' to coincide with the film's release and mark the group's 20th anniversary in the music industry.
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Selena
This 1997 drama follows the life and career of Mexican music star Selena, who was murdered by her fan club president when she was just 23. Jennifer Lopez stars as Selena in her breakout role.
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Last Days
Writer/producer/director GusVan Sant had wanted to do a Kurt Cobain biopic but was eager to avoid a potential lawsuit brought on by Cobain's widow, Courtney Love. And so, instead, we get this "Cobain-inspired" film that presents a fictionalized account of the last days of a grunge musician. It garnered mixed reviews but won the Technical Grand Prize at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
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Amadeus
Wolfgang Mozart is immortalized in Milos Forman's 1984 film 'Amadeus'. Centered on the rivalry between boy genius Mozart and the jealous composer Antonio Salieri, Mozart's drunken bad boy behaviour is a stirring contrast to his brilliant talent. The film is a masterpiece, winning eight Academy Awards that year, including "Best Picture".
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Coal Miner's Daughter
Sissy Spacek stars as Loretta Lynn in this 1985 country film classic. Growing up in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, with seven siblings, Lynn was married off at age 15 only to be discovered by her idol, Patsy Cline, and create an unforgettable legacy as a singer. Even as she struggles with a doomed marriage and career uncertainties, Loretta Lynn's unflappable spirit brings her back to the music every time. Spacek and her co-star Tommy Lee Jones won Oscars for their performances, but The Band's Levon Helm also shines in a key role.
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The Doors
Oliver Stone directed Val Kilmer as Doors frontman Jim Morrison in this 1991 film, which delves into the band's formation, their rising fame at nightclub shows at L.A.'s famous Whisky a Go Go, and their ascent to superstardom marked by drugs, alcohol, spiritualism, sex, and death.
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Walk The Line
It doesn't get any darker than Johnny Cash's closet. This Hollywood adaptation of Cash's early years, ending with his famous album recording at Folsom Prison, is perfectedly embodied by Joaquin Phoenix in the key role. Vying for the love of the good Christian woman June Carter (Reese Witherspoon, who won an Oscar for the role), Cash battles drug addiction, childhood wounds and his criminal past.
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The Buddy Holly Story
Gary Busey earned an Oscar nom for playing '50s rock 'n' roll pioneer Buddy Holly in this 1978 biopic, which took home the Oscar for Best Adaptation Score. Busey was 33 when he portrayed Holly in his early 20s and he lost over 30 pounds to better resemble the slight, tragically short-lived but hugely influential star.
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Lady Sings The Blues
Diana Ross stars in this 1972 adaptation of Billie Holiday's autobiography, also titled Lady Sings The Blues. With a coarse upbringing in brothels as a prostitute, Holiday eventually gets a chance to sing for audiences, who do not appreciate her. It takes a tour around the American South (where Holiday gets the inspiration for "Strange Fruit") and a comeback from drug addiction to allow her to record a commanding album at Carnegie Hall. As Holiday, Diana Ross shines in her first film role, personifying Holiday with deep soul and passion. She was nominated for an Oscar for "Best Actress," but lost to Liza Minnelli in 'Cabaret'.
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Get On Up
Chadwick Boseman was praised for his portrayal of soul star James Brown in this 2014 movie that also starred Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer. James Brown fan/Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger co-produced the movie.
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24 Hour Party People
Michael Winterbottom's surreal, dramatic comedy about the rise and demise of Factory Records and the 1970s-1990s Manchester Music Scene is one of rock music's best films. Starring comedian Steve Coogan as Factory Records' co-founder Tony Wilson, it tells the story of how bands like Joy Division, New Order and The Happy Mondays broke out due to Wilson's patronage. Cutting between real life cameos, actual concert footage and Coogan deliberately talking to the audience, '24 Hour Party People' chronicles a prolific scene through rumours and hearsay, making clear it's always about the music.
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The Runaways
Italian-Canadian music video director Floria Sigismondi offers a hazy, sensual depiction of real-life 1970s girl group The Runaways. Starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Curie, the Los Angeles teens run amok crafting songs like "Cherry Bomb" with the help of their insane manager Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon). More than a rock 'n' roll biopic, it's also a coming-of-age story with Curie and Jett's relationship at the heart of the film. Terrific performances and great music solidify the film as an underrated gem.
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Nowhere Boy
We all know how the story tragically ends, but in Sam Taylor-Wood's biopic Nowhere Boy, it answers: how did John Lennon become John Lennon? This fun biopic shows Lennon rebelling against his strict British schooling, finding out the identity of his birth mother and meeting Paul McCartney and George Harrison for the first time as a teenage rocker. Aaron Johnson is a charismatic John Lennon, and his relationship with Aunt Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) positions the story as a family drama through rock 'n' roll.
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Control
Band photographer Anton Corbjin made his feature debut with 'Control', a black-and-white biopic of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, who struggles with epilepsy and an extramarital affair. Joy Division's success on the road is a contrast to Curtis's miserable home life, manifesting in a tragic suicide. With deep affection for the band, Corbjin, who photographed and directed music videos for Joy Division, crafts a true love letter that will tear you apart.
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