The Best Music Movies Of Sydney Film Festival

3 June 2014 | 2:00 pm | Hannah Story

Who doesn't love a good ol' movie and music mash-up?

FRANK

(Ireland, D. Lenny Abrahamson)

7 Jun, 9.30pm, State Theatre & 10 Jun, 7pm, Event Cinemas George St

Michael Fassbender as Frank wears a giant fake head and is the frontman in an avant-pop band who head to SXSW to find fame and fortune on the music scene. He and Clara (Maggie Gyllenhaal) are the enigmatic band who go into the recording studio when pushed by musician Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) who works on making their sound marketable and above all, good. With Irish director Lenny Abrahamson at the helm, this black comedy begins to make sense as a portrait of musicianship and artistry, where even a giant fake head doesn't distract from Fassbender's undeniable presence.

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We Are The Best!

WE ARE THE BEST!

(Sweden, Denmark, D. Lukas Moodysson)

8 Jun, 6pm, Event Cinemas George St & 15 Jun, 3.10pm, Dendy Opera Quays

The new film from Swedish director Lukas Moodysson follows three 13-year-old girls who decide to start a punk band, despite it being the post-punk '80s in Stockholm, and despite the small problem of not being able to play instruments. Young, outspoken feminists, Bobo and Klara enlist Hedvig to play guitar, even though she's not interested in punk. They bond, they meet boys, and most importantly, they play some defiant songs. 

20,000 DAYS ON EARTH

(UK, D. Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard)

4 Jun, 7.30pm, State Theatre & 8 Jun, 4pm, State Theatre

No SFF list would be complete without mentioning the opening night film, 20,000 Days On Earth by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard. The film is a fictionalised account of Nick Cave's 20,000th day on earth. Cave actually helped to write the film, along with Forsyth and Pollard, and he narrates this day as he writes and records the Bad Seeds' latest, Pushing The Sky Away. And in case you're not a Cave-iac, there are some other perks to this Portrait Of The Artist As A 56-Year-Old Man, including appearances from his friends and collaborators, such as Kylie Minogue and Bad Seed Warren Ellis.

GOD HELP THE GIRL

(Scotland, D. Stuart Murdoch)

5 Jun, 8.45pm, Event Cinemas George St & 14 Jun, 8.45pm, Event Cinemas George St

We've got some Australian blood in the first feature from Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch: Emily Browning. She as Eve, Hannah Murray as Cass and Olly Alexander as James star in this indie-pop musical about adolescence and using music to make teen hardships a little more bearable, as the new friends hit the road and learn about their places in the world. The sometimes twee film premiered at Sundance this January to mixed reviews, but oh well, so did some of Belle & Sebastian's best albums. Will please fans of Murdoch's style of earnest storytelling.

Pulp

PULP

(UK, D. Florian Habicht)

7 Jun, 9pm, Event Cinemas George St & 9 Jun, 7.45pm, Dendy Opera Quays

And here's a documentary for you on the high point of '90s Britpop, Pulp. It's not about sleeping with common people, or even the band in their heyday, but it's about the impact the seminal group have had on their fans, as frontman Jarvis Cocker and band prepare for their last UK concert in Sheffield in 2012. Their fans (and you, in the audience) mourn the loss of one of the most influential pop groups of the late 20th century, because you too know all the words, and you too could relate to the working and middle class stories that Pulp tapped into. 

JIMI: ALL IS BY MY SIDE

(UK, Ireland, D. John Ridley)

5 Jun, 8.45pm, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne & 13 Jun, 8.05pm, Event Cinemas George St

Yes, it's the Jimi Hendrix biopic, starring Andre 3000 as the man himself, and written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years A Slave). It's about Hendrix before he was a musical icon, before Woodstock, before his groundbreaking version of Star Spangled Banner, before anybody knew about the man with the quick fingers. It shows Hendrix as he moves to London to start his career, including his violent relationship with his girlfriend, Kathy, and his meetings with the likes of The Beatles and Eric Clapton. For the fans.

BEGIN AGAIN

(USA, D. John Carney)

8 Jun, 8.30pm, State Theatre & 15 Jun, 8.35pm, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne

In writer-director John Carney's Begin Again, Adam Levine (Maroon 5) cheats on Keira Knightley. Gretta and Dave are college lovers and musical collaborators trying to make it in New York, but Dave lands a contract with a major label. While Dave is reaping the benefits of fame, Gretta meets record executive, Dan (Mark Ruffalo), and they embark on a musical adventure together. Yes, Knightley sings, no, she's not terrible, yes, it is your typical rom-com fare, and love will triumph over all.