The crooning hit songs of The King of Rock and Roll have been reintroduced to a new generation through Baz Luhrmann's biopic Elvis. Full of rich sound and color, it's the perfect flick to enjoy on your home theater's powerful system. But after you finish hearing the tale of Elvis, perhaps you're left wanting more but not knowing what to choose. Lucky for you, our team at Origin Hi-Fi has a handful of music movie recommendations whose soundtracks will envelop you in the story as the music pours effortlessly through your surround-sound audio setup.
Ray
The life of legendary singer-songwriter and piano player Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx) is portrayed in the biopic Ray, detailing his rise to fame and struggles with heroin addiction. The movie details how Ray went blind as a child nine months after his brother tragically drowned and how he found solace in playing piano, and later, heroin. The movie follows Ray's life traveling on the road with country bands until growing in popularity and landing a deal with Atlantic Records; never sparing the details on Ray’s struggles with romantic affairs, heroin addiction, and the Civil Rights Movement. Ray made controversial decisions by choosing to incorporate country, classical, gospel, and soul into his music, but audiences adored his talent across the nation with hits like “What I’d Say,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and “Hit the Road Jack,” which will sound just as energetically catchy filtering through your speakers as they did in the studio.
Encanto
If you’re looking for a fun feature the whole family can enjoy, Disney’s newest animated classic Encanto portrays the magical abilities of the multi-generational family Madrigal through the eyes of Mirabel, the only member without a gift. One evening, Mirabel witnesses their magical home, the "Casita," beginning to crack, but her warnings are ignored by the rest of the family. Determined to save the magic of the casita, Mirabel begins questioning members of the family for clues as their powers begin to drain. As she tries to save the family, she learns how familial pressures can force even the strongest-looking families to splinter. Every member of the family will find themselves wanting to join with the catchy tunes of "Surface Pressure," "We Don't Talk About Bruno," and "Dos Oruguitas” as they play through your audio system and delight in the rich animated visuals of the colorful Colombian landscape on your 4K screen.
Cobain: Montage of Heck
This family-authorized documentary on Nirvana’s frontman Kurt Cobain gives an unprecedented look into the artist's personal life from childhood in Aberdeen, Washington to the rise and fall of his band. Montage of Heck takes its name from a mix-tape Kurt put together, and the film chronicles his life through animated montages incorporating his art, sketches, and journal entries, as well as home videos with his wife Courtney Love and their relationship through the birth of daughter Frances Bean Cobain. The soundtrack includes live Nirvana recordings, covers, and remixes, with a mix of popular hits and B-side songs; there's even a violin rendition of their biggest hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit." For anyone curious to learn more about the legendary alternative rock figure, this documentary is a visual and auditory feast that gives viewers an intense emotional portrayal of Kurt Cobain's wildly active mind.
Straight Outta Compton
The action-packed biopic of rap group NWA showcases the story of how they came together and split apart. When the three members met at a Compton club one night in 1986, Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) began rapping about his day, which impressed both the D.J. Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins) and drug dealer Easy-E (Jason Mitchell). After Dre convinces E to put his money into music, the two of them form Ruthless Records and perform a song written by Ice Cube. The song, "Boyz in the Hood” by NWA and Eazy-E, becomes the #1 song for six weeks. The movie details how LAPD police brutality inspired their songs and how they were challenged with censorship threats, shady managerial dealings, and police and gang violence. After Ice Cube left the group, we see how each member enjoyed different levels of success and even collaborated one last time until Easy-E's death in 1995 due to AIDS. We recommend adjusting your subwoofer levels to blast NWA’s best bass-booming hits as you watch the real stories of each member play across your projector screen.
The Sound of Music
It is 1938 in Salzburg, Austria, and in the home of retired naval officer Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), his seven children feel they lack joy and love living in such a restrictive disciplinary home. Similarly, the young nun Maria (Julie Andrews) finds living in a convent restricting, breaking rules to change things. The Reverend Mother suggests Maria work as a governess at the Von Trapp home. Maria shows the children more joy than they've ever known through various outings filled with songs like "Edelweiss," "Going on Seventeen," and more, and they grow to love her. The Captain also becomes more fond of Maria and comes to appreciate the freedoms that Maria has given his children. However, Nazi Germany is marching into Austria, and the Von Trapp family must decide how to face the oncoming threat together. The mountains of Austria will look magnificent on your home theater screen while the harmonious voices of the Von Trapp family will charm your entire family.
No matter which music movies you feel most drawn to, we think each film deserves to be seen and heard through your home theater system. If you’re interested in investing in the perfect surround-sound system, projector screen, acoustic paneling, or even recliners, contact our team at Origin Hi-Fi today to get started!