While we absolutely love scripted movies and television here at /Film, we also have a deep appreciation for documentaries — series and films alike. With so many streaming services available, it feels like there are more documentaries out there than ever before, which can make finding the right one to watch a bit intimidating. Thankfully, I'm here to help recommend some of the best docs streaming this May, from remastered versions of music classics like "Stop Making Sense" and "Let it Be" to new docs with a fresh perspective, like the shocking "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" and "Stormy." There has honestly been a massive influx of showbiz docs lately, with a couple more great ones dropping fresh this month. The entertainment industry has always been rife with controversy and chaos, so there's sure to be no end of these docs anytime soon. Still, this latest crop is a real doozy.
- 5/1/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
After revealing behind the scenes details about how he helped bring an all-star group of musicians together to make the Grammy-winning smash hit charity single “We Are the World” in the Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop,” Lionel Richie recently spoke to IndieWire about which of the participants he knows have watched the movie, and are still reeling from the down-to-the-wire recording session.
“Huey Lewis sat next to me while I’m watching the premiere, and he leaned over to me, and he said, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it,’” the “American Idol” judge said at an event celebrating the reveal of the current season’s Top 10 finalists. “I said, ‘Huey, it’s 39 years ago. It’s been a success.’ But how we set it up, he was a nervous wreck.”
Richie, who both produced the Sundance premiere directed by Bao Nguyen, and appears heavily in the film,...
“Huey Lewis sat next to me while I’m watching the premiere, and he leaned over to me, and he said, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it,’” the “American Idol” judge said at an event celebrating the reveal of the current season’s Top 10 finalists. “I said, ‘Huey, it’s 39 years ago. It’s been a success.’ But how we set it up, he was a nervous wreck.”
Richie, who both produced the Sundance premiere directed by Bao Nguyen, and appears heavily in the film,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Michael Jackson‘s “Man in the Mirror” is the rare pop song with a great message — a message Jesus Christ might have liked. In fact, the song seems like a paraphrase of one of the most famous passages from the gospels. Here’s a look at the spiritual dimensions of one of Jackson’s best ballads.
Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ is like the Sermon on the Mount
Some of Jesus Christ’s most famous teachings are in his Sermon on the Mount. Some of these statements are certainly challenging! “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” Jesus says in Matthew 7. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?...
Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ is like the Sermon on the Mount
Some of Jesus Christ’s most famous teachings are in his Sermon on the Mount. Some of these statements are certainly challenging! “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” Jesus says in Matthew 7. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?...
- 4/23/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One Michael Jackson song seems to be about a regular friendship. It’s actually about a friendship with a killer rat. Jackson revealed how this tune came together so fast, even though he struggled with a lot of self-doubt.
1 Michael Jackson song was the theme for a horror film
Listen to any of Jackson’s songs, and it’s clear he put lots of effort into his music. Even when he didn’t write or produce his music, his voice was impeccable. All these years later, he rhymes one of pop music’s best singers.
During a 1980 interview posted to Blank on Blank, Jackson said he was a perfectionist, but that didn’t mean he always worked slowly. “I do vocals pretty quick,” he explained. “But for instance ‘Ben,’ I did in one take. I went right in and cut it.” For context, “Ben” is a ballad about a killer...
1 Michael Jackson song was the theme for a horror film
Listen to any of Jackson’s songs, and it’s clear he put lots of effort into his music. Even when he didn’t write or produce his music, his voice was impeccable. All these years later, he rhymes one of pop music’s best singers.
During a 1980 interview posted to Blank on Blank, Jackson said he was a perfectionist, but that didn’t mean he always worked slowly. “I do vocals pretty quick,” he explained. “But for instance ‘Ben,’ I did in one take. I went right in and cut it.” For context, “Ben” is a ballad about a killer...
- 4/14/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Harry Belafonte is a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and one of the leading human rights activists in show business.
Harry Belafonte exposed America to world music and spent his life challenging and overturning racial barriers across the globe. Belafonte met a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on King’s historic visit to New York in the early 1950s and developed a deep and abiding friendship. Belafonte played a key role in the civil rights movement, including the 1963 March on Washington. In 1985, disturbed by war, drought, and famine in Africa, Belafonte helped organize the Grammy-winning song “We Are the World,” a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Africa. Belafonte was active in efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and to release Nelson Mandela.
Belafonte served as the cultural advisor for the Peace Corps, a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and was honored as an Ambassador of Conscience by Amnesty International. Recently, Belafonte...
Harry Belafonte exposed America to world music and spent his life challenging and overturning racial barriers across the globe. Belafonte met a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on King’s historic visit to New York in the early 1950s and developed a deep and abiding friendship. Belafonte played a key role in the civil rights movement, including the 1963 March on Washington. In 1985, disturbed by war, drought, and famine in Africa, Belafonte helped organize the Grammy-winning song “We Are the World,” a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Africa. Belafonte was active in efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and to release Nelson Mandela.
Belafonte served as the cultural advisor for the Peace Corps, a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and was honored as an Ambassador of Conscience by Amnesty International. Recently, Belafonte...
- 4/12/2024
- Look to the Stars
Inside Broadway’s James Earl Jones Theatre on a recent afternoon, Huey Lewis has some actual good news. Checking his texts, he learns that Martin Short will be attending the opening of The Heart of Rock and Roll, the rom-com musical based around songs from his catalog. Also on the list for the first-night celebration are Michael J. Fox and the members of Lewis’ band, the News.
But anyone expecting Lewis to jump onstage and join the cast in song will be disappointed. “Can’t do it,” he says resolutely.
But anyone expecting Lewis to jump onstage and join the cast in song will be disappointed. “Can’t do it,” he says resolutely.
- 4/5/2024
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Huey Lewis stopped by The Daily Show to discuss the new Broadway jukebox musical featuring Huey Lewis and the News hits, The Heart of Rock and Roll (get tickets here). Along the way, he played a game of “Fuck, Marry, Kill” with classic ’80s albums.
With host Jordan Klepper — who has stepped in for the newly-returned John Stewart for the rest of the week — Huey was given the choice to “Fuck, Marry, Kill” the four albums that went number one in 1984.
He was presented with Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Prince’s Purple Rain, Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, and Kenny Loggins’ Footloose. Lewis swiftly decided to kill Footloose, saying “Kenny Loggins won’t mind, he’s a good guy.” He then said he’d “make love to Born in the USA,” and that he would “fall in love with Thriller” — he did, however, clarify that he prefers Michael...
With host Jordan Klepper — who has stepped in for the newly-returned John Stewart for the rest of the week — Huey was given the choice to “Fuck, Marry, Kill” the four albums that went number one in 1984.
He was presented with Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Prince’s Purple Rain, Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, and Kenny Loggins’ Footloose. Lewis swiftly decided to kill Footloose, saying “Kenny Loggins won’t mind, he’s a good guy.” He then said he’d “make love to Born in the USA,” and that he would “fall in love with Thriller” — he did, however, clarify that he prefers Michael...
- 3/29/2024
- by Paolo Ragusa
- Consequence - Music
An animated video for Mark Knopfler’s all-star charity single “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” – which brought together a stunning lineup of over 60 guitar gods to raise funds for Teen Cancer America and the Teenage Cancer Trust – has been released. It features the final recording of Jeff Beck along with contributions by Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, Slash, Ronnie Wood, Joan Jett, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, and Sting.
The song came out a week ago, but it was difficult to discern who was playing what part throughout the ten-minute song.
The song came out a week ago, but it was difficult to discern who was playing what part throughout the ten-minute song.
- 3/22/2024
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Los Angeles, California – January 29: Lionel Richie attends “The Greatest Night in Pop” Los Angeles Screening at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on January 29, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix) It’s not surprising that Netflix’s We Are the World behind-the-scenes documentary is called The Greatest Night in Pop, because nothing even remotely close to it had happened before, and it certainly hasn’t been duplicated. The night of January 28, 1985 brought together dozens of music’s biggest stars at the legendary A&m Recording Studios in Hollywood, and the song itself celebrates the 39th anniversary. Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the song with Michael Jackson and played a big role in organizing the recording session, spoke about why he doesn’t think there will ever be another night like it. (Click on the media bar below to hear Lionel Richie) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads...
- 3/11/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Netflix’s Griselda spent a second week as the top streaming title in the United States, according to Nielsen. It was one of three shows to snag more than a billion minutes of watch time for the week of Jan. 29-Feb. 4.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith also had a solid start for Amazon’s Prime Video, coming in just below the billion-minute mark. HBO’s True Detective also joined the rankings as it reached the midpoint of its fourth season.
Griselda, starring Sofia Vergara as the notorious drug lord, grabbed 1.73 billion minutes of viewing for the week, up about 9 percent from the previous seven days. The other two billion-minute shows were Young Sheldon (1.31 billion minutes on Netflix and Max) and Bluey (1.15 billion on Disney+).
Mr. and Mrs. Smith, starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, rang up 964 million minutes of watch time over three days after its Feb. 2 premiere (the full season...
Mr. and Mrs. Smith also had a solid start for Amazon’s Prime Video, coming in just below the billion-minute mark. HBO’s True Detective also joined the rankings as it reached the midpoint of its fourth season.
Griselda, starring Sofia Vergara as the notorious drug lord, grabbed 1.73 billion minutes of viewing for the week, up about 9 percent from the previous seven days. The other two billion-minute shows were Young Sheldon (1.31 billion minutes on Netflix and Max) and Bluey (1.15 billion on Disney+).
Mr. and Mrs. Smith, starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, rang up 964 million minutes of watch time over three days after its Feb. 2 premiere (the full season...
- 2/29/2024
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Photograph by courtesy of Netflix After the American Music Awards wrapped its live show in Hollywood in 1985, many of the artists honored that night — and plenty who didn’t win — wound up at the ultimate after-party. But it wasn’t at a restaurant or a club — it was at the famed A&M Studios on La Brea Avenue, where dozens of the most famous pop stars on the planet gathered for the recording of the charity single, We Are the World. Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the song with Michael Jackson, was there on the historic night; at the time, though, he didn’t realize there was a camera crew capturing behind-the-scenes footage for future use. It’s taken nearly four decades, but we’re finally seeing the fruits of that footage, as a Netflix documentary called The Greatest Night in Pop. Richie told us he was amazed to see what they’d captured,...
- 2/18/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
“Wonka” reigns again on the VOD charts, but the week’s real star is Amazon/MGM’s “American Fiction.” Driven by its five Oscar nominations and continued success at the box office, it reached #2 at Apple TV/iTunes on Saturday and is currently #4. Not bad for a racial satire that’s grossed $17 million to date.
It suggests the film will earn substantially more than its theatrical take, reflecting smart strategy: While Amazon makes movies for streaming, it recognizes (like Apple) the value of making VOD its first at-home platform. It’s also a good argument that the Netflix Mo of deemphasizing theatrical and skipping VOD misses opportunities to get awards and audience traction.
“Oppenheimer” (Universal) repeats as #2 on two charts, though its reduced price keeps it from making Vudu revenue-driven list. Christopher Nolan’s Oscar frontrunner has been the strongest film since its home-viewing debut three months ago, now sustained by Oscar nomination-leading total.
It suggests the film will earn substantially more than its theatrical take, reflecting smart strategy: While Amazon makes movies for streaming, it recognizes (like Apple) the value of making VOD its first at-home platform. It’s also a good argument that the Netflix Mo of deemphasizing theatrical and skipping VOD misses opportunities to get awards and audience traction.
“Oppenheimer” (Universal) repeats as #2 on two charts, though its reduced price keeps it from making Vudu revenue-driven list. Christopher Nolan’s Oscar frontrunner has been the strongest film since its home-viewing debut three months ago, now sustained by Oscar nomination-leading total.
- 2/12/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
When Quincy Jones posted a sign above the entrance to Am Studios in Los Angeles that read “Check Your Ego at the Door,” the night the producer and a group of 40 or so of the biggest singers of the ‘80s recorded the charity anthem “We are the World.”
It wasn’t exactly foolproof.
“The egos were still there; let’s not pretend they weren’t there,” says Kenny Loggins in the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, now streaming on Netflix.
The Bao Nguyen film, which made its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, tells the story of how the single that raised more than $80 million ($214 million today) for humanitarian aid in Africa and the United States came to be, with commentary from entertainers such as Loggins, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Sheila E., Huey Lewis, and the key orchestrator who co-wrote the song with Michael Jackson and kept the...
It wasn’t exactly foolproof.
“The egos were still there; let’s not pretend they weren’t there,” says Kenny Loggins in the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, now streaming on Netflix.
The Bao Nguyen film, which made its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, tells the story of how the single that raised more than $80 million ($214 million today) for humanitarian aid in Africa and the United States came to be, with commentary from entertainers such as Loggins, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Sheila E., Huey Lewis, and the key orchestrator who co-wrote the song with Michael Jackson and kept the...
- 2/10/2024
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Top to bottom: Love Me (Sundance Institute), Will & Harper (Sundance Institute), The Bikeriders (Focus Features)Graphic: The A.V. Club
Another year of Sundance is now in the books, and while there may not have been any obvious breakout films along the lines of last year’s Past Lives, the range,...
Another year of Sundance is now in the books, and while there may not have been any obvious breakout films along the lines of last year’s Past Lives, the range,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Seconds after Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson entered the holding room where presenters and performers at Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy gala were to take this picture, someone became starstruck — but who that was might surprise you.
“It’s Jelly Roll!” Wilson shouted excitedly as she saw the Grammy-nominated singer-rapper. But the feeling was mutual, as Jelly Roll later murmured, if only to himself, about the surrealness of the moment. He was standing in proximity to Hanks and Wilson as Dionne Warwick sat nearby and members of Green Day were hanging out while everyone waited for one of music’s greatest architects — Davis himself — to arrive.
The interaction was just one of several “pinch-me” moments as the likes of The Isley Brothers, Maluma, Josh Groban, Lainey Wilson and many more came together to take a snapshot with Davis and commemorate the night of amazing music that was to come at the legendary party,...
“It’s Jelly Roll!” Wilson shouted excitedly as she saw the Grammy-nominated singer-rapper. But the feeling was mutual, as Jelly Roll later murmured, if only to himself, about the surrealness of the moment. He was standing in proximity to Hanks and Wilson as Dionne Warwick sat nearby and members of Green Day were hanging out while everyone waited for one of music’s greatest architects — Davis himself — to arrive.
The interaction was just one of several “pinch-me” moments as the likes of The Isley Brothers, Maluma, Josh Groban, Lainey Wilson and many more came together to take a snapshot with Davis and commemorate the night of amazing music that was to come at the legendary party,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Nekesa Mumbi Moody
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
George Harrison was not one of the artists featured on USA for Africa’s mega single “We Are the World.” Despite that, he paved the way for the song with his own music and actions. Here’s a look at a time when he took an influential moral stand.
George Harrison’s ‘Bangla Desh’ paved the way for USA for Africa’s ‘We Are the World’
In 1971, George released the song “Bangla Desh” to raise money for the victims and survivors of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the ensuing genocide. He used a pair of concerts called The Concert for Bangladesh to raise funds for the same causes. Financial Times reports “Bangla Desh” was the first charity single. Since the idea of a charity single is so simple, it’s surprising no one had released one before the 1970s.
“Bangla Desh” was far from the last song of its kind.
George Harrison’s ‘Bangla Desh’ paved the way for USA for Africa’s ‘We Are the World’
In 1971, George released the song “Bangla Desh” to raise money for the victims and survivors of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the ensuing genocide. He used a pair of concerts called The Concert for Bangladesh to raise funds for the same causes. Financial Times reports “Bangla Desh” was the first charity single. Since the idea of a charity single is so simple, it’s surprising no one had released one before the 1970s.
“Bangla Desh” was far from the last song of its kind.
- 2/7/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
George Harrison was not one of the artists featured on USA for Africa’s mega single “We Are the World.” Despite that, he paved the way for the song with his own music and actions. Here’s a look at a time when he took an influential moral stand.
George Harrison’s ‘Bangla Desh’ paved the way for USA for Africa’s ‘We Are the Word’
In 1971, George released the song “Bangla Desh” to raise money for the victims and survivors of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the ensuing genocide. He used a pair of concerts called The Concert for Bangladesh to raise funds for the same causes. Financial Times reports “Bangla Desh” was the first charity single. Since the idea of a charity single is so simple, it’s surprising no one had released one before the 1970s.
“Bangla Desh” was far from the last song of its kind.
George Harrison’s ‘Bangla Desh’ paved the way for USA for Africa’s ‘We Are the Word’
In 1971, George released the song “Bangla Desh” to raise money for the victims and survivors of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the ensuing genocide. He used a pair of concerts called The Concert for Bangladesh to raise funds for the same causes. Financial Times reports “Bangla Desh” was the first charity single. Since the idea of a charity single is so simple, it’s surprising no one had released one before the 1970s.
“Bangla Desh” was far from the last song of its kind.
- 2/7/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
All caught up on this year’s Oscar-nominated movies? Catch one of the winter’s biggest not-nominated movies. It’s one the whole family can enjoy.
The contender to watch this week: “Wonka“
Come with me and you’ll be in a world of Paul King‘s imagination. The “Paddington” director’s Willy Wonka prequel dominated the holiday box office en route to $553 million worldwide and counting. Now it’s also available to rent or purchase on VOD. Timothée Chalamet earned a Golden Globe nomination for the title role, but that was the extent of the movie’s awards favor aside from one BAFTA nod. In a rare rebuff for a big-budget original musical, none of its numbers made the Oscars’ Best Original Song shortlist. Oh well. “Wonka” is a pleasing movie, sugary but nowhere near as phoned-in as its early trailers suggested.
Other contenders:
“Orion and the Dark”:...
The contender to watch this week: “Wonka“
Come with me and you’ll be in a world of Paul King‘s imagination. The “Paddington” director’s Willy Wonka prequel dominated the holiday box office en route to $553 million worldwide and counting. Now it’s also available to rent or purchase on VOD. Timothée Chalamet earned a Golden Globe nomination for the title role, but that was the extent of the movie’s awards favor aside from one BAFTA nod. In a rare rebuff for a big-budget original musical, none of its numbers made the Oscars’ Best Original Song shortlist. Oh well. “Wonka” is a pleasing movie, sugary but nowhere near as phoned-in as its early trailers suggested.
Other contenders:
“Orion and the Dark”:...
- 2/3/2024
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and the Grammys.
Curb Your Enthusiasm premiere
Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman and J.B. Smoove attended the L.A. premiere event for Curb‘s 12th and final season on Tuesday, alongside guest stars including Ted Danson, Jon Hamm and Vince Vaughn.
Jeff Garlin, Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, Amy Gravitt, Jeff Schaffer, J. B. Smoove and Laura Streicher Ted Danson Kyla Weber and Vince Vaughn
Mr. & Mrs. Smith premiere
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine debuted their new Prime Video series on Wednesday in NYC, alongside costars Parker Posey, John Turturro, Michaela Coel and Eiza González.
Donald Glover, Jen Salke, Maya Erskine and Francesca Sloane Eiza González and Michaela Coel
Republic Records party
On Wednesday, Patrón el Alto...
Curb Your Enthusiasm premiere
Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman and J.B. Smoove attended the L.A. premiere event for Curb‘s 12th and final season on Tuesday, alongside guest stars including Ted Danson, Jon Hamm and Vince Vaughn.
Jeff Garlin, Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, Amy Gravitt, Jeff Schaffer, J. B. Smoove and Laura Streicher Ted Danson Kyla Weber and Vince Vaughn
Mr. & Mrs. Smith premiere
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine debuted their new Prime Video series on Wednesday in NYC, alongside costars Parker Posey, John Turturro, Michaela Coel and Eiza González.
Donald Glover, Jen Salke, Maya Erskine and Francesca Sloane Eiza González and Michaela Coel
Republic Records party
On Wednesday, Patrón el Alto...
- 2/2/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
- 2/2/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
From the first seed of an idea to the creative chaos of cramming 40-plus celebrities into a single recording studio, The Greatest Night in Pop, the new documentary from director Bao Nguyen (Be Water)chronicles every obstacle and behind-the-scenes story that led to the iconic song we all know and love. Still performed at karaoke bars and school recitals all over the globe, “We Are the World” gathered together dozens of pop and rock luminaries on one unprecedented night to raise millions of dollars in humanitarian aid for African famine relief. Upon its release in 1985, it quickly became the first single to be certified multiplatinum. Produced by the legendary Quincy Jones, the song was co-written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson at the height of their fame, and featured solos by Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, and Kenny Rogers, among many more musical superstars. Today, it’s...
- 2/1/2024
- by Roxanne Fequiere
- Tudum - Netflix
Longtime friends Sheila E. and Gloria Estefan are teaming up for the debut single from Sheila E.’s first-ever salsa album, Bailar. The two are sharing vocals on an energetic cover of the Celia Cruz classic “Bemba Colorá,” complete with a drum solo. The single, which also features singer Mimy Succar (whose son, Tony Succar, is the album’s co-producer), is out on Feb. 23, with the album dropping in April. “Gloria and I have been friends since the Eighties,” Sheila E. tells Rolling Stone. “So she’s family to me.
- 2/1/2024
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
From singing backup at Elvis Presley’s 1968 comeback TV special to writing Michael Jackson’s “She’s Out of My Life” to arranging the vocals on Billy Joel’s An Innocent Man, longtime Quincy Jones collaborator Tom Bahler has had an improbably jam-packed music career. But as he sees it, the peak of it all came in January of 1985, when Jones called upon him to arrange the array of superstar vocals on “We Are the World.”
With a new documentary on the song, The Greatest Night in Pop, out now on Netflix,...
With a new documentary on the song, The Greatest Night in Pop, out now on Netflix,...
- 1/31/2024
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
Christina Aguilera, Lionel Richie, Maluma, Lenny Kravitz, Mark Ronson, Meryl Streep, and Oprah Winfrey are among the presenters for the 2024 Grammy Awards this Sunday, Billboard reports.
Samara Joy, who won Best New Artist last year, will also present. She joins fellow category winner Aguilera, who took home Best New Artist 24 years ago. Maluma is up for his third nomination, vying for Best Latin Pop Album with Don Juan.
Kravitz will receive the 2024 Recording Academy Global Impact Award, which will be presented on Feb. 1 before the big night.
Richie took home...
Samara Joy, who won Best New Artist last year, will also present. She joins fellow category winner Aguilera, who took home Best New Artist 24 years ago. Maluma is up for his third nomination, vying for Best Latin Pop Album with Don Juan.
Kravitz will receive the 2024 Recording Academy Global Impact Award, which will be presented on Feb. 1 before the big night.
Richie took home...
- 1/31/2024
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
With mere days to go before the Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 4, the Recording Academy has announced who will take the stage as presenters at the music industry’s marquee event. Christina Aguilera, Samara Joy, Lenny Kravitz, Maluma, Lionel Richie, Mark Ronson, Meryl Streep, Taylor Tomlinson and Oprah Winfrey are on the list of notable celebs, and the academy also promises “other surprise guests” for the ceremony.
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Aguilera is a five-time Grammy winner who most recently was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album in 2023. Joy won a pair of Grammys last year including Best New Artist, a prize Aguilera also won at the start of her career. Kravitz has won four Grammys over the years, though he hasn’t been nominated for 20 years. Richie is also a four-time champ, whose victories include Album of the Year for “Can’t Slow...
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Aguilera is a five-time Grammy winner who most recently was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album in 2023. Joy won a pair of Grammys last year including Best New Artist, a prize Aguilera also won at the start of her career. Kravitz has won four Grammys over the years, though he hasn’t been nominated for 20 years. Richie is also a four-time champ, whose victories include Album of the Year for “Can’t Slow...
- 1/31/2024
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Chronicling what should probably be considered the Avengers Assemble of the rock music world, Netflix’s latest musical documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, lays out everything that went behind the scenes of the 1985 single We Are the World. It is certainly one of the most popular songs in the history of music, mainly because of its universal appeal and the people that are associated with it. You don’t get names like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Harry Belafonte, Kenny Rogers, Bob Dylan, and Stevie Wonder working together to create one single piece of art every day. It is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and Netflix makes sure that the audience gets to see it that way only.
What Happens In The Documentary?
The Greatest Night in Pop takes us back to one cold winter night in January 1985, where all the shining stars of the musical world gathered together in the A&m Studios,...
What Happens In The Documentary?
The Greatest Night in Pop takes us back to one cold winter night in January 1985, where all the shining stars of the musical world gathered together in the A&m Studios,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
No event in the history of pop music is so widely remembered and retrospectively underestimated as the 1985 recording of “We Are the World." Envisioned as a philanthropic drive by the likes of Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Harry Belafonte, and producer Ken Kragen, the single sold over 20 million copies, raised upwards of $168 million for famine relief in Africa, and remains the definitive example of an all-star "charity single" for the benefit of worthy causes. It also became shorthand for cheesy Hollywood piousness and, when it swept the Grammy Awards the following year, mistaking good intentions for good art.
- 1/30/2024
- by Joe Reid
- Primetimer
In the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, A-listers from Stevie Wonder to Michael Jackson come together for the recording of an iconic song
For all the behind the scenes gems and 80s nostalgia it has on offer, Bao Nguyen’s The Greatest Night in Pop is a master class in event planning.
As anyone who has ever tried to cram a group of A-listers – or even a crowd of sluggish friends and family members – into the same room at the same time knows, it’s going to be a headache. Bringing together 46 of today’s musical superstars for a night of unpaid work would be near impossible (small wonder most of today’s chart-topping collaborations involve no more than two artists). “There’s so many managers and publicists and agents that you’d have to go through,” Nguyen said from Sundance, where he premiered his film about the...
For all the behind the scenes gems and 80s nostalgia it has on offer, Bao Nguyen’s The Greatest Night in Pop is a master class in event planning.
As anyone who has ever tried to cram a group of A-listers – or even a crowd of sluggish friends and family members – into the same room at the same time knows, it’s going to be a headache. Bringing together 46 of today’s musical superstars for a night of unpaid work would be near impossible (small wonder most of today’s chart-topping collaborations involve no more than two artists). “There’s so many managers and publicists and agents that you’d have to go through,” Nguyen said from Sundance, where he premiered his film about the...
- 1/30/2024
- by Lauren Mechling
- The Guardian - Film News
“The Greatest Night in Pop” is a documentary for anyone who loves “We Are the World” (that would include me), or even for those who look at that legendary charity single with some serious questions but are fascinated by the phenomenon of it (that’s me as well). In a sense, “We Are the World” always was a documentary — the famous music video that captures the song as it was being recorded, in an into-the-night session that took place at A&m Recording Studios in Los Angeles immediately after the American Music Awards on January 28, 1985. (The organizers of USA for Africa realized that only by pinning the recording session to that night could they be sure all the stars they needed for the song would be in one place at the same time.)
That music video has always been more than just a video. It’s a pop-stars-reveal-themselves psychodrama in miniature.
That music video has always been more than just a video. It’s a pop-stars-reveal-themselves psychodrama in miniature.
- 1/29/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
The sessions started at Hollywood, California’s A&m Studios the night of Jan. 28, 1985, and didn’t end until well after sunrise the morning of Jan. 29. By that point, it was clear that nothing quite like “We Are the World” could ever happen again. The Greatest Night in Pop, a new documentary on Netflix, brings it all back to vivid life: co-writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie joined by Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and an improbably long list of other superstars, all crammed in...
- 1/29/2024
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
Logistically, the task seemed impossible: Gather 46 of the world’s most massive musical stars in a Los Angeles studio and record a hit song, all in a single night. Oh, and the reason for this ambitious endeavor? To raise a record-breaking amount of money to benefit African famine relief and forever alter global pop culture.
No pressure or anything.
On Jan. 28, 1985, that’s exactly what happened during the recording session for “We Are the World.” The story of The Greatest Night in Pop is told in a new documentary film from director Bao Nguyen (Be Water): the idea, the song, and the long, wild night in the studio with some of the most significant musicians of the 20th century.
“This story starts with a call from Harry Belafonte,” Nguyen tells Tudum, referring to the late singer and activist’s idea...
No pressure or anything.
On Jan. 28, 1985, that’s exactly what happened during the recording session for “We Are the World.” The story of The Greatest Night in Pop is told in a new documentary film from director Bao Nguyen (Be Water): the idea, the song, and the long, wild night in the studio with some of the most significant musicians of the 20th century.
“This story starts with a call from Harry Belafonte,” Nguyen tells Tudum, referring to the late singer and activist’s idea...
- 1/29/2024
- by Amanda Richards
- Tudum - Netflix
Plot: In late 1984, inspired by the success of Band-Aid in the UK, legendary producer Quincy Jones decides to make a charity single including all of the biggest pop stars in the country. Due to the complicated schedules of all involved, they only have one evening to complete what will become one of the best-selling singles of all time, “We Are the World.”
Review: If you’ve seen the music video for “We Are the World,” you’ll know that pretty much every pop-rock icon of the first half of the eighties was there for its recording. In addition to co-writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie, there was Huey Lewis, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny Loggins, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Paul Simon, Steve Perry and so many more. Even Dan Aykroyd showed up singing in the chorus.
The song was a charity single...
Review: If you’ve seen the music video for “We Are the World,” you’ll know that pretty much every pop-rock icon of the first half of the eighties was there for its recording. In addition to co-writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie, there was Huey Lewis, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny Loggins, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Paul Simon, Steve Perry and so many more. Even Dan Aykroyd showed up singing in the chorus.
The song was a charity single...
- 1/28/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Everyone knows that (almost) all of America’s biggest pop and rock stars crammed into a Los Angeles recording studio on the night of January 28, 1985 in order to lay down the vocals for the charity single “We Are the World,” a semi-tolerable earworm that would ultimately raise more than $68 million to provide food and relief aid to people suffering from starvation in Africa. What Bao Nguyen’s light and fluffy new Netflix documentary presupposes is that it would be entertaining to revisit the room where it happened and watch as this legendary session nearly devolved into an absolute shitshow that threatened to fall apart in 100 different ways due to the egos and insecurities of the singular artists involved.
And while “The Greatest Night in Pop” may not amount to anything more than a sanitized and somewhat masturbatory look back at one of the wildest get-togethers in the modern history of music,...
And while “The Greatest Night in Pop” may not amount to anything more than a sanitized and somewhat masturbatory look back at one of the wildest get-togethers in the modern history of music,...
- 1/24/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Lionel Richie has been very emotional lately, but he wants to reassure everyone that he’s okay.
According to Richie, it’s just been a heady experience to look back nearly 40 years and relive all the wondrous and chaotic memories of writing and recording “We Are the World” for the new Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop.”
“Every segment of this journey, I cry,” Richie said at the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance Film Festival, where the film made its world premiere. “It just brings tears to my eyes because some of us are not here anymore. Also it was our innocence. We actually were making a difference, so to see the naive version of ourselves, when we actually had an aha moment that we might take all this celebrity and change the world … I’m just emotional about it because I get to watch my kid being born again.
According to Richie, it’s just been a heady experience to look back nearly 40 years and relive all the wondrous and chaotic memories of writing and recording “We Are the World” for the new Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop.”
“Every segment of this journey, I cry,” Richie said at the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance Film Festival, where the film made its world premiere. “It just brings tears to my eyes because some of us are not here anymore. Also it was our innocence. We actually were making a difference, so to see the naive version of ourselves, when we actually had an aha moment that we might take all this celebrity and change the world … I’m just emotional about it because I get to watch my kid being born again.
- 1/23/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
“This documentary is just to try and get some of the information down on film somewhere, before it’ll scatters away,” admits Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh of the documentary about the band that premieres at the Sundance Film Festival tonight. “I just like the idea that this information is being collected,” the front man adds.
In a festival full of music documentaries this year on legends like Luther Vandross, Brian Eno and the star studded 1985 recording of “We Are the World,” the Chris Smith directed Devo may hit even a little bit closer to home. After all, the film represents a return to Park City for the band. Back in 1996, Devo was the off-screen closing act of sorts to that year’s Sundance Film Festival. Clad in prison stripes and their trademark Red Energy Dome hats, the “Whip It” band’s performance was even made into a movie of its...
In a festival full of music documentaries this year on legends like Luther Vandross, Brian Eno and the star studded 1985 recording of “We Are the World,” the Chris Smith directed Devo may hit even a little bit closer to home. After all, the film represents a return to Park City for the band. Back in 1996, Devo was the off-screen closing act of sorts to that year’s Sundance Film Festival. Clad in prison stripes and their trademark Red Energy Dome hats, the “Whip It” band’s performance was even made into a movie of its...
- 1/22/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Greatest Night In Pop” is so entertaining and eminently watchable, and it’s as simple as that. Directed by Bao Nguyen, the acclaimed filmmaker of the Bruce Lee doc “Be Water,” the already-engaging subject matter doesn’t hurt: nearly 50 of the top American music artists in the world all in one room, recording a soon-to-be global hit single. Presumably, everyone knows “We Are The World,” still one of the best-selling pop singles of all time, recorded by the supergroup U.S.A.
Continue reading ‘The Greatest Night In Pop’ Review: A Deeply Entertaining Music Doc About Pop Hit “We Are The World” [Sundance] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Greatest Night In Pop’ Review: A Deeply Entertaining Music Doc About Pop Hit “We Are The World” [Sundance] at The Playlist.
- 1/20/2024
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
“I didn’t really know much about the making of the song,” admits The Greatest Night in Pop director Bao Nguyen of 1985’s star-studded Ethiopian famine relief hit “We Are the World.” “You just make these assumptions about how things are made because it just happens. But when you think now of 46 great artists getting together to make that, it would be really impossible for that to happen now.”
Whether or not the superstars of 2024 could or would come together like the hit makers of the Reagan Era did in America and the UK almost 40 years ago is debatable. What is a fact is that Nguyen’s latest documentary is debuting today at the Sundance Film Festival just a few days short of when U.S.A. for Africa recorded the Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson penned tune in a studio in Los Angeles. It is also a fact that, after a total of four Sundance screenings,...
Whether or not the superstars of 2024 could or would come together like the hit makers of the Reagan Era did in America and the UK almost 40 years ago is debatable. What is a fact is that Nguyen’s latest documentary is debuting today at the Sundance Film Festival just a few days short of when U.S.A. for Africa recorded the Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson penned tune in a studio in Los Angeles. It is also a fact that, after a total of four Sundance screenings,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
As a global pop culture event, it’s hard to match the release of “We Are the World,” the charity single that sold more than 20 million copies in 1985 and united 46 musical stars as enormous and disparate as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Diana Ross at an all-night secret recording session. The story of that night — the scrambling, the egos, the moments of creative kismet — is now told in Bao Nguyen’s documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which will premiere Jan. 19 at Sundance before streaming on Netflix beginning Jan. 29.
“When I heard how they assembled the team, to me it was almost like a heist film,” says Nguyen, who directed the 2020 Bruce Lee documentary Be Water. “You have Quincy Jones as the Danny Ocean of the whole effort. And they’re assembling [the team] — who’s the best rock star, who’s the best legend? There’s a bit of...
“When I heard how they assembled the team, to me it was almost like a heist film,” says Nguyen, who directed the 2020 Bruce Lee documentary Be Water. “You have Quincy Jones as the Danny Ocean of the whole effort. And they’re assembling [the team] — who’s the best rock star, who’s the best legend? There’s a bit of...
- 1/18/2024
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the wake of the dual Hollywood strikes, the 2024 theatrical release schedule is in a bind, even streamers are desperate for product. Sundance, save us.
Eighty percent of this year’s film lineup is for sale, some even made on SAG-AFTRA interim agreements during the actors strike. That means there’s a lot up for grabs, and Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming Eugene Hernandez anticipates a frenzy.
“There’s an enthusiasm (among buyers), everyone is showing up to connect with and consider films for distribution,” he said at Thursday morning’s opening news conference.
“We have assembled a program that includes movies that deserve to be and to find their audiences. Films are ready for their audiences,” added Hernandez.
Related: Sundance Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews
“We have a slate that is ready to meet its audience,” he said.
“I think Sundance...
Eighty percent of this year’s film lineup is for sale, some even made on SAG-AFTRA interim agreements during the actors strike. That means there’s a lot up for grabs, and Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming Eugene Hernandez anticipates a frenzy.
“There’s an enthusiasm (among buyers), everyone is showing up to connect with and consider films for distribution,” he said at Thursday morning’s opening news conference.
“We have assembled a program that includes movies that deserve to be and to find their audiences. Films are ready for their audiences,” added Hernandez.
Related: Sundance Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews
“We have a slate that is ready to meet its audience,” he said.
“I think Sundance...
- 1/18/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
On a recent Screen Talk podcast, producers Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman said they specifically tried to avoid overhyping T-Street’s film “Fair Play” before it sold to Netflix for $20 million and became Sundance 2023’s biggest sale. Elsewhere, Lily Gladstone took time at the IndieWire Honors gala to champion her competition title “Fancy Dance,” which to this day inexplicably hasn’t sold despite all the praise around it in last year’s competition slate.
Turns out, it was “Fancy Dance,” not “Fair Play,” that we included in last year’s Hot Sales Titles gallery. That shows how unpredictable Sundance can be, and why it’s so exciting. Surprise breakout hits pop every year. Movies with big star power don’t get scooped up by a streamer and give the little guys a chance to make a bid. And titles with all the buzz lose a lot of steam once audiences have finally seen them,...
Turns out, it was “Fancy Dance,” not “Fair Play,” that we included in last year’s Hot Sales Titles gallery. That shows how unpredictable Sundance can be, and why it’s so exciting. Surprise breakout hits pop every year. Movies with big star power don’t get scooped up by a streamer and give the little guys a chance to make a bid. And titles with all the buzz lose a lot of steam once audiences have finally seen them,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
The trailer for Netflix’s ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ explores behind the scenes of creating 1985’s ‘We Are the World’.
Putting Soundcloud rappers & TikTok stars together does not have the same impact as what Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and Lionel Richie created in 1985 with “We Are the World,” one of the best pop-cultural records ever put into the wild.
Raising funds for the USA for Africa, the three assembled an eclectic group of music’s biggest talents, regardless of genre, and asked everyone to sing together for a greater cause. And now, it’s the subject of a massive documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, which Netflix released a trailer recently.
The Greatest Night in Pop | Official Trailer
In 1985, a group of artists achieved a great deal. That’s when 46 singers and songwriters banded together to produce and record the chart-topping song “We Are The World,” which has since...
Putting Soundcloud rappers & TikTok stars together does not have the same impact as what Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and Lionel Richie created in 1985 with “We Are the World,” one of the best pop-cultural records ever put into the wild.
Raising funds for the USA for Africa, the three assembled an eclectic group of music’s biggest talents, regardless of genre, and asked everyone to sing together for a greater cause. And now, it’s the subject of a massive documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, which Netflix released a trailer recently.
The Greatest Night in Pop | Official Trailer
In 1985, a group of artists achieved a great deal. That’s when 46 singers and songwriters banded together to produce and record the chart-topping song “We Are The World,” which has since...
- 1/11/2024
- by Mantisha
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
Netflix has shared the trailer for an upcoming documentary about the making of the 1985 charity single “We Are the World.”
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop tells the story of how 46 of music’s biggest stars came together in a single day to record one song that would become a global sensation in the truest sense of the phrase. As Lionel Richie explains in the trailer, he and Michael Jackson co-wrote “We Are the World” after Harry Belafonte called him directly to ask if he could write a song to raise money for hunger relief in Africa.
The Greatest Night in Pop compiles footage of that day in Jim Henson’s studio, where Richie’s newly-assembled supergroup recorded the song live — for better or for worse. The Grammy-winning track featured the voices of just some of the biggest stars of the era, including Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson,...
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop tells the story of how 46 of music’s biggest stars came together in a single day to record one song that would become a global sensation in the truest sense of the phrase. As Lionel Richie explains in the trailer, he and Michael Jackson co-wrote “We Are the World” after Harry Belafonte called him directly to ask if he could write a song to raise money for hunger relief in Africa.
The Greatest Night in Pop compiles footage of that day in Jim Henson’s studio, where Richie’s newly-assembled supergroup recorded the song live — for better or for worse. The Grammy-winning track featured the voices of just some of the biggest stars of the era, including Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Film News
One of the biggest pop culture moments of the 80s was when a large group of pop artists came together for a special one-time song dedicated to raising awareness and helping to end famine in Africa. That song, “We Are the World,” was amazingly stacked with talent, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Harry Belafonte, Kenny Loggins, Dionne Warwick, and Huey Lewis. A documentary from Netflix recounts the story of how the song came together with The Greatest Night in Pop. The film is also scheduled to screen at the Sundance Film Festival this year, with Lionel Richie in tow.
Netflix’s description of the documentary reads,
“On January 25, 1985, dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a studio in Los Angeles, checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history.
Netflix’s description of the documentary reads,
“On January 25, 1985, dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a studio in Los Angeles, checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history.
- 1/9/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
"Let's get this party started." Netflix has revealed the first official trailer for a music history documentary film called The Greatest Night in Pop, directed by doc filmmaker Bao Nguyen (of the Bruce Lee doc Be Water previously). This film was a last minute addition to the exciting Sundance 2024 line-up, playing at the prestigious film festival in a few weeks before it debuts on Netflix at the end of January. In 1985, 46 music icons, including Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder, came together for the most star-studded recording session in history. This is the untold story of the legendary global pop song "We Are the World" (listen here) recorded to help bring more support to African famine relief — which very nearly didn't happen. Many of the artists who were there that legendary evening -- Richie, Springsteen, Lauper, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Loggins, Dionne Warwick, and...
- 1/9/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
You may not remember, but Ethiopia’s 1983–1985 famine prompted many musical artists to take humanitarian action. First, there was Band-Aid, formed by Bob Geldolf and all the U.K. pop stars of the day, and then Harry Belafonte helped create the U.S. own supergroup, U.S.A for Africa, which spawned the global hit, “We Are The World” released in April 1985.
Continue reading ‘The Greatest Night In Pop’ Trailer: New Netflix Doc Tells Story Behind Global Pop Song, “We Are The World” at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Greatest Night In Pop’ Trailer: New Netflix Doc Tells Story Behind Global Pop Song, “We Are The World” at The Playlist.
- 1/9/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Picture: Netflix
What’s on Netflix exclusively learned on December 15th, 2023 that Netflix is set to release a new documentary covering the 1985 American Music Awards and the creation of the charity hit “We Are the World,” which became the eighth-best-selling physical single of all time. The documentary has now been confirmed by Netflix and is set to release on January 29th, following a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Award-winning director Bao Nguyen is behind the new feature documentary, and it serves as his Netflix debut. He has previously worked on documentaries and shorts for HBO, PBS, and The New York Times. His most known documentaries include Be Water and Live from New York!
Bao Nguyen – Picture: Getty Images
Per the description found on the British Council website, here’s what you can expect from the 1 hour and 42-minute documentary:
“On January 28th, 1985, the stage was set for the annual American Music Awards.
What’s on Netflix exclusively learned on December 15th, 2023 that Netflix is set to release a new documentary covering the 1985 American Music Awards and the creation of the charity hit “We Are the World,” which became the eighth-best-selling physical single of all time. The documentary has now been confirmed by Netflix and is set to release on January 29th, following a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Award-winning director Bao Nguyen is behind the new feature documentary, and it serves as his Netflix debut. He has previously worked on documentaries and shorts for HBO, PBS, and The New York Times. His most known documentaries include Be Water and Live from New York!
Bao Nguyen – Picture: Getty Images
Per the description found on the British Council website, here’s what you can expect from the 1 hour and 42-minute documentary:
“On January 28th, 1985, the stage was set for the annual American Music Awards.
- 1/9/2024
- by Kasey Moore
- Whats-on-Netflix
The schedule for the milestone 40th Sundance Film Festival continues to fall into focus. The beloved Utah event — scheduled for Jan. 19-26 in Park City — has unveiled the lineup for Beyond Film programming and revealed that the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the iconic song “We Are the World,” will be part of this year’s program.
The roster of Beyond Film speakers includes notables with films in this year’s festival like Steven Soderbergh (Presence), Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Rob Peace), Sue Bird (Sue Bird: In The Clutch), Dee Rees (Pariah), Lucy Lawless (Never Look Away), André Holland (Exhibiting Forgiveness), Debra Granik (Conbody vs Everybody), Jay Ellis (Freaky Tales) and Nzingha Stewart (Me/We).
The slate also includes a conversation within New Frontier, which champions artists practicing at the crossroads of film, art, performance and new media. Titled...
The roster of Beyond Film speakers includes notables with films in this year’s festival like Steven Soderbergh (Presence), Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Rob Peace), Sue Bird (Sue Bird: In The Clutch), Dee Rees (Pariah), Lucy Lawless (Never Look Away), André Holland (Exhibiting Forgiveness), Debra Granik (Conbody vs Everybody), Jay Ellis (Freaky Tales) and Nzingha Stewart (Me/We).
The slate also includes a conversation within New Frontier, which champions artists practicing at the crossroads of film, art, performance and new media. Titled...
- 1/6/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A still from ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ by Bao Nguyen, an official selection of the Episodic Program at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival has added The Greatest Night in Pop, a documentary that explores the creation of the collaborative “We Are the World” song and video, to its lineup.
“We’re thrilled to be adding to our program a special screening of The Greatest Night in Pop, taking us behind the scenes of how ‘We Are the World’ came together, followed by a conversation with Lionel Richie, filmmaker Bao Nguyen, and producer Julia Nottingham,” stated Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “Our robust film lineup will be rounded out by a wide range of conversations touching upon themes in the programming and featuring some of today’s most inspiring creators and leaders.”
The festival also announced the 2024 Beyond Film schedule,...
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival has added The Greatest Night in Pop, a documentary that explores the creation of the collaborative “We Are the World” song and video, to its lineup.
“We’re thrilled to be adding to our program a special screening of The Greatest Night in Pop, taking us behind the scenes of how ‘We Are the World’ came together, followed by a conversation with Lionel Richie, filmmaker Bao Nguyen, and producer Julia Nottingham,” stated Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “Our robust film lineup will be rounded out by a wide range of conversations touching upon themes in the programming and featuring some of today’s most inspiring creators and leaders.”
The festival also announced the 2024 Beyond Film schedule,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
A new documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, will dig into the history of the 1985 charity smash, “We Are the World.” The film will have its premiere at Sundance on Jan. 19 and then hit Netflix not long after on Jan. 29.
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop will feature a plethora of previously-unseen footage as it traces the “We Are the World” story from the planning stages through the all-star recording session. The movie will offer a glimpse at Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson’s writing sessions and...
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop will feature a plethora of previously-unseen footage as it traces the “We Are the World” story from the planning stages through the all-star recording session. The movie will offer a glimpse at Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson’s writing sessions and...
- 1/5/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Netflix has set a January 29 streaming premiere date for The Greatest Night in Pop, a feature doc just announced as world premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on the 19th of this month.
Directed by award winner Bao Nguyen (Be Water), the film takes viewers back to January 25, 1985, when dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a Los Angeles studio and checked their egos at the door amidst the recording of a song to benefit African famine relief — one that would alter global pop culture history. Chronicled in the doc is the massive undertaking to assemble the world’s most impressive supergroup in a time before cell phones and email. That group of artists, led by the song’s co-writers and two of the most significant musicians of the 20th century — Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie — came from different worlds but united to record “We Are the World.
Directed by award winner Bao Nguyen (Be Water), the film takes viewers back to January 25, 1985, when dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a Los Angeles studio and checked their egos at the door amidst the recording of a song to benefit African famine relief — one that would alter global pop culture history. Chronicled in the doc is the massive undertaking to assemble the world’s most impressive supergroup in a time before cell phones and email. That group of artists, led by the song’s co-writers and two of the most significant musicians of the 20th century — Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie — came from different worlds but united to record “We Are the World.
- 1/5/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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