A Beautiful Experience From Start to Finish

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MOVIE REVIEW
Moonage Daydream
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Genre: Documentary, Music
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 2h 15m
Director(s): Brett Morgen
Writer(s): Brett Morgen
Where To Watch: Limited theatrical release 9/16

To be fair, I’ve never been a huge David Bowie fan; sure, I appreciate the undisputable talent and even like a few of the songs but never one to sit down and listen to the entire discography. That’s more about my taste in music than anything. Bowie was a being before their time and wasn’t afraid to show it. From lavish makeup to the most stylish outfits and always outspoken, Bowie was never afraid to be true to who they were.

This film seems like an all-or-nothing extravaganza; people love or hate it. I’m in the middle, appreciating it more than not. I was hoping for more of an actual documentary on Bowie’s life; instead, the film ended up being more of a clip show pieced together. While it was still an experience, it wasn’t all I was hoping for. At times it felt more like a giant two-plus hour-long music video pieced together.

I wish I had seen this in IMAX; I can only imagine how these visuals are on the big screen, the colors were mesmerizing, and of course, the sound would’ve been incredible. One review I read stated that this film is for “diehard fans,” and I have to agree; if I were a massive Bowie fan, I would’ve probably loved the spectacle of the film. Instead, I just appreciated the beauty of it all.

Pretty consistently, you can tell those who loved the film were already obsessed with the idea of the film. I appreciate that Bowie’s estate sanctioned the film; I hope that didn’t cause it to be less “open” than it could’ve been.

I adore several other musicians from this period, so it’s not just a time issue. If nothing else, the film has given me the desire to sit down and listen to more of this vast discography. Maybe I’m missing something; perhaps I will gain more appreciation as I listen to more samplings.

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