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Nothing lasts forever—innocence, willpower, and, above all, rock ‘n’ roll bands (case in point, The Beatles). Yet even John Lennon sang, “We all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun.” That glimmer of hope most definitely shines through in Martin Scorsese’s Shine a Light, a dazzling account of how the Rolling Stones fare in their recent tour.
With time and cheeky humor on their side, these British bad boys show America that they’re still able to keep up with their mischievous personas. Accompanying frontman Mick Jagger on stage are three other lifetime members of the Rocky Balboa Club—men who never seem to go down for the count: Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, and Keith Richards.
Scorsese manages to capture lightning in a bottle, just like he did in his previous venture into the music world, the Bob Dylan documentary, No Direction Home. Scorsese simplistically preserves the very aspects that make the Stones so devilishly delightful, thus making the movie-going experience that much more enjoyable, as well as intimate.
Intimacy seems to be the name of the game when it comes to showing a picture on an IMAX screen; it’s almost as if we were onstage with these legends of rock. Instead of obtaining one point of view of a Stones concert, we get to see the show from different angles—while, from time to time, hearing past comments that make us laugh in retrospection (e.g., one of the band members is asked if they’ll stay together for a long time, and he easily replies that he’ll be happy if they last another year).
Performing songs that range from the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” to the country twang of “Faraway Eyes,” the Stones show their vast diverseness of style and sound. Appearing with them are two popular artists who’ve etched their names in this generation’s stone—Jack White from the White Stripes and Christina Aguilera—proving, once and for all, that age doesn’t matter. But my favorite song in the film had to have been “Champagne & Reefer,” sung alongside Buddy Guy—because Guy gives Richards and Wood a run for their money.
Once the movie is over, you’ll continue to rock your head up and down to the beat of the tunes you just heard. By seeing Shine a Light, you’ll actually get more for your buck than you would if you were to see the Stones in the flesh. The songs aren’t only performed in front of your eyes, but they’re also fully expressed—thanks, in a large part, to Scorsese’s willingness and bravery to get as close as possible to his subjects. Plus, you can’t beat the price of an IMAX ticket—especially considering that a ticket to see the Stones live would cost you an arm and a leg.
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