Here’s a look at music films coming to Valley movie screens in coming weeks and months, from mainstream theaters to indie movie houses.
Rocketman
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema1140 East Baseline Road, Tempe
Wednesday, July 17
Director Dexter Fletcher delivers an over-the-top biopic exploring the life and times of famed musician Elton John, whose creative forays have included elaborately staged concerts and songs created for films and musicals. Tickets to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema screenings at 10:20 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4:20 p.m. are $7.
Between Me and My Mind
FilmBar815 North Second Street
Wednesday, July 17
Explore the mind and music of Trey Anastasio, founding Phish guitarist and vocalist, in this film that delves into not only his public performances but also his personal perspectives on the creative process. Tickets to the 9:20 p.m. screening at FilmBar are $15.
The Public Image is Rotten
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema1140 East Baseline Road, Tempe
Wednesday, July 17
John Lydon formed the English post-punk band Public Image after leaving behind the Sex Pistols, eager to create a perpetual state of reinvention that’s recounted in this film. The movie includes conversations with Lydon, plus several current and former bandmates. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. screening at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema are $8.
Don’t Break Down
FilmBar815 North Second Street
Thursday, July 18
More than a decade after the band Jawbreaker called it quits, three members reconnected inside a San Francisco music studio, where their reminiscences, conversations, and performances became part of this film about personal discoveries and musical revelations. Tickets for the 7 p.m. screening at FilmBar are $9.95.
Purple Rain
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema4955 South Arizona Avenue, Chandler
Thursday, July 18
If seeing Maggie Keane’s new Prince mural left you wanting to relive Prince classics, you’re in luck. The semi-autobiographical film starring Prince, Apollonia Kotero, and Morris Day includes some of the creative’s best-known songs, including "When Doves Cry" and "Let’s Go Crazy." Tickets for the 7:40 p.m. screening at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema are $7.
The Cure: Anniversary 1978-2018
FilmBar815 North Second Street
Saturday, July 20
Sometimes you can get great concert seats even after you miss a tour, if you’re lucky enough to find a concert that was taped for the masses. Turns out, The Cure taped a July 2018 concert in London’s Hyde Park, so you can see them perform songs from a musical career spanning four decades. Tickets to the 5:15 p.m. screening at FilmBar are $15.
Grateful Dead Meet-Up
FilmBar815 North Second Street
Thursday, August 1
Never fear if you haven’t seen the Grateful Dead perform live. A full concert filmed in July 1991 at Giants Stadium is being screened at FilmBar, so you can watch the band in action during hits from "Truckin’" to "The Weight." Tickets to the 9 p.m. screening at FilmBar are $15.
Awesome; I F**kin’ Shot That!
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema4955 South Arizona Avenue, Chandler
Monday, August 5
So, the movie’s title actually spells out the F-word, but Alamo Drafthouse Cinema decided to keep it classy here. The title references cameras, by the way, which hip-hop artists including MCA of the Beastie Boys gave to 50 random concertgoers. See how that turned out during the 7:30 p.m. screening at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Tickets are $8.
Wild Style and Beat the Street
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema1140 East Baseline Road, Tempe
Sunday, August 11
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema decided to celebrate National Hip-Hop Day with a double feature. Wild Style documents the early days of hip-hop in the South Bronx, New York, where graffiti coalesced with break-dancing, DJ-ing, and other creative pursuits. Beat Street explores underground hip-hop and dance during the early 1980s. Tickets for the 3 p.m. double feature at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema are $10.
Here’s to Life: The Story of the Refreshments
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema4955 South Arizona Avenue, Chandler
Monday. September 9
Follow the journey of the Refreshments, who faded from the limelight after having a hit song in the mid-'90s, then returned years later amid a vastly different music landscape. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. screening at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema are $8.
