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From Love & Mercy To Sid & Nancy: 7 Best Musical Biopics Of All Time


Brian Wilson Paul Dano Ice Cube Sam Riley JOY DIVISION Sex Pistols Johnny Cash Chadwick Boseman Bob Dylan

Here at Contactmusic, we can't get enough of a good musical biopic whether it's 'The Runaways', 'The Doors' or 'Nowhere Boy' - the list is endless. There are only a handful, however, that make for a truly evocative and memorable experience of some of the most influential artists in the world.

Here are our seven favourite musical biopics of all time:

Paul Dano in 'Love & Mercy'Paul Dano in 'Love & Mercy'

Continue reading: From Love & Mercy To Sid & Nancy: 7 Best Musical Biopics Of All Time

Okja Review

Excellent

As Tilda Swinton reteams with her Snowpiercer director, Korea's Bong Joon Ho, it's perhaps unsurprising that the resulting movie defies genres. Not only has it sparked a debate about Netflix-produced films that people want to see in cinemas, but it's also a story with huge political resonances laced through its premise. That said, this is essentially a movie about a girl and her beloved hippo-sized pig. And it's warm, witty and remarkably engaging.

Swinton plays twins Nancy and Lucy, who take over their family's multinational corporation after their ruthless father dies. With a desire to feed the world, Lucy has bred a series of gigantic pigs and placed them with farmers around the globe. Ten years later, her celebrity judge Johnny (Jake Gyllenhaal) crowns the winning pig as Okja, raised in the Korean mountains by teen Mija (An Seo Hyun) and her grandfather (Byun Heebong). But now Mija is horrified that they are taking her best friend away, so she sets out on an epic quest to Seoul to find Okja before she's put on a plane to America. Meanwhile, a group of animal rights activists led by Jay (Paul Dano) is also trying to free Okja, and they hatch a plan to take Mija to New York and stage a very public rescue.

The film has a snappy, witty tone that propels us into the story, with moments of satirical comedy, earthy humour and some exhilarating, inventively staged action. And the reason it works so well is due to the title character: thanks to seamless digital effects, Okja emerges as a smart, playful and brave creature whose bond with Mija is very strong indeed. This adds a powerful emotional kick, balancing the cartoonish but still remarkably textured performances from Swinton and Gyllenhaal. By contrast, An nicely underplays Mija, while Dano and his gang (including Lily Collins and The Walking Dead's Steven Yuen) add an intriguing edge of soulful compassion.

Continue reading: Okja Review

'War And Peace' Viewers Shocked By Full Frontal Male Nudity On BBC One


Lily James Paul Dano

The BBC’s adaption of ‘War and Peace’ has already been described as a ‘sexed-up’ retelling of Tolstoy’s original tale, but nothing prepared viewers for Sunday night’s episode. At approximately 26 minutes after the 9pm watershed on Sunday, viewers were faced with full frontal male nudity and no one knew quite where to look.

Lily JamesLily James stars in ‘War and Peace’ on BBC One.

On twitter viewers couldn't believe what they had just seen and reacted with a mixture of shock and amusement. ‘That was unexpected! First time i've seen a penis on BBC1! (and on a Sunday too!) #WarAndPeace,’ wrote one viewer.

Continue reading: 'War And Peace' Viewers Shocked By Full Frontal Male Nudity On BBC One

Paul Dano Enthuses About Working With Michael Caine In 'Youth'


Paul Dano Michael Caine Harvey Keitel

Ahead of the release of the European Film Award-winning drama Youth, which teams up Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel, one of the movie’s supporting cast members, Paul Dano, has spoken about the experience of working with the British movie legend.

31 year old Dano, who was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Beach Boys genius Brian Wilson in Love & Mercy earlier this year, spoke exclusively to us about what it was like to work with Caine.

“Michael is,” he said before pausing for thought, “you know, there’s just not a false note going on in his body or his voice or anything. He’s just so present, and simple.”

Continue reading: Paul Dano Enthuses About Working With Michael Caine In 'Youth'

Brian Wilson's Astounding Life Story Reaches Your Living Room With 'Love & Mercy'


Brian Wilson Beach Boys Paul Dano John Cusack Elizabeth Banks Paul Giamatti

Those who missed the theatrical release of Brian Wilson biopic 'Love & Mercy' don't have to miss out any longer as the critically acclaimed flick is now on DVD, bringing a story of hope, love and creativity to the masses.

Love And Mercy DVDOwn 'Love And Mercy' On DVD today

In June 2015, the biopic of one of music's greatest living legends, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, was released to a rapturous response. Depicting him in two major decades of his life, 'Love And Mercy' was directed by the Oscar nominated Bill Pohlad ('12 Years A Slave', 'Brokeback Mountain') and captured both the intense pain and the immense happiness that he struggled with throughout his successful career.

Continue reading: Brian Wilson's Astounding Life Story Reaches Your Living Room With 'Love & Mercy'

Youth Trailer


Mick and Fred have been friends lifelong friends, now both reaching their more senior years they find themselves wanting very different things in their immediate life. Fred's daughter Lena feels her dad is in need of a health check and some R&R so she books them into a luxury spa in the beautiful Swiss mountains.

Whilst Mick feels the pressure to finish his latest screenplay, Fred on the other hand, much to his daughters dismay, has no desire to return to his career scoring and conducting music. Whilst visiting the retreat, both men meet many interesting characters and find themselves in a retrospective mood only to be rejuvenated by the experience in more than one way.

The film score features contributions by many celebrated artists but perhaps the most poignant from Mark Kozelek AKA Sun Kil Moon, Kozelek also makes a cameo appearance in the film. Paloma Faith also has a song on the film and makes a cameo. Youth will open in US cinemas December 4, 2015

Love & Mercy Review

Extraordinary

An unusually inventive approach brings this story to life, as the filmmakers get into the mind of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson to reveal how he created those unforgettable songs. Even more impressive is the depiction of Wilson's troubled personal life, which plays out with an unnerving resonance rarely matched by rock-star biopics. This is due to artful direction and writing plus committed performances from Paul Dano and John Cusack, who play Wilson at two key points in his life.

As a young man in the 1960s, Brian Wilson (Dano) is a prodigious genius, preferring to stay in the studio while his brothers Dennis and Carl (Kenny Wormald and Brett Davern) and their bandmate Mike Love (Jake Abel) head out to meet girls on tour. They don't understand Brian's obsession with oddball sounds, but let him do his thing until it becomes clear that he's mentally unstable. Years later, in the late 1980s, Brian (now Cusack) falls for Cadillac saleswoman Melinda (Elizabeth Banks), who realises that he is being over-medicated and possibly abused by his controlling psychiatrist guardian Eugene (Paul Giamatti). And instead of leaving, as Eugene orders her to do, she fights for Brian.

These two time periods are interwoven together in a strikingly seamless way, shifting back and forth to build a potent dramatic and emotional momentum. By seeing everything from Wilson's perspective, the filmmakers are able to take the audience on a remarkable journey through his life, avoiding the usual predictable formula. Wilson's life may follow the usual trajectory of success followed by drug abuse, but his mental illness adds an involving angle that's depicted with sensitivity by Dano and Cusack, as well as director Bill Pohlad and writers Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner. Even more impressive is Banks' performance, which is the key that takes us right into the story. It's a beautifully textured turn that reminds us that she can do a lot more than steal movies in comical roles (see Pitch Perfect, Magic Mike and The Hunger Games).

Continue reading: Love & Mercy Review

Love And Mercy - Featurettes


The cast and crew of the forthcoming Brian Wilson biopic 'Love and Mercy' discuss their experiences of depicting the life of one of the greatest musicians of all time, from his beginnings with the Beach Boys, to the complex emotional troubles of his later life. Among the stars are John Cusack, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Brett Davern, Kenny Wormald and Jake Abel.

Continue: Love And Mercy - Featurettes

'Love & Mercy' Takes Brian Wilson Back To Both Good And Bad Days


Brian Wilson Paul Dano John Cusack

After garnering acclaim on the festival circuit, the Beach Boys biopic 'Love & Mercy' finally hits American cinemas this weekend (it opens in the UK next month), offering audiences a powerful glimpse into the complex mind of musician Brian Wilson.

Paul Dano with Brian Wilson and the cast of 'Love & Mercy'Paul Dano with Brian Wilson and the cast of 'Love & Mercy'

In the early 1960s, Wilson formed the band with his brothers Carl and Dennis, his cousin Mike Love and their friend Al Jardine, adopting the surfer culture as an image (their earliest hits included 'Surfin'', 'Surfin' Safari', 'Surfer Girl', 'Surf City' and 'Surfin' USA'). And their 1966 album 'Pet Sounds' is regarded as one of the best rock albums of all time, featuring such classics as 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', 'God Only Knows' and 'Sloop John B'.

Continue reading: 'Love & Mercy' Takes Brian Wilson Back To Both Good And Bad Days

Brian Wilson's Troubled Life Story Hits The Big Screen In Bill Pohlad's 'Love & Mercy' [Trailer]


Brian Wilson Beach Boys Paul Dano John Cusack Elizabeth Banks Paul Giamatti Oren Moverman

The full story of The Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson is finally hitting the movies in the form of Bill Pohlad's challenging, life-spanning biopic 'Love & Mercy' which stars Paul Dano and John Cusack as the respective younger and older Wilsons.

Paul Dano in 'Love & Mercy'
Paul Dano stars as a young Brian Wilson in 'Love & Mercy'

While being responsible for writing one of the most important rock albums in history, 1966's 'Pet Sounds', Brian Wilson was at the most fragile stage of his life during that decade. Dragged down mentally and emotionally by the stress of song-writing he took comfort in drug use and was subsequently forced to seek a range of psychological treatments. As tensions within the band grew, he became more and more erratic and lost in a confusing world of hallucinations and psychosis. Paul Dano plays Wilson's enthusiastic younger self, while John Cusack takes on the role of the broken man that came decades after. Paul Giamatti also makes an appearance as Wilson's crooked psychologist Eugene Landy who fed him excessively high dosages of medicative drugs and prevented him from seeing his partner Melinda Ledbetter (who is played by Elizabeth Banks). 

Continue reading: Brian Wilson's Troubled Life Story Hits The Big Screen In Bill Pohlad's 'Love & Mercy' [Trailer]

Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano - Screening of "The East" held at the Landmark Sunshine Theater - Arrivals - New York, NY, United States - Tuesday 21st May 2013

Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano

Paul Dano - Opening night of 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof' New York City New York United States Thursday 17th January 2013

Paul Dano Thursday 19th July 2012 attending the Los Angeles premiere of Ruby Sparks, held at The Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre

Paul Dano

Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan - Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan Wednesday 20th April 2011 at Tribeca Film Festival New York City, USA

Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan
Paul Dano

Paul Dano Quick Links

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Paul Dano Movies

Okja Movie Review

Okja Movie Review

As Tilda Swinton reteams with her Snowpiercer director, Korea's Bong Joon Ho, it's perhaps unsurprising...

Swiss Army Man Trailer

Swiss Army Man Trailer

Hank is a man who's been pushed to the edge, he's stranded on an island...

Youth Trailer

Youth Trailer

Mick and Fred have been friends lifelong friends, now both reaching their more senior years...

Love & Mercy Movie Review

Love & Mercy Movie Review

An unusually inventive approach brings this story to life, as the filmmakers get into the...

Love And Mercy - Featurettes Trailer

Love And Mercy - Featurettes Trailer

The cast and crew of the forthcoming Brian Wilson biopic 'Love and Mercy' discuss their...

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Love & Mercy - Teaser Trailer

Love & Mercy - Teaser Trailer

In the mid-1960s, The Beach Boys were at the top of their game. Having released...

12 Years a Slave Movie Review

12 Years a Slave Movie Review

Much more than a film about 19th century slavery in America, this sharply well-told true...

12 Years A Slave Trailer

12 Years A Slave Trailer

Director Steve McQueen joins the stars of '12 Years A Slave' to praise the immense...

Prisoners Movie Review

Prisoners Movie Review

What makes this thriller extraordinary is its willingness to make us scratch our heads and...

12 Years A Slave Trailer

12 Years A Slave Trailer

Solomon Northup was a well-educated man from a successful family living in upstate New York...

Prisoners Trailer

Prisoners Trailer

Keller Dover is just a regular guy from Boston who goes with his wife Grace...

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