Movie of the Week - Sing Street
Alexa: John Carney has carved out a nice little niche for himself writing and directing movies about music, and its capacity to inspire and connect people. While Once (one of my all-time favorite movies) and Begin Again centered on struggling artists trying to make it as professional musicians, Sing Street dwells on young love and the simple notion of starting a band to win a girl’s heart. It’s a familiar premise, but Carney refreshes it in part by implementing the same tactic that elevated his previous music films – the expert use of infectious songs. Sing Street feels much more akin to The Commitments, another great Irish music film, than to Carney’s other works thanks to its lighter tone and retro tunes. It’s wistfully nostalgic without being trite. But aside from memorable music, Sing Street succeeds because of its heart. The characters are charismatic and earnest, and watching them transports you back to a time when achieving big dreams didn’t seem impossible, but probab...