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Movies / On DVD / Shine a Light
Shine a Light

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Shine a Light (2008)

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Reviews Counted:118

Fresh:101

Rotten:17

Average Rating:7.4/10

Consensus: It may offer little new for fans, but Martin Scorsese's document of the Rolling Stones' electrifying live show should provide satisfaction to audiences.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for brief strong language, drug references and smoking.

Runtime: 2 hrs 2 mins

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

Theatrical Release:Apr 4, 2008 Limited

Box Office: $5,355,376

Synopsis: The music of the Rolling Stones has lit up the soundtrack to so many Martin Scorsese films ("Gimme Shelter" has appeared in no less than three of his features--GOODFELLAS, CASINO, and THE DEPARTED)... The music of the Rolling Stones has lit up the soundtrack to so many Martin Scorsese films ("Gimme Shelter" has appeared in no less than three of his features--GOODFELLAS, CASINO, and THE DEPARTED) that it's little surprise to find the director teaming up with the legendary rockers for this concert recording. SHINE A LIGHT begins with a few glimpses of the preparation that went into the recording of the show, which was staged over two nights at New York City's Beacon Theatre in 2006. Scorsese also includes some candid footage of the Stones doing a pre-show meet-and-greet with guests Bill and Hillary Clinton, which highlights some of the different personality traits in the band. Keith Richards and Ron Wood are the clowns, always goofing around; Mick Jagger is the consummate professional, always polite to a fault; Charlie Watts caries a real air of dignity, as befits someone who enjoys a dual career as a noted jazz musician. The bulk of the movie is dedicated to the multi-camera shoot at the Beacon, which captures the Stones playing some of their biggest hits and a few lesser-known numbers. Special guests such as Jack White, Buddy Guy, and Christina Aguilera are ushered on at various points in the show, and the concert footage is broken up by some amusing vintage footage of the band. By using so many cameras, Scorsese captures a side of the Stones that is rarely seen, such as Watts turning to camera and puffing out his cheeks and Richards offering encouraging words to Jack White as he exits the stage. SHINE A LIGHT provides a welcome glimpse into the Stones' world at this advanced stage in their career, and continues Scorsese's obsession (see also: NO DIRECTION HOME and THE LAST WALTZ) with documenting some of the most influential characters in rock & roll. [More]

Starring: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood

Starring: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Christina Aguilera, Buddy Guy, Bill Clinton, Jack White, Rolling Stones

Director: Martin Scorsese

Director: Martin Scorsese
Producer: Victoria Pearman, Michael Cohl, Zane Weiner, Steve Bing
Studio: Paramount Vantage

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Release:

Jul 29, 2008

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Reviews for Shine a Light

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81 - 100 (sorted by date)
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Smiling self-mockery plays a big part, and if the movie is actually about anything, it's about aging gracefully into a cuddly caricature of your former self.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Weekly | comment Comment
04/03/08
Sean Burns
Sean Burns
Philadelphia Weekly

inadvertently defines our time of political correctness and accessibility through censorship

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
04/03/08
Jason Morgan
Jason Morgan
Filmcritic.com

A vivid record of the aging rockers' ability to put on a great show -- not a great show for a bunch of guys in their sixties, but a great show, period -- and Scorsese's canny use of archival footage makes it more than a mere concert film.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
04/03/08
Maitland McDonagh
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Scorsese has an obsession with the Stones, and it's revealed in every last dizzying moment of this exceptional musical document.

Full Review Source: BrianOrndorf.com | comment Comment
04/03/08
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
BrianOrndorf.com

The movie is an exhilarating musical experience, an extraordinary testament to the unprecedented longevity and steady artistic growth of the band.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
04/03/08
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

After the 14th song, casual fans feel guilty that their energy is flagging while then-63 Mick's still huffing on

Full Review Source: I.E. Weekly | comment Comment
04/03/08
Amy Nicholson
Amy Nicholson
I.E. Weekly

As the director of the documentary Shine a Light, Martin Scorsese is a besotted rock ’n’ roll fan who wholeheartedly embraces its mythology.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
04/03/08
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Martin Scorsese meets the Rolling Stones in Shine a Light. The synergy is so brilliant, it's nearly blinding.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
04/03/08
Colin Covert
Colin Covert
Minneapolis Star Tribune

Do not expect (thankfully) an MTV-style concert film with three-second edits and extreme close-ups.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/03/08
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

It probably looked great on paper. Oh, sure, the concert scenes in this documentary about the Stones' show in New York are top-of-the-line, but it's nothing new.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
04/03/08
Chris Farnsworth
Chris Farnsworth
E! Online

As far as recent concert films are concerned, Shine a Light fits neatly between the U2 3D and the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert movie.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
04/03/08
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

For the most part, Scorsese (as he did in The Last Waltz, his brilliant documentary about the Band) largely lets the Stones be the Stones.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
04/03/08
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A buoyant, light-hearted encore of a movie, paying tribute to the Stones as indefatigable elder statesmen who still go out every night and put on a great show.

Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
04/03/08
Scott Tobias
Scott Tobias
AV Club

Despite Scorsese's efforts to pump up some drama -- the director, with his signature glasses and Groucho brows, gets huffy about not receiving a set list -- drama is sorely lacking. This is just a concert film.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | comment Comment
04/03/08
Steven Rea
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer

This you-are-there spellbinder is a master director shining his light on the best rock band on the planet.

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
04/03/08
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Those of us who'd hoped Scorsese would make a film closer in spirit to No Direction Home, his Bob Dylan profile, will consider Light a wasted effort.

Full Review Source: Charlotte Observer | comment Comment
04/03/08
Lawrence Toppman
Lawrence Toppman
Charlotte Observer

With Scorsese's intervention, I'd hoped Shine a Light would be innovative and extraordinary, but as a Stones fan I was thrilled to see a live show from these Rock Gods of nearly half a century that puts any band of young whippersnappers to shame.

Full Review Source: TheDivaReview.com | comment Comment
04/03/08
Diva Velez
Diva Velez
TheDivaReview.com

After the shrewd, in-depth analysis of No Direction Home, we expect more from Scorsese than two hours of perfectly framed close-ups of Mick.

Full Review Source: Time Out New York | comment Comment
04/03/08
Hank Sartin
Hank Sartin
Time Out New York

Never aims for transcendence, settling instead for really, really good ... the overriding impression is of a bunch of legendary deviants content to remain in showman mode.

Full Review Source: The Stranger (Seattle, WA) | comment Comment
04/03/08
Andrew Wright
Andrew Wright
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Shine a Light is akin to paying for a very good seat at a Stones concert, and while some of us couldn't do that for real, even if we saved up, Scorsese's fond film...is a stroll down memory lane, conducted by four men who know the way, and know how

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
04/03/08
Michael Phillips
Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
81 - 100 (sorted by date)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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