Movies Like Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is a 2021 documentary, history, music film from Questlove with a MovieMagicScore of 7.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown and TINA.

Documentary History Music

Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown

2014

James Brown changed the face of American music forever. Abandoned by his parents at an early age, James Brown was a self-made man who became one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, not just through his music, but also as a social activist. Charting his journey from rhythm and blues to funk, MR. DYNAMITE: THE RISE OF JAMES BROWN features rare and previously unseen footage, photographs and interviews, chronicling the musical ascension of “the hardest working man in show business,” from his first hit, “Please, Please, Please,” in 1956, to his iconic performances at the Apollo Theater, the T.A.M.I. Show, the Paris Olympia and more.

6.9

MagicScore

TINA

2021

Tina Turner overcame impossible odds to become one of the first female Black artists to reach a mainstream international audience. Her road to superstardom is an undeniable story of triumph over adversity. It’s the ultimate story of survival – and an inspirational story of our times.

7.8

MagicScore

Woodstock

1970

An intimate look at the Woodstock Music & Art Festival held in Bethel, NY in 1969, from preparation through cleanup, with historic access to insiders, blistering concert footage, and portraits of the concertgoers; negative and positive aspects are shown, from drug use by performers to naked fans sliding in the mud, from the collapse of the fences by the unexpected hordes to the surreal arrival of National Guard helicopters with food and medical assistance for the impromptu city of 500,000.

7.5

MagicScore

Let's Get Lost

1988

Documentary about jazz great Chet Baker that intercuts footage from the 1950s, when he was part of West Coast Cool, and from his last years. We see the young Baker, he of the beautiful face, in California and in Italy, where he appeared in at least one movie and at least one jail cell (for drug possession). And, we see the aged Baker, detached, indifferent, his face a ruin. Includes interviews with his children and ex-wife, women companions, and musicians.

7.0

MagicScore

Selma

2014

"Selma," as in Alabama, the place where segregation in the South was at its worst, leading to a march that ended in violence, forcing a famous statement by President Lyndon B. Johnson that ultimately led to the signing of the Voting Rights Act.

7.4

MagicScore

Shake! Otis at Monterey

1987

Renowned documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker captures Otis Redding in his ascendancy, singing at the historic Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967. Comedian Tom Smothers introduces Redding to a crowd that is leaving -- until Redding grabs them with his charged rendition of "Shake." Redding's performance also includes "Respect" (which he wrote), "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "Satisfaction," and "Try a Little Tenderness." Tragically, Redding died in a plane crash six months later. An innovative filmmaker who started in the 1950s making experimental films, Pennebaker garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature in 1993 for The War Room, his behind-the-scenes look at Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. His other subjects have included Norman Mailer, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie.

7.2

MagicScore

Spinning Gold

2023

A biopic of 1970s record producer Neil Bogart, co-founder of Casablanca Records.

5.1

MagicScore

The Butler

2013

A look at the life of Cecil Gaines, who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made.

7.3

MagicScore

When We Were Kings

1996

It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.

7.6

MagicScore

#10

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

2022

The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, the greatest female R&B pop vocalist of all time. Tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom.

7.0

MagicScore

#11

Lady Sings the Blues

1972

Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday, beginning with her traumatic youth. The story depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay, her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life.

6.9

MagicScore

#12

Nothing Compares

2022

Since the beginning of her career, Sinéad O’Connor has used her powerful voice to challenge the narratives she was surrounded by while growing up in predominantly Roman Catholic Ireland. Despite her agency, depth and perspective, O’Connor’s unflinching refusal to conform means that she has often been patronized and unfairly dismissed as an attention-seeking pop star.

7.6

MagicScore

#13

How the Beatles Changed the World

2017

The fascinating story of the cultural, social, spiritual, and musical revolution ignited by the coming of the Beatles. Tracing the impact that these four band members had, first in their native Britain and soon after worldwide, it reappraises the band and follows their path from young subversives to countercultural heroes. Featuring fresh, revealing interviews with key collaborators as well as a wealth of rarely-seen archival footage, this is a bold new take on the most significant band in the history of music and their enduring impact on popular culture.

7.4

MagicScore

#14

This Is It

2009

A compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson as he prepared for his series of sold-out shows in London.

7.3

MagicScore

#15

Queen: Days of Our Lives

2011

In 1971, four college students got together to form a rock band. Since then, that certain band called Queen have released 26 albums and sold over 300 million records worldwide. The popularity of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon is stronger than ever 40 years on. But it was no bed of roses. No pleasure cruise. Queen had their share of kicks in the face, but they came through and this is how they did it, set against the backdrop of brilliant music and stunning live performances from every corner of the globe. In this film, for the first time, it is the band that tells their story. Featuring brand new interviews with the band and unseen archive footage (including their recently unearthed, first ever TV performance), it is a compelling story told with intelligence, wit, plenty of humor and painful honesty.

8.1

MagicScore

#16

Punk's Not Dead

2007

On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, shopping malls and stadiums where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive.

6.1

MagicScore

#17

The Long Walk Home

1990

Two women, black and white, in 1955 Montgomery Alabama, must decide what they are going to do in response to the famous bus boycott led by Martin Luther King.

7.6

MagicScore

#18

Malcolm X

1992

A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.

7.5

MagicScore

#19

The Blues Brothers

1980

Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.

7.7

MagicScore

#20

Blues in the Night

1941

A struggling band find themselves attached to a fugitive and drawn into a series of old feuds and love affairs, as they try to stay together and find musical success.

6.2

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)?

The top films similar to Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) by MovieMagicScore are Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown (6.9), TINA (7.8), Woodstock (7.5). Each shares documentary/history/music themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) worth watching?

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.6/10 from 212 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)?

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021) is a documentary, history, music film directed by Questlove, starring Stevie Wonder, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chris Rock.

Where can I find more recommendations like Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more documentary recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown Movies like TINA Movies like Woodstock Movies like Let's Get Lost Movies like Selma Movies like Shake! Otis at Monterey

About movies like Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

This ranked list pairs Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021), a documentary and history and music film from Questlove, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Stevie Wonder take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

← Back to Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)