On the heels of 2014’s acclaimed Kurt Cobain documentary Montage of Heck comes a deeply personal, devastating and yet celebratory account of another musician who died young: British jazz singer Amy Winehouse.

Director Asif Kapadia’s Amy is at once intimate and tragic, and captures the behind-the-scenes story of the rise and fall of Winehouse with a lens through which few have ever seen her.

Winehouse, like Cobain, is associated with the myth of Hollywood rockers who died a young, drug-infused death; and though this myth is true to an extent, Kapadia finds a deeper story in what made and destroyed the woman behind the remarkable voice. The film includes a wide array of home videos intercut with footage of interviews and stage performances, creating an intimate narrative of Winehouse both with the celebrity and without. It manages to celebrate the rise of her talent while also tracking the dark side of the fame that led her down the abyss of drug use. Interviews from her parents, friends, manager and husband create a devastatingly realised portrayal of the troubled life she led behind her artistry. What is truly heartbreaking is seeing all the signs of her cries for help that went unheard, leaving the audience in a wrenching state knowing that Winehouse is already long gone.

Fans and non-fans of Winehouse alike will find truths of fame and popular culture in the 21st century in Amy. It is an extraordinary portrayal of an icon that is not to be missed.

Would you want to be forever young? Be careful what you wish for – the problems of eternal youth while trying to lead a normal life are the themes of this gorgeously filmed, epic, multi-layered love story with a unique twist.

Adaline Bowman (Lively) has, through a set of fantastic phenomena, remained a beautiful 29-year-old woman for nearly eighty years, never allowing herself to get close to anyone in order to keep her secret hidden.

However, a chance encounter with a charismatic philanthropist (Huisman) reignites her passion for life and unknowingly provides a link to her past. What seems to be an innocent weekend away soon becomes a crossroad for the truth, and a chance for Adaline to decide what she will do with the rest of her life.

What we end up with is an enjoyable film, with a well-chosen cast in a story that ruminates on life and mortality with more depth than your average romantic drama.
Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn turn in stunning performances in their supporting roles, and Blake Lively is excellent as the sad, conflicted titular character whose long life has exposed her to more goodbyes than any person should have to make.