What kinda knocked me out most about this film (in a good way) is that it even if you are someone who loves music documentaries, you're inclined to watch the ones about the artists you know and enjoy. Or even the greatest music documentaries are generally for a specific audience or age demographic. Martin Scorsese can direct all the music docs he wants but most people under 40 are simply not going to touch it. "Piece By Piece" is a music documentary film that is not only accessible to adults who know and love his music, and perhaps some who don't, but also to kids who may not be aware of his existence, career, music, influence etc. Using the Legos as the visual hook opens it up to a whole new audience that would probably not waste 100 mins of their time watching a music documentary about Pharrell Williams' career and his positive messaging. My only complaint? I wish the film had given us a better sense of time, which could've been accomplished with an on-screen graphic saying what year X song was produced and/or released. With all that being said? It's a really compelling and well-made, near-excellent documentary.
FYI to Alonso: Persepolis (2007) was a biography based on the graphic memoir by Marjane Satrapi (the director of the film). But it wasn't a documentary. Examples of animated documentaries are Flee (2021) and Waltz with Bashir (2008).
I saw this film on Tuesday and was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it is. As someone not familiar with with Pharrell Williams life & career I thought it was such a clever & fun way to do a biopic
One of the most surreal moments of my life was while I was sick in the hospital here in Chicago, hopped up on pain medication like usual (for sickle cell pain) I was getting dressed to leave the hospital and as I peered out my window I saw some weird looking dude in a giant brown hat like I had just seen Pharrell wear on tv. He was standing in the hospital playground posing and making weird gestures. My first thought was “oh shit, I don’t think I’m good to go home? Im hallucinating.” because no one else on the floor seemed to notice or care!? Eventually I do leave and wtf turns out it WAS Pharrell posing for photos with that goofy Roosevelt era 2010s hat! I couldn’t see the photographer at first from the window but when I was on the street turns out he had an entire gospel choir with him!?! It was beyond surreal and weird. Made me question my own sanity! That level of random weird is what I will always associate Pharrell with!
No Doubt had like fifteen number 1 hits in the decade BEFORE Pharrell ever showed up to work with Gwen Stefani on her solo project. We have radio stations and MTV to blame for No Doubt being relevant, not Pharrell.
Oh thank goodness! This explains the utterly inexplicable ads I've been fed the past couple of weeks. A premium Lego Pharrell spaceship set, with an even more inexplicable Abacus of Friends' Heads included with it. My brain couldn't make a mental Venn Diagram of high-priced Lego collectors, Pharrell fans and spaceship enthusiasts. Who was this for???? I still don't understand why a spaceship is the focus of this special edition set, but at least the Pharrell-Lego connection makes sense, as does the Abacus of Heads (all the names you mentioned as featured in this doc were among those heads), but space is still out there...
NEAT, So, is there a trent Reznor Lego? He did produce Nerds remixes for "Lapdance" which is that song that's on movie trailers all the time. But Daft Punk is the one we want to see, because on the release of Random Access Memories, Pharrell kept calling them "they are friendly robots here to help us. So he was all in!
No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom was a massive hit (selling sixteen-million copies), and they wrote all of those songs themselves. I'm not sure how anyone could think that "Hella Good" (off the Rock Steady album) is the reason for No Doubt's cultural relevance. Also, "Hollaback Girl," which is awful, is from a Gwen Stefani solo album.
Ghod I hate Lego movies. I'm not 8 years old. Are you going to review that new British film about a famous rocker where the rocker (a real person) is played by a CGI monkey?
Yay, I saw this tonight and was shocked how much I liked it. I knew nothing about Pharrell, and think the best documentaries engage you with subjects that are not obvious. Thanks Christy and Alonso.
What kinda knocked me out most about this film (in a good way) is that it even if you are someone who loves music documentaries, you're inclined to watch the ones about the artists you know and enjoy. Or even the greatest music documentaries are generally for a specific audience or age demographic. Martin Scorsese can direct all the music docs he wants but most people under 40 are simply not going to touch it.
"Piece By Piece" is a music documentary film that is not only accessible to adults who know and love his music, and perhaps some who don't, but also to kids who may not be aware of his existence, career, music, influence etc. Using the Legos as the visual hook opens it up to a whole new audience that would probably not waste 100 mins of their time watching a music documentary about Pharrell Williams' career and his positive messaging.
My only complaint? I wish the film had given us a better sense of time, which could've been accomplished with an on-screen graphic saying what year X song was produced and/or released.
With all that being said? It's a really compelling and well-made, near-excellent documentary.
FYI to Alonso: Persepolis (2007) was a biography based on the graphic memoir by Marjane Satrapi (the director of the film). But it wasn't a documentary. Examples of animated documentaries are Flee (2021) and Waltz with Bashir (2008).
I saw this film on Tuesday and was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it is. As someone not familiar with with Pharrell Williams life & career I thought it was such a clever & fun way to do a biopic
It's it fun? Glad you liked it too!
Yes, feel the wrath of the finger of shame. No Doubt is awesome!!!
One of the most surreal moments of my life was while I was sick in the hospital here in Chicago, hopped up on pain medication like usual (for sickle cell pain) I was getting dressed to leave the hospital and as I peered out my window I saw some weird looking dude in a giant brown hat like I had just seen Pharrell wear on tv. He was standing in the hospital playground posing and making weird gestures. My first thought was “oh shit, I don’t think I’m good to go home? Im hallucinating.” because no one else on the floor seemed to notice or care!? Eventually I do leave and wtf turns out it WAS Pharrell posing for photos with that goofy Roosevelt era 2010s hat! I couldn’t see the photographer at first from the window but when I was on the street turns out he had an entire gospel choir with him!?! It was beyond surreal and weird. Made me question my own sanity! That level of random weird is what I will always associate Pharrell with!
Lol good story 😄
No Doubt had like fifteen number 1 hits in the decade BEFORE Pharrell ever showed up to work with Gwen Stefani on her solo project. We have radio stations and MTV to blame for No Doubt being relevant, not Pharrell.
It was a joke. Relax and enjoy the video.
I hope this doc doesn't just skim over The Neptunes; they are legends in hip hop as producers before Pharrell became "mainstream".
Does not it’s great , it really digs into how important it was to be to form. All members of need get documented
Oh thank goodness! This explains the utterly inexplicable ads I've been fed the past couple of weeks. A premium Lego Pharrell spaceship set, with an even more inexplicable Abacus of Friends' Heads included with it. My brain couldn't make a mental Venn Diagram of high-priced Lego collectors, Pharrell fans and spaceship enthusiasts. Who was this for???? I still don't understand why a spaceship is the focus of this special edition set, but at least the Pharrell-Lego connection makes sense, as does the Abacus of Heads (all the names you mentioned as featured in this doc were among those heads), but space is still out there...
Sadly as a high end Lego collector I think I fit that Venn diagram to a tee!? Lol
Who else got shown a Gwen Stafani commercial? 🤔 lol
NEAT, So, is there a trent Reznor Lego? He did produce Nerds remixes for "Lapdance" which is that song that's on movie trailers all the time. But Daft Punk is the one we want to see, because on the release of Random Access Memories, Pharrell kept calling them "they are friendly robots here to help us. So he was all in!
No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom was a massive hit (selling sixteen-million copies), and they wrote all of those songs themselves. I'm not sure how anyone could think that "Hella Good" (off the Rock Steady album) is the reason for No Doubt's cultural relevance. Also, "Hollaback Girl," which is awful, is from a Gwen Stefani solo album.
I liked it a lot… although the Lego gimmick wears a bit thin… 9/10.
I would bet that anyone who listens to music has most likely heard a song made by him or one he made
I really enjoyed this movie and I had no ideal he produced so many hits for other artists.
Right? Who knew he worked on Rump Shaker?
Cool. He has synesthesia 😊
I was disappointed. The Lego aspect was enough to save it, but otherwise i thought it was very empty.
Ghod I hate Lego movies. I'm not 8 years old. Are you going to review that new British film about a famous rocker where the rocker (a real person) is played by a CGI monkey?
Ha, the Robbie Williams movie? Yes!
🧱 🐇 lol
Yay, I saw this tonight and was shocked how much I liked it. I knew nothing about Pharrell, and think the best documentaries engage you with subjects that are not obvious. Thanks Christy and Alonso.
Awesome, glad you enjoyed it too!