Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Foivos Vlahos One could describe it as a life lesson. A seminar for anyone involved in any art form. The internal recognition and peace with no need for wide acceptance, glory or money. Giants of the musical firmament that their food was the greatness of their soul and their love for music. Human sensitivity and romanticism at the height of their beauty. Their gold, the human values, honor and dignity. Lovers of love and truth. All these huge musicians appearing give us a life lesson. Simplicity as something more precious than all the treasures of the world. Wenders once again shows its quality. And a big thanks to Ry Cooder who brought to light these diamonds of world civilization.

Lee Eisenberg In Wim Wenders's "Buena Vista Social Club", Ry Cooder goes to Cuba to bring some of the island's great musicians to the world's attention. Obviously the best part of the documentary is the music, but we also get to learn about the singers' lives. One of the neatest scenes is when the club goes to New York and performs in Carnegie Hall. During that sequence, Ibrahim Ferrer and Eliades Ochoa go to the top of a building and have a look at the city, and we even catch a shot of the World Trade Center*.But more than anything, it's great to hear this music. Ferrer, Ochoa, Compay Segundo, Omara Portuondo, and the rest show us that Cuba's culture will never die.*It will soon be the tenth anniversary of the attack.

gbheron When I rented Buena Vista Social Club I didn't have any appreciation for the type of music played by the Club; I still don't know what it's called. I rented the movie because I'm a Ry Cooder fan, and have seen some Wim Wenders' movies I liked. I wasn't expecting much, but the result is that I've just seen one of the best documentaries in my life. The premise is very simple, it's all about the old musicians and the wonderful music they make. You get to visit their modest homes, hang out in their neighborhoods, and listen to their music. Nothing more than that, but done so well, so effortlessly, you wish you could step through the screen and join them. I would recommend this film to anyone.

ChrisBagley Great music, interesting musicians and a fascinating project by Ry Cooder.Hand it to Cooder for getting these guys together. But Wenders should have followed Cooder's search in more detail. And for that matter, he might've shown how these great musicians fell into obscurity. Was it some sort of Maoist "Cultural Revolution" that purged Cuban society of supposed classist vestiges? Was it simply that their musical styles were lost in the more recent currents of Cuban music? Most of the storytelling in the film was about the musicians' early years and how they got into music. That was pretty interesting, though not altogether unique. It seems like lots of great musicians have humble beginnings.Did Castro's regime control what Wenders was able to film? If so, the project might have worked better as a book with accompanying music CD.The music is the film's high point. The jam sessions and solo reveries were great, even though virtually all the other music and more is on the CD soundtrack BVSC.