Episode 725 - Miss Americana (2020)

Hi everyone!

Welcome back for another week of reviews! This week, we’ll be closing out February with a fun mix of reviews. Tomorrow, Andrew Campbell will takeover Matinee Monday with his review of the recently renamed 20th Century Studios distribution, THE CALL OF THE WILD. On Tuesday, we’ll finally get the elusive Kolby Told Me on the podcast, with his take on THE PHOTOGRAPH as part of Takeover Tuesday. On Wednesday, Shane Hyde returns with his review of 2009’s THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, recently made available on streaming services. Thursday will see yet another review from Jon-David, aka the Mafia Hairdresser, reviewing the sleeper hit PAIN AND GLORY. On Friday, Andrew is reviewing another animal-focused thriller entitled JALLIKATTU, which will have plenty of BS. And I’ll be closing out the week with a review of MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE as part of our Under the Kanopy series.

But today, we’re super excited to be welcoming back One Movie Spouse to the podcast, with today’s review of one of her favorite musical artists. It’s probably better that she reviews MISS AMERICANA as I don’t have very informed opinions on Taylor Swift. And before anyone asks, I did not make her do this review, so please shake it off. I’m sure there are tons more puns I could do, but I’m going to stop right there.

Over on our Patreon page, at patreon.com/onemoviepunch, we just put up our full interview with writer/director Igor Breakenback, where we discuss his low-budget thriller TURBINES (2019). We also talk about his extensive work as a stuntman and any new projects on the horizon. The interview will be publicly available for a limited time, but you can maintain access by contributing to One Movie Punch at any level. All contributors become eligible for Sponsor Sundays, where you can force me to review a film for the podcast, as long as we haven’t reviewed it, with just a few exceptions. Check back next week for another Year Three Update, where I give you some updates on what’s happening behind the scenes at One Movie Punch. A promo for Sponsor Sundays will run before the review.

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Here we go!

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<< SPONSOR SUNDAYS PROMO >>

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Hello, It’s me Amy, AKA One Movie Spouse, back for another music documentary review. MWAH! I love, love, loved today’s film! Listen to my review, then catch me on Twitter @OneMovieSpouse to keep the conversation going. Here we go!

Today’s movie is MISS AMERICANA (2020), a fabulous documentary directed by Lana Wilson. MISS AMERICANA follows Taylor Swift’s early musical career, her rise to fame, and an inside look as to how she discovers the power of her voice.

No spoilers!

I was excited to watch MISS AMERICANA. I have been a passive fan of Taylor Swift since the release of her album “1989”, which was released during my first year of teaching. It was my “go-to” album during those late nights and weekend hours I spent in the classroom prepping for the week ahead. At that time, I was a bit embarrassed to admit I was a fan, but that may have been due more to the teasing from our 10-year-old daughter, “You like Taylor Swift? But you’re a MOM!” This makes me laugh out loud now, but I’ll admit I was a “secret fan” for a few years.

I share this anecdote because I didn’t know much about Taylor Swift’s early years. I knew that she started performing as a young country music star, but not to the full extent showcased in this documentary. I enjoyed this retrospective look at her career and the shifts in her musical style and performances. It also makes me eager to go back and check out some of her earlier work.

One of things that I LOVE about music documentaries, this one especially, is watching the behind-the-scenes studio footage as songs come alive. Watching Taylor Swift dabble with melodies, word play, and collaboration with other artists and production engineers is truly magical! After watching this film, I dare you *not* to sing and dance along with “Me!”

This documentary is also a snapshot of the making of her 2019 album, “Lover”, so a handful of the songs are getting a lot of air-time on the radio, making it interesting and timely for viewers. I downloaded this new album immediately after watching the film. Lana Wilson did an excellent job sharing the chronology of Taylor Swift’s career, as well as the social media issues that surfaced during her rise.

One of the most memorable was during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards when Swift was awarded Best Music Video for “You Belong to Me”, and Kanye West stormed the stage announcing that Beyoncé had the best video. Footage shows her completely shocked at this disruption and then shows segments of her response to being completely bulldozed by another celebrity. She was truly a display of “grace under fire” and this message carried throughout as the film also showcases some other social media issues. Without spoiling anything for viewers, I appreciated her candid responses and “real talk” about issues she and other women face. MISS AMERICANA humanizes this superstar and made me love her even more as a human being!

This documentary does an excellent job showing Taylor Swift’s growth from young woman to a superstar performer. Along with this growth is her desire to use her voice as an influencer regarding social, political, and environmental issues. I found this part of the documentary to be especially touching, filled with several “Hell Yeah!” moments, cheering on her willingness to speak up even as others were trying to silence her. Taylor Swift, now 30, isn’t afraid to speak up and she won’t be silenced. It really is a beautiful thing to witness, and I cannot wait to see what’s next for her. As the documentary ended I jotted down a sentiment she shared: “Sharp pen. Thin skin. Open heart.” This really stuck with me! I finished this documentary with a greater appreciation for her music and life than I ever imagined. Also, I’m no longer embarrassed to admit I *am* a Taylor Swift fan!

MISS AMERICANA is a fabulous documentary showcasing Taylor Swift’s early musical career, and her life as she emerges into the superstar performer that she is today, all while working on her most recent album, “Lover”. Fans of Taylor Swift, musical documentaries, and social media influencers will really enjoy this film!

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 65

One Movie Punch: 10/10

MISS AMERICANA (2020) is rated TV-MA and is currently playing on Netflix.