4/5
The Americana Dream.
211 Mins. Starring: Taylor Swift. Director: Sam Wrench. On: Disney +.
Tokyo, Japan. The middle of February means Valentine's Day (fun fact, in Japan, February the 14th is the day when women attempt to woo men like a leap year. Whereas, one month later on 'White Day', the men reply with a gift. Talk about getting left on read). Football fans know different, though. On any given Sunday in February, it's Super Bowl time. And as Taylor Swift played almost a week's worth of shows in the Rising Sun's capital, many 'Lovers' wondered whether she would make it back in time for the Sunday showcase featuring her partner, Kansas City Chief tight-end Travis Kelce. Especially with the last show on Saturday night. But the superstar, hero and biggest star on the planet did like only she could...and of course time zones would allow. But I wouldn't put it past Swift being able to go back in time as she brings all her eras back, like re-recording her albums so she could own it all in a master move. The same way the "Swiftenomics" of the biggest tour of all-time has stimulated the American economy (we need that here in Japan too). Prior to all this, the Japanese government had even issued a Taylor made official deceleration on paper that the Super Bowl would not get in the way of the singer performing the entirety of her Tokyo leg, day-by-day. An album announcement as big as best baseball player Shohei Ohtani (check out his Disney doc 'Beyond A Dream') revealing his wife to be Fujitsu Red Wave basketball star Mamiko Tanaka (expect a Kelce wave of fame now) also came in Japan for 'The Tortured Poets Department' (best Wes Anderson movie name ever). This is just how big Miss Americana is. She's an international incident. You could just tell from the legions of fans queueing up like only the Japanese could in a merch line that would equate to most major groups gig lines for the first day of sales of the actual tickets. And for those who couldn't cop a last minute one (hands up), for reasons we won't get into, they congregated and sang together outside, making new friends and memories in beautiful moments that showed how much Swift really does break down barriers, even in a socially shy land like Japan.
The Swifties were out in full force in the Far East like only a BTS Army could match for the biggest act in pop, whose still a little bit country, like a diamond Shania Twain, and one of the best folks in the biz. If you missed out on 'The Eras Tour' in any arena (it's just wrapped up a spot in Singapore), and even the cinemas that became concert halls for the sold out shows of the movie, you can now catch it with Mickey Mouse in the comfort of your own home and laptop speakers that can still bring the full force of all the power she had to bear on the jumbotrons of football stadiums she touched down in all around the world before she embraced her beau after his big win. Disney + is now the home for the three and a half hour epic 'Eras' show, making sure no one will miss this one of a kind event. To watch crimson and clover until your heart's content. Following 'Folklore' behind the scenes tales on Disney, and the Netflix 'Americana' standing next to Beyoncé's and a 'Five Foot Two' Gaga, this is the best concert film available to stream since BTS gave you 'Permission To Dance'. Directed by Sam Wrench, this AMC and Cinemark Theatres landmark hit is as cinematic as the biggest blockbuster of last year ('Barbenheimer' we're looking in your direction). And when Taylor makes her epic 'Eras' entrance underneath some Las Vegas like showwomanship, it's like a superhero entered the picture as she really sticks the landing. Mining heartbreak into gold.
And this Elvis will never leave the building, as she makes planet earth her residency like a Hollywood star in the 90s when we were more concerned about what was on the big screen than what was reflected on our "smart" ones. Those major film studios that passed on this distribution might want to order a plate of humble pie the next time they book a table at Planet Hollywood. They needn't have had reservations. Outside of 'Oppenheimer' and 'Barbie's' world, this has done the popcorn business. It would have been the biggest Marvel movie of the year from the star who is rumoured to play Lady Deadpool in the forthcoming 'Deadpool and Wolverine' film starring her friend Blake Lively's husband. Another friend joked with Swift about all the albums she didn't tour, making some of her best, folky work during our socially isolated pandemic. "What are you going to do, tour them all and do three-hour shows?" Responding like Nashville's Man In Black Johnny Cash when told it looks like he was going to a funeral, "exactly". Swift got her Springsteen at sixty on and brought each and every house down, night after night, after night. And you can see the California love of the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood here for your inspiration. I mean, this is a major player who even has a banner in the Lakers arena, presented to her by the late, great Kobe Bryant, even before one of his two jerseys made it up to those rafters he raised 'chips in. This cinematic rendering like a Beyoncé 'Renaissance' is a revelation that even impressed Oscar winning director Christopher Nolan who had the best film of the year. And now, like 'Oppenheimer' showing in Japan this month after the controversy and sensitivity, you can finally see what we missed. Classic choreography of all the Taylor made hits and star power of pop and perhaps now movie's biggest star. The trend these days may be to call everything an era (even your fashion choices and life decisions), but none is quite like Taylor's version. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Taylor Swift-Miss Americana', 'Taylor Swift: Folklore (The Long Pond Studio Sessions)', 'BTS: Permission To Dance- On Stage LA'.
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