The spontaneous expression of improvisation, the melodic freedom, the harmonic union of parts, and the channeling of happy or blue feelings. The characteristics of jazz as a musical genre can also be seen in movies. In the same way that chords accompany the lead melody, good cinematography s a thrilling plot, or sound design enhances good editing.
Jazz has captivated the minds and ears of people for a long time, and its limitless creative freedom, complex rhythms, and beautiful harmonies have influenced many movies that focus on the music itself or instead use its nature as inspiration.
La La Land (2016)
When an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) and a grinding jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) meet in Los Angeles, their love for each other interferes with their ascending careers.
The romantic musical that turned Damien Chazelle into the youngest director to win the Oscar is a sensational production, with colorful musical numbers and an emotional story that was crafted attentively by Chazelle, who as a drummer has a special eye for precise detail and rhythm. Although the movie doesn’t dive too deep into the essence of jazz, La La Land is a spectacle that can delight anyone regardless of musical preferences.
Soul (2020)
When pianist and music teacher Joe Gardner ends up in the 'Great Before', halfway between Earth and “The Great Beyond”, he must team up with a rebel soul named 22 to get back to Earth.
Praised by its crafty jazz soundtrack and its emotional story that tackles themes like purpose, death, and the afterlife, one of the best animated musicals ever. With meaningful musical moments and reflections on life, Soul is an experience that remains in ears and hearts for a long time, and a special one for anyone who appreciates the beauty of jazz.
Collateral (2004)
Michael Mann’s neo-noir action thriller Collateral features Jamie Foxx as a taxi cab driver, and Tom Cruise as a calculating hitman who happens to be a jazz fanatic.
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie happens in a jazz club, where Vincent (Cruise) and Max (Jamie Foxx) make a stop during their long night of amendments. Before Vincent makes the owner pay for his defective knowledge of jazz history, he shares with the cab driver a cold reflection about life derived from jazz. The duo carries on like a late-night jam, rushing and dragging, improvising all the way through the journey.
Taxi Driver (1976)
One of the darkest films on the list is Martin Scorsese’s 1976 masterpiece, a cynical and manic inquiry into the life of a disturbed veteran and taxicab driver in New York.
Its soundtrack is the last composition of legendary Bernard Herrman’s career, who also worked in Vertigo, Psychosis, and Citizen Kane. The jazz tracks that accompany Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) in his rumination through the morally degraded city make for a great part of the unsteady and gray sentiment that Taxi Driver depicts.
Green Book (2018)
Named after The Negro Motorist Green Book, Green Book follows a gifted jazz pianist (Mahershala Ali) and his hired driver (Viggo Mortensen) in their music tour through the Deep South.
Winner of the 2018 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best ing Actor, Green Book is a great movie about music that isn’t a musical. Inspired by the true story of Don Shirley, the film features various musical moments in which the pianist displays his jazz with classical influence, and the various shows he performs are a theme that evolves along with the story.
All That Jazz (1979)
Inspired by director Bob Fosse’s effort to edit a film while staging the Broadway musical Chicago at the same time, this musical is a comic and honest self-portrait that has established itself as one of the best jukebox movie musicals ever.
Same as jazz, the film flirts with acid and dark themes, while staying playful, and its frenzy choreography builds on the sentiment. Called by renowned director Stanley Kubrick “the best film I think I have ever seen” (via World of Reel), All That Jazz remains more than forty years after its release one of the best jazzy films to dive into.
Chico & Rita (2010)
With a plot that evokes that of La La Land, this Spanish animated film follows the romance between a jazz pianist and an aspiring singer who see themselves divided by their careers.
In a historically precise La Havana and New York, Chico and Rita see their relationship swing to the sound of Latin Jazz, which is accompanied by colorful and tropical animation. Featuring famous jazz musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Chano Pozo, and Thelonious Monk, the film is a homage to the genre, and its celebrated soundtrack makes the story come to life.
Midnight In Paris (2011)
Woody Allen’s romantic comedy is jazzy not only in its soundtrack. As Gil (Owen Wilson) wanders through Paris, the scenes and characters that he encounters all are as colorful, messy, and amusing as jazz is.
The film feels like a love letter to Paris, one of the cities with the biggest jazz cultures in the world, and the historic figures that appear to the protagonist convey similar reactions to the ones of the different subgenres of jazz. Midnight In Paris is a hilarious journey through time in the City Of Light, and it shares its ultimate essence with the spontaneous and impromptu genre that jazz is - to live in the present rather than longing for the past.
Ray (2004)
Considered one of the best music biopics of all time, the 2004 film portrays the life and career of the genius musician Ray Charles. Raised in poverty, Ray (Jamie Foxx) went blind shortly after discovering his gift and love for music.
The independently produced film is like the musician’s life, genius and tumultuous. He pioneered the soul music genre by combining different genres like blues, jazz, and gospel, and his career was stuffed with romantic affairs and drug use. Ray is a sincere biopic about one of the greatest jazz musicians in history, a captivating film for anyone who has ever heard Ray Charles’ musical brilliance.
Whiplash (2014)
Although jazz is an art form available and enjoyable for anyone, only those who push beyond what’s expected from them reach the highest skies of this beautiful music genre. Damien Chazelle’s psychological drama follows an ambitious drummer (Miles Teller) and the brutal tutoring he receives from Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons).
With a tight tempo that keeps the audience on its heels observing the drummer’s quest for perfection, the film reveals the hard grind that is required to achieve greatness. And its grand finale shows the prize that comes along with it.
