Buena Vista Social Club

Buena Vista Social Club

In Havana, music isn't a pastime, it's a way of life.

Directed by Wim Wenders

Produced by Kintop Pictures, Road Movies

1999105 min7.5 / 10

A warm, visually luminous documentary celebrating the enduring artistry and humanity of aging Cuban musicians brought together for a final moment of creative glory.

In this fascinating Oscar-nominated documentary, American guitarist Ry Cooder brings together a group of legendary Cuban folk musicians (some in their 90s) to record a Grammy-winning CD in their native city of Havana. The result is a spectacular compilation of concert footage from the group's gigs in Amsterdam and New York City's famed Carnegie Hall, with director Wim Wenders capturing not only the music -- but also the musicians' life stories.

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Questions people ask

  • Is Buena Vista Social Club scary? No. Less frightening than 98% of films.

  • Is Buena Vista Social Club easy watching? Yes, very. More comforting than 98% of films.

  • Is Buena Vista Social Club violent? No. Less violent than 92% of films.

  • Does Buena Vista Social Club end with hope? Yes. More hopeful than 81% of films.

  • Is Buena Vista Social Club sad? Yes. More sad than 75% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

80/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

There is almost nothing else like this.

Rarity90

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise64

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love88

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Everything like Buena Vista Social Club, and what each one shares →

Like Buena Vista Social Club

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Buena Vista Social Club

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Buena Vista Social Club, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Buena Vista Social Club, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Buena Vista Social Club, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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