Sound City

Director Grohl—whose legendary musical career includes working in bands such as Nirvana and Foo Fighters—proffers an oral history of the titular, now-defunct California recording studio where Nirvana's era-defining, multimillion-selling 1991 album Nevermind was recorded. Sound City takes viewers on a trip through the studio's storied past via briskly edited interviews with luminaries like Tom Petty, Neil Young, members of Fleetwood Mac, and many more. It creates a snapshot of a fondly remembered time for the music industry and a valentine to the studio's one-of-a-kind recording console, designed by master electronics engineer Rupert Neve. Grohl wisely lets the story unfold unhindered until the final act, in which a host of notable musicians, including Grohl, his surviving Nirvana bandmates, and Paul McCartney, have a grand old time banging out utterly forgettable songs for the film's sound track.