KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

Boobirt Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

AudioFileZ I approach Rush's Beyond The Lighted Stage not so much as a Rush fan as I am a big lover of music. I've never bought a Rush album or even borrowed one which is something I've always had a penchant for because I grew up making my reel to reel compilations of what I perceived as the great music I loved. So, the fact I really enjoyed this film speaks a lot to the fact I think these guys are a uniquely interesting band whose music did get my attention at certain times even if I was mainly hearing it without actually buying into it.Often unique things spring from unique situations and the musical sparseness of frigid North American rock combined with old-fashioned middle working class roots combine to create a singularly "germy" Petri dish for three young Canadians. While their parents may have escaped European oppression for three musical kids starting a band was an antidote to their own struggle to better fit in the world they were surrounded by. Like many talented and driven kids they became true artists. So true in fact they never had to follow convention or even the all powerful recording industry. This says a lot for Rush. The film makes their path look easy if, like these three, you love your work. In their case it really did turn out much like "build it and they will come" as their fan base just got larger for something like 40-years. It's pretty fascinating if you are into music and maybe only slightly interesting if you're not?This is a very straightforward story. It's bolstered by fellow musicians who were obviously smitten with the talents of the band. It's not a tragedy with drugs or alcohol though it does have elements of life's hard facts which is a consequence of living so close for so long. It's certainly a rarity that a band stays together and thrives for four decades making this a kind of special thing. I have to say if you're a fan see it definitely, though I'm almost certain the lion share has already done so. If you are a rock music lover I say see it too because these guys make very complex yet accessible music and the fact they have sold massive amounts of their music really does amaze because they did it their way which was in no way commercial or even like mush else you are likely to hear. Well done!

Red-Barracuda I first got into Rush when I was 15 back in 1987 when a friend of mine left me a cassette with Signals on one side and Power Windows on the other. I had heard the name of the band before but that was it. I listened to that tape and immediately loved Signals - Power Windows not so much. I remember not actually being able to determine if the vocalist was male or female, which intrigued me. But I loved the synth-heavy, slightly fuzzy sound of Signals and I began playing it more or less on repeat and for the next couple of years became a Rush obsessive. At the dawn of the 90's my tastes changed and I moved on to alternative rock but as the years progressed I returned to some of my favourite Rush albums and still enjoy them quite a bit. For the record my favourite Rush period is the early 80's.As a result, it was with some enthusiasm that I went into this documentary. It was like visiting old friends from the past, ones whom you only really have good memories of. Strangely enough, it was only once the film was underway did I actually realise just how little I knew about the band beyond the music. You just never saw them interviewed too often, so it was genuinely surprising to see them talk freely. For instance, I had never really realised that they abstained from rock 'n' roll excesses as much as they did, nor did I realise Neil Peart was so socially awkward. Details like these were fascinating to learn, I mean it is an achievement of sorts for a rock band active in the 70's and 80's to have been faithful husbands and to have avoided Class A narcotics! I guess it shows that Rush were no ordinary rock band. This was part of why they were so derided of course. The music press painted them as thoroughly uncool and preposterous. And I suppose they did appeal a lot to music fans who may have been disproportionately more on the geeky side. But on the other hand, they lasted the test of time and some of their music remains absolutely inspired. In particular their unique early 80's fusion of prog-rock, hard rock and new wave was entirely original and didn't sound in the least bit forced.The documentary charts their progress from their earliest origins as a late 60's school band to the present day. Unlike most rock bands there isn't a lot of drama and excess in the Rush story. These are grounded and likable individuals who are just too normal for anything too Spinal Tap-ish to happen. The only event that really went beyond the music and into real life tragedy was the deaths of Peart's daughter and wife in quick succession. This awful event isn't really dwelled on here though. Mostly this is about the music. Most of the albums are covered in at least some detail, so this is great for fans of the group. Also, of great interest is the input of their many famous fans. There are talking heads segments from the likes of Kirk Hammett, Gene Simmons, Trent Reznor, Jack Black, Sebastian Bach and Billy Corgan among others. It was fascinating to hear what this wide ranging selection of folks had to say. Corgan and Reznor were particularly considered in their observations. I guess what it also showed was the influence of the band, as these were two respected figures of alternative rock and not guys who would necessarily be obvious descendants of Rush. And not only this, there was recent footage of one of their shows in Brazil. The energy of the crowd and the band was pretty impressive for a veteran rock band. I guess Rush still lives on as perhaps the biggest underground rock band of them all...

modesttaker It is a very well directed and edited collection. Home movie footage of Alex and Geddy as kids all the way to interviews from the Snakes and Arrows tour put the bands personalities and philosophies to the forefront. Fans will feel like they know these guys. There is much humor with the occasional sobering aside. People who barely know Rush's music will probably get converted. There isn't a lot of technical discussion (equipment, technique). Most people who contribute commentary have worked with them in some capacity. "Celebrity" fans are mostly from the heavy metal camp. The Grace Under Pressure to Roll The Bones era is covered the least (which will make many happy). It was awesome! See it in a theater if given a chance.

hanfuzzy This film does a good job of presenting and explaining what Rush is all about, and how the group has earned respect from fans, producers, DJs and other musicians (just not critics). Not quite hagiography, as it quotes some of the negative reviews and the band's own dissatisfaction with some of their albums or directions or even wardrobe choices.Unlike the filmmakers' heavy metal survey films (Headbanger's Journey and Global Metal), in this film Dunn is never on screen and is only heard once or twice asking questions of interview subjects. The spotlight (or limelight) is clearly placed on the band - this is a straight-up documentary, without dwelling on a fan's relationship to a band or genre. As in previous films by this team, the interviews with a surprisingly wide variety of subjects provide much of the meat of this film, giving a broad perspective and keeping it from having too much of a narrow viewpoint. Of course at least half the interviews are with Rush members themselves. You get a real sense of the men behind the music, including their relationships to each other, family, other musicians, and fans. A special aspect is some great earlier footage, even from family discussions while they were still in high school. There are also some powerful landscape shots while exploring Peart's response to deaths in his immediate family. And the examination of the song-writing process, including shots of original hand-written lyrics drafts, provides good value for viewers.Overall, a well-made film that does justice to the topic. Not as poignant or story-arced as Anvil: the Story of Anvil, this film has a more successful subject and didn't need to become a real-life Spinal Tap to make a interesting watch.