In 2013, Idris Elba produced and released “Idris Elba presents mi Mandela”, an album inspired by his time researching and portraying Nelson Mandela in “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”. The musical culture of South Africa was a great influence to him, both present day and historically, and connecting to the music Mr. Mandela would have listened to throughout his life was a great aid in Elba’s preparation for the role. Arrangements were made to record the album in South Africa and Mali at the end of 2013, however, sadly just before Elba left, his father, Winston, passed away. While working simultaneously on the album and promoting his film, Elba had BAFTA award-winning director Daniel Vernon document his movements. “Mandela, My Dad and Me” not only documents one man’s struggle in producing his first album, but also his emotional quest to pay a fitting tribute to two inspirational men.

James Cagney stars as a fledgling producer who finds himself at odds with his workers, financiers and his greedy ex-wife when he tries to produce live musicals for movie-going audiences. Co-starring Joan Blondell and Dick Powell with spectacular Busby Berkeley dance sequences. Inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry.

It’s almost graduation day for high school seniors Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Chad, Ryan and Taylor ― and the thought of heading off in separate directions after leaving East High has these Wildcats thinking they need to do something they’ll remember forever. Together with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical reflecting their hopes and fears about the future and their unforgettable experiences growing up together. But with graduation approaching and college plans in question, what will become of the dreams, romances, and friendships of East High’s senior Wildcats?

Paris 1913. Coco Chanel is infatuated with the rich and handsome Boy Capel, but she is also compelled by her work. Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring is about to be performed. The revolutionary dissonances of Igor’s work parallel Coco’s radical ideas. She wants to democratize women’s fashion; he wants to redefine musical taste. Coco attends the scandalous first performance of The Rite in a chic white dress. The music and ballet are criticized as too modern, too foreign. Coco is moved but Igor is inconsolable.

Young man in the prison is obsessed with a singer who is to perform in a new musical its director is currently auditioning for. He escapes and through complex and often very funny series of events ends up being the main star of the musical, only to be discovered by the police the day before the premiere…OK, enough spoilers! The story keeps going on… Lots of great dialogs, awesome music and singing, and ever-twisting story (plus, the parallels between the play’s script and the real story) makes this one of the most enjoyable Czech movies I’ve seen in years (and I’ve seen many)! Definitely check it out if you like comedy, drama, musicals, and theater.