Jennifer Lopez in Halftime, Madonna and Lil Nas X in Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, and Taylor Swift in Miss Americana.
Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Netflix, MAX
These films tend to follow a template: Cameras trail a singer through the recording studio or on tour. The subject speaks in dulcet tones about their life; tension is derived from the quest to exist as a public figure. There is footage from their childhood, brisk montages, and testimonies about the nature of fame — all aimed at making the artist seem grounded and even more worthy of adoration. (And you can bet that they, or their manager, will be credited as a producer.)
We’re in a boom time for the publicist-approved pop-star documentary. In the past…
