Thunder Soul 2010

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: An uplifting and entertaining film... Read more

James Rocchi, MSN Movies: Thunder Soul has real filmmaking, real history and real pleasure in it... Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: You may never have heard of the Kashmere Stage Band, but by the end of "Thunder Soul" you will wonder why. Read more

Eric Hynes, Time Out: Serves as a rousing testament to the singular blessings of music education, since there's nothing inherent or automatic about kids learning how to groove. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: Thunder Soul represents a feast for the senses, a soulful celebration of the black musical renaissance of the late '60s and '70s, but the filmmakers don't seem particularly interested in peering beneath the dazzling surface. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: A precious scrap of American history. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: There's a purity -- sense of righteousness and reunion and optimism -- that makes Thunder Soul galvanizing. Also, the music is smoking hot, which is pretty amazing, considering it comes from a high school band. And a bunch of oldsters. Read more

William Goss, Film.com: All of the agreeable ingredients are there, but director Mark Landsman doesn't coast on the built-in feel-good factor. Read more

Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: A genuinely moving and powerful doc about one of the great funk bands ever, that just happened to be a high school band. Read more

Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: Though it sometimes overplays the sentimentality, "Thunder Soul" gets not just the music but also the sense of possibility for this post-civil-rights generation. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: Warm memories of one school under a groove and a moving ending that no screenwriter could improve upon. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: In an era when arts education is frequently on the chopping block, Thunder Soul reminds us of the impact that great music can have on both the listener and the performer. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: Sometimes you just can't fight the funk; as much as you might resist the film's more maudlin scenes, not succumbing to the band's signature tune, "Head Wiggle," is impossible. Read more

John DeFore, Washington Post: Arguably, the current generation of funk and soul revivalists owes a debt to musicians who forged their astonishing sound in between Algebra study sessions. Read more