David Byrne's American Utopia (Criterion) 12/25 Blu-ray (Rental)

David Byrne meets America’s fractious political moment with the transcendent power of song in this ecstatic documentary of the Broadway adaptation of his acclaimed American Utopia tour. Captured with immersive immediacy by director Spike Lee, this uplifting spectacle interweaves twenty-one songs, both new and classic, with Byrne’s singular observations on the state of the nation—its perils, promises, and possibility for transformation. Choreographed by Annie-B Parson with the inventive minimalism that has become a signature of Byrne’s live performances, David Byrne’s American Utopia moves between moments of communal exuberance and hymnlike grace, making the case for music as an agent of protest, change, and above all unity. PRODUCER- AND DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES 4K digital master, supervised by director of photography Ellen Kuras, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features New documentary featuring Kuras, musician-producer David Byrne, dancer-vocalist Tendayi Kuumba, director Spike Lee, choreographer and musical stager Annie-B Parson, lighting designer Rob Sinclair, and bassist Bobby Wooten III Conversation from 2020 between Lee and Byrne Trailer English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio PLUS: An essay by critic K. Austin Collins and an appreciation by critic Jia Tolentino