Seattle's Pearl Jam At "20"

Brief thoughts on a recent documentary celebrating Pearl Jam's 20th Anniversary:

Pearl Jam Twenty – This absorbing story of the Seattle-based rockers traces the history of the band from its beginnings in the roots of the grunge scene to its’ multiplatinum success in the 90s and beyond. It's directed by Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire), a former rock journalist, who wrote for Rolling Stone in his younger days. The movie gets to the heart of the band’s creative process, and their desire to keep making meaningful music and stay true to their alternative roots while becoming successful. It's a fascinating study of the band.

There’s a treasure trove of performance clips from the group’s beginnings through the present day, as well as incisive interviews with the band’s members, and fellow Seattle rocker Chris Cornell. The movie doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects, including the death of grunge icon Kurt Cobain in 1994, and the group’s boycott of, and court battle against, concert promoters Ticketmaster. But ultimately, this is a story of a band that enjoys making music together, and continues to find themselves creatively energized by one another. Pearl Jam Twenty was originally shown on PBS’ American Masters, and it is also available DVD & Blu-Ray. Here's a link to the film's trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEm5gwxRaKU.