blur: To the End

The quintessential Britpop band, blur enjoyed chart success in the mid 90s with songs like Girls & Boys and Song 2, feuded half-heartedly with Oasis, semi-retired while lead singer Damon Albarn enjoyed mega-stardom in the guise of Gorillaz, and now embark on the obligatory comeback tour: destination Wembley Stadium. This observational doc is appealingly casual and candid about the tensions between the four on-again, off- again friends, who make no bones about being too old for all this shit, but who are palpably rejuvenated by the acclamation of their fans. It’s very Spinal Tap, but not in a bad way. This doc’s companion piece is the Live at Wembley concert film, also showing at VIFF Centre this week. You get snatches of that show here, but only tasters — this is the backstage movie, if you will.

An honest, funny and disarmingly intimate glimpse into one of the greatest British bands of all time.

Linda Marric, HeyUGuys

It’s wonderful to see the band retrace their friendship right back to school – the live footage from their intimate warm-up shows and the Wembley gig itself put you right in the beer-soaked mosh-pit.

Andrew Trendell, New Musical Express