They Shot the Piano Player

"Jazz and animation make for strong bedfellows in “They Shot the Piano Player,” a film from Spanish directors Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal that represents an intriguing hybrid in all sorts of ways." 

"A standard-issue talking-heads documentary for most of its duration ––complete with onscreen titles to indicate who is speaking" 

"Trueba and Mariscal tackle a tricky balancing act in their new feature, celebrating the intoxicating lilt of the bossa nova and also investigating the devastating brutality of state terrorism. It’s a testament to their talent as filmmakers that, for the most part, they manage to pull it off" 

"Terribly misguided animated doc (...) The result is an aggravating missed opportunity to tell a story that absolutely needs to be told to an audience that needs to hear it" 

"[An] entrancing and kinetic doc" 

"A nostalgic look at the disappearance of Bossa Nova (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)" 

"The tale of Francisco Tenório Júnior is told with graceful animation and a playful riot of colors (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)" 

"The film is doomed never fully to become engaging or immersive. This is not to say it doesn't have wonderful moments"