Among the many 15 shortlisted titles eligible for an Oscar nomination for greatest documentary function this yr are two music-focused movies that every spotlight the profession and legacy of internationally beloved performers.

Sony Photos Classics’ Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Track gives a biography of the Canadian poet and songwriter, framed by what’s arguably his most well-known track. Utilizing “Hallelujah” because the springboard for the deep dive into Cohen’s creative and writing course of, the movie reveals that Cohen spent years writing the track that may outline his legacy — just for it to battle to search out an viewers when it was launched on the 1984 album Varied Positions.

Nevertheless it was via the quilt renditions of the track — recorded by artists similar to John Cale, Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright, the latter of which was featured on the soundtrack for Shrek — that the track turned Cohen’s most recognizable. And contemplating that the prolific Cohen additionally noticed plenty of his songs recorded by different artists, it’s becoming that Hallelujah additionally options commentary from the likes of Brandi Carlile, Judy Collins, Glen Hansard and Regina Spektor.

Taking a much less standard documentary strategy, Neon’s Moonage Daydream is an immersive, sensory biography of David Bowie. Written and directed by Brett Morgan, who beforehand helmed the Kurt Cobain doc Montage of Heck and Rolling Stones function Crossfire Hurricane, Moonage Daydream takes the same strategy in relying totally on archival footage — and no speaking heads — to look at Bowie’s artistic drive from his early days as a glam-rock famous person to his ultimate album Black Star, launched simply two days earlier than the singer-songwriter’s demise in 2016 from liver most cancers.

All through the movie, which follows the rock star’s many personas and eras, is Bowie himself providing context and inspirations behind his artistic work. Maybe most fascinating, particularly for Bowie followers, is the movie’s soundtrack, made up of demos, alternate takes and remixes of Bowie’s most well-known songs.