Idlewild

In the hands of Outkast video director Bryan Barber, this unusual musical boasts gorgeous cinematography, the kind of rich detail that recalls The Sting, and songs that mix hip-hop with the spirit of Cab Calloway. Set in the Prohibition-era South, Outkasters Antwan A. Patton (that’s Big Boi to his fans), and André Benjamin (aka André 3000) star as the manager and piano player at a speakeasy; two lifelong friends, they’ve grown up with a shared love of music, and, apparently, trouble. The real-life duo have described Idlewild as an “Outkast album in visual form,” but given their reputation for ambition and experimentation, the film is likely to find an audience beyond hip-hop fans.