2020 was a good year for celebrity documentaries. Two bookends are Taylor Swift’s Miss Americana from January and Ariana Grande’s Excuse Me, I Love You in December. Both Netflix productions feature performance footage as well as candid conversational moments with the artists involved.
Taylor Swift’s career has lived many lives in the span of one year. After Miss Americana, she released two new studio albums. The first, Folklore, was followed by another documentary on Disney+. Ariana Grande has continued to work and create new music this year, too, including a collaboration with Lady Gaga. Which music superstar has the better Netflix documentary for 2020?
Excuse Me, I Love You: Better Concert Footage
In 2018, Taylor Swift’s Reputation tour went to Netflix. This project was almost entirely about the album-based concert, so it makes sense that Miss Americana goes in a different direction. With that said, Ariana Grande’s new documentary is much more inclusive of recent concert footage. The performances shape the arc of the film in an engaging way.
Miss Americana: Better Conversational Footage
Because Miss Americana is not focused on filmed concert performances, the documentary has more room for conversations and everyday moments in the life of Taylor Swift. The versatile singer is shown traveling and communing with family and friends, working on her music, and just being herself.
Even though Taylor is on camera, she seems to offer fans a genuine version of who she is during a year of transformation.
Excuse Me, I Love You: Includes Mariah Carey Mention
Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande have each been part of massive musical collaborations, and Excuse Me, I Love You reveals how exciting that can be. During the film, Mariah Carey requests a video of Ariana Grande for a new project, and Grande is giddy at the invitation. Fans might think that star-powered projects are no big deal, but Ariana Grande proves that such things can still be exciting.
Miss Americana: Includes Music Video Production
Ariana’s fans don’t get to see music video production in Excuse Me, I Love You since the film focuses on tour performances. Miss Americana, on the other hand, thoroughly outlines a collaborative music video process, from recording in the studio to getting into costume and eventually filming. Taylor rehearses with Brendon Urie for the song “ME!” The two don’t stop at vocals, though. Fans get to see them bring the music video to life, too. Swift also includes her shoot for “You Need to Calm Down,” which involves some of her friends from the LGBTQ community.
Excuse Me, I Love You: Shows The Business Side Of Ariana’s Mom
Ariana Grande’s personal life doesn’t take center stage in her story, but it is nice for fans to see a glimpse of how her mom fits into day-to-day operations. Joan Grande is always there to guide her daughter and help keep things under control. The mom is seen in Excuse Me, I Love You offering a young fan better seats at the concert, which is very sweet.
Miss Americana: Dives Into Taylor’s Relationship With Her Mom
Miss Americana is better at giving a more complete picture of the star’s relationship with her mom, Andrea. Taylor and her mom are seen laughing and sharing a meal while in transit, and Andrea is there for some of Taylor’s most challenging moments. The saddest part of the film is Andrea’s battle with a brain tumor. The documentary filmmakers include this family matter sensitively and focus on the strong relationship that Taylor and Andrea have.
Excuse Me, I Love You: Better Captures Grande’s Rapport With Dancers
Most of Taylor Swift’s collaborators for Miss Americana footage are seen in the music studio. Excuse Me, I Love You highlights Ariana Grande’s dancers more. She introduces them onstage during the London concert, and she is seen goofing off with them in between rehearsals. These fun scenes help make up for the fact that Grande’s musical partners, like Nicki Minaj, are not present.
Miss Americana: Better Captures The Process Of Songwriting
Ariana Grande’s tour documentary doesn’t detail the meanings behind various songs or how they came to be. Taylor Swift’s documentary is much more driven by lyricism and the creative process of songwriting.
It’s interesting to see Swift record little tidbits of a song on her phone to share with her creative team. It’s equally fun for fans to watch her light up as she describes the sound she is looking for and finally lands on it.
Excuse Me, I Love You: Helps Define Ariana’s Pop Persona
As Taylor’s documentary obviously centers on the intimate details of the star’s life, Ariana’s story cements who she is as an artist more than who she is as a private person. In a way, it’s kind of nice to let the focus stay on her music and her performance journey. Fans always want to know more, but the documentary is already a big step for a focused singer like Ariana.
Miss Americana: Gives Insight Into Taylor’s Political Journey
After fifteen years in the spotlight, Taylor’s more recent public political journey sparked controversy. Some fans thought it was overdue, others were thrilled to hear Taylor’s thoughts, and some questioned the singer’s motives. In any event, Taylor’s development in thinking through human rights issues plays a big role in the documentary, and the tough conversations are important for fans to see.
