A heartbreaking look at an incredible talent.  Must-see.  Grade: A

What: A documentary about the famous — and infamous — singer Amy Winehouse, chronicling her rise to fame, her fall from grace, and her tragic death.

Why: Loved her music?  Intrigued by her all-too-public flameout?  Fascinated by the whole “27 Club” thing?  Then Amy is the documentary for you.  It’s unflinching, gut-wrenching and pulls no punches.  Warning: however jaded you may be going in, you’d better bring tissues.  You’re gonna need ’em.

How: I loved it, if you couldn’t tell from the grade above.  Director Asif Kapadia doesn’t grab your shoulders and shake you with his ideas.  Instead, he lets footage taken before, during and after Amy’s rise to fame allow you to make up your own mind.  And more than likely you’ll come to the conclusion most viewers have come to; Winehouse was given no help when she needed it most, and instead was used as a fame-stepladder-cum-gravy-train by almost everyone who was closest to her.  Props to Yasiin Bey (called Mos Def in the documentary, as that was what he went by when he knew Winehouse), Mark Ronson, and Salaam Remi for trying to stand up and help her when she was down.  Sadly, with the malestrom around her, it wasn’t enough.  This film clocks in at just over two hours, yet the time flies by.  The story is that powerful.