Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions

Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions will be catnip to the world's many Taylor Swift fans, but it's also a unique look inside the artistic process behind one album. It's intriguing to listen in on the origins and meaning of songs with otherwise cryptic or, conversely, seemingly generic lyrics. We also learn a little more about the artist. Swift suggests this is her first album that's not fully autobiographical, though there are many personal and life-inspired lyrics. Watching the superstar sing in a solitary studio with just guitar and/or piano accompaniment crystallizes her vocal talent.

Each song is discussed and then performed -- no bloopers are shown here. We don't see any technicians or camera crew; the film is made more intimate by being limited to the three people, their conversations, and the music in such an isolated setting. The two musicians conversing with the singer -- Dessner and Antonoff -- are here mostly as sounding boards for Swift. There's no question who the celebrity is in the group, but the entire atmosphere is laid back. They look like they're having fun; the album feels cathartic for all of them during a difficult year. Viewers, too, can enjoy the relaxed mood.