https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA8uStDCSus

Say what you will about Taylor Swift as an artist and entertainer, there’s no denying her mammoth Reputation Tour this year was a phenomenal success. Breaking attendance records for a lot of her 53 shows and grossing around 2.9 million dollars in total, Taylor Swift’s tour was not just the second-highest grossing female tour of all time, it was also one of the best-selling of all time. Collaborating with Netflix, Taylor’s Houston show infront of 53,800 adoring fans is shown in all its glory. Fans of Taylor Swift are sure to love this New Year’s special and even those who aren’t a fan can find plenty to like here given the impressive stage design and production with each song. The show opens with a short introduction, complete with pulsing lights and close-up shots of Taylor’s body. From here the screen fades to show the millions of fans in the stadium as Taylor Swift appears and begins her concert. If you’ve ever been to a live music performance, the format is very much the same, with most of the tracks designed to show off new material while peppering some of the more popular tracks in the middle, followed by some old classics to finish the show. interspersed around these are moments where Taylor addresses the crowd about important topics like bullying, acceptance and friendship. Given the power this influential popstar has, it’s a really welcome inclusion and something that helps give her music more meaning and power. With a 2 hour run-time, the whole show is shown in its entirety, complete with breathtaking set and costume designs. From seductive and sexy to elegant and sophisticated, the numerous costume changes Taylor undertakes during the concert are perfectly suited to each song’s theme and testament to the great work the creative team have done here to make each of the 19 songs stand out. This is further emphasized by a clever use of colour coordination and unique props. Whether it be giant cobras, a skeletal cage elevated above the crowd or projections on the large screens, there’s some amazing visual and audio work done here to make this performance a memorable and magical one. It’s not all big, fantastical set pieces either and a few welcome, stripped back performances show Taylor with nothing but a solitary spotlight and an acoustic guitar or piano. These moments work well to show off Taylor Swift’s tenacity and vocal range as a singer. In terms of editing and cinematography, Director Paul Dugdale has done an excellent job capturing the sheer scale and excitement with the concert. Each song begins with a full-body shot of Taylor Swift as she begins singing before panning out and showing the stage area and reaction from the crowd. The most impressive shots are when the whole stage is full of dancers and props, showing what a massive spectacle this show really was. Netflix’s Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour perfectly captures the raw excitement and insane popularity this female phenom carries with her to her concerts. With slick cinematography and some really impressive set design, this 2 hour love letter to the female pop star is the perfect way to end an amazing year for this young lady.