Something Cult, Foreign-Language or Indie #129: Graffiti Bridge (1990).

In this sequel to his 1984 movie breakthrough Purple Rain, His Royal Badness the late Prince (RIP) returns as the Kid, who's now an established rock star and the co-owner of the club Gram Slam with his associate Morris (Morris Day). In between these pursuits, he writes new songs and also letters to his deceased father. When Morris, who also owns a number of other venues now, finds himself ten grand in debt, he tries to extort the Kid with a threat to assume full control of Gram Slam. Not helping is the arrival of Aura (Ingrid Chavez), an angel sent from Heaven to sway both of them into embracing more righteous lifestyles; instead, of course, they both just fall for her. After the Kid's resistance increases and Morris deliberately undermines him by having his band perform superbly at Gram Slam, the Kid throws the gauntlet down with a music battle for ownership of the venue.

Let me flag this outright: here lies that proof that Prince wrote music far better than he wrote screenplays. While I think Graffiti Bridge is much better than the consensus (its Rotten Tomatoes rating is just 19%), it falls way short of Purple Rain because that film actually had a real narrative arc. Subsequently this is comparatively more shallow than a puddle. However, if you focus on the assured aesthetic style and swagger of Prince's soundtrack and direction (the soundtrack, perhaps inevitably, was far better-received), its bland dialogue and lack of substance I think will be more or less tolerable. Since it was produced through his own company/recording studio Paisley Park it was it egocentric for Prince to make it himself, let's face it, but by that time he was so famous he could've made any kind of film or music he wanted to. But in fairness, his direction does show a lucid flair for framing and choreography in the musical sequences (the most memorable being with Mavis Staples performing Melody Cool) and a consistent colour scheme throughout; this is also to fully emphasise the titular bridge.

Again, don't expecting something on par with Purple Rain. But don't listen to the critical consensus either. Graffiti Bridge is essentially just a (very) long-format music video - but in the most enjoyably hip way.