In Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' film, Memphis fans finally get the best seat in the house

For the Los Angeles premiere of "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," the megastar set the dress code as "cozy opulence," which sent the Beyhive, as her legion of fans is called, into a bit of a tizzy while trying to interpret the Queen Bee's suggestion.

"Renaissance" — Beyoncé's seventh solo studio album and the centerpiece of her massive, $579.8 million tour — weaves the concept of both coziness and opulence throughout the 16-track album through shimmering, futuristic visuals and lyrics that celebrate reaching comfort in your own skin.

"Opulence" may not be the first adjective that comes to mind when you think of Memphis, and indeed most of the movie-goers seated around me in the Malco Paradiso leaned more in the direction of "cozy," for a Sunday matinee showing.

But the film itself deftly folds the audience in Beyoncé's carefully crafted world, temporarily transforming the auditorium into a glistening world of Afrofuturism through ultra-precise editing that spliced image after image of silver-clad musicians, dancers and, of course, Beyoncé herself as the film moved through a 34-song setlist.

And for so many around the world — due to often prohibitive ticket costs and the outsized demand for tickets — the film is the sole chance to be immersed in that world.

I asked a few patrons standing in line next to me for popcorn: Were you able to get tickets to the "Renaissance" tour? All said "no."

But for 2 hours and 48 minutes, with the help of Malco's surround sound system, movie-goers were able to be engulfed in Beyoncé's opulence, as all audience members enjoyed the best seat in the house. And in that time, they learned more about the path, people and sacrifices that all shaped the artist known and beloved the world over.

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This is the singer's second film that documents one of her shows while also paying homage to the vision behind it, and the scores of people who bring that vision to life.

Similar to the film "Homecoming," which documented her 2018 performance at the fabled Coachella music festival in Southern California (dubbed "Beychella" for that particular year), "Renaissance" includes ample footage of those who helped the singer bring her vision to life — from stage hand to band member to relatives.

While "Homecoming" felt more insular to the project at hand, as Beyoncé hand selected an all-Black league of dancers, performers and musicians to bring her own HBCU to life on stage, "Renaissance" feels more expansive and inclusive of the singer's lifespan, from her hometown of Houston to the heights of her career.

What quickly becomes apparent from the opening shots of the crowd is that the influence of Black-led ballroom culture takes a central role in the tour's visuals, as it did in the "Renaissance" album.

Samples of underground drag legends Moi Renee and Kevin Aviance can be heard through "Renaissance," plus there are appearances by the iconic New Orleans bounce queen Big Freedia, and Moi Renee.

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Homage to these performers is evident throughout the show, right down to the crowd shots of fans snapping their hand fans as Beyoncé purrs in the mic, "Y'all got your fans? I wanna hear that clack, clack, clack."

Later in the film, Beyoncé explains the mission of "Renaissance," which is to, "create a space where everyone can be," and notes this particular body of work seeks to uplift Black ballroom culture, so those "queens can get the credit they deserve."

Beyoncé's uncle, Jonathan Williams aka "Uncle Johnny" in the film, is technically Tina Knowles-Lawson's nephew. His outsized influence on Beyoncé's life is evident not only because the album is dedicated to him, but because his influence is well-known enough that Beyoncé fans held up signs that said, "Uncle Johnny would be proud," at the movie's London premiere.

Williams died from complications of AIDS at the start of her career, but he is very much alive in "Renaissance."

In 'Renaissance', perfection reigns, but Beyoncé is liberated

If nothing else, Beyoncé is known for her brand of perfection in her live performances. Her vocals, seemingly growing more powerful with age, remain impeccable. The design of the set, from the swinging robot arms to the numerous costume changes, to the shimmering on-stage performers, continued the tradition of Beyoncé's drive to produce visual art that rivals the power of her voice.

But in the singer's words, she also found liberation from her own drive, lending to some genuinely joyful and insightful moments of the film that evoked the most reactions from the Memphis audience.

The film peeks behind the scenes of a technical breakdown during an Arizona show, and the sheer panic that enveloped the stage crew. We also see the singer occasionally ditching the curated choreography and opting instead to let her body move to the beat.

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We also learn that even in parenthood, Beyoncé is now in the stage of her life where she sometimes must concede to an authority greater than herself — in this case, her eldest daughter Blue Ivy, who butted heads with her superstar mom about going on stage at 11.

Needless to say, Blue Ivy won that argument.

These moments and more all lend themselves to a new dimension of Beyoncé — even the forces of time reshape the tallest mountains.

Speaking about life in her 40s, the singer looks straight at the camera and says, "I just don't give a [expletive]."

The audience in Memphis absolutely roared in appreciation, the sentiment seemingly extra poignant for a crowd that leaned more toward "cozy" than "opulence" on a Sunday afternoon.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal who covers, for this one day, Beyoncé. She can be reached at micaela.watts@commerialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' movie: Inside a 'cozy' Memphis matinee