Kenneth Turan from '' Los Angeles Times '' gave the film a positive review , saying " High-spirited , emotional and funny , '' Sound City '' is , of all things , a mash note to a machine . Not just any machine , however , but one that helped change the face of rock 'n' roll . " In a review for '' The Daily Telegraph '' , Sebastian Doggart awarded the documentary five out of five stars and proclaimed it as " an exhilarating exploration of the creative process . " Peter Travers of '' Rolling Stone '' admits " In his directing debut , Dave Grohl shows the instincts of a real filmmaker . '' Sound City '' hits you like a shot in the heart . " Bill Goodykoontz of '' The Arizona Republic '' remarks " '' Sound City '' is a music geek 's dream , a rollicking look at a dumpy California studio where a lot of musicians found magic . It 's also a bit of a mess , like all good rock and roll ought to be " , while Elizabeth Weitzman of '' New York Daily News '' praised that " Grohl 's aim is to explore the aura of a place , but what he winds up proving is that people make the magic . " Nevertheless Phil Gallo from '' Billboard '' stated " Grohl 's inexperience as a filmmaker only shows when the film makes a sharp turn out of history and into the more recent past : There 's a sense that instead of celebrating great rock 'n' roll moments , a product is about to be pitched at the viewer . " The film received a Satellite Award for Best Documentary Film nomination in the 18th edition and the Cinema Eye Honor 2014 Audience Choice Prize
18th edition
18th Satellite Awards
Sound City (film)