Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

sol- Still passionate as ever about their music, the two original members of 80s heavy metal band Anvil continue to try to recapture the fame they once had in this documentary from Sacha Gervasi (director of the film 'Hitchcock' with Anthony Hopkins). As one of the musicians' wives says, they have kept "dreaming that dream" despite fading into obscurity and never achieving the recognition of bands like Metallica who they inspired. Now in their fifties, the two men hold regular day jobs and play whatever gigs they can on the side, while still recording albums to sell directly to their fans, since the demand is still there. While their never-ending passion is interesting, watching the pair argue while going from one low paying gig to the next is not particularly fascinating. Same goes for a sequence that follows one of the rockers while he tries to make it as a phone salesman. More history on the band may have been beneficial, with the film skirting over the period in between their 1980s fame and the present day, but when focused on the hurdles faced by them in the present, it is fairly compelling stuff. The interviews with their wives really enhance the material too, highlighting what their families have had to put up with as a result of their undying dreams of renewed fame and glory. Their music is also very decent, if only ever heard every now and again.

rooprect My title says it all. If you enjoyed Spinal Tap, then get set for a bizarre experience because these guys are Tap for real. If you haven't seen Spinal Tap (the greatest rock comedy ever made), then flog yourself mercilessly for 5 minutes, go watch it, then watch this movie.Directed by Sacha Gervasi, himself the ex-drummer of the successful band Bush before they got successful, you can tell that there is a lot of finesse to the way this film was put together. The result, engineered as only an ex-rocker-wannabe could do, is a rock & roll documentary that is enlightening, entertaining, sentimental and hilarious."Anvil! The Story of Anvil" follows one of the 80s metal bands that didn't quite make it to everlasting fame and cult status as did their contemporaries Metallica, Anthrax, Maiden, Priest, etc. What makes this an exceptional story is that the characters, bandmates Robb Reiner and Lips Kudlow, are truly lovable dorks straight out of Spinal Tap. This is what heavy metal is all about: teenage nerds who pick up guitars and use thousands of watts of power to compensate for their nerdiness, never quite giving up (or growing up) decades later. Unlike other superstar musicians who hide behind snottiness, bravado and attitude, these guys are the same as they ever were: the proverbial underdogs whom you can't help but cheer on.We see their humble beginnings and equally humble endings, as well as their current comeback efforts, all of which will keep you thoroughly immersed even if you're not a fan of heavy metal. It's hard to think of other films to compare this to (other than the aforementioned Spinal Tap). Don't miss either one of these classics!By the way, as a postscript to the film... Anvil eventually did record the song "Thumb Hang" in 2009, the year after this film was released. And I'm happy to say that the song lives up to being the most ridiculously awesome metal song ever written about Medieval thumb torture!

afilmaday The questionable quote by Picasso 'Every child is born an artist, the problem is to remain one once they grow up' is important and poignant for artists making that transition from childhood to adulthood. How far will an artist go to keep their dreams alive? What happens if things don't go to plan? How will they support themselves? These are important questions every aspiring artist, musician, actor, writer, filmmaker, animator, designer etc. must consider. Today's feature is a prime example, this is Anvil! The Story of Anvil.Plot: Canadian metal group Anvil are considered the inventors of thrash metal, with many bands citing them as a direct influence, such as Megadeth, Slayer, Metallica and Anthrax, and were a big act in '84, playing alongside Scorpions, Whitesnake and Bon Jovi. Unfortunately were never met with the success that others had and director Sacha Gervasi, self-proclaimed 'number one Anvil fan of Britain', documents the struggling band as they approach their 50s still chasing their dreams.Metal fans everywhere will view the movies introductory interviews with Lemmy, Lars Ulrich, Slash and many other megastars as a brief subjective history lesson. It introduces Anvil's significance to the genre and heavily glorifies the band. It then dramatically juxtaposes with the celebration of lead vocalist Lips' 50th birthday with the band playing in a bar in Canada emphasising the lack of commercial success they should have had. This contrast sets the tone of being a true underdog story and we are then presented with their ups & downs throughout.This documentary is not unflinching or gritty realistic that one might expect, but director Sacha Gervasi brilliantly sets the tone to match that of the band; Lips' natural optimism, drummer Robb Reiner's endless patience and newcomers' support for their dreams. He edits the movie in such a fashion that one is only aware of it upon reflection; their first gig at Sweden Rock festival, Lips interacts with those whom he admires including Michael Schenker and Tommy Aldridge, which makes Anvil relatable and much like regular fans. At the same festival, two Japanese fans approach them, one of them labelled as an 'original Anvil fan', a foreshadowing to the climatic gig in Japan, where it appears they have a very large fan base. During their European tour, it presents the issues of their passionate but poor manager Tiziana Arrigoni who gives the band empty venues, un-paying owners and poor accommodations; the first gig in Sweden went perfect, second gig in Prague was troublesome, with a lawyer in attendance telling them they are being conned by their "shit manager", and final gig in Transylvania, being told 5,000 people are to show and only 174 do so. It was a 34 day tour, yet presented in a typical 3-Act story structure. This is not an attack or a negative comment, but Gervasi made these creative choices to give them necessary exposure and admiration the band rightfully deserves. If he had made it fully realistic, then the tone would contrast to the tone of the band and appear like an attack or putdown.It has moments of sadness when Lips is presented almost as a victim, with a clearly unsupportive but tolerant family, and this presentation of victimisation manipulates the spectator into siding with Anvil. The constant rejections from record labels and some hope with old producer Chris Tsangarides all give perfect plot points to structure this brilliant true-life underdog story.Anvil! The Story of Anvil is accessible to everyone for it does not rely on its audiences' prior knowledge to the genre. Anyone involved with the arts must watch this portrayal of artists struggling to get by and do what they love. Yes, it is manipulative for structural purposes but the message is loud; doing what you love involves plenty of sacrifice and will not always end how you wanted it. High recommendation for anyone wanting a great underdog documentary.

SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain A documentary that makes a mockumentary, which preceded it by over 20 years, look irrelevant. THIS is Spinal Tap, only their name is Anvil and they are very real. As many have stated before, this is a film with amazing power. It really does make everything seem OK. Here are two men that refuse to give up on their dream or each other. Kudlow is a wonderful character and wonderful man, full of raw passion and a childlike confusion. The scenes where he approaches his peers in a fanboyish way make him truly endearing. He should be level with these men, many of whom he has met before but never remember the encounters. Sometimes you laugh at them, but in a way that can't be considered cruel. Kudlow and Reiner are a sweet couple and this is their moment. This is how people should live their lives, with responsibility, but always with one (and sometimes two) eyes focused on that dream.