Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Drew's Thoughts:
I love a well-done exposé as much as the next person but the documentaries that I really take to are ones that focus on people. It takes a wise film maker to know who's interesting enough to make a film about but with a good director behind the camera you get amazing results such as American Movie, The King of Kong, Grizzly Man and Dig! to name a few.
Anvil! isn't nearly on the same level as those I just mentioned but it is still quite good. Anvil, as you learn in the film's opening minutes, is a Canadian metal band that was continually poised for global mega-success at any moment. Except that moment never came and even as the 80s passed them by they kept chugging along in the hopes of catching their big break in a radically different music industry. The film catches up with them as they are gearing up for a massive European tour that they are justly stoked about it and follows them through imminent mishaps and failures.
You get to know the two core members, hilariously named Lips and Robb Reiner, and come to respect them and root for them even in the face of certain failure. There is something inherently compelling about watching people trying to achieve their dreams whatever they may be.
One of the best documentaries of the year.