Thursday, May 26, 2011

Must See-Attack the Block




Hi Everyone!

Sorry we have seemingly forgotten about our blog--we haven't! We moved across country and had to get our lives in order. Now all that nonsense is done, we need to get back to what is really important. Now, this entry is very different than our usual piss and moan sessions about the crap Hollywood spews with way too much money and not nearly enough talent. Last night, Zach and I were lucky enough to score tickets to a preview showing of the wonderful British film, "Attack the Block." This year movies have been very inconsistent. While "Thor" and "Scream 4" were both fun and enjoyable romps, both lacked the heart that drives, in my opinion, a truly exceptional film. "Attack the Block" filled that void.

Set in South London, we meet Moses, Pest, Jerome, Dennis and Biggz, a group of petty teenage criminals patrolling the streets of their beloved block, just looking for trouble. It is no spoiler to say that they become intrenched in an alien invasion, and they must band together in order to save the world.

In a lot of ways, this movie was supposed to get me excited about the upcoming J.J. Abrams helmed "Super 8," but instead, now I worry that "Super 8" could never surpass perhaps not even reach the level of enjoyment I experienced when watching this (fairly) low budget British flick.

The aliens, certainly very cool in their own right, take a huge backseat to the emotional changes that arc the characters as they unite to fight a common enemy. Moses, the leader of the teenagers, is a rough and gruff kid whose had an obviously difficult life. Whether he chose or was inevitably placed in the leadership role is an interesting character trait and the actor, John Boyega, brilliantly and subtley portrays the character with a passion to protect the only home he's ever had.

There are many funny moments, usually spewed by Alex Esmail's cocky but loveable Pest, but also shouldered by Nick Frost's pot-smoking Ron and Luke Treadaway's hipster Brewis. We were warned by many blog outlets that the biggest issue with the film is the thick accents of the lead characters. Not only wold subtitles have been wholly unnecessary, the language is a character in itself. Even swears and insults are written with such style, it reminded me of if "A Clockwork Orange" fused with Shakespeare.

I cannot endorse this movie enough. Please, when it gains (I hope) a wide release, take some time and watch it. Movies like this make all the junk we sit through completely worth it. Believe, bruv. Truth.