It’s not just the story of Anvil… it’s a story about anyone who ever had a dream

I met up with B on the West End last night so we could finally see Anvil. We’ve been looking for a cinema that was actually showing it for ages and right now it happens to be on at the third of the three Leicester Square Odeons. After accidentally going to the wrong one we eventually found the one we were after in one of the back alleys. Unlike the Hollywood gloss of the other two, which are used for premieres, this one was impressively small and grotty… not that we minded. For the film we were seeing it seemed perfectly suited.

Since we had an hour to spare before the film, we decided to take advantage of a 2-for-1 deal at the nearby Pizza Express. BIG mistake. You would think an hour would be a reasonable amount of time in which to expect service of two pizzas. It turns out not so much. Aware of the fact that B and I were looking less and less impressed in our corner, rather than attempting to placate us the waiter decided to blatantly ignore us instead. Eventually, after practically begging to have our pizzas given to us in takeaway boxes that we could attempt to smuggle into the film as well as our bill… and STILL being ignored, we walked out. No one stopped us. So Pizza Express if you want your £2 for the diet coke I had, come and find me and we’ll talk.

The film was in a word, incredible. It’s a documentary about a Canadian metal band held together by vocalist, Lips Kudlow and his drummer best mate, Robb Reiner. After a sniff of fame in their 20’s, Lips and Robb have been trying to crack the big time for 30 years. Marred by poor management, bad recordings and life in general, rock stardom has not beckoned and they’re stuck in menial day-jobs performing in tiny bars and becoming progressively more scraggly looking. What makes this one of the most heart-warming films I have ever seen (especially as a music fan) is that Anvil (and Lips in particular) have never given up hope and remain positive and committed to the point of near idiocy. Filmed with great humour and warmth we watch as Anvil take on a disastrous last ditch European basement bar tour managed by their guitarist’s unhinged Eastern European fiancé and eventually attempt to record their thirteenth album. Lips and Rob’s enduring love for and dedication to each other and the band is something that could not be manufactured and you quickly find yourself laughing with, not at the band, and desperately willing them to succeed no matter what the odds. If you have ever had a dream, you need to see this film. It is inspirational, touching and quietly beautiful in its simplicity. My film of 2009 so far.

Robb and Lips... still rocking at 50+

Having still not eaten we decided to slum it and have Burger King in Charing Cross, an experience so entertaining that we were there for over an hour just watching how impressively drunk everyone seemed to be for a Wednesday night at 9pm.

Tonight, shock horror, Abbi has a date with a real live human boy, who we’ll call Tattoo-Boy. Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies… but stay tuned for further news…