Good Vibrations

Loved this film, I used to buy records from this shop in Belfast and was acquainted with Mr Hooley.

Nostalgia-fuelled dramedy rarely surprises but, this one's light on the drama and it's best lines came at the expense of the wackos behind the troubles. That and Dormer being dead-good put this comfortably at the better end of these things.

Not really for me to say, as an Englishman, but this comes uncomfortably close to a depoliticised "both sides were as bad as each other" rereading of the Troubles. The British army don't feature much at all, except in a little sequence in which they cheerily let our heroes go on their way. For all that, it does show how punk music might have been a unifying force for some of Belfast's youth and it's a hard film to dislike, with a charismatic central performance and some inventive visuals.

Saw it at a festival when it came out and the crowd reaction was huge, so might be influencing me.

Top badass moment? After the great built up, "Teenage Kicks" bursting out of the speakers provides THE most badass experience it's possible to have in 2 minutes and 28 seconds. It's unadulterated music porn. An iconic tune by the best band on the planet. Still gigging and still way ahead of their peers. No cats, chainsaws or decapitations.

An interesting and unusual perspective on the record business. It's sepia tones, soundtrack and use of old footage create atmosphere and a real sense of time and place.