By Brad Henderson

I love punk rock, always have and always will. When I was younger I had a tough time fitting in because I was awkward. It took me a while to understand that I needed to be myself and people would accept that a lot more quickly than any alternatives. During my middle school years I became really good friends with some punks and they told me to just be myself because that would be best for me. Fred, Nick, Iggy, and Daniella accepted me for who I was, a nerd. Well, a pretty badass nerd.

I’ve always been a fan of the punk rock scene because there is a certain equality to the lifestyle that accepts you no matter who you are. There are no rules, no format or list that you have to abide by or follow. You are who you are because you are different and don’t want to conform. I’ve always heard the comment that punks are conformists because they all look the same. This isn’t true at all. You choose what you want to see. You can throw out descriptions of spiky hair, chains, a leather jacket with patches, or whatever cliché bullshit you want, but that isn’t conforming. Hell, a lot of punks look normal and you can’t even tell because punk isn’t a look, it is a lifestyle.

Recently a punk rock film came out in Sweden called We Are The Best! and I was immediately hooked. Two young girls, Klara and Bobo, are misfits in 1980s Stockholm. They don’t like what they see or hear so they decide to start a punk band. Unfortunately, they don’t have any clue how to play any instruments but that doesn’t stop them. With a bass in one hand and drumsticks in the other, they set out to make a statement. They quickly decide they need a complete band so they ask a religious girl who plays classical guitar if she wants to join their mission to take over the world.

With a kickass cast and a very good soundtrack, We Are The Best! takes us back to our youth and makes us feel like kids again. We Are The Best! is one of the best films of the year. Flat out. This film will hit hard with just about everyone and play well with young women as well as grown ones. This is a down to earth film about not fitting in and dealing with normal bullshit on a real level. You don’t have to be punk to get it because this film is about life, social issues, rebelling, and people who just want to make a change. Sounds familiar, huh?

We Are The Best! was released by Magnolia Home Entertainment on September 23.