Airheads (1994)

One of the most underrated of the Sandman’s career.

Forgotten by some, beloved by others.

Airheads is a wonderful comedy about a group of metalheads trying to make it in the industry by getting their first song on the radio.

When that goes awry they pull out their guns… and by guns we mean water guns painted black and filled with hot sauce.

It’s equal parts This is Spinal Tap and Die Hard from the villain's perspective.

You know, a world where Hans Gruber is played by a stoner Brendan Fraser.

Airheads represents an essential element of his career. ENSEMBLES!

While it’s kind of a meme now, the “Sandler likes to cast his friends” logic really does make sense.

And the results do speak for themselves.

He casts talented actors to do work that may seem below their pay grade but gives them a chance to mess around and try something new. Just Look at Pacino in Jack & Jill. Say what you will about the movie, that is the funniest performance of his illustrious career.

Look at the cast of this movie.

It’s crazy to think that only one cast member has an Oscar when all three have deserved one at some point in their careers.

Plus, if you include Michael Richards, this cast still deserves four Oscars!

This film walks a very fine line of laughing at the 90s grunge era while also being a love letter to it.

While you watch it, at no point do you feel like the filmmakers want you to dislike the medium or see it as anything less than art.

Yet, it’s still able to get in some great jabs at the band whom we fondly call the Beavis and Butthead Heir Apparents.

Fraser especially brings such sincerity to his love of metal and carries a lot of anger throughout the film for the system that “oppresses his art”.

And to be clear, they do address the absurdity of a white guy complaining about how the music industry is against him.

And let us not forget the greatest face in all of cinema, Steve Buscemi!

Guess Tomorrow’s Film