It is not always a great idea when a band comprises all of the main actors in a film (KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park for example) but in “Slade in Flame” you have a band playing a somewhat fictionalized version of themselves, and doing a decent job at it.

As the name suggests, Slade portrays a fake band named “Flame” and they rocket to the top. Now, we know what happens in musical films when that happens, as they are destined to break up, but as most films if it is done well and there are interesting subplots around, you tend to care. We think this is one of those films.



The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
Slade in Flame (1975)

Actors:
Slade

Songs you might remember:
How Does it Feel
Far Far Away

Why you should vote for them:
In the United Kingdom, this band was huge.

Why you should not vote for them:
Is it a coincidence that after this movie, the band went into decline?

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In the ambitious (though hit and miss) Robert Townsend project, The Five Heartbeats, we witness the rise and fall of the titular Motown band. Although the plot was predictable, Townshend deserves credit for creating original songs and making the group look as legitimate (pardon the pun, but he injected his soul into it), but when a film does not perform well, and Townsend was essentially done in Hollywood after it, do we really have a serious contender?



The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
The Five Heartbeats (1991)

Actors:
Robert Townsend (Donald “Duck” Matthews)
Leon (T.J. Matthews)
Michael Wright (Eddie King Jr.)
Tico Wells (Anthony “Choir Boy” Stone)
Harry J. Lennix (Terrence “Dresser” Williams)

Songs you might remember:
A Heart is a House for Love

Why you should vote for them:
Musically, this sounds the way it was supposed to.

Why you should not vote for them:
The film at best is average.

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Produced by Kevin Smith, the film “Losers Take All”, takes place in 1986 where “The Fingers” have to decide how bad they want fame and if they should forego their DIY ethos. It is a comical film that really didn’t make it, though the music from the film is worth watching it alone.



The Bullet Points:
TV Show Appeared:
Losers Take All (2011)

Actors:
Kyle Gallner (Brian)
Aaron Himelstein (Dave)
Ashley Springer (Miles)
Billy Kay (Billy)

Songs you might remember:
Every Little Thing Goes Wrong

Why you should vote for them:
Musically, this was a great film.

Why you should not vote for them:
If the music is great in a film that nobody saw, does it make a noise?

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We will admit that this one of our favorite band names ever; especially considering that the kids singing had no concept of the real meaning of the word “Fingerbang”. The kids of course are the gang from South Park, though our favorite member was the late addition of Stan’s dad, Randy who substituted for Kenny (who was killed naturally) and overcame his own demons as he was in a Boy Band himself (The Ghetto Avenue Boys) that hit rock bottom after it made it big. Their gig at the mall remains an all time highlight of the animated show for many.