Pirate Radio (2009)

  Known everywhere outside of the U.S. as The Boat That Rocked.  A more multi-layered title, to be sure, but it lacks the snappiness of Pirate Radio.

In 1966, Britain was front and center of the greatest era in pop and rock music, but suffered due to a lack of airtime on the government-controlled radio stations.  Boats, anchored off the coastline, hosted pirate radio DJs to play popular music around the clock.  Young Carl (Tom Sturridge) joins Radio Rock, a boat owned by his godfather (Bill Nighy), after being expelled from college.  He finds the personalities on board to be bizarre, yet endearing.  But bureaucrat Alistair Dormady (Kenneth Branagh) has sworn to shut down all pirate radio on moral grounds by the end of the year.

This is a great movie.  Bill Nighy, in particular, has a level of benevolent snark in every line he says that warms my cold, pitted heart.  He is the coolest boss, hands down.  This also has another fantastic turn from Phillip Seymour Hoffman, which should be redundant since the man never turned in a bad role.  The rivalry between his character, the Count, and Rhys Ifans' Gavin Kavanaugh is wildly entertaining.  Of course, the soundtrack is excellent.  If you haven't seen this, you really should.  You might not learn anything in particular, but you will be entertained.