It's hard to believe now that Rob Reiner - the man responsible for recent big-studio dreck like "Rumor Has It" and "The Bucket List" - could've helmed this near-flawless rock mockumentary, as perfect an encapsulation of the all-consuming vanity and resultant excesses of rock stardom as I can imagine. Its satirical jabs at the increasingly-gaudy and self-important heavy metal bands of the '70s and '80s are effective because they skirt reality so closely and with such precision, and because the pitch-perfect performances by the principal trio (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer) are realized with such deadpan conviction. One of the greatest comedies ever made? You can bet the sex farm on it.

- Chris Eggertsen