Attack the Block

Director Joe Cornish has put together an entertaining little alien thriller with a minimal budget. Black, furry aliens with glowing blue teeth crash into a block in South London, and a group of thugs becomes the only true defender of humanity. Jodie Whittaker plays Sam, a woman who is robbed by the very same thugs she will later need to join forces with to battle the creatures. Cornish does some interesting stuff to make the aliens work, and the young cast is fun to root for. Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead fame makes a decent appearance as Ron, a pot dealer and deliverer of dry wisecracks. This is a solid feature debut for Cornish, who shows an aptitude for action, comedy and stretching his budget.