This shit exceeded my expectations. And those were pretty high as I've been looking forward to this since it premiered way back in January.

I didn't believe my boy when he said this was a horror masquerading as drama. The shot selection by Damien Chazelle was incredible as his directing made the tension stay with the whole film from opening to closing frame.

The drumming scenes are better than most action films today. Shit, the last 15 minutes is more involving and engaging than 95% of films today.

Miles Teller and Paul Reiser both deliver great performances, but J.K. Simmons absolutely kills it in this film as Mr. Fletcher. He might be the scariest character on screen all year b.

This shit is easily in my top 5 of the year so far.

------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

i thought this movie was absolutely incredible, and you're right about the direction. it was pretty astounding at times. it's evident that chazelle loves david fincher, but it doesn't feel like a shitty knock off of his style.

really great look at the level of drive you have to have within yourself to be truly good at something, and various ways of approaching how to get there. the film's look at denying yourself any form of self-satisfaction was great - i think simmons says something like "the most harmful phrase is the english language is 'good job,'" and that sums up the movie really well.

>it's evident that chazelle loves david fincher, but it doesn't
>feel like a shitty knock off of his style.

Completely co-sign on this.

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America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

I can't wait to see this gem! Loved the script and I had some music instructors like this when I was in college no physical stuff but verbal stuff similar to what j.k. Simmons character says in the film- very relatable.
_____________________________________________________
"You can win with certainty with the spirit of "one cut". "Musashi Miyamoto

------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

It looked incredible. Can't wait to catch it.

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How much I, as an acting teacher, related to Fletcher.

I obviously never got that extreme, but I pushed the fuck out of some kids, for the same reasons Fletcher dove into abuse. And Simmons did a hell of a job conveying that.

11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix)
11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark)
11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries)
12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)

Just saw this tonight in Bangkok. Walked out the cinema in a daze. While I was watching it I twice had to tell myself to unclench my jaw. I found it so tense, like an expert thriller despite the subject matter of the film. Thinking of every film i've seen released this year Whiplash is tied with Boyhood for best so far.

This film deserves recognition and is already getting a lot of praise and acclaim. Rightly so. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582802/?ref_=nv_sr_1
and here is the trailer:
http://youtu.be/7d_jQycdQGo

Damien Chazelle could be the next great talent in cinema. So impressive and tight were his screenplay and directing. In addition the performances he got from his two leads were phenomenal.

Miles Teller really grew into the role. When he starts acting like an arrogant asshole he starts showing his range.

JK Simmons. Holy Fuck. I've liked him for years but never really thought of him as a great actor because his comedy is often broad. This performance is going to get him recognition and awards season praise. Many A-list actors will be watching Whiplash and wishing they had got that role.

My concern for Damien Chazelle is what will he be like when he moves his writing and directing away from the music world. I doubt it will be a problem, his skill and intellect should allow to write whatever he desires and his current films based around music is just what he knows. He is still so young.

JK Simmons is a killer

Teller was solid

And I don't believe the ending is as "rousing" and "happy" as you may be led to believe.

Intense flick.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
Some of you post as if rap music taught you how to be hard.

... it's a far more complex ending than some critics are giving it credit for. Audiences that leave thinking "it happened! he's a genius now!" are... naive.

11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix)
11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark)
11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries)
12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)

A lot of thoughts in my head at the end, from Was it worth it? (Couldn't help but think that Fletcher had a little Mr. Glass in him) to Why was I laughing at the emotional brutality in this but turned off by the physical brutality of John Wick.

JK Simmons was amazing. I thought the girlfriend was strong. Miles Teller was very good in what was kind of a thankless role. It's tough to impress when your character is laser focused on something. I feel like that's where a lot of overacting happens but Teller nailed it IMO. Paul Reiser comeback continues!

Sadly, this is one of those films that I think it going to be missed by most but I'll be surprised if it isn't in my top 10 of the year.

the whole being supremely dedicated to forcefully rooting out the next musical superhero, and he couldn't do that until he created the most hostile of environments.

V.

---
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DROkayplayer™

JK deserves recognition. As does Teller. The editing in this flick was syncopated like the drumming. It was jarring at first but exciting as it went along.

I also loved Reiser in his smaller part.

Man, Fletcher will haunt me for a long time with that portrayal. The way he sarcastically smiles and cocks his head that first time Teller misses the timing was so effective. It resonated.

I really enjoyed this.

********************************************************************




"I *always* quote myself. I'm the only reliable source on *most* subjects" - OKP's First Lady of Knowledge, Janey

.

www.theforeignexchangemusic.com

This is an excellent film and will likely be in critics top ten at the end of the year. It should be nominated in awards season. JK Simmons for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars hands down. Am I right in thinking this is a Supporting Role - or is it a Co-Lead role? Seems to me Miles Teller is the lead actor in the film.

However, as I felt the first time there are some mis-steps in the film. Spoilers below.

Would Fletcher have been able to get away with such treatment of his students for so long? I ask this as a non-American and don't know how stuff goes down at Colleges or Conservatories but there was a lot of blatant verbal bullying going on. Are students just expected to take it in high pressure environments? Fletcher slapping Andrew's face in front of everyone, is that realistic?

The part in the film where Andrew is promoted to main drummer, after he misplaces the previous drummer's sheet music is handled wrongly, it doesn't make sense that the sheet music can get lost/taken in a matter of moments. The way it should have been written is the original drummer loses the sheet music or Andrew loses it on purpose or Fletcher picks it up at the vending machine. The way it is portrayed as just getting lost in the film is weak.

The car crash is totally unnecessary and stretches the audiences belief - the situation should have been modified in the screenplay to make the same result - Andrew gets cut by Fletcher.

The third act is brilliant, especially with the plot swerve.

The camera work throughout the film is excellent. Chazelle is going to have a great career as a film maker.

As someone posted in this thread earlier this is the best action film of the year and there aren't even any explosions.

>This is an excellent film and will likely be in critics top
>ten at the end of the year. It should be nominated in awards
>season. JK Simmons for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars
>hands down. Am I right in thinking this is a Supporting Role -
>or is it a Co-Lead role? Seems to me Miles Teller is the lead
>actor in the film.
>
>However, as I felt the first time there are some mis-steps in
>the film. Spoilers below.
>
>Would Fletcher have been able to get away with such treatment
>of his students for so long? I ask this as a non-American and
>don't know how stuff goes down at Colleges or Conservatories
>but there was a lot of blatant verbal bullying going on. Are
>students just expected to take it in high pressure
>environments? Fletcher slapping Andrew's face in front of
>everyone, is that realistic?

Yes. These kids wanted to be in this band badly. Why would any of them snitch?

>
>The part in the film where Andrew is promoted to main drummer,
>after he misplaces the previous drummer's sheet music is
>handled wrongly, it doesn't make sense that the sheet music
>can get lost/taken in a matter of moments. The way it should
>have been written is the original drummer loses the sheet
>music or Andrew loses it on purpose or Fletcher picks it up at
>the vending machine. The way it is portrayed as just getting
>lost in the film is weak.
>

No. I'm betting Fletcher took it on purpose. And as we can see from early Fletcher blames the individual for their own shortcomings not anyone else. And before you get to the kid with the trombone we can already tell he didn't like him, or else the kid who was out of tune would have been out.

>The car crash is totally unnecessary and stretches the
>audiences belief - the situation should have been modified in
>the screenplay to make the same result - Andrew gets cut by
>Fletcher.
>

No. It added tension and was the main reason for Andrew fucking up and getting cut. He was physically unable to play.

>The third act is brilliant, especially with the plot swerve.
>
>The camera work throughout the film is excellent. Chazelle is
>going to have a great career as a film maker.
>
>As someone posted in this thread earlier this is the best
>action film of the year and there aren't even any explosions.

------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

The part in the film where Andrew is promoted to main
>drummer,
>>after he misplaces the previous drummer's sheet music is
>>handled wrongly, it doesn't make sense that the sheet music
>>can get lost/taken in a matter of moments. The way it should
>>have been written is the original drummer loses the sheet
>>music or Andrew loses it on purpose or Fletcher picks it up
>at
>>the vending machine. The way it is portrayed as just getting
>>lost in the film is weak.
>>
>
>No. I'm betting Fletcher took it on purpose. And as we can see
>from early Fletcher blames the individual for their own
>shortcomings not anyone else. And before you get to the kid
>with the trombone we can already tell he didn't like him, or
>else the kid who was out of tune would have been out.
>

Sure, then show it to the audience that Fletcher secretly stole the sheet music. It was just weird and inconclusive that the sheet music just disappeared.



>>The car crash is totally unnecessary and stretches the
>>audiences belief - the situation should have been modified
>in
>>the screenplay to make the same result - Andrew gets cut by
>>Fletcher.
>>
>
>No. It added tension and was the main reason for Andrew
>fucking up and getting cut. He was physically unable to play.


Look BWOOD, i'm in agreement with you but the blood and and extent of the car crash just made it seem totally unreal. There were other ways to make Andy physically unable to play. I don't mind the car crash it really shocked me and added tension but if that happens in the real world no-one is getting out of the car and somehow getting on stage.

In such a hyper-realistic film it was a mis-step.



>>The third act is brilliant, especially with the plot swerve.
>
>>
>>The camera work throughout the film is excellent. Chazelle
>is
>>going to have a great career as a film maker.
>>
>>As someone posted in this thread earlier this is the best
>>action film of the year and there aren't even any
>explosions.
>

>The part in the film where Andrew is promoted to main
>>drummer,
>>>after he misplaces the previous drummer's sheet music is
>>>handled wrongly, it doesn't make sense that the sheet music
>>>can get lost/taken in a matter of moments. The way it
>should
>>>have been written is the original drummer loses the sheet
>>>music or Andrew loses it on purpose or Fletcher picks it up
>>at
>>>the vending machine. The way it is portrayed as just
>getting
>>>lost in the film is weak.
>>>
>>
>>No. I'm betting Fletcher took it on purpose. And as we can
>see
>>from early Fletcher blames the individual for their own
>>shortcomings not anyone else. And before you get to the kid
>>with the trombone we can already tell he didn't like him, or
>>else the kid who was out of tune would have been out.
>>
>
>Sure, then show it to the audience that Fletcher secretly
>stole the sheet music. It was just weird and inconclusive that
>the sheet music just disappeared.
>
>

Na we didn't need to see it. Shit is gone b. Dude had to take the L and move on.


>
>>>The car crash is totally unnecessary and stretches the
>>>audiences belief - the situation should have been modified
>>in
>>>the screenplay to make the same result - Andrew gets cut by
>>>Fletcher.
>>>
>>
>>No. It added tension and was the main reason for Andrew
>>fucking up and getting cut. He was physically unable to
>play.
>
>
>Look BWOOD, i'm in agreement with you but the blood and and
>extent of the car crash just made it seem totally unreal.
>There were other ways to make Andy physically unable to play.
>I don't mind the car crash it really shocked me and added
>tension but if that happens in the real world no-one is
>getting out of the car and somehow getting on stage.
>
>In such a hyper-realistic film it was a mis-step.
>
>


Na b. He was driving reckless and paid the consequences. I mean how else could homie get fucked up and still make it back to the stage in one piece, but still fucked up that hampers his playing?

Shit was wild realistic to me.


>
>>>The third act is brilliant, especially with the plot
>swerve.
>>
>>>
>>>The camera work throughout the film is excellent. Chazelle
>>is
>>>going to have a great career as a film maker.
>>>
>>>As someone posted in this thread earlier this is the best
>>>action film of the year and there aren't even any
>>explosions.
>>

------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

>Na we didn't need to see it. Shit is gone b. Dude had to take
>the L and move on.

He was supposed to have it. He didn't. In a situation with zero margin for error, he left margin for error. Could've been Fletcher or one of his backups or someone who just didn't like him or some janitor strolling by. Absolutely doesn't matter who. Point is, it's gone.

I would've thought less of the film had it spelled out that Fletcher took the music.

11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix)
11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark)
11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries)
12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)

It's my favorite movie of the year.

Now that I got to see it again, I can kinda see where JK Simmons is coming from. With that said its still extreme.

------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

Awesome, I really want to see this.

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JK should win awards just for his Coltrane speech

The third act is just brilliant. Dude ethering his family at the dinner table killed me. The editing was top notch, I'll def check for whatever Chazelle has coming up.

i need to see this again, yo

-------------------------------
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Simply amazing. I've never been so tense for so long. Can't wait to see it again.

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as a former percussionist and lover of jazz, this movie had me jumping on the horn to tell everybody with a similar background the same. listening to the soundtrack now!

Red, Black, Green

my critic buddy told me FOXCATCHER might get a nom over this for Best Picture....FOXCATCHER!!!! Give me a. fucking. break.

11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix)
11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark)
11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries)
12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)

and JK Simmons
underappreciated
and underrated as an actor

i have known music
teacher such as the
character he portrayed.

JK Simmons' career has basically been building to this role. For the first 20-30 minutes, I was worried he was going to cross the line into self-parody, but he was able to maintain that magnetic terror throughout.

All the performances are great, there are so many memorable set pieces, the script is TIGHT (no unnecessary filler) and Chazelle manages, somehow, to maintain a steadily rising tension for the entire running time.

and the final scene...god DAMN did they pull it off. again, it could've so easily devolved into cliched bullshit, but it was perfect and they EARNED the payoff.

easily in my top 5 of the year.

I was kinda out on Miles and didn't like him much. But you said he's got some chops.

I mean I didn't like him in that teen melo-drama piece, but since he turned down the poor man's Vince Vaughn a bit, I've dug him in "That Awkward Moment" and "Two Night Stand". But this shit was a whole other level.

<---https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DL9AVTQ

Whiplash and Birdman are remakes of Black Swan. The best remake award goes to Whiplash.

For the record Black Swan is not one of my favorite movies. It is a decent flick but somewhat depressing. Whiplash moves the story along in a way that is exhilarating. Whiplash is a better movie than Black Swan and does deserve the praise it is getting.
aa
Grade A

I get it for Birdman a bit but Whiplash was a beast of it's own.

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

All three movies are quite different IMO but I can see how they might be grouped together.

----
NBA MOCK DRAFT #1 - https://thecourierclass.com/whole-shebang/2017/5/18/2017-nba-mock-draft-1-just-lotto-and-lotta-trades

>All three movies are quite different IMO but I can see how
>they might be grouped together.
>

I also don't buy the tie-together. This movie is far more grounded in reality-- at least with Birdman you can tie together the mental unraveling leading to hallucination.

11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix)
11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark)
11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries)
12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)

Didn't say I bought the connection overall/remake comment but I was responding to Ryan who said the movies had nothing in common at all.

----
NBA MOCK DRAFT #1 - https://thecourierclass.com/whole-shebang/2017/5/18/2017-nba-mock-draft-1-just-lotto-and-lotta-trades

It's like saying Citizen Kane and Fatal Attraction have something in common-- I guess thematically they do, but I just wasn't remotely reminded of it at all sitting in the theater. Which is why I'm generally cool with Ryan's comment.

But I see how, technically, despite not reminding me of the other film in any way, I could find one literal connection between the two films instead of zero.

11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix)
11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark)
11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries)
12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)

Threads are more declarative threads than discussion threads. Most posts are people expressing what they thought of something or denouncing another opinion out of hand. There's very few discussions in the threads anymore and I think this is partly why. Comparing the three films could be an interesting topic to discuss but instead it's shut down and dismissed. The films didn't remind you of each other so let's put a kibosh on the premise.
And I'm not saying I'm not guilty of this as well but it's just something I'd like to see less of.

Each film was about an artist breaking off from the real world, in Birdman/Black Swan in the form of hallucinations/in Whiplash it was a conscious decision, as they strive to greatness. Again, I think calling Whiplash a remake is a major reach and your point that the theme is one that is common in many films (although I wouldn't say it's the main focus of most artist biopics) is interesting but I'd rather at least discuss the idea than simply dismiss it in a one line post.

----
NBA MOCK DRAFT #1 - https://thecourierclass.com/whole-shebang/2017/5/18/2017-nba-mock-draft-1-just-lotto-and-lotta-trades

.

I simply disagree. As you did too. That's expression of opinion, not declaration. Folks can continue to find connections if they so choose. I just have nothing to add. It's a discussion I find nothing to debate within. I saw the Birdman/Black Swan comparison, as I mentioned above, but as I don't really like either film, I'm not terribly keen on diving into it, lol.

I'm usually the guy who simply bows out if I think a discussion is boiling down to an endless circle of disagreement-- but I doubt I'd ever tell anyone here they're flat-out wrong. And I don't think the use of a declarative implies finality-- opinion is implied throughout the board. Well... for 98% of users anyway.

Those people who speak exclusively in declaratives exist, and they're loud, but I disagree that most people do this on this board. I continue to have strong discussions with the majority of folks, even when I vehemently disagree. And even if they (or I) use declaratives, it's shorthand. We have no true experts here. We're just fans, trying to say what we dig, what we don't, and why.

And Ryan even said "I see nothing..." That's just, like, his opinion, man. Not a declarative fact at all. And while I may have been mildly curt in the above reply, because I didn't really think the semantics in Ryan's reply mattered to the heart of the point being made, I still voiced it as an opinion-- lots of "I"s. If I thought it was a strong comparison, I would've noted that I agreed. But it's not. I disagreed. I see nothing wrong there, nor do I see that as indicative of a pandemic of declarative assholia on the board. I felt it was rather innocuous.

But hey... that's just my opinion.

11/13: Hot Frosty (on Netflix)
11/23: Three Wiser Men & A Boy (on Hallmark)
11/27: Christmas Under the Lights (on Hallmark Mysteries)
12/14: The Santa Class (on Hallmark)

half way through the movie my cousin said man this like a male version of Black Swan

the only missing elements were the surreality

2. Both Nina and Andrew are loners with overprotective parents.
3. Both parents had failed careers. Dad was a failed writer. Nina's mom was a failed dancer.
4. Nina and Andrew had instructors who were tough and who berated them.
5. Both Nina and Andrew panic and injure themselves.
6. The finale of both films is about an opening night performance.
7. The bird in Whiplash is Charlie "Bird" Parker. His mythos is what drove Fletcher and Andrew.

kuku doodle do!

------------------------------------------
America from 9:00 on: https://youtu.be/GUwLCQU10KQ

totally has me contemplating hitting the skins with a lot more frequency.

V.

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Avoided the trailers and had no idea what the movie was about and what a treat that was.I love jazz; my girl doesn't but she loved the movie just the same.Shit's intense as hell, it's beautifully shot and some masterful acting.It's stays with you after you watch it.

time is money, money is time
so i keep 7 o'clock in the bank and gain interest in the hour of God
I'm saving to buy my freedom, God, grant me wings, I'm too fly not to fly _ Saul Williams

awesome flick.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

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expertly crafted from start to finish, just a stunning piece of work. j.k. simmons gives the best performance of the year, male or female, lead or supporting. teller kills it. just so rare to see a film that builds like this. a scene punches you in the face and you think they can't possibly top that, and then they do. all the way to one of the best finales i've ever seen ("i'm gonna gouge out your motherf***ing eyes!" and where it goes from there). still processing, but just... wow. wow, wow, wow. WOW. you guys can rock yourselves to sleep with the gentle sounds of birdman and boyhood, i'm from the school of the greatest art should grab you by the throat and dare you to not be entertained. it's whiplash, kids. nothing this year was close.

"i smack clowns with nouns, punch herbs with verbs..."

I guess maybe I was spoiled prior and kept hearing rave reviews about performances but I just thought it was pretty OK.

--
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Was that Miles playing the drums during the film? I haven't heard anything or couldn't tell, but he did a great job in this one too, surprised he didn't get love for acting awards (especially if that's really him).

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Mimed well, but mimed to a recorded track. There is a certain degree of secrecy about who did the actual drumming on the versions of Caravan and Whiplash that were used in the film because there are apparently union laws that were violated.

My favourite of the award season movies and one which i will be buying on DVD for my collection. Can't wait to see it again. The performances and the editing, all fantastic. I hope this gets awards if only to ensure it makes money at the box office and DVD sales this sort of film should be rewarded.

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It really made you feel the tension and the performances were great. JK hasn't been this terrifying since Oz. I really dug the way his character was written too...he wasn't just mindfucking them for his own enjoyment he really wanted to make them great. Well done.

I happened to watch this after seeing Kobe's Ahmad Rashad interview and he talked about a leader needing to be comfortable pushing his team to be their best. It was kinda cool seeing him speak about that then watching an extreme example of it.

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Simmons open hand to closed fist flexin bicep after hearing 1.3 seconds of sound killed me every fucn time

and man did he deliver some A grade soul crushin emasculating shit the whole movie

Teller was fucn great too IMO

the final scene and the drumming, editing was phenomenal

the girlfriend angle should've been axed, my only lil gripe

*******************************************************
i will not let finite disappointment undermine infinite hope
- Cory Booker

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- Gary Lineker

I made the same comparison to Black Swan after seeing it.

The idea of the young and upcoming artist that will do whatever it takes to master their craft/win attention, even though it means losing their soul in the process. I don't think every movie about an artist does that. I think some, like Birdman, go the route of 8 1/2, where they are the artist creatively searching for some truth that they can't get and falling apart because of it...versus this, where the art is an obsession that consumes the artist.

I see how people disagree with that, but for me it's all in how you view the ending. A lot of people view it as an exhilarating happy ending, but man I thought quite the opposite. That last scene was like dude going over to the dark side. JK Simmons was damn near like the devil in that scene, and when dude just lost himself in the drum solo it's like he shed the last part of his humanity and won the devil's favor.

It wasn't as blatant as Natalie Portman dying on stage, or Mickey Rourke taking that last dive off the ropes...but I thought the idea was the same.

I really don't see how Birdman beat this movie. For emotional intensity and magnitude of the acting this was head and shoulders above Birdman.

>This shit exceeded my expectations. And those were pretty
>high as I've been looking forward to this since it premiered
>way back in January.
>
>I didn't believe my boy when he said this was a horror
>masquerading as drama. The shot selection by Damien Chazelle
>was incredible as his directing made the tension stay with the
>whole film from opening to closing frame.
>
>The drumming scenes are better than most action films today.
>Shit, the last 15 minutes is more involving and engaging than
>95% of films today.
>
>Miles Teller and Paul Reiser both deliver great performances,
>but J.K. Simmons absolutely kills it in this film as Mr.
>Fletcher. He might be the scariest character on screen all
>year b.
>
>This shit is easily in my top 5 of the year so far.

I think I'm moving it to my #1b from 2014. I'm really glad this won for editing, because the 2nd time through I really noticed how flawless it is.

I liked it. I thought JK killed it.

It was pretty much the movie i expected when I saw the preview though. It felt kind of one note to me. like an extended version of one scene. JK pushes to the point of abuse, and they ultimately respect each other. It's a good movie and all. I just wasn't blown away like people in here seem to be.

i think i might have needed the theater experience for this one.

(Kind of old, but just realized nobody posted this here):

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/steely-dan-donald-fagen-coachella-tour-diary-part-three-20150410

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Last night some of the guys in the band were talking about that movie, Whiplash. After watching this cloddish potboiler about an aspiring drummer's experience in jazz school, the jazz players I know either go berserk with indignation and/or howl with derisive laughter. Many jazzers, including pianist Ethan Iverson and Richard Brody of the New Yorker, have written about this ignorant and mendacious film, so I won't belabor the point.

Suffice to say that Whiplash has nothing to do with actual jazz unless you consider it to be a species of martial arts, as Buddy Rich often did. It makes Paris Blues with Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier look like a golden edifice of verisimilitude. I'm not saying Whiplash shouldn't be seen in theaters, though. It should, at midnight, along with Plan 9 from Outer Space and, especially, Glen or Glenda.
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Here's the Richard Brody piece (Whiplash Gets Jazz All Wrong) that he was referring to, which is a great read even if you disagree with the premise:

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/whiplash-getting-jazz-right-movies

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Naa, I'm sure they have some valid points, but I personally don't care about jazz history and that's not what the movie is about anyway. They took the premise of a kid in music school and tailored it to something a general audience could enjoy, and made it entertaining as hell and inspiring in the process.

So fuck the jazz snobs. Go watch a dry ass documentary instead.

missed it the first time, so having the audio experience of a theater was a vast improvement.

still incredible. rare to have a film hit you with such a visceral rawness like this one does.

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