jazzy

This movie is fucking amazing. One of the most exhilarating, thrilling, flat-out unforgettable films of the year. There is almost nothing I would take issue with. It's riveting and fascinating throughout and constantly plays with the audience's expectations. The screenplay and direction are sharp and the editing is top-notch. Miles Teller is sensational in a role that was clearly both emotionally and physically taxing. He deserves award consideration. And holy fucking shit at J.K. Simmons. If he doesn't win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar next year it will be a travesty. This is the best performance I've seen by any actor in 2014. He just perfectly embodies this role and makes the character so unpredictable and menacing and yet also human. He's truly one of the best onscreen villains I've seen in years and I was in awe of his commanding presence in this film. Him and Teller play so well off each other and the tension that mounts between the two makes the final sequence one of the year's most electrifying moments. This movie is a MUST-SEE. I cannot stress it enough. I was absolutely blown away. I think it's my favorite film of the year thus far. A+

Whiplash is simply electric; Damien Chazelle shows such technical skill here that it's hard to believe he's not a veteran filmmaker. The film takes any cliches of "the music drama" or "the teacher movie" and totally subverts them, with one of the most memorable climaxes in any film for years. None of this would be possible without the work of Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Teller continues to cement himself as one of the best actors of his generation (and his commitment to the physicality of the role is commendable), while veteran character actor Simmons runs away with the movie in the juiciest role of his career. His character is absolutely terrifying and fascinating, and it would be a huge shock if he isn't at least nominated for an Oscar. I do feel certain background elements could have been developed better (mainly involving Teller's relationships with his father and his girlfriend), but Whiplash is the kind of audacious movie we need to see a lot more of. A-

I loved this movie. I was expecting something a bit more extreme out of the storyline because of the trailer but I wasn't disappointed with the movie at all.

The inspirational-teacher film is upended, turned inside out, and otherwise exploded in Whiplash, a ferocious drama contemplating the single-minded pursuit of artistic achievement. Set at a prestigious NYC school of music (a thinly veiled Juilliard), the film stars Miles Teller as Andrew, a drummer as gifted as he is ambitious. Every student dreams of catching the eye of Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), the imposing figure in charge of the school's competitive, prize-winning studio band. Andrew is overjoyed when he does, but he rapidly realizes the coveted experience will also be brutal. Fletcher screams at the musicians in his charge. He slaps their faces and flings chairs at them. He finds their soft spot (an absent parent, for example, or unease regarding their sexual orientation) and tears at it without reprieve. "Not my tempo!" Fletcher screams at Andrew when he is not threatening to cut him altogether, forcing the frightened hopeful to drum for his life, practicing for hours upon hours until blood gushes from his hands.

Both stars of Whiplash are perfectly cast. In his few prior film roles, including in The Spectacular Now, Teller has displayed an ability to blend vulnerability with an acerbic quality and a certain air of conceit, and the role of Andrew requires this. After all, he is a protagonist who tells a cute girl he cannot see her again because she will only distract him from his destined mastering of his craft. Teller lays bare the character's borderline dangerous capacity for obsession while also maintaining a core of sympathetic, wide-eyed longing. We root for him even as he warps. And Simmons is simply a force of nature as Fletcher. His eyes burn with red-hot intensity. He enters a room with the presence of a conquering army. His muscles tense as his veins bulge. His transitions from detached instruction to fierce criticism and volcanic bluster are abrupt, imperceptible, and frightening. In him, we see a charismatic monster of a man who just may forge (not inspire, but slice and sculpt) worthy musicians.

The well-utilized duo find themselves in a low-budget film which, as directed by relative newcomer Damien Chazelle, in no way plays as small. The photography is beautiful and brings the characters' insular universe to life: the practice rooms are shrouded in shadow, coldly atmospheric tombs which must be traversed to at long last reach the crisp and bright elegance of an actual stage. And the editing is precise and tight, as if the film were cut to a metronome with a laser beam. There is not an ounce of fat. Scenes build and build and build in dread, intrigue, and wonder, none more so than the soul-cleansing, perfectly calibrated, leave-everything-on-the-pitch climax.

A

I agree with publicenemy and Magnus that it is a good film but lacks something that can make it truly great. JK Simmons though is fantastic, menacing, and hilarious here.

A thought occurred to me partway through.... 'this is by far the most INTENSE jazz movies I've ever seen!' Holy crappoli at some of the tension contained in these scenes, snap crackle sizzle poppin off the screen thanks to deft snappy direction, a superb jazzy score and editing, and two performances that are rightly heralded.

and my god, that ENDING!!!!

A

^^

What he said. Fucking amazing movie.

The hype is real. This movie is AMAZING.

A

J.K. Simmons' face is a work of art in of itself. His and Miles Teller's performances are aces. I'm not much of an Oscar follower, but does Teller have a decent shot for a nomination as Lead Actor?

Maybe 1% chance, tops. Which I'll add to my proof (872 pages thusly) that the Oscars won't ain't never gonna get it right, and I'll continue to not regard them, that is until my mood shifts and I care for a brief minute or two.

Teller should have been nominated for The Spectacular Now, as well.


Regarding the 'not quite enough to be great' sentiment..... For me, this was a realistic (cinema-realistic) version of Black Swan, the drive for Greatness brought to extremes.... and the bloody hands / verbal and physical abuse / absolute terror inspired by Fletcher / fuckin post-car accident determination (!! wtf?) was extreme enough for me. I sincerely was anxious during a number of scenes in the classroom, wondering what Fletcher was going to do or say..... was riveted by the dueling dynamic between Andy and Fletcher, thrilled and terrified to see what happened when Andy took on the Master.

and I honestly thought the movie was about to end when Andy agreed to talk to the lawyer. Thank god it didn't. This here's a gem.

This gets 5 out of 5 *jazz-hands* :jazz-hands-emoticon:

I'm still trying to gather my thoughts. This was such an intense experience. Loved it. Might be close to, or at the top of my favorite films this year. I wanna see it again. This is me during the final sequence:

WHIPLASH

Oh my. This was a fantastic film. The performances were sublime. Probably the first film where Miles Teller didn't annoy me. His performance felt real and true. First time I can also see why Hollywood has been casting him in so many films the past couple years. He has an it factor and appeal here that just comes off the screen. Simmons was amazing as well. His delivery of those outrageous lines was perfection. The turns in the story were quite unexpected for me. I did not see that line coming but that like the most horrible gut punch, bitch slap, whatever you want to call it. The film band sequences were great and brought new light in what some sessions may be like and a renewed interest in listening to that style of music. I need to see this film again, not just because I missed probably the first 6-7 minutes but I absolutely want to enjoy this film again. Totally vaults into the top 5 of my year end. No question!

Grade - A

In-fucking-credible! Superbly crafted and often unbearably intense. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons are amazing. WOW!

9/10 (A)

Agreed with what everyone here has said. Considering I wasn't expecting anything from this movie, it really knocked me on my ass. Both Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons are superb here and both should be in the awards discussion (damn you Best Actor being so loaded with performances this year). It was incredibly well made (the editing! the directing!) and incredibly intense. Oh and that ending... That perfect fucking ending. One of the best movies of the year.

A+

This was fucking AMAZING! J.K. Simmons is a BOSS and easily one of the most scary fucking teachers I have ever seen portrayed on screen. I actually do like Miles Teller eventhough I have really only seen him do comedies, but the dude definitely has the dramatic chops to pull this type of role off and he's pitch perfect here.

Also, this movie is ridiculously tense at times to the point where it forces you to hold your breathe until the next scene. I mean that ending is beyond EPICNESS.

Another satisfied customer

More extreme? What did you expect? JK Simmons raping Miles Teller with a drumstick?

Magnus is used to eXXXtreme.

Whiplash

I didn't have much interest in this film but watched it because of the recent buzz surrounding its Oscar hopes. Well, I am very, very pleasantly surprised. It's a compact, intense, and inspirational film about pushing talent to the limit, and it contains a career-defining performance by J.K. Simmons and a career-starting performance by Miles Teller. These two co-leads are just perfect, each flawlessly portraying their respective characters with the emotion, arrogance, worry, and drive of these stereotypical life roles. Each scene is brimming with sharp big-band brilliance and musical flamboyance that it becomes strangely appealing and addictive. The film presents the discipline and atmosphere of a music school incredibly well; the elitist and God-like attitude of the scholar, who demands his respect through fear, and the new boy with ambition and energy willing to go the distance to prove himself, seeing the bigger picture, accepting the unethical nature of his educator, ignoring the external influences that life delivers, all in the search of achieving excellence and acceptance from his peers. Whiplash provides an electrifying look into this world, with brilliant cinematography, exceptionally lean editing, and a finale that will simply keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting more.

A

Well, what can I say....toldya.

"I can still fucking see you, Mini-Me!"

Most quotable movie of last year.

Generally your recommendations are well chosen. Keep them coming.

If there's one film I wish I had seen in cinemas this year, it is Whiplash.

Did you feel that the intensity felt a bit unrealistic at times? Hence not as shocking or involving? I had that problem at times.