Saw "Whiplash"......

4,154 Views | 23 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by fig96
FAST FRED
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AG
........and could have skipped the entire experience except for my wanting to evaluate Best Supporting Actor nominee J. T. Simmons' performance.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582802/

Spoilers ahead!!!!!




Simmons' forcefully portrays a music conservatory's band director, who will stop at nothing, including both mental and physical abuse, to force students to realize their potential,

The student jazz drummer who is the recipient of this mistreatment does have a couple of other relationships, but neither one adds to the screenplay enough to count for much.

There is so much band practice interrupted by bad treatment that I, as a musician, quickly tired of the tone and repetitiveness of this flick.

Imagine "Black Swan" with nothing to the story except abusive ballet practice and "All the Right Moves" with nada more than Craig T. Nelson's football coach punishing Tom Cruise as a player.

Or "The Bridge on the River Kwai" featuring only sadistic torture without that redeeming train wreck at the end.



The jazz band plays excellent music and the drumming is really good, but IMHO this film depends too much on a single theme to satisfy a majority of movie goers.

To mix metaphors: For me, this cinematic effort beat too long on a one trick pony after it became a dead horse.

Recommended for those interested in watching J. T. Simmons fine performance and perhaps some misogynistic musicians, but IMO other movie choosing folks would do well to march to the beat of a different drummer.

I believe renting "Whiplash" for home viewing would completely serve all the needs of what I personally see as a limited audience.

Your thoughts are certainly welcome to vary.

Gig 'em, FAST FRED, '65.

Before the world wide web, village idiots usually stayed in their own village.
Tobias Funke
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AG
One of the top 3 movies I saw this year
Know Your Enemy
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AG
I loved it. Best movie I saw in 2014.
Nonregdrummer09
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AG
This movie was fantastic.
Sex Panther
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AG
Disagree with most of your assessment Fred. This in my opinion, is the best film of the year. I was absolutely riveted from start to finish. Everyone I have convinced to see it has echoed the same.
asmith96
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So many great movies this year...but, Whiplash was the best film of 2014 imo. Sorry you didn't like it much Fred.
Saxsoon
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AG
I was in band, and I am glad my director was not like that *******. Though I did understand his incredibly twisted logic.

And Simmons was phenomenal
FAST FRED
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Yeah, I understood it too and I found the movie powerful.

I saw "Boyhood," "Birdman" and "Whiplash" successively during one afternoon and evening.

I simply didn't like "Whiplash."



Different strokes.
Gig 'em, FAST FRED, '65.

Before the world wide web, village idiots usually stayed in their own village.
pb488
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AG
best movie of the year
Longhorn Nation
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I saw Whiplash several weeks ago (before it got Oscar pub - therefore no expectations) and came away thinking it was a very good movie. If I had a vote, I'd vote for J.K. Simmons for Best Supporting Actor - his performance stole the movie.

But I'd tap the brakes before I called this the best movie of the year (personal opinion). I'd watch it again, If for no other reason that Simmons' performance, but I think it was missing something that would have put it above the rest. IMO, I'd put it behind American Sniper and maybe Unbroken, and probably in the same category as Get On Up, Foxcatcher or even Nightcrawler. Very good movie, just probably not the best I've seen this year.
chipotle
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Every time I see this thread:

MW03
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AG
I was a huge fan and was gripped the whole way through.
Funky Winkerbean
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AG
Best movie of the year.
PatAg
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AG
I haven't seen Foxcatcher or Get On Up.

For me, it's Whiplash, American Sniper, Nightcrawler, Birdland, Unbroken in that order.

Birdland had the best cinematography and concept, but ultimately left me wanting a bit more.

I feel like this was the year of the "tense" movie. For all of these I felt tense the whole time, but for different reasons.
dreyOO
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Loved it. Thought nightcrawler blew since y'all brought it up
Know Your Enemy
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AG
Going to see it again this afternoon.
Aggie_Journalist
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AG
Saw this last night with a handful of friends and we all enjoyed it.

I still need to see Boyhood, but right now I'd probably put Whiplash ahead of the other Oscar nominees I've seen this year.
75AG
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Sorry Fred. I generally agree with your reviews, but completely disagree on this one. I think it's the best movie I've seen this year - and I've seen all Best Picture nominees except for Selma. IMHO, JK Simmons should walk away with Supporting Actor.
TajMaballer
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Sadly I think the only award this movie wins is Best Supporting Actor (much deserved!) but it doesn't have the traction that Boyhood, Birdman, or some of the other nominees. This might be the only Best Picture nominee that I would buy and watch over and over again.
dfphotos
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This movie was fantastic. JK Simmons turned in the best performance I've seen from him.
nickstro66
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AG
Saw it over the weekend and it was definitely one of the best movies I have seen in awhile. Very suspenseful and the music was great!
jsc8116
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Bump, just watched online and thought it was great.
Head Ninja In Charge
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Great movie. Agree with Fred and his Black Swan reference.
Joe Cole
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saw it this past weekend with a good friend. Neither of us were blown away like I thought I would be after reading all the praise on here. It's good, but I certainly wouldn't give it any best film of the year awards. I actually prefer movies like this that tell a story over the CGI explosion types.
fig96
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AG
Bumping a few of these for posterity
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