Tag Archives: oscar

Simmons and Editing Stand Out in ‘Whiplash’

Whiplash_poster               I’m telling ya, man, editors don’t get enough respect.

“Whiplash” stars Miles Teller as a young drummer who enrolls in the number one music school in the country. Upon arrival he is met by a cutthroat teacher (J.K Simmons) who goes to extremes to try and get the best out of his students. Damien Chazelle writes and directs.

“Whiplash” has three things about it that really make it work: the editing, Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Without these three components it may have just been another small-time movie that is quickly forgotten. However with these two actors and an amazing editing job by Tom Cross, “Whiplash” is elevated to one of the best films of 2014.

It’s impossible not to love Miles Teller. Even in meh films such as “Two Night Stand” or “21 and Over” he shines, and his charisma and likability improve the film itself. In “Whiplash”, he gives arguably his best performance to date, as he keeps the same quick wit and amusing one-liners, but also delves into dramatic, almost depressing territory. His character is so torn and determined to be the best drummer possible that he shuns out everyone around him and practices to the point that his fingers bleed (literally).

As good as Teller is, however, the real stand out is J.K. Simmons. His character goes from calm and inspiring one second to screaming and verbally abusing the next. Like we’re talking “Wolf of Wall Street”-string-five-swear-words-into-one-sentence verbal abuse. Simmons is like Sergeant Hartman from “Full Metal Jacket” and Simmons’ J. Jonah Jameson had a love child; he has his funny moments and his rants can be entertaining to the audience, but at the same time you are thankful he is not the man in your life who is in charge of giving you orders.

The editing in the film is what really deserves praise, however. The whole movie is cut like a jazz performance, with quick jumps from one character’s face to another, from one instrument to the next. The film’s finale wears on a tad bit too long, however it is so smoothly put together that is does not drag; if anything, it will leave you leaning in your seat for more reason than one.

Writer/director Damien Chazelle first made “Whiplash” as a short film in 2013, and his script landed on the Black List, the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. He does a great job transferring his short onto the big screen, and his screenplay features a little bit of everything. You want humor? Simmons’ monologues and Teller’s charm will have you chuckling. You want thrills? When Teller goes up on stage you are just as nervous as he is because you know if he screws up Simmons will tear him apart. You want romance? Teller awkwardly asks a girl out who is then seen in only one more scene, but hey, it’s in there!

“Whiplash” is a film that is career-defining for young guns Teller and Chazelle, as well as veteran character actor Simmons. They all bring something different and special to the table, and when combined together the end product is engaging and intense, especially when you throw in some amazing editing. Sorry to continue and bring that up but seriously. It’s that good.

Critics Rating: 8/10

‘Dawn of Apes’ a Step Down from First Film

Dawn_of_the_Planet_of_the_Apes            It wouldn’t be shocking if the sequel to the second attempted reboot of a film franchise that started in the 1960’s was not any good. In fact, it may be expected. And while “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”, the eighth film in the franchise and sequel to 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, is not a bad movie, it is a step down from its predecessor.

Featuring an entirely new human cast, and a new director, “Dawn” picks up 10 years after “Rise”, where a virus has wiped out almost all of mankind (or maybe it was eight years. The film never actually picks a timeline and sticks with it). When a group of human survivors, led by Jason Clarke, comes in contact with the apes, led by motion-capture Andy Serkis, it lights a powder keg that may just begin all-out war. Matt Reeves directs.

I enjoyed “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” because it wasn’t the Tim Burton mess, seemed to know the line to walk between cheesy and serious, and saved its action scene for an emotional climax. While the set pieces and direction in “Dawn” are an improvement over “Rises”, it seems the filmmakers forgot everything else that made the first film a surprise hit.

As with everything he does, Andy Serkis knocks his performance out of the park as Caesar, leader of the apes. Using motion capture, just like he did with King Kong and Gollum, Serkis’ every facial wrinkle and nostril flare are captured, and the man really does deserve an Oscar nomination for something because he has changed CGI in movies. When Caesar is not on screen, you feel his lack of presence, and when he is there he demands your attention.

The special effects are all outstanding and the creative team deserves all the props in the world. You truly believe that you are watching actual apes run around, and every battle scene features glorious explosions. The set pieces are also top notch; whether it is a barricaded ape village or an abandoned human construction site, you are immersed into the world.

Unfortunately, pretty on the surface is really all “Dawn” has to offer. Right from the opening scene, which featured the apes herding deer (or hunting them? Once again, the movie never explains half of what it introduces), I knew this wasn’t going to be the same as the first Apes movie.

First off, the whole thing seems familiar, and not just because it’s a sequel. Whether it is the surviving group finding sanctuary from “Walking Dead” or the encountering of seemingly hostile enemies from “Dances with Wolves”, we’ve seen everything in this film before.

The second thing the film gets wrong is its action scenes. “Rise” knew to hold its action until the climax, that way there is emotional buildup. “Dawn” forces its action scenes, or scene rather, and by the end of the film it seems like it was all pointless to the plot. (Leave pointless action scenes to Michael Bay, please)

The film wants to seem smart and satirical, with its messages of “war is bad” and “let’s all be friends”, but those are both themes most everyone can already agree on. I’m not paying to see a movie that features talking apes riding horses and shooting guns to get any sort of popular propaganda force fed to me.

Serkis is great, and Reeves’ direction and set pieces look fantastic, but the emotion and action, two of the attractions to a movie like this, fall short. There’s going to be a third film, the ending of this one is all but a trailer for it, and I hope the filmmakers can learn from their mistakes and create a solid trilogy (or however long they plan to milk this for), but as it stands now, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is an alright film in a historic franchise.

Critics Rating: 6/10

Buy Into ‘Dallas Buyers Club’

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            It seems every year there is a performance from an actor that transcends dedication. They immerse themselves into the character, often involving physical appearance. In 2012 it was Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln”, and he took home the Oscar for Best Actor. This year there are two of those performances, both coming from one film: “Dallas Buyers Club”.

An unrecognizable Matthew McConaughey is Ron Woodroof, a real-life cowboy living in 1985 Dallas, Texas. When Woodroof is given the news that he has AIDS, he begins to investigate and then sell alternative forms of medicine, and founds the Dallas Buyers Club. Jean-Marc Vallee directs.

McConaughey lost 38 pounds for the role of Woodroof, and his performance is as just as dedicated. He plays a flawed man, partaking in drugs and sex (it was the ‘80’s, after all) and is shocked when he is given the diagnosis. However once he comes to terms with his condition, he begins to fight the FDA and hospitals, whom he claims are only worsening the condition of AIDS victims, all while running his own drug-dealing ring.

One of the patients Ron comes in contact with is Rayon, a cross dressing AIDS victim played masterfully by Jared Leto. Leto himself lost 40 pounds for the role and it shows. But his portrayal of Rayon is memorizing and it is one of the more dedicated performances in recent memory. Right away we see that Rayon is tender and a lover of life, however his drug abuse may be getting in the way of his health and chances of beating the disease.

While “Dallas” rests purely on the scrawny shoulders of McConaughey and Leto, the movie has moments of genuine humor and wit. Seeing Woodroof try and get between the Mexico and the United States border in various disguises is entertaining, and the scenes where Ron takes on the possibly corrupt FDA will make viewers just as frustrated as Woodroof and Rayon. It connects with viewers, as we realize that many of government agencies that we trust to keep us healthy and safe may not have our best interests at heart.

The only flaws with the movie are the final fifteen minutes feel a bit drawn out, and the film doesn’t seem to know when it wants to end. It has several scenes where it seems to be rapping up, only to open another door it must then close.

In a career of underappreciated performances, Matthew McConaughey should finally get the attention, and more importantly the praise, that he has long deserved. His performance is full of every human emotion in the book, and we find ourselves rooting for Ron, even when his flaws and inner-evils come to light.

With two truly masterful performances from McConaughey and Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club” is an entertaining and heartwarming movie, while at the same time being brutally honest, frustrating and devastating.

Critics Rating: 8/10

’12 Years a Slave’ an Unflinching Look at History

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Hollywood is often accused, and rightfully so, of glossing over harsh topics and sugar coating grey areas in history. But Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” refuses to take part in that practice. The film shows American slavery in all of its horrors and evils, and it makes for an unforgettable, albeit at times uncomfortable, film going experience.

Based on a true story, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northup, a free black man living in upstate New York in 1841. When Northup is kidnapped and sold into slavery, he must find a way back to his family. Steve McQueen directs.

“12 Years” is no “Django Unchained” revenge fantasy tale. It is the gritty facts about the forced labor of an entire race of people, and the horrible conditions under which they suffered. There are several lashing scenes, one of which is painfully realistic and disturbing. But it hits you that human beings actually endured this; it isn’t some fictional punishment that only exists in the movies.

The acting in the movie is nothing short of excellent. Ejiofor keeps a calm presence most of the film, however when he feels he is being mistreated even by slave standards, he snaps and goes on rage-fueled rants about freedom and how he doesn’t want to just survive; he wants to live. It is a multi-layered performance that gives the film’s hero a special amount of humanity.

The film’s best performance, however, comes from Michael Fassbender, who plays a sadistic plantation owner. Fassbender portrays a man who is naturally wicked and more than just a product of his environment. He gets angry at the smallest things, such as Solomon having conversations without his permission, and whips his slaves if they pick less cotton than the prior day. It is a chilling performance that is sure to earn Fassbender award talk.

The film is not without its flaws, however. At times we feel like Solomon is merely a spectator to these horrific events, not living them, and that makes us less empathetic towards him. Also, the whole concept of the audience rooting for one hero to make it back to his family is a bit unfair, for lack of a better word. Yes, this is one movie and one story, but there were millions of people separated from their families in real life and most all of them never saw their loved ones again. So when the film tries to give off this sense of hope, it is a bit diluted since it is really the exception to the rule.

Problems with the story arc notwithstanding, “12 Years a Slave” is a gripping, horrifying and brutally honest piece of American cinema that shows the darkest part of our nation’s history. Few films have ever dared to be so loyal to their dark source material, and almost 200 years after it took place, it is great to see the story of one man’s triumph over the evils of slavery.

A moving score by Hans Zimmer and steady direction from Steve McQueen, not to mention the two powerhouse performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender, make “12 Years a Slave” a necessary film that needs to be experienced by people of every age, young and old. It is a tale of perseverance, determination and triumph of the human spirit, and those traits are what make life, and the movies, so great.

Critics Rating: 8/10