"Whiplash"
Written and Directed by Damien Chazelle
Starring Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Raul Reiser and Melissa Benoist
A promising young drummer enrolls in a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are are tested by a mentor who will stop at nothing to realize the full potential of his students.
An intense look at the lengths people will go to and the abuse they will take in order to obtain their dream, this film breaks down a mans hopes in order to build him up. It is superbly written, directed and acted and contains the role to define J.K. Simmons career.
Nominated for 5 Oscars, "Whiplash" is the film many think came out of nowhere. But it is films like that that define film making. A film that, if it weren't for it's quality would have never been heard of. Every other film nominated this year as some sort of hook, whether it be an A-list actor or even just a story based on actual events. This film gained notoriety for one reason. It's a damn great movie.
J.K. Simmons is unmatched this year in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. He brings force to his character that is believable yet commanding simultaneously. You want to hate him, but you just can't. The extremes his character goes to to bring the best out of his students cross the line, yet you find yourself understanding exactly why he's doing it.
Not Pictured: Miles Teller's urine soaked trousers.
The categories that it's nominated for alone tell the story of why this film is so fantastic. Best sound mixing, editing, adapted screenplay, actor in a supporting role and of course, best picture. All of these things are the very foundation in which unforgettable movies are based on.
This is the final Best Picture Nominee of this series, and while I did do them in alphabetical order, it is appropriate that my favorite of the eight films nominated is the last one I cover. While the chances of this movie winning are slim-to-none, this film has a caliber unmatched by "Selma", "American Sniper" and "The Theory of Everything". An intensity unequaled by "The Grand Budapest Hotel", "Boyhood" and "The Imitation Game". And a realism unmet by "Birdman". Those are the reasons why "Whiplash" is my favorite film of 2014.
And while I write this, J.K. Simmons appears as both the Yellow M&M in an M&M commercial and the spokesman of Farmers Insurance. A truly versatile actor.
And the Oscar goes to… Yellow!
For "Russian Mob Ice Cream Commercial"!
My Rating: 10/10
Today, I will be watching all of the Best Picture Nominees at the AMC Loews Georgetown 14 in Washington, D.C. I'll be tweeting and posting pictures on Instagram throughout the day. Follow me!
Twitter: @MichaelDCHicks
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