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Whiplash

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    #92
    Goldstein
    Registered Users Posts: 1,551 ✭✭✭Goldstein


    That was absolutely superb. It's not often do you find yourself holding your breath while watching a film and it happened throughout this more than once. It's been a while since my attention was gripped like that for every second of Whiplash's runtime. The presence, charisma and sheer force of will involved in bringing the character of Terence Fletcher to life with such passion was a marvel to watch. Now we know what would happen if Vern Schillinger decided to get into music!

    If J.K. Simmons doesn't walk home with that best supporting actor Oscar it'll be more of an injustice than all of this year's Oscar snubs put together. That was truly a performance for the ages.


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    #93
    Pierce_1991
    Registered Users Posts: 2,425 ✭✭✭Pierce_1991


    Just back from seeing this. WOW! What a film, absolutely perfect on every level. The final ten minutes in particular were just a truly great cinematic experience. I was only thinking the other day it had been a while since I was really blown away by a film at the cinema but this definitely did that. Brilliant!


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    #94
    nix
    Registered Users Posts: 4,909 ✭✭✭nix


    Yeah i seen it for the 2nd time with my friends, I wanted to see it on the big screen and also to pay my dues, keeps you gripped from start to finish.

    I read somewhere that they filmed the whole thing in 19 days, which is just mind blowing in itself.. :pac:


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    #95
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,142 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    Two things I thought
    1) Where is this film going, this I thought throughout the film
    2) Fletcher wins at the end, even though he is a massive prick, as Andrew becomes an amazing drummer
    Overall a very good film and I did speak out loud a couple of times during it :eek:


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    #96
    Pierce_1991
    Registered Users Posts: 2,425 ✭✭✭Pierce_1991


    CatFromHue wrote: »
    Two things I thought
    1) Where is this film going, this I thought throughout the film
    2) Fletcher wins at the end, even though he is a massive prick, as Andrew becomes an amazing drummer
    Overall a very good film and I did speak out loud a couple of times during it :eek:
    I don't think it's a case of just Fletcher winning. They both win in the end. The important line to remember is when Fletcher tells Andrew you could never push a great musician too far, they will always stride to succeed. Andrew ultimately proved to be the only student of Fletcher's who ever truly achieved greatness, because he really wanted it.


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    #97
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,142 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    Pierce_1991 wrote: »
    I don't think it's a case of just Fletcher winning. They both win in the end. The important line to remember is when Fletcher tells Andrew you could never push a great musician too far, they will always stride to succeed. Andrew ultimately proved to be the only student of Fletcher's who ever truly achieved greatness, because he really wanted it.

    But
    Fletcher wins as his drummer nails it and blows the crowd away and also Andrew plays the songs that Fletcher made him, and the other drummers, practice and practice.


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    #98
    DoYouEvenLift
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,188 ✭✭✭DoYouEvenLift


    CatFromHue wrote: »
    But
    Fletcher wins as his drummer nails it and blows the crowd away and also Andrew plays the songs that Fletcher made him, and the other drummers, practice and practice.

    He probably wins with regards to ego since he can be proud to have taught Andrew but Andrew wins overall I think since after that performance he'd easily go on to become a well known and highly paid drummer. Who would you rather be, the miserable music teacher who is an utter kunt but is known for teaching one of the greats or one of the greats?


    Also, I keep thinking how I would have loved if they included the crowds reaction as an extra after credits scene. The way the scene cuts right as he finishes without giving us their reaction is part of why it's so good but it's so frustrating not having total reassurance that they went absolutely crazy for him after it lol.


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    #99
    The Strawman Argument
    Closed Accounts Posts: 477 ✭✭The Strawman Argument


    This thread's gonna become spoiler land from here on out, I guess?
    Honestly, I don't think Fletcher was capable of losing in his own psychotic head. If Andrew succeeds (which was definitely not what Fletcher had in mind with that performance, I think everyone can agree there), it's down to him for pushing him, or he fails miserably and he gets to have his revenge on the kid who got him fired. It's not too far from what the likes of Fred Phelps do (if everyone hates him, he's a martyr for the greater good, if he converts some people, it's proof that he's right).

    The real question at the end, imo, would be whether you felt that the amazing feat which the Andrew character pulls off retroactively justifies everything Fletcher done. Is the pursuit of greatness worth sacrificing one's humanity for, etc...


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    #100
    Bluftoni
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Bluftoni


    DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

    Also, I keep thinking how I would have loved if they included the crowds reaction as an extra after credits scene. The way the scene cuts right as he finishes without giving us their reaction is part of why it's so good but it's so frustrating not having total reassurance that they went absolutely crazy for him after it lol.

    The audience I saw it with at The Ligthhouse provided the reaction; a hearty round of applause bubbled up after it cut to black.


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    #101
    Zwillinge
    Registered Users Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭Zwillinge


    When I seen the trailer, I initially thought "Male Black Swan?" which I hugely hated and thought was a gigantic pile of w@n*!
    Also I'm not a big jazz lover.

    But this was just fantastic!!!

    I never thought I'd be gripped with such tension throughout the entire thing and the drumming was phenomenal in places.

    I love Simmons in general and have always been iffy about Miles Teller - not sure if like/hate the guy and after this I'm none the wiser, cause he pulled off that character so well.

    Well worth a watch!


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    #102
    e_e
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭e_e


    My (somewhat darker) reading of the ending is that it's not just a case of
    "Yay the kid turned in an amazing performance and won his teacher's approval!" The film is kind of a portrayal of an abusive relationship and with him not walking away after the first song he's rejecting friends, family, relationships and feeding the ego of his abuser. It's not just an act of revenge at the end but one of self destruction, as Fletcher still comes out the other end being completely validated and having Andrew under this thumb.


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    #103
    Harvey Low Fat Milk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 400 ✭✭Harvey Low Fat Milk


    e_e wrote: »
    My (somewhat darker) reading of the ending...

    That's exactly what my thinking was. So many people are saying it's like a
    feel good sports film
    but I never really felt that tone fit with either character.


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    #104
    Double C
    Registered Users Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Double C


    Goldstein wrote: »
    Now we know what would happen if Vern Schillinger decided to get into music!

    I'll just leave this here http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cUyVLuff91E


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    #105
    adox
    Registered Users Posts: 19,017 ✭✭✭✭adox


    My reading of the end was:
    Despite both spending the entire film fighting with each other and both effectively destroying each others careers,through pure fluke in what was a revenge act, both reached their ultimate goal in a perfect symmetry of timing.They were both there in that perfect moment with the perfect music that transcended all that had gone on before. That moment was the only important thing, the only thing, an unattainable plateau that both had arrived at.The ending was perfect. I didnt want audience applause and a standing ovation. It cut perfectly at the right time for me. It was a beautiful joyous ending of a dark film where both would never forget that inspired moment in time. One ultimately fulfilling his ambition to find the next jazz great, but not really a winner as his career is in ruins and he has the guilt of that suicide over him and the other surely a career in greatness in a craft that nearly destroyed him mentally and physically and which he sacrificed so much for and ended up resenting.
    But the music transcended everything in the end. Those final few moments were just blissful. I had a smile on my face for probably the last five minutes. It was a near spiritual experience for both of them. Euphoric and all encompassing. It was truly a moving cinematic moment and ending.


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    #106
    e_e
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭e_e


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4yN9V4YKSY


    "Get the **** out of my sight before I demolish you!" :D


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    #107
    Fowler87
    Registered Users Posts: 6,731 ✭✭✭Fowler87


    What a fantastic film


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    #108
    Deathwish4
    Registered Users Posts: 285 ✭✭Deathwish4


    Found this film very tiring.


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    #109
    Birneybau
    Registered Users Posts: 10,223 ✭✭✭✭Birneybau


    Deathwish4 wrote: »
    Found this film very tiring.

    How so? Think most people felt the exact opposite.


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    #110
    MakeEmLaugh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭MakeEmLaugh


    Deathwish4 wrote: »
    Found this film very tiring.
    Birneybau wrote: »
    How so? Think most people felt the exact opposite.

    If you mean tiring as in, the intensity of the film and its character's interaction exhausted you, I know what you mean.


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    #111
    DrumSteve
    Registered Users Posts: 10,799 ✭✭✭✭DrumSteve


    Just back from watching it now. Not much to say except Im filled with some weird nerbous energy from watching it. It is a ****ing phenomenal film. Absolutely phenomenal.


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    #112
    Looper007
    Registered Users Posts: 4,216 ✭✭✭Looper007


    DrumSteve wrote: »
    Just back from watching it now. Not much to say except Im filled with some weird nerbous energy from watching it. It is a ****ing phenomenal film. Absolutely phenomenal.

    After watching it for the third time now in the cinema, I agree with every word you said. It just gets better and better with every viewing, its going to be some film in 2015 to top this. The last 20 minutes are utterly amazing. Jk Simmons has that Oscar already, Edward Norton was great in Birdman but Simmons clearly overshadows even Norton.


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    #113
    e_e
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,464 ✭✭✭e_e


    DrumSteve wrote: »
    Just back from watching it now. Not much to say except Im filled with some weird nerbous energy from watching it. It is a ****ing phenomenal film. Absolutely phenomenal.
    Most apt username ever for praising this film.


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    #114
    Santi101
    Registered Users Posts: 1,141 ✭✭✭Santi101


    utterly fantastic film. second viewing and it was even better


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    #115
    DrumSteve
    Registered Users Posts: 10,799 ✭✭✭✭DrumSteve


    e_e wrote: »
    Most apt username ever for praising this film.

    Ha I suppose.

    Felt like I was playing every beat in it. Drained by the end of it.


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    #116
    candy-gal1
    Registered Users Posts: 6,568 ✭✭✭candy-gal1


    Another movie which surprised myself at how much I actualy enjoyed it!
    Great story, background and extremely good acting on both parts, really liked it!


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    #117
    charlie_says
    Registered Users Posts: 1,666 ✭✭✭charlie_says


    That was just great.


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    #118
    batnolan
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭batnolan


    It seemed to me that JK Simmons, despite his good performance, was just replicating Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket.

    Enjoyable movie.


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    #119
    Blisterman
    Registered Users Posts: 7,450 ✭✭✭Blisterman


    I don't think the ending was as triumphant as people make out. Sure he's become an excellent musician, but at what cost? He's alienated any friends, thrown away his relationship in his single minded pursuit, to become a perfect jazz drummer.
    Trying to achieve perfection will never make you happy. Look at what happened to the previous student who was Fletcher's protege. So I think the ending, as thrilling as it is, leaves on quite an ambiguous note.

    All in all, amazing film.


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    #120
    Honey Monster
    Registered Users Posts: 703 ✭✭✭Honey Monster


    Deathwish4 wrote: »
    Found this film very tiring.

    Yeah well. You're wrong.


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    #121
    Pierce_1991
    Registered Users Posts: 2,425 ✭✭✭Pierce_1991


    Blisterman wrote: »
    I don't think the ending was as triumphant as people make out. Sure he's become an excellent musician, but at what cost? He's alienated any friends, thrown away his relationship in his single minded pursuit, to become a perfect jazz drummer.
    Trying to achieve perfection will never make you happy. Look at what happened to the previous student who was Fletcher's protege. So I think the ending, as thrilling as it is, leaves on quite an ambiguous note.

    All in all, amazing film.
    Fair point about the student who committed suicide but we don't know enough of that students background to make a comparison between himself and Andrew. For me it is a triumphant ending purely because Andrew didn't care about his friends or his relationships, he only cared about achieving greatness, something he did manage in the end. So for Andrew he has achieved his ultimate goal and the same can be said for Fletcher.


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