Whiplash | Geekscape

Geekscape Movie Reviews: First Man

by MCDaveOctober 11, 2018

Caught in the midst of a time when truth no longer feels singular, America has brought forth a generation of skeptical individuals taught to question everything they’ve been told to believe. And what were once widely disregarded conspiracy theories, such as the legitimacy of the moon landing, have suddenly transformed into a more populist norm. Yet, no matter the resistance in which his film is sure to encounter, 2017’s Oscar-winning director, Damien Chazelle, mirrors a fearlessness to that of legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong, the centerpiece of Chazelle’s latest Oscar-destined drama, First man. It’s an ambitious effort, one cloaked in raw emotion and an often dark tone that feels moons away from his previous achievement, La La Land. But still, Chazelle cements his elite directorial status with another sharply-captured and deeply personal experience.

First Man opens in 1961, where the United States continues to lag behind the Soviets in the race to space. Fast forward a few years and a uniquely qualified candidate, Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), applies to NASA with hopes of joining their efforts in beating the Soviets to the moon. And as the space program slowly breaks through barriers in its seemingly impossible quest for reaching the lunar surface, the stakes get higher and higher, forcing these astronauts to risk everything in order to achieve the unimaginable.

Damien Chazelle’s already displayed a knack for greatness with his first pair of feature films, Best Picture Nominees Whiplash and La La Land. And while this latest work isn’t quite up to their level, it’s still a worthwhile film in its own right. First Man digs to the core of Armstrong and truly searches for the origins of his bravery and determination. It’s an intimate journey, one that becomes much easier thanks to Ryan Gosling’s heavyweight performance. It’s quiet but heavy, tempered but explosive, and everything you’d expect from a Best Actor Nominee, one that I clearly envision happening. Likewise, his onscreen counterpart Claire Foy delivers a meteoric turn as Armstrong’s bedrock of a wife. And unlike her internalizing husband, Foy’s character isn’t afraid to speak her mind and display her outspoken strength. She’s the one left sitting at home, worlds away, glued to her radio listening to NASA’s direct feed of Neil’s mission. Gloom and doom run rampant in First Man, so you shouldn’t expect a shiny or uplifting tale of heroism. Instead, Chazelle recognizes that for any great journey into the unknown sacrifices must be made, and the director dwells on this notion rather than turning a blind eye to it. This theme becomes a true staple of the film as First Man forces its audiences to remember the many people, in all facets of life, who gave everything for the greater good. And for that, Mr. Chazelle, we salute you.

GRADE: 4/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: La La Land

by MCDaveDecember 10, 2016

This year’s 25th annual Philadelphia Film Festival opened in style with La La Land, one of these year’s finest achievements. Damien Chazelle follows up his highly regarded Best Picture Nominee, Whiplash, with this dazzling sophomore effort. Nostalgic and full of passion, the film pays its respects to old Hollywood all while providing a fresh vibe that will be difficult for any competitor to topple during the upcoming awards season. So if you’re in search of an early Best Picture frontrunner, look no further than La La Land.

Mia’s (Emma Stone) lifelong dream is to be a respected actress in Hollywood. But as the Nevada native experiences the ego-crushing defeat of Los Angeles’ cutthroat audition process, she falls for a Jazz pianist named Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) who hopes of one-day running a club of his own. And while this pair of starry-eyed romantics fall madly in love with each other, the weight of their relationship makes it difficult staying committed to their dreams.

From the opening number all the way to its monumental finale, La La Land consumes its viewers with an extraordinary combination of a wonderfully composed score, intricate choreography, towering performances and tastefully advanced direction. Damien Chazelle is beyond deserving for a Best Director nod as his immaculate vision comes to life on the big screen. Six years in the making, Chazelle and his composer, Justin Hurwitz, used this abundance of time and patience to hone their story and fine-tune the music. This precise attention to detail spills through each and every scene as La La Land serves as a testament to originality and a shining example of its own greatest storyline, devoted passion to achieving ones dreams.

Not only are the film’s direction and melodic score an absolute marvel, La La Land‘s lead co-stars are enchanting in their own right. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling offer a unique chemistry that breathes authenticity into their onscreen romance. The film can’t capture all of its engaging essence without a sharply convincing love story, and boy do they deliver! This magical romance is reminiscent of legendary cinematic duos such as Bogart and Bacall or Tracy and Hepburn, while they naturally fall in line as a contemporary equivalence. And although Emma Stone’s character is written with more depth and layers by comparison – which may be enough to tip the scales in her favor in this year’s Best Actress race – it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear Gosling’s name called as an Oscar finalist as well.

Hollywood adores movies about the industry and La La Land uses this cachet to mold together the aura of classic cinema with a vibrant and updated appeal. It’s challenging to identify a single glaring weakness within the film, making it destined for a justifiably successful awards season run. It’s important to note that musicals aren’t for everyone, but La La Land‘s transcends this generic label thanks to an infectious passion for the arts that makes you wish you could create something as everlasting as the film itself. Consequently, La La Land stands as one of 2016’s finest offerings and an clear-cut must-see effort from one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising filmmakers.

GRADE: 4.5/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

by MCDaveMay 29, 2015

Most years I have to wait until at least the fall and sometimes even into late-December, when the heavyweight Oscar contenders begin to unveil themselves across movie theaters nationwide, in order to find that special film that astonishes me on all fronts. Well, Christmas came early last night as I had the privilege of catching this year’s superb Sundance Grand Jury and Audience prize winner, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Recent winners of Park City’s most prestigious award, namely Whiplash and Beasts of the Southern Wild, ultimately found a large level of Oscar success. But although my instincts tell me that this year’s indie gem won’t have the same sustaining power as those previous awards season contenders, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is still far and away the most superior of the bunch.

Based on Jesse Andrews’ novel of the same name Thomas Mann stars as Greg, a self-loathing high school senior who spends his days staying under the radar and making films with his lifelong “co-worker”, Earl (RJ Cyler). But when Greg reluctantly befriends a cancer-stricken classmate named Rachel (Olivia Cooke) at his mom’s demanding request, their relationship slowly pulls Greg out from under his shell. And as Rachel’s medical condition begins to worsen, Greg and Earl struggle to make a momentous cinematic masterpiece on her behalf.

Beautifully infusing elements of cynicism, sarcasm, fear, tenderness and compassion, novelist turned screenwriter, Jesse Andrews, delivers a screenplay for the ages. Never before has a coming-of-age film felt so earnest and forthright. Andrews creates dialogue that’s unapologetically honest and occasionally awkward at all the right times. And through his words, budding stars Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke give the type of spectacular performances that re-direct a career. Selecting lesser known, but equally talented, leads was a brilliant choice by director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. These fresh faces give Me and Earl and the Dying Girl a clean slate and the pair of dynamic stars provide such a rare and unique voice to their characters. Furthermore, enough can’t be stated about the supporting turns as well, which happen to come from newbie RJ Cyler, Nick Offerman and Jon Bernthal. Of the bunch, Cyler is given the largest platform to work with and his natural comedic abilities are wonderfully counter-balanced by a soulful handling of the film’s more dramatic moments.

For such an impressive script and cast, matching these bright spots with the stylish eye and vision of filmmaker Alfonso Gomez-Rejon only elevated the film to even greater heights. Alfonso incorporated many rare shots in his repertoire that added an enormous level of distinction to the film. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl amazes on nearly every level and displays a special blend of both humor and tenderness which is simply perfected through Rejon’s keen eye.

Throughout the brisk 104 minute affair, the film takes its audience on an unforgettable journey boasting a wide array of emotions. There were laughs and there were tears, but most importantly there was an indestructible connection between each and every moviegoer and all of the characters we fell in love with onscreen. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a magnificent piece of cinema that warrants a viewing from just about film lover out there, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled when the feature hit theaters this June.

GRADE: 4.5/5

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Geekscape Movie Reviews: Obvious Child

by MCDaveJune 6, 2014

It’s become a bit of the norm lately, a blueprint for young aspiring filmmakers to follow. Many recent debut features out of the Sundance Film Festival, including one of 2013’s Top Ten Movies, Short Term 12, and 2014 Grand Jury Prize Winner, Whiplash, represent successful full-length projects that have been adapted from short films. It’s time to add another well-regarded festival darling to that list, writer/director Gillian Robespierre’s Obvious Child.

Donna Stern (played by Jenny Slate) is a twenty-something small-time comedienne whose life is turned upside-down after being dumped by her boyfriend and discovering that the bookstore where she works is closing. The hard-hitting realities of life bombard her all at once, leading to a horrendous performance on stage and an evening of binge-drinking. But during this moment of self deprecation, she meets a genuinely nice guy named Max (Jake Lacy) which leads to a one night stand. A few weeks later Donna learns that she’s pregnant and decides to have an abortion, all while Max tries to reconnect her.

The taboo label of an “abortion comedy” is somewhat unjust, mainly because Gillian Robespierre’s Obvious Child lacks the uproarious hilarity one might expect. Instead, the indie darling relies on sincere and honest performances from its leading pair to help guide this peculiar film to attainable heights. Although I’m uncertain of Jenny Slate’s ability as a stand-up comic, her acting chops are certainly on display with a wide array of emotions. Her onscreen counterpart, performed admirably by Jake Lacy, completes an endearing 1-2 punch that breeds a tremendous amount of life to the feature. Convincing acting paired with a tender and soulful screenplay proves to be all that’s needed with Robespierre’s winning directorial debut.

Despite being an earnest effort, Obvious Child misses the mark with under-achieving humor and a thinly written story. While the characters all feel authentic, a simple plotline requires that the jokes carry you along from scene to scene. However, the self-mocking Jewish punchlines and cringe-worthy onstage misfires during painful stand-up comedy routines result in bumpy transitions throughout the film. Thankfully, Robespierre refuses to prolong the experience and wraps up her female-agenda tale in a reasonable 83 minutes. Therefore, Obvious Child resides as another serviceable and heartwarming indie drama from the 2014 Sundance Film Festival class.

Modern times have not been kind to the young-adults in the United States. Difficulties finding employment, purpose and sustainability have been recent trends that our country is yet to escape. Gillian Robespierre’s passion-fueled project, Obvious Child, uses these components as a backdrop to a larger self-discovery story. And although the film clearly targets a female audience, there’s still more than enough for everyone to enjoy.

GRADE: 3.5/5

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Geekscape Sundance Reviews: Whiplash

by MCDaveJanuary 17, 2014

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival kicked off with a bang. In fact, it kicked off with a whole lot of them. Damien Chazelle’s Opening Night selection, Whiplash, is a surprisingly provocative examination of “greatness” and a desire for perfection. Being the best at any facet of life requires dedication, sacrifice and a reasonable amount of obsession. And Whiplash brilliantly tackles this dynamic through the inconceivable backdrop of Jazz music. Implanted firmly in our nation’s roots, Jazz music has become a forgotten treasure that’s about as American as apple pie.

Andrew (played by Miles Teller) attends the finest music school in the country for one reason, and one reason only, he has every intention of being the greatest Jazz drummer of all-time. And with the guidance of the most skilled and feared instructor on the planet, Terrence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), there’s no limit to Andrew’s success. That is, if his body and mind can handle the abuse.

Whiplash is a brutally realistic character study that succeeds on the shoulders of a pair of fine performances. This time last year, the young and impressive Miles Teller was virtually an unknown. But following the renowned critical success from 2013 Sundance selection, The Spectacular Now, we’re all very aware of his capabilities. Even more remarkable is how easily Teller stands toe-to-toe with the always overlooked and always sensational J.K. Simmons. While some may shortchange Simmons’ character by calling the film’s primary antagonist devious or even a bully, there’s far more depth to him than that. To the point where Whiplash transcends pure entertainment value and raises intellectual debates, such as whether or not this harmfully influential instructor is in the wrong. The way I see it, there’s a price you must pay to achieve greatness. Even if it means abruptly halting a relationship with the girl of your dreams, or spilling your blood to improve your hand speed. Our character’s darkly obsession leaves him fully capable of anything, and that’s the scariest part of all.

For as emotionally and physically draining as Whiplash is, there’s an equal amount of humor circulating throughout the screenplay. It isn’t your typical happy-go-lucky comedy, but these offensive and abrasive one-liners certainly do the trick. And whenever the continuous loud banging around starts to test your patience, Simmons is quick to crack a joke, simply reinforcing the wide spectrum of emotions that Whiplash forces you to encounter. It’s a unique story delivered in a compelling manner, all the way through to its bitterly prolonged finale.

You couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. I laughed, I cringed and I empathized. Already scooped up by Sony Pictures Worldwide, this definitely won’t be the last we’ve heard of Whiplash. Music fans everywhere, rejoice!

GRADE: 4/5

Marvel Heroes To Be Featured On Disney’s ‘Phineas And Ferb’

by Scott AlminianaJuly 24, 2012

It was only a matter of time before Disney started using Marvel characters on their shows. I’m actually amazed it took them this long. According to the Hero Complex, a slew of Marvel heroes and villians will be featured in a special episode of Disney XD’s Phineas and Ferb.

Announced at Comic-Con, “Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel” will have Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor and Hulk drop into Danville but they’re not happy to be there — a scheme by Dr. Doofenshmirtz has robbed the mighty quartet of their powers. The marooned heroes will have a fight on their hands with four super villains — the Red Skull, Whiplash, Venom and M.O.D.O.K. — who are working together with Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel wont hit TV until the summer of 2013 but fear not fans, here’s a teaser to hold you over.

I have a 6 year old niece so I am well-versed in the greatness that is Phineas and Ferb. Anyone who’s worried that the Marvel characters will be poorly handled needn’t worry. I fully support this move on Disney and Marvel’s part. It’s a smart move and I’m sure it’s just the first of many to come.