Whiplash (Chazelle, 2014)

As someone who spent a good amount of their high school years involved with the band, I can tell you how powerful the imagery in this film was. I could taste the wetting of the saxophone reed (my instrument of choice), and could smell the spit as it hit the floor from the trumpet. I played "Caravan" in jazz band, and I remember the nuisance of tuning everyone to the same key. 

That being said, I never, ever, in all my years of musicianship, had a teacher as nasty as Terence Fletcher. 

The scariest villain of the year is not in a superhero movie, and he's not trying to take over Earth. Instead, he's a tormenting demon obsessed with perfection, pushing his students to their absolute threshold. J.K. Simmons is reason enough to see Whiplash, though the movie is excellent beyond his unforgettable role. Miles Teller is a good performer and a refreshingly unsympathetic protagonist, but his main accomplishment is being able to go toe-to-toe with Simmon's Fletcher without fading into the background. The two of them have an electric chemistry, and their war crackles with psychological intensity.

Andrew Neyman (Teller) is determined to be the greatest drummer in history, and spends his days and nights pounding on the drum sets. He attends a prestigious music conservatory, and eventually catches the eye of top jazz instructor Terrence Fletcher (Simmons). Fletcher has a reputation for being incredibly picky in his choice of students, and at first seems kind and generous towards Neyman. But after Neyman witnesses how abusive the insult-hurling Fletching is, he finds himself trapped in a nightmare with one of the most intimidating teachers ever featured on the silver screen.

Simmons has been a reliable character actor for years (as I previously noted, he's the best part of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies), and it's cool to see that he's landing on the top of everyone's predictions for Best Supporting Actor. In a category designed for villains and scene-stealing characters, Simmons fills both of those requirements as the terrifying band teacher who flings criticisms almost as fast as furniture. He's the clear antagonist of Whiplash, yet he also has a reason for abusing his students so heavily. It's a fun and scene-stealing performance that will more than likely earn Simmons the chance to steal the show from his co-workers, much like he has in his performances for decades. 

Director Damien Chazelle settles into his second feature as if he's been making pictures for decades. Each scene builds dramatically from the previous, and each shot emphasizes the student's dynamics with Fletcher. His own screenplay dabbles briefly in subplots such as Neyman's father (Paul Resier) and girlfriend (Melissa Benoist), but their only purpose is to build onto Neyman's mental transformation. It's an intense story that's riveting to experience. 

The band scenes are well orchestrated, and played beautifully. You'll want to visit a jazz concert after seeing this film, as well as quickly download "Caravan" and the titular "Whiplash". Teller stands out by literally pouring sweat, blood, and tears into the music, and his frequent playing shows that he's not faking it. 

Whiplash won the top critic and audience awards at Sundance Film Festival, and for good reason- it's a thrilling look into the fierce competitiveness and cutthroat nature of the music industry, and an uncommon commentary on the lack of competition for students who earn accolades just for showing up and trying their best. As Fletcher says, "There's no two words more harmful to the English language than 'good job'". A very uncommon message for the usually optimistic Hollywood, and featured in a movie that's equally fascinating and disturbing to watch. 

Simmons, we'll see you on February 22, accepting the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.