Get Whiplash

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The inspirational-teacher film is upended, turned inside out, and otherwise exploded in Whiplash, a ferocious drama contemplating the single-minded pursuit of artistic achievement. Set at a prestigious NYC school of music (a thinly veiled Juilliard), the film stars Miles Teller as Andrew, a drummer as gifted as he is ambitious. Every student dreams of catching the eye of Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), the imposing figure in charge of the school's competitive, prize-winning studio band. Andrew is overjoyed when he does, but he rapidly realizes the coveted experience will also be brutal. Fletcher screams at the musicians in his charge. He slaps their faces and flings chairs at them. He finds their soft spot (an absent parent, for example, or unease regarding their sexual orientation) and tears at it without reprieve. "Not my tempo!" Fletcher screams at Andrew when he is not threatening to cut him altogether, forcing the frightened hopeful to drum for his life, practicing for hours upon hours until blood gushes from his hands.



Both stars of Whiplash are perfectly cast. In his few prior film roles, including in The Spectacular Now, Teller has displayed an ability to blend vulnerability with an acerbic quality and a certain air of conceit, and the role of Andrew requires this. After all, he is a protagonist who tells a cute girl he cannot see her again because she will only distract him from his destined mastering of his craft. Teller lays bare the character's borderline dangerous capacity for obsession while also maintaining a core of sympathetic, wide-eyed longing. We root for him even as he warps. And Simmons is simply a force of nature as Fletcher. His eyes burn with red-hot intensity. He enters a room with the presence of a conquering army. His muscles tense as his veins bulge. His transitions from detached instruction to fierce criticism and volcanic bluster are abrupt, imperceptible, and frightening. In him, we see a charismatic monster of a man who just may forge (not inspire, but slice and sculpt) worthy musicians.



The well-utilized duo find themselves in a low-budget film which, as directed by relative newcomer Damien Chazelle, in no way plays as small. The photography is beautiful and brings the characters' insular universe to life: the practice rooms are shrouded in shadow, coldly atmospheric tombs which must be traversed to at long last reach the crisp and bright elegance of an actual stage. And the editing is precise and tight, as if the film were cut to a metronome with a laser beam. There is not an ounce of fat. Scenes build and build and build in dread, intrigue, and wonder, none more so than the soul-cleansing, perfectly calibrated, leave-everything-on-the-pitch climax.

Get Whiplash

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The inspirational-teacher film is upended, turned inside out, and otherwise exploded in Whiplash, a ferocious drama contemplating the single-minded pursuit of artistic achievement. Set at a prestigious NYC school of music (a thinly veiled Juilliard), the film stars Miles Teller as Andrew, a drummer as gifted as he is ambitious. Every student dreams of catching the eye of Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), the imposing figure in charge of the school's competitive, prize-winning studio band. Andrew is overjoyed when he does, but he rapidly realizes the coveted experience will also be brutal. Fletcher screams at the musicians in his charge. He slaps their faces and flings chairs at them. He finds their soft spot (an absent parent, for example, or unease regarding their sexual orientation) and tears at it without reprieve. "Not my tempo!" Fletcher screams at Andrew when he is not threatening to cut him altogether, forcing the frightened hopeful to drum for his life, practicing for hours upon hours until blood gushes from his hands.



Both stars of Whiplash are perfectly cast. In his few prior film roles, including in The Spectacular Now, Teller has displayed an ability to blend vulnerability with an acerbic quality and a certain air of conceit, and the role of Andrew requires this. After all, he is a protagonist who tells a cute girl he cannot see her again because she will only distract him from his destined mastering of his craft. Teller lays bare the character's borderline dangerous capacity for obsession while also maintaining a core of sympathetic, wide-eyed longing. We root for him even as he warps. And Simmons is simply a force of nature as Fletcher. His eyes burn with red-hot intensity. He enters a room with the presence of a conquering army. His muscles tense as his veins bulge. His transitions from detached instruction to fierce criticism and volcanic bluster are abrupt, imperceptible, and frightening. In him, we see a charismatic monster of a man who just may forge (not inspire, but slice and sculpt) worthy musicians.



The well-utilized duo find themselves in a low-budget film which, as directed by relative newcomer Damien Chazelle, in no way plays as small. The photography is beautiful and brings the characters' insular universe to life: the practice rooms are shrouded in shadow, coldly atmospheric tombs which must be traversed to at long last reach the crisp and bright elegance of an actual stage. And the editing is precise and tight, as if the film were cut to a metronome with a laser beam. There is not an ounce of fat. Scenes build and build and build in dread, intrigue, and wonder, none more so than the soul-cleansing, perfectly calibrated, leave-everything-on-the-pitch climax.

Get Intent

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is a great series and it looks like it will be a great season with the new rivalry between Mike & Harvey, so there's a lot to enjoy here. I'm glad to see Jessica getting more of a life too.



Besides how great this new season looks, iTunes is beating Amazon Instant Video on price for Season 4 by a very significant margin. Especially as a Prime member, you're going to need to offer me better than a 4% discount to get my business on this Amazon.

Get Intent

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is a great series and it looks like it will be a great season with the new rivalry between Mike & Harvey, so there's a lot to enjoy here. I'm glad to see Jessica getting more of a life too.



Besides how great this new season looks, iTunes is beating Amazon Instant Video on price for Season 4 by a very significant margin. Especially as a Prime member, you're going to need to offer me better than a 4% discount to get my business on this Amazon.

Get Intent

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is a great series and it looks like it will be a great season with the new rivalry between Mike & Harvey, so there's a lot to enjoy here. I'm glad to see Jessica getting more of a life too.



Besides how great this new season looks, iTunes is beating Amazon Instant Video on price for Season 4 by a very significant margin. Especially as a Prime member, you're going to need to offer me better than a 4% discount to get my business on this Amazon.

Get Intent

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is a great series and it looks like it will be a great season with the new rivalry between Mike & Harvey, so there's a lot to enjoy here. I'm glad to see Jessica getting more of a life too.



Besides how great this new season looks, iTunes is beating Amazon Instant Video on price for Season 4 by a very significant margin. Especially as a Prime member, you're going to need to offer me better than a 4% discount to get my business on this Amazon.

Get Bloody Hell

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is probably an ideal show for high school and maybe college aged students. That being said, I am 30 and can't stop watching this show. It is so ridiculous, but I love it.

Get Bloody Hell

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is probably an ideal show for high school and maybe college aged students. That being said, I am 30 and can't stop watching this show. It is so ridiculous, but I love it.

Get Hero

CUSTOMER REVIEW



If the pilot episode is any indicator, Better Call Saul has the potential of becoming AMC's next hit series, esp. among Breaking Bad fans. I really enjoy Vince Gilligan's unique creative style. IMO, Breaking Bad was one of the best written & produced TV series to date. Therefore, my expectations were fairly high and I wasn't left disappointed. Looking forward to the second episode. Great mixture of humor, suspense/surprise.



Updated after episode 2 "Mijo" If you enjoyed "Breaking Bad," I highly recommend watching this series. Vince Gilligan's unique style and vision very well may have created another series equal to the brilliance of Breaking Bad. IMO, being a BB fan only heightens the entertainment value. The prequel doesn't limit itself solely to "Saul's" character. It seemingly is introducing an array of characters who played pivotal parts in Breaking Bad. Knowing the characters beforehand made several scenes downright hilarious.



There's so many layers to this show. BB fans will instantly know a few characters, as Mike, Tuco & his special relationship with his grandmother. There's numerous questions, esp. surrounding Jimmy's personal life that adds an odd, edgy mysterious tone. Enjoyed every second.

Get Hero

CUSTOMER REVIEW



If the pilot episode is any indicator, Better Call Saul has the potential of becoming AMC's next hit series, esp. among Breaking Bad fans. I really enjoy Vince Gilligan's unique creative style. IMO, Breaking Bad was one of the best written & produced TV series to date. Therefore, my expectations were fairly high and I wasn't left disappointed. Looking forward to the second episode. Great mixture of humor, suspense/surprise.



Updated after episode 2 "Mijo" If you enjoyed "Breaking Bad," I highly recommend watching this series. Vince Gilligan's unique style and vision very well may have created another series equal to the brilliance of Breaking Bad. IMO, being a BB fan only heightens the entertainment value. The prequel doesn't limit itself solely to "Saul's" character. It seemingly is introducing an array of characters who played pivotal parts in Breaking Bad. Knowing the characters beforehand made several scenes downright hilarious.



There's so many layers to this show. BB fans will instantly know a few characters, as Mike, Tuco & his special relationship with his grandmother. There's numerous questions, esp. surrounding Jimmy's personal life that adds an odd, edgy mysterious tone. Enjoyed every second.

Get The Distance

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Yup, it's always been that way - you wait about 6 hours to watch each new episode. Not sure if it's after midnight or what the time is precisely. I'd rather do it this way than buy a cable package to get AMC.

Get The Distance

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Yup, it's always been that way - you wait about 6 hours to watch each new episode. Not sure if it's after midnight or what the time is precisely. I'd rather do it this way than buy a cable package to get AMC.

Get The Distance [HD]

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Yup, it's always been that way - you wait about 6 hours to watch each new episode. Not sure if it's after midnight or what the time is precisely. I'd rather do it this way than buy a cable package to get AMC.

Get The Distance [HD]

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Yup, it's always been that way - you wait about 6 hours to watch each new episode. Not sure if it's after midnight or what the time is precisely. I'd rather do it this way than buy a cable package to get AMC.

Get St. Vincent

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I just walked out of the theater after seeing St. Vincent and I had to immediately write this review before driving home or doing anything because I thought it was so great. This was honestly one of the best movies I've seen this year.



St. Vincent focuses on Vincent (Bill Murray), a crotchety old man who's a drunk and owes money all over town. Vincent "employs" Daka, a pregnant prostitute played by Naomi Watts, and has new neighbors in the form of Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a hardworking single mom, and her son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). When Oliver locks himself out of the house one day after school, he stays at Vincent's house until his mom gets home from work. Vincent is able to ferret this into a gig babysitting Oliver regularly after school while Maggie is at work. Vincent is a horrible influence, taking Oliver to bars and the race track and teaching him how to fight. Even though Vincent's character is so gruff and basically a lowlife, he's actually pretty lovable. Throughout the course of the movie, we get to discover that there's a bit more to Vincent than meets the eye, and he's not so bad, deep down inside.



While this movie was classified by most as a comedy, I would probably go so far as to call it a dramedy, even though I hate the term. It was pretty funny, but also had some touching and real moments, with more substance than a straight comedy typically has. The first half of the movie was hilarious, with me laughing hysterically at Murray's dark sense of humor and the inappropriateness of his character. Then for the last part of the movie, things became a bit more serious, and I was trying to keep from shedding a tear here and there. However, there were still plenty of funny parts to ease the tension and provide comic relief.



The acting in this movie was great, in my opinion. Vincent was cast perfectly, with Bill Murray being the perfect amount of snarky and rude while still being likable. Lieberher was a cute, yet sarcastic little kid, and I loved watching Oliver and Vincent's budding friendship. Naomi Watts was hilarious as the Russian beauty Daka. Chris O'Dowd played a priest at Oliver's school (probably the coolest priest I've ever met..), and his Bridesmaid costar Melissa McCarthy went in a totally different direction than I've seen her in lately. McCarthy's last few roles have been disappointing to me, as I feel like she's been typecast as the over-the-top, funny fat lady, when she's so much more than that. Her character here had more depth and reminded me that she can act, although I feel like this role didn't allow her to showcase how funny she can be when she doesn't have to be stuck in the same gruff dirtball role (because let's face it, while she was hilarious in Bridesmaids, she essentially was the same character in Identity Thief, The Heat, and Tammy).



Overall, a really touching, really funny movie.

Get St. Vincent

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I just walked out of the theater after seeing St. Vincent and I had to immediately write this review before driving home or doing anything because I thought it was so great. This was honestly one of the best movies I've seen this year.



St. Vincent focuses on Vincent (Bill Murray), a crotchety old man who's a drunk and owes money all over town. Vincent "employs" Daka, a pregnant prostitute played by Naomi Watts, and has new neighbors in the form of Maggie (Melissa McCarthy), a hardworking single mom, and her son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher). When Oliver locks himself out of the house one day after school, he stays at Vincent's house until his mom gets home from work. Vincent is able to ferret this into a gig babysitting Oliver regularly after school while Maggie is at work. Vincent is a horrible influence, taking Oliver to bars and the race track and teaching him how to fight. Even though Vincent's character is so gruff and basically a lowlife, he's actually pretty lovable. Throughout the course of the movie, we get to discover that there's a bit more to Vincent than meets the eye, and he's not so bad, deep down inside.



While this movie was classified by most as a comedy, I would probably go so far as to call it a dramedy, even though I hate the term. It was pretty funny, but also had some touching and real moments, with more substance than a straight comedy typically has. The first half of the movie was hilarious, with me laughing hysterically at Murray's dark sense of humor and the inappropriateness of his character. Then for the last part of the movie, things became a bit more serious, and I was trying to keep from shedding a tear here and there. However, there were still plenty of funny parts to ease the tension and provide comic relief.



The acting in this movie was great, in my opinion. Vincent was cast perfectly, with Bill Murray being the perfect amount of snarky and rude while still being likable. Lieberher was a cute, yet sarcastic little kid, and I loved watching Oliver and Vincent's budding friendship. Naomi Watts was hilarious as the Russian beauty Daka. Chris O'Dowd played a priest at Oliver's school (probably the coolest priest I've ever met..), and his Bridesmaid costar Melissa McCarthy went in a totally different direction than I've seen her in lately. McCarthy's last few roles have been disappointing to me, as I feel like she's been typecast as the over-the-top, funny fat lady, when she's so much more than that. Her character here had more depth and reminded me that she can act, although I feel like this role didn't allow her to showcase how funny she can be when she doesn't have to be stuck in the same gruff dirtball role (because let's face it, while she was hilarious in Bridesmaids, she essentially was the same character in Identity Thief, The Heat, and Tammy).



Overall, a really touching, really funny movie.

Get The Theory of Everything

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I wasn't too keen to watch this movie but after some people recommended I decided to give it a shot and I was glad I did because the movie beautifully tells you the story of June Wilde and physicist Stephen Hawking when they met until they separated. Kudos to Eddie Redmayne because his portray of Hawking was outstanding.