Cinema Roundup January 16th 2015

Movie of the week - whiplash

Movie of the week – Whiplash

This time last year it was making a splash at US film festivals and now, finally, Irish audiences can experience the thrilling musical drama Whiplash. Miles Teller plays an enthusiastic young jazz drummer studying at America’s most prestigious music school, driven by a maniacal tutor essayed with ferocious intensity by character actor JK Simmons in the role of his life. Even if jazz isn’t your thing (though you may grow to love it over the course of the film), it’s a gripping piece of drama with two fantastic performances from Teller and Simmons. It’s only mid-January but this is one film guaranteed to appear on most movie lovers’ best of 2015 lists.

American Sniper

American Sniper

From director Clint Eastwood, American Sniper is the true life story of the late Chris Kyle, a NAVY SEAL sniper who holds the title of America’s deadliest soldier. Kyle is responsible for 160 confirmed kills during four tours in Iraq, and Eastwood’s film details his experience in gruesome, and at times difficult to watch detail. In portraying a contentious figure without resorting to demonising or valorising Kyle, Eastwood has crafted an ambiguous portrait of a figure who in an ideal world wouldn’t exist. At 84, Eastwood’s direction is as fresh as ever.

Wild

Wild

This being awards season, true life stories are omnipresent, and Wild is yet another movie based on a memoir. This one tells the story of Cheryl Strayed, a former heroin addict who set off alone on America’s Pacific Crest Trail, hoping the 1000 mile journey would reboot her life. When it sticks to the journey itself the movie is captivating but it’s bogged down too often by flashback sequences that add little to the narrative.

By Eric Hillis