Fiurilli

There have been great directors in the past such as Stanley Kubrick, Sergio Leone, Alfred Hitchcock and many others. Often times people fondly remember these directors and their movies and wonder which of the directors working today will be considered one of the greats in the near future. In my opinion there are many great candidates such as Wes Anderson and Christopher Nolan, however there is a new kid in town. Damien Chazelle has officially put his stamp on the movie scene with his latest film 'La La Land' which has already received six Academy Awards and seven Golden Globes. I've already watched 'La La Land' in cinemas twice and can't recommend it highly enough and so I was curious what his other movie 'Whiplash' had to offer.

In 'Whiplash' Chazelle tells the story of a teenage boy Andrew who's dream it is to become the world's greatest drummer. In order to achieve his dreams he enrolls at a music conservatory known for its very competitive jazz band helmed by Fletcher. Fletcher is no ordinary conductor and has a rather unorthodox style that does not always resonate with every member of the band. There's a lot more to this story than this, however part of the experience is not knowing what to expect. I'd hate to ruin this for anyone, but what I can tell you is that this is one of the most original stories I've seen in a long time. It's very well put together and unfolds masterfully with a lot of fun and unexpected twists and turns. Characters are very well defined and always seem to act according to their beliefs. Both Andrew and Fletcher are very interesting characters and their story lines interact beautifully. The dialogue itself is also very realistic and often appears as if it's been taken from everyday life. The script is also very well balanced as it's very serious at times but also funny when it needs to be.

Behind the characters of Andrew and Fletcher are Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Both characters were already interesting enough however the actors give them an incredible amount of depth. Teller really makes you feel for his character and when he is pushed to his limits you can't help but want to reach out through the screen and give him a helping hand. In any other movie Teller would easily have been the star of the film, however it's extremely hard to pick favourites with Simmons in the supporting role. His character is a very strict music conductor and Simons gives his all to portray this fact. If the actor is anything like his character than I would advise anyone to stay far away from him. However one of the best things about Simmons his act is that he always makes you feel as if there still is a human being hiding inside Fletcher. I would argue that with 'Whiplash' both actors have come very close to reaching the top of their abilities, but I would hope that the future will prove me wrong.

What ties 'Whiplash' together is Damien Chazelle with a directional style that is absolutely stellar. Although the movie may be slow for some, in my opinion the pacing is very well thought out. The story progresses very steadily and there is never a moment where it feels as if nothing is happening. With the use of low level lighting Chazelle pulls you into every scenario and combined with the constant use of the drums this creates a sensation unlike any other movie. The drumming especially gets under your skin and the constant sense of tension this provides perfectly mirrors that which is present between the character. Even though the movie is not classified as such it most definitely feels like a thriller and I would personally rate it amongst movies such as 'The Shining' and 'The Silence of the Lambs' solely in terms of suspense.

Damien Chazelle has literally created a masterpiece and if I would have to point out a flow I'd first have to watch it countably many times. However 'Whiplash' is so captivating that I would probably forget to look. The movie is extremely well directed with acting performances that are amongst some of the best I've ever seen. It features a unique story with an ending that's the cherry on top of the an already delicious cake. This movie is perfect in every sense of the word and gets a perfect five stars out of five.

Almost every director has a period one can call their 'golden years'. For some directors these last their entire career, while for others it merely consist of one or maybe two movies . A few years back director M. Night Shyamalan experienced his 'golden years' with three consecutive movies much loved by fans. Back then it was no wonder that Shyamalan was often given the nickname ''the golden boy''. As a fan of his earlier work it was sad to see that he never came close to accomplishing the wonderful craftsmanship he showed during his 'golden years' with movies such as The Sixth Sense. Every film released by Shyamalan after Signs was a major disappointment and after just a few movies he fell from grace reaching his lowest point in 2010 with The Last Airbender.

However in 2015 something changed when Shyamalan released the comedy/horror movie The Visit. Although this still wasn't a very good film it did provide a very fun experience and it seemed as if Shyamalan was beginning to understand what made his earlier work so much fun to watch. All the more reasons to be excited about his latest film Split, which follows actor James McAvoy in the role of Kevin Crumb, a man with 23 distinct personalities. In the beginning of the movie one of these personalities kidnaps three young women who he holds hostage in some sort of underground facility. These women must try to survive while facing Crumb's many personalities. Things take a turn for the worse however, as Crumb starts to develop a monstrous 24th personality.

If one were to judge this movie based on its premise it's easy to disregard this film completely. Another dumb movie by Shyamalan that will probably be just as terrible as his earlier film 'After Earth', right? While the trailers may give this impression, just a few minutes in it is clear that 'Split' is a different beast altogether. Right off the bat Split takes a hold of the audience and exerts a grip so tight that one can only forget its ridiculous premise and suspend their disbelief altogether. The story of Kevin is very interesting to watch especially since the mystery surrounding him seems to be growing by the minute. The manner in which questions are answered is perfectly balanced between conversations and even though the dialogue is exposition heavy as a result it never actually seems that way. This can be attributed to the fact that most conversations have a certain sense of realism such that it never appears as if the information is being told to the audience instead of to the characters on the screen. For the first time in a few years Shyamalan has created an amazing story and although it does take a few twist and turns that seem out of place it is incredibly fun to experience.

Shyamalan's story is also very well presented on the big screen. The eeriness of the events surrounding Kevin is very well framed by the slow moving shots that often linger a little bit longer than usual. Combined with the story itself this in turn provides some great psychological horror with a tension that almost always appears to be at a boiling point. This sense of tension never lets up and it alone is what can pull one through the few moments where the scrip falters. Scattered throughout the film are some beautiful shots and a lot of times what is actually happening on the screen is very well mirrored with the manner in which it is framed. Shyamalan and cinematographer Mike Gioulakis have created a very good looking film but by far the most noteworthy aspect of Split is the amazing acting by James McAvoy in the role of Kevin and seven of his personalities. McAvoy really owns the part and presents every personality very much as its own character. Every second with McAvoy on the screen was a delight to see and his performance alone made Kevin's journey worth the watch.

All in all Split is a very solid movie that is definitely worth the price of admission. Both the script and the direction by M. Night Shyamalan are very good and on top of that all is the amazing acting performance by James McAvoy. If you are a fan of the horror/thriller genre then Split is a must watch for you, however even if you are not it is worth checking out regardless.