1:08:39 | View on iTunes
On this episode, Cody Clarke and Chloe Pelletier go 1-on-1 for a talk about The Incredible Mr. Limpet! Plus, Chloe Pelletier with a review of The Visit! Continue reading Smug Film Podcast Episode #46 – The Incredible Mr. Limpet / Chloe Pelletier / Spaceballs / Her (9/14/15)
1:27:26 | View on iTunes
On this episode, John D’Amico, Jenna Ipcar and I are joined by special guest Frank Santopadre, co-host of Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast, for a discussion about the films of 1979! Plus, Chloe Pelletier with a review of The Visit! Continue reading Smug Film Podcast Episode #45 – 1979 in Film / Frank Santopadre of Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast (9/7/15)
1:02:16 | View on iTunes
On this episode, Cody Clarke goes 1-on-1 with film critic and movie podcaster Cody Clark! Confused? Listen to the episode, it’ll all make sense. Plus, Chloe Pelletier with a review of No Escape! Continue reading Smug Film Podcast Episode #44 – Cody Clark 1-on-1 / Far From The Madding Crowd / The Visit (8/31/15)
1:23:18 | View on iTunes
On this episode, John D’Amico, Jenna Ipcar, and I recommend each other a movie to watch, and then we time travel to when we have watched it! Makes no sense? Listen to the episode and it will. Plus, we play a voicemail from a listener, and Chloe Pelletier reviews Trainwreck!
Continue reading Smug Film Podcast Episode #43 – Movie Recommendation Triangle / Westerns / Brando / Pacino (8/24/15)
Whiplash (2014)
Written and Directed by Damien Chazelle
107 min.
Finally saw Whiplash, last year’s little-engine-that-could (and did—four Oscars). Can’t say I’m surprised at all that it was so well-received by critics and audiences alike—it’s a visceral, exciting film, one that, given its mundane subject matter, takes you by surprise with its intensity. An artificial, superimposed intensity, sure (a realistic film about getting good at drums would be more the vibe of Jeanne Dielman, but louder) but an intensity that is undeniably effective. At certain moments, I was quite literally on the edge of my seat.
My praise for the film ends there though, other than to say that J.K. Simmons delivers a phenomenal performance, his career best. And, there’s a few genuinely funny parts when you least expect them. In general though, the film is a shallow one. More specifically, it’s two-dimensional—so two-dimensional it’s damn near cel-based.