Contenders ’16: La La Land

It is easier to be scuffling in New York rather than Los Angeles, because you can do it without a car here. You are also more likely to find talented but gig-challenged jazz musicians in The City. However, Mia Dolan manages to run into Sebastian Wilder more frequently than either would prefer. At least, that is how it starts. Eventually, it evolves into something serious, but these things never last in LA, do they? The attractive couple will have to enjoy the music and the romance while it lasts in Damien Chazelle’s movie musical, La La Land (trailer here), which screens during MoMA’s Contenders series, in addition to seven hundred-some theaters nationwide.

Wilder is in a bad place. Recently, he has been torturing himself over the loss of a storied jazz club relaunched as a samba and tapas joint. He is also on the verge of losing his cocktail piano gig. Despite their bad starts, pursuing Dolan gives him some needed focus. Even though she already has a boyfriend, the well-heeled Greg Earnest will be no match for a revival screening of Rebel Without a Cause and a midnight excursion to Griffith Observatory. Wilder will even teach Dolan (and hopefully the rest of the audience) to appreciate jazz. Unfortunately, when Wilder goes on tour with his former smooth jazz nemesis, the time apart will put a strain on their relationship.

You have to give Chazelle credit for what he pulls off with La La Land. While his first crack at the genre, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench was a very nice film, La La is the best original movie musical since maybe Umbrellas of Cherbourg, which is obviously a touchstone referential film for Chazelle. The film and the music composed by Justin Hurwitz (with lyricists Pasek and Paul) is just that good. Frankly, if “City of Stars” does not win the Oscar for best original song than the Academy must not have any ears whatsoever. “Stars” will be one for the Great American Songbook, but “Another Day of Sun” and “A Lovely Night” are also total winners.

But wait, there’s more—like Mandy Moore’s energetic yet stylishly old school choreography. She cleverly incorporates the traffic-bound cars in the opening flag-waving “Another Day of Sun” (beautifully shot by Linus Sandgren) and stages an awesomely ambitious third act fantasia, somewhat in the tradition of An American in Paris (both the film and the Broadway musical).

Even though he looks ten years older than Emma Stone’s Dolan (at least), Ryan Gosling convincingly broods and self-sabotages like a jazz musician. He also learned a heck of a lot of piano for the film, which is cool. Emma Stone is charming as Dolan, but she also conveys all the desperation and self-doubt plaguing the struggling actress. There is a great deal of chemistry between the two co-leads, as one might hope, since this is their third romantic pairing together.

Even though La La boasts a huge cast, very few of them register besides Stone and Gosling. Of course, there is no missing J.K. Simmons’ arch cameo as the club owner who fires Wilder (sort of a victory lap for his Whiplash Oscar). Likewise, John Legend is reasonably credible as Wilder’s sellout classmate. More importantly, legit jazz musicians Kevin Axt, Wayne Bergeron, Peter Erskine, Dan Higgins, Andy Martin, Bob Sheppard, and Graham Dechter keep the soundtrack real and sounding terrific as the La La Land Jazz Ensemble.

La La Land is as good as you’ve heard—maybe even better. It seems strange Chazelle’s under-seen Park Bench has not been reissued to capitalize, but maybe that will happen if Oscar comes calling. Regardless, it is terrific film that stays true to Chazelle jazz roots and his big screen musical influences. Very highly recommended, La La Land screens next Wednesday (1/4) as part of MoMA’s contenders and is now playing in New York, at the AMC Empire.

Grand Piano: Don’t Shoot the Piano Player

Pianist Thomas Selznick has done the nearly impossible, creating buzz for contemporary classical music. Much to his embarrassment, he did so by crashing and burning during an attempt to perform his late mentor’s “impossible to play” composition. After years of nursing his wounds, his celebrity wife has coaxed him into making his concert hall return, playing the very piano once owned by his famous teacher. However, a criminal mastermind will hijack the program in Eugenio Mira’s Grand Piano (trailer here), which opens this Friday in New York.

Before the show begins, Selznick’s friend and conductor William Reisinger counsels him not to sweat a flubbed note. Considering the density of the music they are about to perform, nobody in the audience will possibly notice. It is good advice musicians of all styles should take to heart. Unfortunately, Selznick will not have that option. Instead, the shadowy “Clem” demands, through an earpiece secretly slipped to Selznick, that he must play each selection perfectly. One missed note and it is curtains for him and his wife, Emma.

Of course, it gets even more complicated. Clem also has a last minute set change. For his solo closer, Selznick is to substitute “La Cinquette,” the very piece that gave him so much trouble before. Naturally, his mentor owned a Bösendorfer, because his unplayable piece requires those extra keys. As the concert progresses towards it climax, Selznick engages in a cat-and-mouse game with the gunman, while remaining rooted at the keyboard, in plain view to all.

Written by Damien Chazelle, this year’s Sundance sensation for Whiplash, Grand Piano has a nice ear for how musician’s talk and think. Shrewdly, his script takes its time establishing the Selznicks and Reisinger, as well as the elite classical world they inhabit. Mira also sets the scene quite effectively, making the mostly digital concert hall feel like a very real and ominous place.

Evidently, Elijah Wood’s youthful piano lessons paid off, because he looks credible enough at the keys. More importantly, he conveys the perfect level of nervous, ticky stress for a socially awkward artist like Selznick. Don McManus also adds a nice touch of flamboyance as Reisinger. Frankly, the revelation of the actor playing Clem feels like it is intended to be a surprise, even though his name is above the title on the one-sheet. In any event, he is more or less adequate as the mystery villain, even though Grand Piano is by far his best film since at least 2003. In contrast, it is safe to say Bill & Ted’s Alex Winter largely upstages the mostly unseen Clem as his henchman with an attitude.

Grand Piano is a nifty thriller that archly capitalizes on the claustrophobic setting and the neurotic nature expected from musicians of Selznick’s rarified caliber. Cinematographer Unax Mendia gives it a wonderfully dark, stylish look, suggesting a cross between giallos and Hitchcock (whose Royal Albert Hall sequence in The Man Who Knew Too Much stands as an obvious inspiration for the film). Well played and tightly constructed, Grand Piano is enthusiastically recommended when it opens this Friday (3/7) in New York at the Cinema Village.

Sundance ’14: Whiplash (the feature)

The late lamented IAJE’s annual conference-jazz gathering used to be such a breath of fresh air, because you could see the enthusiasm young high school kids have for America’s great original musical art form.  In the case of Andrew Neiman, there is a dark side to that passion—personified by a ruthlessly manipulative band director.  There will literally be blood on the drum kit in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, an opening night selection of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

If the nebbish Neiman and the Mephistophelean Terence Fletcher sound familiar, it is because they first appeared in Chazelle’s proof-of-concept short, which won the short film jury award at last year’s Sundance and went on to screen at NYFF. Concept proved. That harrowing trial-by-fire is replayed in the feature length Whiplash with a new Neiman, but the irreplaceable J.K. Simmons returns as Fletcher.

Forget Simmons’ character in Oz—Fletcher is far scarier.  He out Buddy Riches Buddy Rich.  Unfortunately, as the director of a Juliard-like music college’s concert jazz big band, he holds tremendous power to help or hinder aspiring musicians.  Needless to say, when Neiman gets his first supposed shot playing with Fletcher’s Studio Band, it is a disaster.  Of course, the kid is set-up to fail when he is thrown head first into Hank Levy’s “Whiplash,” a chart that looks like differential equations translated into Sanskrit.  However, Neiman craves Fletcher’s approval so badly, he will work his fingers to the bone practicing the twisty flag-waver.

Whiplash the short was a nifty piece of jazz-informed filmmaking, but it exceeds all expectations as a feature.  Once again, Simmons is the engine making it all run.  His Fletcher is a natural cinematic successor to R. Lee Ermy’s drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket and Jack Nicholson’s Col. Jessup in A Few Good Men—for real.  Yet, there is a reason for his abusive-borderline sociopathic behavior.  Even more than in the predecessor short, Chazelle’s full length script and Simmons’ performance make it clear Fletcher is always true to the music in his fashion.

While some might be troubled by Fletcher’s homophobic taunts (actually, you’re sort of supposed to be), this is the one area jazz has not historically been a trailblazer for tolerance.  Indeed, many have compared big band outfits to military units and viewers can understand how so from many scenes in Whiplash.

To his credit, Miles Teller also really digs in as Neiman.  There is nothing cute or quirky about his work.  In fact, it is downright painful watching him cower and cringe.  He also looks convincing with the sticks.  Chazelle, the former jazz drummer, probably gave him a few pointers. After all, Whiplash is based on his own experiences with a martinet bandleader (loosely so, we can only hope).

Frankly, Chazelle has done the near impossible, getting Sony to care about jazz.  It is sort of a coming of age story, but it does not exactly wrap things up in a neat little bow. Regardless, it is a major statement from Chazelle.  He really opens it up as a director, staging an unusually dynamic and dramatic climatic concert.  By the same token, his script rings with truth and attitude, particularly for those who are in anyway familiar with jazz education.  The result is a smart, stylish film that swings like mad.  Highly recommended, Whiplash screens again today (1/17), Wednesday (1/22), and Thursday (1/23) in Park City and Saturday (1/18) in Salt Lake as part of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

NYFF ’13: Whiplash (short)

He is a big band director who out Buddy Riches Buddy Rich. While Rich’s band members always contended the famous drummer’s profane bark was worse than his bite, Fletcher is a dread terror with a baton.  One freshman drummer learns this the hard way in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, which screens as part of Shorts program 3 at the 51^st New York Film Festival.

It is Andrew Neiman’s first day with the jazz orchestra of an elite conservatory.  He will do newby stuff like tuning the kit and turning pages, but he will also get a turn with the sticks. It will be a real trial by fire.  Before he even gets his shot, Neiman will witness one band-member getting the public ax.  The choice of tune will not do him any favors either.  It will be Hank Levy’s “Whiplash” (which Don Ellis recorded on his Soaring album).  An arranger and composer for the Ellis and Stan Kenton big bands, Levy often experimented with odd time signatures, while delivering the big sounds those leaders were known for.  Good luck, kid.

Even though the portrait of Rich hanging above him would seem to signify good luck, Neiman is in for it. However, Whiplash has already had considerable good fortune.  An expanded feature film version is proceeding on track after it won the short film jury award at this year’s Sundance. While high profile executive producers like Jason Reitman and Jason “Insidious” Blum did not hurt, its real trump card is the jaw-dropping work of J.K. Simmons.

Recognizable from jillions of supporting parts (including J. Jonah Jameson in the Spiderman franchise), Simmons calls and raises both Buddy Rich and former Drill Sergeant R. Lee Ermy.  As Fletcher, he is certainly intimidating, but also disturbingly manipulative. Yet, viewers cannot write him off completely, because there is very clearly a passion for the music burning within him.  Regardless of what you make of the character, it is a tour de force performance from Simmons.

The late Hank Levy also deserves credit for helping Whiplash the movie work.  Even (or especially) to a non-musician, his composition sounds hard to play and the chart looks impossible.  Yet, the Hank Levy Legacy Band still swings it hard for the film’s soundtrack.

Musician turned filmmaker Chazelle is clearly intimately acquainted with this world.  His stylish feature debut, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench also employed jazz, while shrewdly examining the private lives of musicians. He also co-wrote the screenplay for The Last Exorcism Part II, so there’s range for you.

The eighteen minute Whiplash might feel like a brief episode in a longer story (because it more or less is), but it is an encounter that will resonate deeply for many former music students (and they have our sympathies).  However, everyone should be able to appreciate Simmons’ virtuoso turn and anyone with open ears can dig the use of the title tune.  Highly recommended in its short film form, Whiplash screens this Thursday (10/10) at the Howard Gilman Theater, as part of the 2013 NYFF’s Shorts Program 3.