The Media Room

    Whiplash (2014) Watching The Movie: As a movie, Whiplash lives up to it's name. Extended periods of relatively tranquil inaction or simple dialogue that is followed by a very short, intense, and kinetic shot which at a minimum will leave the viewer slack-jawed in awe at what is on the screen and at maximum, in the case of one event in particular make the watcher exclaim "Holy Shit!" in disbelief. Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons bring these characters to life in a way that I doubt any other actors could; especially in the case of Teller who is apparently a very good drummer in his personal life. Screening the Film:  Motivational techniques, leadership, drive, obsession, entitlement vs merit, opportunity costs (in the most heartbreaking way possible) Desire. Integrity and honor vs opportunity and deceitfulness. Accountability vs abuse Fame vs Infamy. Symbiotic vs parasitic relationships Best Dialogue: Uncle Frank: You got any friends, Andy? Andrew: No. Uncle Frank: Oh, wh...

  The Legend of Hercules (2014) Watching The Movie: Do you like Braveheart (1995), Gladiator (2000) and 300 (2006) and want to know what it would be like if someone created an angry baby of all three films; regardless of how little sense it made? Do you like horrible meat head actors walking around delivering horrible lines of dialogue with absolutely no emotion whatsoever? Do you like green screen, and I mean a LOT of green screen? Do you like seeing punches pulled so badly they clearly miss by several inches? Do you like seeing people die from stab wounds that don't produce any blood? Have you ever wanted to see lightning swung like a whip? This movie is 1000% your jam. Screening the Film:  It's borrowing cinematography from much better films, so the messaging kind of comes along for the ride. Sovereignty, how it is determined and kept. Man in the arena imagery (man destroys his civility to survive) Vengeance and retribution. Loyalty, or lack thereof. Information asymmetries...