At the cinema: Whiplash
There are not many films I see twice before they are released, but Whiplash falls into that category. Despite one of the least promising-sounding premises of all time – student drummer Miles Teller wants to join his music college’s jazz band – Whiplash is one of the outstanding films of the past year. The film turns into a battle of wits between Miles’ character, and the teacher who runs the band, played by JK Simmons (the dad in Juno). For JK, the two most damaging words in the English language are “Good job”. He’s not interested in mere accomplishment: he wants excellence and he’ll do whatever it takes to inspire it. But are his methods really necessary, or are they in fact the antics of a psychotic bully? The film is unapologetically extreme, as Miles cries, sweats and bleeds over his drum kit, in a desperate bid to make the grade. But it leaves you punching the air. Don’t miss.
On DVD: Looking
OK, I am totally cheating. This column is meant to be about movies – at the cinema, on DVD and on TV – and here I am blatantly sneaking in a TV box set as my DVD choice. But it’s too good to ignore. This is the HBO/Sky Atlantic series that has been dubbed “the gay male Girls”, and focuses on a bunch of gay men in San Francisco. Jonathan Groff stars as videogame developer Patrick, who falls hard for hot Latino barber Richie (Raul Castillo). Most of the series is directed by Andrew Haigh, who did the brilliant UK indie flick Weekend, and it’s got some of the same real, sexy flavour. Watch out for our own Russell Tovey as Patrick’s new boss, and possible romantic complication.
On TV: Bridget Jones’s Diary (Saturday, ITV, 9.20pm)
Wow, following Skyfall a week ago, ITV are really owning Saturday nights in January with their movie offer. Incredible to think that this was in cinemas THIRTEEN years ago, when heat was still in nappies. Bridget remains one of our favourite movies, adapted from one of our favourite books, and here are a few reminders why that’s the case: big pants, drunken pyjamas karaoke, mini-break, convertible-induced bad hair, fireman’s pole, fight!, blue soup, bunny outfit, reindeer jumper and rubbish underwear in snow. But none of that would matter if we didn’t care about Bridget and the man who – remarkably, deliriously – loves her just the way she is. PS Hugh Grant is very funny in it as cad Daniel Cleaver, but you knew that.