• Gordon Goodwin on His Big Phat Band, 'Life in the Bubble' Grammy Win and Why 'Whiplash' is Great for Jazz

    Yes, indeed, the 2015 Grammys proved to be one populist step forward for jazz at-large. Remember Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett's cheeks? Hell, Herbie Hancock and ?uestlove performed right alongside John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. And no one, save for the haters, batted a valve or crossed a string. For Gordon Goodwin and his Big Phat Band, though, their three nominations and an eventual gong for Best Large Jazz Ensemble were more than just plated platitudes and a non-televised soapbox rant. It was a kind of vindication.

  • Watch J.K. Simmons in the Intense 'Whiplash' Short That Eventually Became the Movie

    When director Damien Chazelle was unable to secure funding in 2013 for the movie 'Whiplash,' which went on to become a critically acclaimed masterpiece, he decided to make a short. The 18-minute movie would serve as proof that the feature about an instructor and his questionable methods of inspiring greatness and artistry needed to be made. The short, which took home an award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and stars eventual Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor J.K. Simmons, has recently surfaced on YouTube, 'Filmmaker' magazine noted.

  • Watch Hilarious 'Whiplash' Parody Staring DJ Wh1pla$h at the Skrillex Academy

    The Oscars were last night and though Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman dominated, J.K. Simmons took home the award for Best Supporting Actor for his riveting portrayal as Terence Fletcher in Whiplash. As one might expect with that name and for a movie that has become as popular as it has over the award season, there would be some parodies. The latest comes from the electronic music space and the comedy sketch group Nacho Punch who mimic the Whiplash trailer almost perfectly, but this time with a DJ named DJ Wh1la$h and his struggled with an abusive teacher at the Skrillex Academy.

  • 'Birdman' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' Lead the Oscar Nominations with 9 Each as Aniston, Adams and Jolie Were All Overlooked

    Usually in the weeks leading up to the Oscar nominations, a pattern from other awards shows begins to develop and we kind of have a clue of who will ultimately be nominated for Hollywood's top prize. This year is a bit different because so many of the categories are wide open with numerous strong contenders. This morning, "Star Wars" director JJ Abrams and last year's Best Director winner Alfonso Cuaron announced the first 12 categories live while Chris Pine and Academy President Cheryl Boone Pine followed with the next 12 categories.When all was said and done, "Birdman" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" are leading the nominations with nine each. There are also a few surprises in there. Jennifer Aniston has been acknowledged with a few best actress nominations for "Cake," but she was not on the Academy's radar and neither was perennial favorite Amy Adams. Also missing was a nod for Angelina Jolie's directing in "Unbroken."Check out a rundown of some of the major categories and tell us your thoughts!

  • 'Whiplash' May Lose Oscar Nomination for Best Original Screenplay Due to a Technicality

    "Whiplash" is one of 2014's best movies, and it is predicted to take home a few awards at the Oscars. J.K. Simmons gave the performance of his career in the jazz drumming drama and Miles Teller solidified himself as a true Hollywood heavyweight — and a damn fine percussionist. Unfortunately, the movie, directed by Damien Chazelle, may be excluded from the Best Writing category due to a technicality.As "Deadline" notes, "Whiplash" has not been included in the Best Original Screenplay category on initial voting lists. This is due to the fact that in order to get the movie financed, producers shot a brief scene from the script in order to entice funding. That short went on to win an award at the 2012 Sundance competition. The Academy deems it an adaptation of that short, and therefore ineligible to be included in the originals category.It is an unfortunate spot to be in, especially considering the fact that some voters think it could take home the statue for the category.
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