If you read pop culture news on a regular basis, then at some point you must have heard of La La Land. If you read at the same crazy level as me then you probably hear about it every other day. And that's because of all the acclaim and awards it is receiving right now. After seeing Damien Chazelle's previous film Whiplash in the cinema, it seemed only fitting to watch his latest work in the cinema as well.
La La Land is the love story of Mia, an actress who dreams of being a successful movie star and Sebastian, a pianist who wants to start his own jazz club. The movie focuses on their relationship and it's ups and downs. I know that sounds very simple when you look at the story and this was my main concern but fortunately the movie makes you forget about its simple premise as you keep watching. Everything from the dialogue to the music to the choreography was outstanding.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone gave excellent performances. I'll be damned if neither of them get nominated for an Oscar. Their love for each other felt so real and they complemented one another, thus making them equals in the story. The problems they face are also genuine and they deal with them without being too dramatic. One small issue I had though was that the supporting cast wasn't strong enough to leave an impression. Even though I was surprised to see John Legend, his presence didn't feel too important to me despite the effects of his actions while Rosemarie Dewitt felt relevant only in the beginning. But even then they were essential in their own small way.
The music was amazing. There wasn't a song I didn't like, even the electronic jazz used midway in the film. Damien Chazelle made music a natural part of the film and the different types of music fit perfectly in the situations they were used in. I feel like i made a good decision by watching this in the movie theatre. It made the sound louder and allowed me to embrace the musicLike Whiplash, Jazz is an important part of the story. Whiplash inspired me to start listening to jazz and now this movie has revitalised my interest in the genre. Even the dancing scenes in the movie were great, especially the opening sequence which featured over a 100 dancers. The dance from the scene in the poster above was really fun and adorable as well.
As I said earlier, the premise was a bit thin but the way the story plays out allows you to be immersed in the movie as you start focusing on the characters and the music. I remember that I was so immersed within an important scene, only to be disrupted by some people who were talking too loud near me. I was very annoyed at my return to reality but soon I was able to reimmerse myself soon afterwards. I found the ending of the movie to be very touching especially the last one minute.
In the end, La La Land proved to be one of the best movies to be released this year. Damien Chazelle and his team have done a great job in creating a movie worthy of applause. Hopefully this movie can gain even more prominence in the near future, but for now it can enjoy the limelight it deserves in this current awards season.
Quote of the special: "How about all for you and none for me?"
La La Land is the love story of Mia, an actress who dreams of being a successful movie star and Sebastian, a pianist who wants to start his own jazz club. The movie focuses on their relationship and it's ups and downs. I know that sounds very simple when you look at the story and this was my main concern but fortunately the movie makes you forget about its simple premise as you keep watching. Everything from the dialogue to the music to the choreography was outstanding.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone gave excellent performances. I'll be damned if neither of them get nominated for an Oscar. Their love for each other felt so real and they complemented one another, thus making them equals in the story. The problems they face are also genuine and they deal with them without being too dramatic. One small issue I had though was that the supporting cast wasn't strong enough to leave an impression. Even though I was surprised to see John Legend, his presence didn't feel too important to me despite the effects of his actions while Rosemarie Dewitt felt relevant only in the beginning. But even then they were essential in their own small way.
The music was amazing. There wasn't a song I didn't like, even the electronic jazz used midway in the film. Damien Chazelle made music a natural part of the film and the different types of music fit perfectly in the situations they were used in. I feel like i made a good decision by watching this in the movie theatre. It made the sound louder and allowed me to embrace the musicLike Whiplash, Jazz is an important part of the story. Whiplash inspired me to start listening to jazz and now this movie has revitalised my interest in the genre. Even the dancing scenes in the movie were great, especially the opening sequence which featured over a 100 dancers. The dance from the scene in the poster above was really fun and adorable as well.
As I said earlier, the premise was a bit thin but the way the story plays out allows you to be immersed in the movie as you start focusing on the characters and the music. I remember that I was so immersed within an important scene, only to be disrupted by some people who were talking too loud near me. I was very annoyed at my return to reality but soon I was able to reimmerse myself soon afterwards. I found the ending of the movie to be very touching especially the last one minute.
In the end, La La Land proved to be one of the best movies to be released this year. Damien Chazelle and his team have done a great job in creating a movie worthy of applause. Hopefully this movie can gain even more prominence in the near future, but for now it can enjoy the limelight it deserves in this current awards season.
Quote of the special: "How about all for you and none for me?"