La La Land is getting a lot of attention and is hotly tipped to win big at this year’s Oscars. It has been nominated in a number of categories at today’s Oscars announcement. I wasn’t sure what to expect from La La Land as I am not a fan of musicals as a Movie Genre. La La Land is not the blockbuster you can compare to last years Revenant but it sure packs a punch on a few different levels.
La La Land starts with a musical number, quite predictably, setting up what will be a romantic relationship. The film seems to have a very familiar feel about it, shot in a style which is quite different to other movies out this year. It is bright and I get the feeling that the saturation and vibrance of colours was increased during filming/post-production. This gives an almost 1950’s or Technicolour feel about the film.
La La Land is set in modern day Los Angeles yet we can see nods to the glory days of Hollywood. The movie opens with an amazing highway scene with thousands of cars and dancers…. Worth a good portion of your admission fee to see that! (If you saw the opening sequence to the Golden Globes you will get an idea). Sebastian played by Ryan Gosling is a budding jazz musician and wants to open his own club o this terms. He meets Mia played by the wonderful Emma Stone which is an actress who just can’t catch a break. They initially meet on the highway for a brief moment. They also almost meet in a piano bar but Sebastian brushes past her. When Sebastian and Mia meet properly, we see song and dance numbers reflecting on movies such as ‘Singing in the Rain’.
The rest of the story (in order to avoid spoilers) is set with them trying to help each other achieve their dreams. There is much song and dance in between with some great scenes including one in a Planetarium which is impressive visually and also as a musical number. This scene is actually one further nod to the golden days of Hollywood. The scene is set at the Griffith Observatory, and it is visited by Sebastian and Mia after watching the classic movie “Rebel Without a Cause.”
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling really do work well and certainly have an on screen bond which makes their performance so believable and captivating. Eventually both get a shot at their dreams and with guest performances from John Legend and J.K Simmons the movie really has a good cast. I’m not going to spoil anything, but you should enjoy the movie as it is a treat for the eyes and the ears.
The only negative thing is that the movie takes a bit of time to get going. However, I felt but once it is moving you are pulled along with it … Not screaming, rather singing and dancing with it.
You will like La La Land and it is certainly a ‘feel good’ pick-me-up. If you had a bad day, go see this movie. Enjoy!
Official Trailer of La La Land
