La La Land 2016

I don't think I have ever been in love with a movie, like I'm in love with La La Land. From the first few seconds, till the very end. This movie had me and didn't let go. My english vocabulary is not good enough to express my love, heck, my dutch vocabulary is not good enough to express it. This movie is everything.

It is beautiful, happy, magical, romantic and I could go on for a little while longer but I won't. I wasn't expecting it to be this musical-y, but I mean, I love musicals so I'm not complaining. I think this is a great "musical" because there isn't non stop singing, so people who don't like musicals might like this one because it's more "subtle". I can only imagine how much practice went into all those dance routines and don't get me started on the impressive piano skills Ryan Gosling showed us.

Something that really impressed me as well was the way they filmed everything. It's a very creative and different way, which I really enjoyed and think makes this movie a great inspiration for those who love film and camerawork themselves. The build up and flashbacks and stuff were really cool as well. Yea I really enjoyed that. Also, the storyline, which does so much for a movie, was so great.

This is normally the part were I talk about the actors, but seeing that there were mainly only two actors and they were both amazing (I do think tho, that Ryan Gosling his character wasn't a very challenging one for him because we have seen him in roles like these before. Mixing it up with all the dancing, singing en piano playing though, you got something quite different and I loved it), I'm going to skip this part and say that you should watch this movie, do nothing more, just watch it, enjoyed it and love it.

I've seen this movie 3 times now and have a ticket purchased for Wednesday night again in the Dome. I LOVE IT. Favorite movie of the year and well on it's way to one of my faves of all time. The music wonderful, the cinematography is gorgeous, the script is hilarious and everything just keeps moving. I love every single scene. I think it has the chance to be the fourth movie ever to win Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actress and Actor. Man, is this amazing!!!! See immediately then buy the soundtrack!!!!

UPDATE: Saw it for the 6th time yesterday at the Chinese Theater in IMAX. I. Still. Love. This. Movie. !!!!!!

UPDATE: Took my fam to see it the other night for #7. Still great!

UPDATE: Saw this last night at the Hollywood Bowl, making it my 8th time on the big screen. And I gotta say, my friend and I had an epic epic nightmare of a battle making it to the show and we were 20 minutes into movie when we got there but this movie is so special and spectacular it got us out of our funk instantly. Love it! Then I went home and watched it on blu-ray to hear the commentary man oh man I love this movie. Okay done with updates now that it's on home vid.

An astonishingly gorgeous movie, perhaps the most beautiful I've ever seen. The set designs, the lighting, just everything about the visual vibe of this movie is immaculate. Gosling & Stone are perfect as the main characters. I read that these roles were originally supposed to be played by Miles Teller & Emma Watson, and whilst I'm sure they'd have been good, I truly feel Gosling & Stone were perfect for this movie. Stone in particular puts in an incredible performance, of which she deservedly won an Oscar for. The soundtrack is delightful, with both the jazz tracks and the slower-paced musical songs fitting the vibe of the movie perfectly. That being said, the musical sections of this movie hurt the flow of this movie in some places. I'm not a musical guy, but I think in this movie, it would have been benefitted by either more or less musical segments, instead finding a weird spot in the middle that just feels a tad disjointed to me. I also had some issues with the pacing in the last hour, as it felt like the story took major jumps, with events I would've been interested in more of. Those are my only flaws with this, which will keep it from a perfect 10, but it's one of the most gorgeous movies I've seen with incredible acting performances and a fun story, worth watching even if skeptical of the musical concept.

"I guess I'll see you in the movies".

"La La Land" follows Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts. With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, this musical about everyday life explores what is more important: a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.

Back in 2014, there was a film called "Whiplash" that blew everyone away, including me. It was my 2nd favorite movie of that year and I had my eye out for the director next project. Wasn't very long until Damien Chazelle next film in was in post-production and was already a serious Oscar contender. I think "La La Land" and "Silence" was my most anticipated movies of 2016/17. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

"La La Land" is one of the best musicals I've seen since "Sweeney Todd" and "Singing in the Rain". It's a movie that lifts your spirit up and leaves you smiling though out. Even with today's generation of loud politics, four years of Trump, celebrities dying, and endless amount of pointless controversy. But then comes a musical about two people who are dreamers, that deal with inn conflict and show how dreams can lead to success. By making the impossible possible while living in a place where dreams come to die.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were both dynamite in this movie. The relationship was sweet and relatable that I actually cared for what was going on. Even with the singing and dancing use as a tool that the characters express their happiness, sadness or disappointment was terrific. This is the best I've seen from Stone and Gosling. Both of them sparkle in this musical.

Damien Chazelle, what can I say about this guy. Chazelle as a film making is both amazing and inspirational. He's on a roll recently and if he's next two movies are brilliant, then he is the best living director today. In "La La Land", he follows a similar theme in his previous movie "Whiplash" about fighting for a dream and jazz, but this movie goes for more a light tone than a dark one. For the dramatic elements of the movie, I really like how he lets it go on for awhile as an emotional effect. He also got an eye for spectacle, because LA never looked so beautiful and fairy tale-like. What else is there to say, but Chazelle nailed it.

Without spoiling anything, but the last shot of this movie was so beautiful and yet sad at the same time. Chazelle sure knows how to end his movies and that's with a powerful punch.

My only complaint I have with the movie is that a few scenes could've been trimmed a bit, as it dragged for me. And while the homages to old musicals were fitting, but some was a bit down your throat. I wouldn't say repetitive (because it's not), but more of a "alright, I get it" kind of complaint. That's really it for flaws.

Overall rating: "La La Land" is simply wonderful. It's a firework of joy and excitement that it's really hard not to fall in love with it. I'm already looking forward to "First Man".

I guess I'll see you in the movies

I don't think one viewing of this film does it enough justice. After one viewing of this a few months back, I thought it was okay at best and was not a fan of the ending or certain events in the narrative.

However, this film is now among my favourites. La La Land is a gigantic metaphor for Hollywood and how everyone strives to succeed but it's unlikely they'll ever do this, as one move could change everything. The lines of the songs are put together in such detail that you understand what the characters are going through and their passion for what they do (whether it's Jazz or becoming an actress etc).

Pretty much all the negatives I had with the film are completely flipped. Both the actors portray the performances with such detail that it throws you into the world and what life is really like for them. The musical scenes are also put together with a ridiculous amount of accuracy - the "Another Day of Sun" scene stands out from the rest.

It does not matter if you like La La Land or not but if you wanted to know why people wish to leave for Hollywood, pursue their dreams and ambitions or even want to feel special, this is your answer.

This is definitely not a movie that I would have chosen to watch all by myself which perhaps explain why I thought it was just surprisingly okay to watch. However my girlfriend absolutely wanted to watch it so I got it. As it turned out my girlfriend had only gone by the number of Oscars and not really looked up what kind of movie it actually was so in the end I was enjoying the movie a lot more than she did.

This movie is pretty much a quite classical Hollywood musical with a non too original story, nice music and dancing. In addition the cinematography is simply excellent. This is the strong point of this movie. The rest of the movie is of lesser interest to me but the cinematography is really, really good. The scene, pictured on the movie poster, were Mia and Sebastian dances and everything in the scene are dark blue tones except Mia’s bright yellow dress is so simple and yet so beautiful.

Everything else about this movie is…okay. Okay acting, okay story etc. As I wrote before this is really not my kind of movie so forgive me for not being overly enthusiastic. I am sure those into these kind of movies cannot understand how anyone can give it less than a full set of stars but hey, different tastes and all that.

I cannot make up my mind about ending. On one hand I am a sucker for happy endings which this one falls a wee bit short on. On the other hand I have to commend the writer/director for not taking the path of least resistance and instead putting together something a wee bit different.

I did feel that a part of the movie was missing though. I would have liked to see the parts where Mia and Sebastian actually fulfilled their respective dreams. Jumping fast forward to the ending like the movie did felt a bit like they either ran out of money or they manage to misplace half the story!

Anyway, I enjoyed the movie more than I thought I would.

Back in 2014, there was a film called "Whiplash" that blew everyone away, including me. It was my 2nd favorite movie of that year and I had my eye out for the director next project. Wasn't very long until Damien Chazelle next film in was in post-production and was already a serious Oscar contender. I think "La La Land" and "Silence" was my most anticipated movies of 2016/17. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

"La La Land" is one of the best musicals I've seen since "Sweeney Todd" and "Singing in the Rain". It's a movie that lifts your spirit up and leaves you smiling though out. Even with today's generation of loud politics, four years of Trump, celebrities dying, and endless amount of pointless controversy. But then comes a musical about two people who are dreamers, that deal with inn conflict and show how dreams can lead to success. By making the impossible possible while living in a place where dreams come to die.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were both dynamite in this movie. The relationship was sweet and relatable that I actually cared for what was going on. Even with the singing and dancing use as a tool that the characters express their happiness, sadness or disappointment was terrific. This is the best I've seen from Stone and Gosling. Both of them sparkle in this musical.

Damien Chazelle, what can I say about this guy. Chazelle as a film making is both amazing and inspirational. He's on a roll recently and if he's next two movies are brilliant, then he is the best living director today. In "La La Land", he follows a similar theme in his previous movie "Whiplash" about fighting for a dream and jazz, but this movie goes for more a light tone than a dark one. For the dramatic elements of the movie, I really like how he lets it go on for awhile as an emotional effect. He also got an eye for spectacle, because LA never looked so beautiful and fairy tale-like. What else is there to say, but Chazelle nailed it.

Without spoiling anything, but the last shot of this movie was so beautiful and yet sad at the same time. Chazelle sure knows how to end his movies and that's with a powerful punch.

My only complaint I have with the movie is that a few scenes could've been trimmed a bit, as it dragged for me. And while the homages to old musicals were fitting, but some was a bit down your throat. I wouldn't say repetitive (because it's not), but more of a "alright, I get it" kind of complaint. That's really it for flaws.

Overall rating: "La La Land" is simply wonderful. It's a firework of joy and excitement that it's really hard not to fall in love with it. I'm already looking forward to "First Man".

[7.6/10] Art about artists is dicey. Any film or book or television show about people making art can present the earnest passions of their creators laid bare but can just as easily turn into a navel-gazing, insular, head-up-own-ass celebration of self. La La Land, somehow, manages to be both.

On the one hand, the film presents a startlingly conventional romance. There are meetcutes, angry sparks that turn to passion, fading luster, and argument-fueled betrayals and redemptions. It also presents a startlingly conventional artists’ narrative. There are young people struggling to make it, feeling their purity stifled by cold rejection, unkind odds, and the needs of commerce; there are breaks big and small and accusations of selling out; and affirmations of passion and truth and taking those chances that scare you. It’s all very familiar.

But on the other, it reveals those passions and talents of writer-director Damien Chazelle. After his previous film, Whiplash it’s no shock that he’s passionate about music (especially jazz) and movies (especially old movies). La La Land is a love letter to the art of old, lionizing Casablanca and Thelonious Monk and their ilk in equal measure, reducing them to clichés and stereotypes in the process. It is a throwback, to movie musicals, romances, and the accompaniments of years past, and in that, it can perhaps be forgiven for some amount of its conventionality.

And yet, in Chazelle’s clear affection for film, for jazz, and for art in general, he offers every stock rumination in the book. While La La Land is half-dirge, lamenting the imagined death of jazz and the closing of a theater that plays classic films, it’s also half-late night freshman year gab session. There are traditional back and forths about whether certain modes of art must be updated to preserve their viability, or whether that taints their purity, which should be preserved regardless of commercial appeal. There are lengthy diatribes about following your dreams, putting them off for a steady paycheck, and what is required of a person to not only “make it,” but to make something great in the current climate.

That last thought, also the focal point of Whiplash offers the only real depth in the piece. While it is trite, false, and perhaps even pernicious to suggest that greatness requires breaking off equally passionate connections with loved ones (paging the Jedi), La La Land captures the notion that creating beauty comes at a price. There is a piercing wistfulness in the film’s final act, one that gives into whimsy and pure delight, but which does so in service of the idea that this is something lost, as out of reach and irrevocable as those old films and records. If art requires great sacrifice, as Chazelle seems to posit, then the best thing to recommend La La Land’s presentation is that it takes the time to mourn that sacrifice, in sparkling tones.

Despite the rest of the film’s inability to match that small bit of transcendence, Chazelle and La La Land find their greatest successes when veering away from the paint-by-numbers story and verbal accounts of what it is to love, to make art, and to be an artist, and instead try to capture those sentiments, those feelings, visually. The film captures the delight of spontaneous romance in the fantastical terms of a visit to an old shooting location gone intergalactic. Chazelle and Director of Photography Linus Sandgren use lighting and editing to encapsulate the transfixing qualities of a beautiful piece of music or a stunning performance, to where the rest of the world melts away. The kinetic but smooth movements of the camera as it swirls around a traffic jam turned affirmation of aspirations demonstrate a virtuosity in the visual and technical craftsmanship that the script simply cannot match.

To that end, La La Land is at its best when it remembers that it’s a musical. The lavish song and dance numbers communicate the mood and energy of the film in sterling fashion. The choreography of Mandy Moore (no, not that one) is, in turn, playful, bombastic, and restrained. Particularly in the early going, the film is awash in bright primary colors, conveying the simple hopes in the beginning, before slowly giving way to more and more dusky hues.

The music of the film is not quite outstanding, but it’s serviceable. More pastiche than step forward, La La Land offers on the nose lyrics, but tunes that are catchy enough to fuel the film’s most imaginative sequences. Leads Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling sing like movie stars, not singers (though Stone gets much the better of the exchange), which lends a certain authenticity to the proceedings but prevents the songs from truly soaring at times.

But the pair make the hoary tropes of the film’s romance, and the triteness of its statements on art, not merely bearable, but enjoyable through their collective talents and charms. Stone in particular is electric, driving home the ways in which Mia, an aspiring young actress, is dejected, energized, hopefully, crestfallen, soothed by the personal when the professional falters. Gosling commits to his character’s seeming fatalistic commitment to his art, and the slow erosion when he himself gives into compromise because he believes it’s what his life with Mia requires. There is a charisma to the film’s leads, which carries La La Land when other elements of the film stumble.

That is the frustrating contradiction of La La Land. At times, it is so creative, so confident, so making the most of its stars and its genre, and at others, it neglects the splendor and charm in favor of dull, drawn out clichés and rote ruminations. There is much to recommend it, from the talents of its performers, to the outstanding song-and-dance numbers, to the cinematographic excellence all around. But it’s also a film with little to say about love or art, or at least, little of any interest or novelty. It is a largely enjoyable film, intermittently engaging and overly pat, such that it feels like an elegantly constructed trifle, where the time spent is pleasant enough, but it ultimately leaves you empty.

I needed few days to think about my impression about this magical masterpiece! It was for me the best movie in a long time, although Spotlight could enter easily in this ranking. I purely enjoyed this movie on the big screen (which is the best way to watch it) - it made me lough, smile, tiptoeing with the wonderful characters! Sebastian and Mia were easy to identify with, to follow their way through success and failure. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling deserve all the awards and praise for their acting and vocal skills. They had the best chemistry I ever seen and they should do more movies together. I can say the same about the supporting actors who did too an amazing job.

I must also applaud the amazing directing, writing and operating jobs! The way that I was transported into the world of old-fashion modern musical was pure joy. And the music is phenomenal! The best music since Lion King and Beauty and The Beast (which for me are one of the greatest in the world). Music equaling the works of Hans Zimmer and other masterful composers! I have still City of Stars stuck in my head! Amazing!

The ending makes you think how choices, good or bad, can reflect on your way and destiny in this world! True wisdom!

I hugely recommend to everyone to watch this movie because it's once in while these days that we will have opportunity to watch this kind of magic! That was the cinema in pure content of it!

Good movie, visually its absolutely masterful. The colour, the framing, the camera movement, the visual storytelling and character development; it’s incredible. The music and songs are very well composed and performed, I like that they maintained the imperfections of the actors. It does have that over the top, corny vibe you’d expect out of a musical, which is my biggest complaint and probably a selling point for others. Nevertheless, it also maintains a real sense of melancholy. The story sets itself up as a predictable love story, which is a formula it mostly sticks to for the first two acts, but then it drums up a really interesting ending that comments intelligently on artistic ambition and selling out. So it’s not just feel-good fluff, this is a lot more ambitious. The acting and dialogue are very good, but occasionally there are scenes where it feels a little too exaggerated. For example, I don’t buy how this movie portrays casting directors, even when keeping the whimsical, heightened tone of the movie in mind it feels disingenuous to me. All in all, this is about as tasteful as you could possibly make a movie like this. It’s not entirely my thing (I’m more of a Whiplash person), but it’s still a really good watch.

7/10

La La Land is a musical masterpiece that combines the nostalgia of classic musicals with a modern-day setting. Despite initial concerns, the musical elements of the film are seamlessly integrated into the story, allowing it to develop organically. Damien Chazelle's direction is masterful, evoking memories of the past while maintaining a modern feel. The lead actors, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, have undeniable chemistry, and their performances are both effortless and captivating. The film is a feast for the eyes, with Chazelle's use of color and camera movement adding to the overall beauty of the film. The story is engaging and serves as a more captivating watch than the routines. Despite some simplistic elements, the film is a triumph, celebrating all that was great before and wrapping it up in a modern-day bow. Magnificent.

La La Land es una obra maestra musical que combina la nostalgia de los musicales clásicos con un ambiente moderno. A pesar de las preocupaciones iniciales, los elementos musicales de la película se integran a la perfección en la historia, lo que le permite desarrollarse orgánicamente. La dirección de Damien Chazelle es magistral, evocando recuerdos del pasado manteniendo un toque moderno. Los actores principales, Ryan Gosling y Emma Stone, tienen una química innegable y sus actuaciones son cautivadoras y sin esfuerzo. La película es un festín para los ojos, con el uso del color y el movimiento de cámara de Chazelle que se suman a la belleza general de la película. La historia es atractiva y sirve como un reloj más cautivador que las rutinas. A pesar de algunos elementos simplistas, la película es un triunfo, celebra todo lo que fue genial antes y lo envuelve en una reverencia moderna. Magnífico.

This is one of very few movies that I give full points to in every category. Emma Stone has been my favorite actress for a long time, and I think this movie perfectly showcases her talents. She rightfully won best actress for this, and I do wish this had won best picture. I go back and rewatch this every once and a while and it just gets better every time imo. I'm honestly in awe of how gorgeous this movie is, but I don't envy the filmmakers needing to film so many scenes in the sunset "magic hour" to get that gorgeous deep blue sky silhouette look. If you haven't seen this in 4K HDR, you're missing a huge chunk of the visual experience. Also, can we talk about how Ryan Gosling learned how to play piano for the movie? Because holy crap, he does it so flawlessly for someone who just learned.

I actually find it fascinating that Mia and Seb's story here echoes so closely to Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield's story. So passionately in love, but their careers kept them apart too much. Both needed to be apart from each other in order to grow into the hugely successful artists they are today. Both of them so clearly still love each other, but have had to move on, and now Emma is married with a kid as well. The ending was already a bittersweet moment, but knowing Emma's real story makes it even more powerful to me. You know that Mia and Seb (and Emma and Andrew) are in a good place and happy with where they are in their lives, but you can't help wonder about the "what if".

I love the musicals of old Hollywood. The two main characters of this movie are a jazz musician who wants to revive the jazz area with which he fell in love, and, a young woman who wants to follow the magic she knew as a young child writing and performing plays in her bedroom. When they met each other they are both changed to refine and redefine their vision. I believe the approach of the writers to this revival of the musical is encapsulated in the advice of a colleague to the pianist that went something like, "You are trying to recreate an era that was founded by innovators and rebels seeing beyond the music around them. If you want to "save" jazz for a new audience you need to not go back, but be those re creators for a whole new generation of jazz musicians and audience. The film doesn't just celebrate the era of big screen musicals, it innovates it address a new audience with current, diverse cultural norms. I think City of Stars will win the Oscar for best song, but listen to the subtle themes for each plot pairing, especially listen for the birth of a thee couples theme music when Emma Stone's character first hears Ryan Gosling's character playing the piano in the club, then be alert to the reprises and changes of the theme as the movie unfolds - it will really enhance the retelling of history at the end of the movie. I give it a 7.5 (good enough to see twice) out of 10.