La La Land, a rarely seen heartwarming love story
24.1.17
One word: Magnificent. An ode to a timeless classic with a touch of the 21st century.
La La Land has the spirit of a Gene Kelly production packaged in the body of a present-day blockbuster. It’s a transcendent experience, a must-watch-more-than-once for all film lovers.
Once glued to their seats, the audience is up for a ride into the lives of a passionate jazz pianist and a desperate wannabe actress. Their lives intersect in the most ridiculous yet most adorable of ways, and as they each pursue their own dreams and aspirations, both find themselves in an avenue of choice and regret.
La La Land ignites with love, humor and in certain cases, sadness. The film is one that comes to life—the kind that gives you the illusion you’re watching real people living out their lives.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s performances are both solid, yet it is the latter who deserves a standing ovation. Her ability to capture her character’s personality, ranging from the powerful drive of a Hollywood-dreamer to the fragile side of a girl from Boulder City, is present in the more memorable scenes.
Damien Chazelle’s creation of a fantastical world in a reality-driven plot could not have been executed more skillfully. Immaculately choreographed dances coupled with wide shots and lateral camera work adds an extra dimension to the film that is a top contender at the upcoming 2017 Academy Awards.
Chazelle’s roommate and Whiplash composer, Justin Hurwitz, has done it again, this time presenting us with a soundtrack that is light and dreamy with bits of melodrama and romance. Its musical numbers are satisfyingly upbeat, and tracks such as "Planetarium" and "City of Stars" erratically tickle that little portion of our hearts reserved for the most fragile of feels.
La La Land is seasoned with stuff rarely seen in a lot of today’s movies. It connects us with past arts and culture while maintaining a present-day storyline. It gives us a heartwarming love story, one that defies the archetypal plots, with a heartbreaking ending, and because of that it show us a grim truth: even glamorous Hollywood can’t escape the way life inevitably turns out.
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