As a lifelong fan of the original live-action movie musical era, I have to say that this was among my most anticipated movies of the year.
From My Fair Lady through Mary Poppins, West Side Story, The Sound of Music to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, my childhood was filled with the magic of on-screen singing and dancing.
When Damien Chazelle (director of Whiplash) revealed La La Land, an original movie musical hearkening back to the golden age of said genre, as his next project, I was excited to see what Chazelle had to offer, especially after both the critical acclaim for Whiplash and movies like The Artist doing so well within the 'throwback' genre.
With that said, there are a great many risks involved with undertaking such an ambitious project; Is there any substance without the songs? Will it come off as a basic moneygrab? While paying homage, will this film bring anything new to the table?
With all these questions, let's see how well Chazelle brings the 'Movie Musical' back to life.
The Positives
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling dance beautifully together and really tick the 'all round musical talent' boxes and are a joy to watch and hear throughout the movie.
My only issue with the music and dance is the opening number; while it is catchy and a joyful booming introduction to any movie musical, it feels a bit too separate from the main story for my liking. Classic overtures and prologues are supposed to set the stage for the main characters and their story ark; this one however felt vaguely related to the story rather than a direct scene-setter for the plot. Otherwise it's a brilliant music and dance display all-round, with a terrific cast to deliver the goods.
The Negatives
Final Verdict
Overall La La Land is an absolute delight and a must for any fan of old fashioned 1940's/50's musicals. The songs are beautifully written and intertwined, while the dance numbers a treat minus a slightly unrelated opening. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone shine as our leads, though the latter gives us an easy career-best performance. Even though the ending gets a little more flashy than it needs to be, La La Land is a near-flawless throwback to the classics of yesteryear and I absolutely won't hesitate in seeing it again.
9.5/10
From My Fair Lady through Mary Poppins, West Side Story, The Sound of Music to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, my childhood was filled with the magic of on-screen singing and dancing.
When Damien Chazelle (director of Whiplash) revealed La La Land, an original movie musical hearkening back to the golden age of said genre, as his next project, I was excited to see what Chazelle had to offer, especially after both the critical acclaim for Whiplash and movies like The Artist doing so well within the 'throwback' genre.
With that said, there are a great many risks involved with undertaking such an ambitious project; Is there any substance without the songs? Will it come off as a basic moneygrab? While paying homage, will this film bring anything new to the table?
With all these questions, let's see how well Chazelle brings the 'Movie Musical' back to life.
The Positives
- Emma Stone:
- Ryan Gosling:
- Damien Chazelle's Direction/Linus Sandgren's Cinematography:
- The Music/Dance:
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling dance beautifully together and really tick the 'all round musical talent' boxes and are a joy to watch and hear throughout the movie.
My only issue with the music and dance is the opening number; while it is catchy and a joyful booming introduction to any movie musical, it feels a bit too separate from the main story for my liking. Classic overtures and prologues are supposed to set the stage for the main characters and their story ark; this one however felt vaguely related to the story rather than a direct scene-setter for the plot. Otherwise it's a brilliant music and dance display all-round, with a terrific cast to deliver the goods.
The Negatives
- A Slightly Underwhelming Finale:
Final Verdict
Overall La La Land is an absolute delight and a must for any fan of old fashioned 1940's/50's musicals. The songs are beautifully written and intertwined, while the dance numbers a treat minus a slightly unrelated opening. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone shine as our leads, though the latter gives us an easy career-best performance. Even though the ending gets a little more flashy than it needs to be, La La Land is a near-flawless throwback to the classics of yesteryear and I absolutely won't hesitate in seeing it again.
9.5/10