The
subject of my final review of 2016 also happens to be the best of the 65 movies
I’ve seen in theaters this year, Damien Chazelle’s reverently crafted and wondrously
exuberant musical love letter to the City of Angels, Golden Age “CinemaScope” musicals (RIP, Debbie),
classical jazz and lost love told through the eyes of two young
lovebirds struggling to realize their dreams in modern-day Los Angeles. With ‘La La Land' the immensely talented Harvard
man Chazelle, who previously directed and wrote the Oscar darling ‘Whiplash,’ single-handedly
rejuvenated the movie musical and gave us the perfect feel-good movie in which
to surrender ourselves.
Ryan
Gosling and Emma Stone (the adorably cute couple from ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’)
are reunited on-screen as two idealistic twentysomethings pursuing their flights
of fancy. Sebastian is a talented pianist
who aims to keep the torch of traditional improvisational jazz (not the
new age elevator "smooth jazz" of Kenny G, that's Keith played by John Legend) burning and to save enough money for his own jazz club someday,
while Mia is a lover of classic TCM movies and dreams of becoming an actress and
playwright. The two cross path by
chance and, despite their initial feigned indifference and nonchalance toward
each other, soon fall madly in love.
While the story is a familiar one, we
can’t help but be swept along by their blossoming romance and eventual drifting
apart through the four seasons on the strengths of the performances and chemistry
between the two engaging leads. The
always endearing Emma Stone had never shone brighter and is an utter delight to watch, proving once again why I've been a fan since first seeing her in 'Zombieland' and 'Easy A.' Just listen to her half of the wistful ditty below:
Evoking the kind of movie magic all too rare these days, ‘La La Land’ is an exercise in pure whimsical fantasy but is also irresistibly charming and sweet. The original songs and musical score from composer Justin Hurwitz and the dance numbers by choreographer (not to be confused with the singer) Mandy Moore are Oscar-caliber, eliciting feelings from joy to melancholy, and the film's bittersweet “what might have been" epilogue is a sublime masterpiece of such heart-wrenching beauty and tenderness that only elevated its poignancy and resonance. Light on its feet but heavy on our hearts, 'La La Land’ is a stunning cinematic musical tour de force that appeals to the hopeless romantic in all of us and makes our hearts swoon. Now that's entertainment! Have a safe and happy new year, my friends.
Evoking the kind of movie magic all too rare these days, ‘La La Land’ is an exercise in pure whimsical fantasy but is also irresistibly charming and sweet. The original songs and musical score from composer Justin Hurwitz and the dance numbers by choreographer (not to be confused with the singer) Mandy Moore are Oscar-caliber, eliciting feelings from joy to melancholy, and the film's bittersweet “what might have been" epilogue is a sublime masterpiece of such heart-wrenching beauty and tenderness that only elevated its poignancy and resonance. Light on its feet but heavy on our hearts, 'La La Land’ is a stunning cinematic musical tour de force that appeals to the hopeless romantic in all of us and makes our hearts swoon. Now that's entertainment! Have a safe and happy new year, my friends.
Grade: A+
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