I’ve seen precisely 3 musicals in my lifetime. MARY POPPINS as a child, GREASE, which is one of those films that just seems to have always been in your memory, and MOULIN ROUGE with my wife. Aside from the latter, I didn’t much care for them. It’s not that I hate them, they’re just not my thing. If it’s not an animated lion opining on overthrowing a monarchy and instilling his own reign of hyena backed tyranny, I’m not interested.
All of which, makes what I’m about to say regarding the 4th all the more unbelievable.
LA LA LAND, is a god damn masterpiece.
As I sat in my local cinema, I fell completely, head over heels in love with this gorgeous, outrageously charming film from Damien Chazelle. It is so utterly dripping with charisma and heart, so beautifully confident in its cheesiness and masterfully put together by Chazelle, cinematographer Linus Sandgren and Justin Hurwitz (good god, the songs) that I challenge you not to fall for it too.
A bright eyed Emma Stone plays Mia, a struggling actress trying to break into Hollywood, who meets frustrated jazz musician Seb, played by the naturally charming Ryan Gosling, and the pair strike up a romance. The simplicity of the story works to its advantage, allowing you to get swept away by the characters and the feeling of it all, the pair share so much chemistry it sucks you in, woos you till you cant remove the smile off your face. Filled with nostalgic imagery, its a story about dreams, but also about trying to remember and maybe recapture that spark of golden age Hollywood. The music is, as you’d expect, stunning. At times I wanted to close my eyes to just listen to it, but then I’d be missing out on the technicolour beauty of the film.
Midway through the second act there was a scene in an observatory that for some reason just hit me in the chest, its just a little moment but it was pure magic.
That’s what this film is. It’s magic. It’s pure gold-dust. A 2 hour shot of heart, fun and undiluted enjoyment. Even for someone as musically illiterate as myself, the enthusiasm and love and admiration for past musicals and Hollywood is clear as day, and just on a technical level this is yet another stunning piece of directing after the energetic and white knuckled WHIPLASH, the use of colour and lighting is phenomenal, allowing you to soak in its beauty during the many long takes. But for me, it’s just how this film makes you feel what makes this so special, you cant explain it, cant write a formula to recreate it, its lightning in a bottle.
I’ve had “City of Stars” stuck in my head since leaving the theatre, and am getting goosebumps all over again just listening to the soundtrack while writing this. There’s no doubt in my mind that I just watched a future classic.
LA LA LAND will melt even even the iciest of hearts, its so achingly enjoyable, funny and wonderful. Even if you aren’t in to musicals, go and see it.
“Here’s to the ones who dream.”
that lego guy 