La La Land

[RealityChuck]

A new movie musical following the lives and love of an aspiring actress and a jazz musician trying to make it in Los Angeles.

[Vic Sage]

i loved it, mostly, and I think the complaints i've heard about the lack of singing and dancing ability of Gosling and Stone are both overstated and miss the point.
I do think its somewhat overlong and rambling, and a lot of it is lifted without acknowledgment form UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG, but its still a terrific piece of filmmaking, and the music is really good.

[RealityChuck]

I think it will go down as one of the great films of the 21st century. It shows the magic of movies and musicals, while at the same time subverting the expectations. The "meet cute," for instance, is an acknowledgment of the trope while also taking it into a loving absurdity.

I don't get the criticism of Emma Stone's singing -- she did play Sally Bowles on Broadway. I think it's because people are used to belters, but the songs are performed more like older jazz -- small, more intimate, quieter. (Note the singer in the opening number, for instance. She had to be chosen for her voice, and she's singing in the same style). And her rendition of "The Fools That Dream" nails the song -- a song she and the songwriter had to nail to make the movie work.

[MFS62]

Vic Sage wrote: i loved it, mostly, and I think the complaints i've heard about the lack of singing and dancing ability of Gosling and Stone are both overstated and miss the point. I do think its somewhat overlong and rambling, and a lot of it is lifted without acknowledgment form UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG, but its still a terrific piece of filmmaking, and the music is really good.

As we walked down the aisle to be married, the theme from the Umbrellas of Cherbourg ("If it Takes Forever, I will Wait For You") was played. We picked it because we waited two years for me to get out of the Army for us to wed.
Haven't seen this movie yet. Should be interesting.
We now return you to a movie review frame of mind.

Later

[Guest themetfairy]

It's even better the second time around! When you know what to expect you can concentrate more on the details.

[Guest sharpie]

Liked it, didn't love it.

Kept wishing they were better singers. Kept wishing it opened up more after that opening scene and the party scene. Also wished that there were more than two real characters in the movie.

Maybe the best original live-action movie musical in years but that ain't saying much since I can't remember the last good one.

6/10.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I also wished that the only two characters in the movie were written as characters, rather than archetypes. (Stone did a FANTASTIC job, grading on the curve; Gosling was charming, but was a little less fruitful at making wine without grapes.)

Without full-on Singing-in-the-Rain musical bliss (save the beginning) or fully-conceived-and-realized characters, it's tough to give this one more than a "pretty good." I'm with Sharpie, but bump it a point, because I'm a sucker for an expertly-done bittersweet montage. (Even if that TOO is a direct Cherbourg rip.)

[MFS62]

It was a cute little movie and, despite what I had read, the singers had the voices I felt they should have had.
I gave it 8 stars. It was well done and much better than I thought it would be.
Choreography, original music, story and acting made a nice package that deserves its Oscar nod.

Later

[Vic Sage]

just a side "note": the songwriters are the young team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who are musical theater writers currently represented on Broadway by their excellent DEAR EVAN HANSEN. They could win both Oscars and Tonys this year.

[Guest themetfairy]

Whenever I'm in a bad mood I listen to the soundtrack and that makes me happier.

[Guest cooby]

I love soundtracks like that

Mine is Enchanted

[Guest themetfairy]

[Frayed Knot]

During La La Land's renewed lap around theaters on the strength of its Oscar haul including its (temporary) best picture nod, I noticed one which is designating certain showings of the film as a sing-along, presumably for
those who have either seen it multiple times already and/or have memorized the soundtrack through audio recordings.
Even if I were tempted to re-see this one on the big screen, I'd think I'd confine myself to the standard showing.