Last night I was, once again, at the Broadway Theater downtown. This time I saw a film that I have been looking forward to for months and it was as good as I was hoping it would be! La La Land is an homage to the classic old Hollywood musical (director Damien Chazelle was inspired by Singin' in the Rain and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) but it is set in modern-day Los Angeles and it tells a very contemporary story. Mia (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz musician who dreams of owning his own club. They meet and spend an idyllic summer together full of singing, dancing, and old-fashioned romance. They both struggle to achieve their dreams but will they choose success or love? After they make their choice, we get to see what their lives are like five years later but, in an incredibly clever sequence, we also get to see what their lives would have been like had they made a different choice. Oh, how I loved this movie! It is charming, delightful, and magical with wonderfully engaging performances by both Gosling and Stone, made even more impressive by the fact that neither of them are known for singing and dancing (Gosling learned to tap and play piano for the role). The choreography is spectacular (it was choreographed by Mandy Moore, who is most noted for her work on So You Think You Can Dance), especially in "A Lovely Night" shot in the Hollywood Hills at sunset, and I loved the music so much I downloaded "City of Stars" before the final credits ended. I cannot recommend this movie enough! It put a smile on my face at I time when I have become a bit jaded about life.
No comments:
Post a Comment