The musical flows thematically from first love to heartbreak and every other emotion between, with great music throughout. The most impressive thing about the film, for me, is just how daringly it dances between the old-fashioned "Singing' In The Rain" style of musical, and a bolder, modern style.
The use of instruments such as flutes, harps and clarinets perfectly captures the innocent and romantic nature of Mia & Sebastian's relationship. Once the warm and elegant orchestration comes in you can even imagine the likes of the iconic dance duet Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers waltzing in a ballroom in the 1940's.
The movie is celebrated for its enchanting blend of nostalgia and modernity, seamlessly marrying the classic charm of Hollywood musicals with a contemporary storyline. The film's stunning cinematography captures the magic of Los Angeles and enhances the emotional impact of the narrative.
This movie demonstrates the dilemma people face in pursuing their dreams while giving up what they love and making sacrifices. Achieving your dreams sometimes comes at a price. It hurts to see the characters fall in love, then split off into the world to perhaps never see each other again.
Ryan Gosling is very good (but he was much better in the wonderful 'Lars and the Real Girl'). Neither can sing or dance much but they're serviceable. The ensemble dance sequences are hugely over-hyped (especially the opening sequence). They are really nothing special.
Maybe this is why La La Land appeals so much to men - they identify with Sebastian's "raw passion", his wounded masculinity, his fixation on his craft. Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman dicily praised Gosling as "not 'a pansy dancer'; he is still a guy with a strong character".
Did Ryan Gosling know how do you play piano for La La Land?
Gosling spent four months learning how to play the piano every day to get to a level that would make his jazz musician character Sebastian convincing. The film was shot with many long takes, so if you think there was room for CG manipulation or a pianist look-alike, think again.
Musicals use song to open a window into the characters' emotions, but every once in a while, a piece comes along that uses the music as a mechanism to give greater meaning to the narrative. In La La Land, the music isn't a reflection of the characters' emotion, but rather, it's their passion.
While Emma Stone can carry a tune, her voice lacks any real power. This becomes most noticeable in her dramatic solo "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)." Her vocals lack the emphasis of the bittersweet lyrics, but her passionate acting still provides plenty of emotion to carry the number the rest of the way.
Jazz fans see this as a false depiction of important debates within the jazz community. At Vulture, Seve Chambers accuses writer-director Damien Chazelle of “ideological snobbery”, noting that most real jazz fans actually agree with Keith that traditionalism is not the best way to revive the genre.
The thing that makes La land a master piece is its balance of realism and mystification. The beauty of filmmaking is the balance of every aspect of it, be it screenplay, cinematography, music, performances, etc.
Yes, Ryan Gosling did his own singing in the movie "La La Land." In addition to playing the piano, he showcased his vocal talents by singing several songs throughout the film.
Who was originally supposed to play Mia in La La Land?
Miles Teller and Emma Watson were originally slated to star in the leading roles. Watson dropped out due to her commitments to Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast remake (2017), while Teller exited via long contract negotiations.
In fact, at one point, La La Land was originally set to star a different duo. Miles Teller, who headlined Chazelle's previous film, Whiplash, was in negotiations to be the leading man in La La Land, with Emma Watson in Stone's role, according to the director.
It turns out that, once again, La La Land is at the extreme low end of the spectrum. The entire film had a 132-minute runtime, but only 23 minutes and 23 seconds were devoted to singing, or 18% of the movie.
It won six, Best Director (Chazelle), Best Actress (Stone), Best Cinematography (Sandgren), Best Original Score (Hurwitz), Best Original Song ("City of Stars"), and Best Production Design (the Wascos).
Yes, in the movie "La La Land," both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone sang their own songs. The film, directed by Damien Chazelle, is a musical that features Gosling and Stone in the lead roles as aspiring musician Sebastian and aspiring actress Mia, respectively.
Every time they share a significant moment or go through a new relationship stage we see a different blue depending on intensity of emotion. The downfall of their relationship is surrounded in green: jealousy, mistrust, a twisted variant of the purple we love.
Sex: Not bad. Passionate kissing, Mia and Sebastian share an apartment together, but when common sense, "couple wakes up in bed" it's not like in west side story where they didn't wear any clothes or are stripped to bra and underwear.
Spanning more than 4,300 acres, Griffith Park is the 11th-largest municipally owned park in the U.S. After a Hollywood Hills party, Sebastian and Mia discover a spectacular view of the San Fernando Valley, where they perform the showstopper “A Lovely Night.” The sequence was filmed in one take at "Cathy's Corner" off ...
There are a few brief kissing scenes between a man and a woman. In the opening scene, a girl dancing flips her skirt up and panties are seen. No on-screen nudity apart from a scene when Mia comes out of a shower with a towel.
Ryan Gosling plays a jazz pianist. One of the special features on the disc discusses how he didn't know how to play the piano or how to read music. He had a piano teacher/coach/guru who worked with him for 3 months during pre-production. They spent 2 hours together 5-6 days a week.
While it it may not have nabbed Best Picture, La La Land led the night with six awards, including Best Director for Chazelle. At 32, Chazelle became the youngest director to ever win the category.
