{"id":413,"date":"2017-02-06T13:34:09","date_gmt":"2017-02-06T19:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wpacad2.winona.edu\/winona360\/?p=413"},"modified":"2017-02-10T16:47:41","modified_gmt":"2017-02-10T22:47:41","slug":"the-effervescent-joy-of-la-la-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/blog\/2017\/02\/06\/the-effervescent-joy-of-la-la-land\/","title":{"rendered":"The Effervescent Joy of “La La Land”"},"content":{"rendered":"

A gorgeous love letter to Hollywood and the dreams that keep the industry alive, \u201cLa La Land\u201d is escapism at its finest.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If there is one thing that defined the early years of Hollywood, it would be the movie musical. After the advent of sound technology, film studios embraced the new development to produce some of history\u2019s most acclaimed musicals, including \u201cSingin\u2019 in the Rain,\u201d \u201cMeet Me in St. Louis,\u201d \u201cAn American in Paris\u201d and \u201c42nd Street.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, in the 21st century, director Damien Chazelle has crafted a new film that can be added to the list. \u201cLa La Land\u201d is more than just another musical. Chazelle\u2019s film modernizes the genre while, with its sweeping musical numbers and breathtaking final sequence, keeps in line with its roots. It is a gorgeous love letter to Hollywood, Los Angeles and the dreams that keep the industry alive. Effervescent and engrossing, \u201cLa La Land\u201d is escapism at its finest.<\/p>\n

The film begins on a vast highway of deadlocked traffic, as a young woman in a bright yellow dress breaks out into song. The camera swings through the organized chaos of the dance number as drivers and passengers jubilate and twirl across the screen. Colors shine amid the frenzy, with stark reds, blues and yellows weaving a bright tapestry of visual splendor.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
The cast of LA LA LAND. Photo Credit: Dale Robinette<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the cast sings \u201cAnother Day of Sun,\u201d the first of many fantastic musical pieces in the film, \u201cLa La Land\u201d telegraphs what is to come. It draws viewers into this escapist world of song and light while showing the dichotomy of the city itself. Even these drivers, amidst crammed unmoving cars, see the potential for beauty and success in the City of Stars. In essence, that\u2019s what the film is about.<\/p>\n

This is only Chazelle\u2019s second feature, and it showcases his personal style and ideals. His first film, 2014\u2019s \u201cWhiplash,\u201d became a quick critical darling and, in this reviewer\u2019s opinion, was the best film that year. An intimate flick involving a young drummer and the constant struggle to better oneself, \u201cWhiplash\u201d cemented Chazelle as a lover of jazz, the lives of artists and the language of cinema.<\/p>\n

\u201cLa La Land\u201d doubles down on those concepts, beginning with the existential conflict of the artist\u2019s dilemma. At its core, the film is both a tale of love between two struggling artists and how dreams are meant to be chased, even amid constant setbacks.<\/p>\n

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are the living embodiment of the Hollywood dream, but not entirely in the sense one would expect. Unlike the quick success expected among the Los Angeles crowd, the two keep failing in their own right. To put it simply, they\u2019re relatably human.<\/p>\n

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) in LA LA LAND. Photo Credit: Dale Robinette<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sebastian is a self-taught jazz pianist who is stuck playing simple songs as a restaurant musician, and Mia is just another ambitious actress amidst a sea of seemingly identical actresses. Both have dreams they strive to realize, with Sebastian hoping to open his own jazz cafe and bring jazz back into the forefront, while Mia wishes to act on the big screen. Yet, dreams are often easier said than done, even for people with incredible talent.<\/p>\n

Their struggles and eventual romance are enchanting and relatable, acting as a surprisingly unglamorous backbone to a story many would associate with fame and celebrity. They fail like us, try like us and change like us. \u201cLa La Land\u201d tells a story of real people and how their lives can come together and just as easily fall apart.<\/p>\n

Shedding the clich\u00e9s of films like \u201cThe Notebook,\u201d Gosling has come into his own lately with stellar roles in \u201cDrive,\u201d \u201cBlue Valentine\u201d and \u201cPlace Beyond the Pines.\u201d Here, however, he falls back to his romance roots while proving his development over the years. Perhaps his acting is a little predictable at times, but he displays great aptitude for grounding what could have been a cheesy and insufferable role.<\/p>\n

Emma Stone, on the other hand, turns in one of her finest performances to date, which has been recognized by everything from the Golden Globes to the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Stone is constantly evocative and dynamic, yet she channels a sort of blissful simplicity that feels both fresh and wholly nostalgic.<\/p>\n

The only problem with \u201cLa La Land\u201d involves its supporting cast. Keith (John Legend) is the only side character who is even close to developed, with everyone else serving as either one-off plot devices or extra flair in the background.<\/p>\n

That said, \u201cLa La Land\u201d doesn\u2019t try to tell us the story of a community, but of two people, and that is more than enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cLa La Land\u201d is proving itself with a record 14 Oscar nominations \u2013 a feat accomplished only by \u201cTitanic\u201d and \u201cAll About Eve\u201d \u2013 \u00a0but not just for acting and plot. This production was made for people who love films. From visuals down to music, the film oozes style.<\/p>\n

Figure 1: “La La Land” was awarded 14 Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards, more than any other 2016 film.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cinematographer Linus Sandgren delivers the best work of his career in \u201cLa La Land.\u201d The color work is astounding, with splashes of light and hues bouncing off one another in every way imaginable. Several sequences take on a more stage-musical style, as Sebastian and Mia dance and sing in front of vast painted backdrops and emotive dance ensembles.\u00a0 Every shot pops off of the screen.<\/p>\n

Of course, visuals aren\u2019t enough for this kind of film. Musicals live and die by their music, and composer Justin Hurwitz delivers. Hurwitz previously partnered with Chazelle on \u201cWhiplash,\u201d bringing classic jazz back into the forefront of cinema. Here, that style is expanded and improved, blending the trademarks of musicals and even a bit of pop sentimentality. Trumpets blare, drums crack and the audience is sent through a renaissance of improvisational jazz compositions.<\/p>\n

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) in LA LA LAND. Photo Credit: Dale Robinette<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The most important distinction \u201cLa La Land\u201d deserves comes from Chazelle\u2019s flawless balancing act between realism and escapism. While breaking out into song and dancing through clouds is rarely associated with realism, the film feels like it exists in our world. The set pieces and extensive montages give a luminous and fantasy-laden look into the minds of Mia and Sebastian. It\u2019s a modern musical through and through, set in an era of smartphones and electric cars, which it handles by being both grounded and eclectic.<\/p>\n

Chazelle\u2019s film is more than just one of the best movies of the year; it\u2019s the beginning of something fresh. \u201cLa La Land\u201d is not just a modernization of the movie musical, but a modernization of the love story itself. It\u2019s a fantastic and relatable tale of the volatility of human life and love, and the ability for one\u2019s passions and ambitions to shape them. With its masterful approach to music and visual language, \u201cLa La Land\u201d is a film for the ages.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A gorgeous love letter to Hollywood and the dreams that keep the industry alive, \u201cLa La Land\u201d is escapism at its finest. If there is one thing that defined the early years of Hollywood, it would be the movie musical. After the advent of sound technology, film studios embraced the new development to produce some … Continue reading The Effervescent Joy of “La La Land”<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[157],"tags":[212,211,214,215,213,216],"class_list":["post-413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-review","tag-film","tag-hollywood","tag-la-la-land","tag-oscars","tag-review","tag-the-89th-academy-awards"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/02\/Festival-Poster.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=413"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":543,"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413\/revisions\/543"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educate.winona.edu\/winona360\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}