La La Land

I remember when I saw the trailers for this movie, I thought it would be a sad but sweet love story and nothing more. And while it is that it brings so much more flare and beauty that I would never have expected from this. It took me three years to see it and it far out shone any expectation I had.

Any chance I could give this 11/10, or a few more oscars, just for being so oscary... such a splendidly heart warming experience

Do I like musicals? Not really... but damn, 'La La Land' is a nostalgic, colourful, joyful marvel!

Damien Chazelle gained international acclaim and recognition from his masterful drama 'Whiplash', what were the chances that he could pull off similar success two times in the row? Well, if 'La La Land' is anything to go by, then I'd say he did the job. With just three films under his belt as of 2016, Chazelle is slowly becoming the next big thing this movie industry has seen. His passion for classic movies and musicals is evident as he references and pulls influence from films like 'Singin' in the Rain', 'The Umbrellas of Cherborg' and even 'Rebel Without a Cause', the latter of which is one of my favourite films so seeing the nod to it was something I was pleased about.

The chemistry between Gosling and Stone is strong to say the least, after two previous collaborations, their already-strong bond helped them become one of modern-day cinema's finest couples. The music is bouncy and toe-tapping catchy, the cinematography is utterly stunning with gorgeous colours and impressive long takes, and the locations sum up the American dream and the passion the characters hold for Los Angeles. 'La La Land' is by far one of the finest cinema experiences I have had in the past 5-10 years, and although this isn't a film I would typically enjoy (genre-wise), Chazelle has instead crafted one of my favourite films of this decade. A film I would recommend everyone see in the cinema to truly witness the CinemaScope magic.

I watched this as Oscar's had been handed out and I felt it necessary, as is customary - to grant such films my valuable time.

I hate musicals.

It started as we know in a traffic jam. They started singing. "I hate musicals" I told my wife. "Is this a bloody musical" I asked.

She didn't know.

What followed was without doubt one of the greatest cinematic experiences I've ever had. I smiled, I rejoiced, I wept, I rallied, I wept again.

I'll keep this brief. No matter your movie preference, no matter your music type, if you are breathing and cognisant - I urge you to watch this.

It is beauty beyond my words.

It is life in a fleeting moment.

It is music and dance we didn't know we needed.

It is lifting, it is crushing.

This movie went from "I hate musicals" to "this is the greatest movie I've ever seen" in the course of two hours.

I've listened to the soundtrack countless times.

I hate musicals.

It's beautiful.

I have no articulate means to encourage you to watch this other than this - if this 48 year old wisened Irishman can fall for this, so can you.

So please, watch this - otherwise you may miss a life changing event.

A nostalgic, joyful, and oh-so realistic portrayal of chasing your dreams and living in the "la la land" that is Los Angeles, "La La Land" is a different kind of masterpiece, as it pays tribute to the musical films of the 40s and 50s, the Astaire and Rogers, MGM kind of musicals, while also bringing something new to the genre, specifically the modern and original elements.

Damien Chazelle was already a promising newcomer when he made 2014's "Whiplash", also an Oscar-winning film. "La La Land", however, sets the record straight that this young writer-director is a true talent and possibly one of the greatest of our time. One of the most important elements within Chazelle's script and directing is, in one word, passion. Pure passion for cinema is what it takes to make a great film, and Chazelle sure does know that.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone sparkle as the film's leading stars on screen, like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn once did in the golden age. In the film, Stone and Gosling's characters share the same goal: to make their dreams in both acting and jazz, respectively, come true. What comes out when you put these two acting talents together in a film is pure enjoyment and an onscreen chemistry that seems impossible to break.

Overall, "La La Land" is one hell of a film to watch, as it may go down in cinematic history as one of the finest films made.