La La Land is the musical movie everyone is talking about. Premiering in the US just over a month ago on Christmas Day 2016, it has already collected a whopping 190 nominations and has won 140 awards. These include breaking a record for winning all of the 7 Golden Globes it was nominated for and 14 Oscar nominations. So what is it about La La Land that has caught the world by their heartstrings?
Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, La La Land stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. The film is set in modern day Los Angeles and shows a year in the lives of a couple as they set out to accomplish their dreams. Chazelle describes the film as a "modern classic", and it is a weird concept to think about, but it is a very accurate description. The fact of the matter is that Hollywood just doesn't make musicals the way they used to, but La La Land changes all of this.From the tributes to classic movies, to the costumes, even down to the way the music is scored, the movie brings back a lost cinematic magic. La La Land effectively gives a nod to the golden age of Hollywood while creating a completely new viewing experience. The whole project is an instant classic; "a timeless treasure" like my mom gleefully remarked as we left the theatre.
Above all, the film is an emotional masterpiece. Each of the three times I went to see La La Land, I have walked out of the theatre with tears in my eyes. I certainly was not the only one; guys and gals alike walk out and lament about the film's bittersweet ending. It is a musical with all the glitter and glamour, yet true to life and to the struggle of trying to make your dreams into reality.
