With the Academy Awards just around the corner (on February 26th to be exact), I want to talk about one of my favorite nominated movies that I have watched in the previous year: “La La Land.” There have been polarizing views on the film: people either love it or hate it, but I found myself absolutely adoring it. Consequently, “La La Land” is not short on recognition, earning fourteen nominations at the 89th Academy Awards in categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (for Ryan Gosling), Best Actress (Emma Stone), and Best Original Screenplay. What can I say? I believe it deserves the accolades it is receiving and here’s why.
The film "La La Land" focuses on two performers (charmingly portrayed by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone) who fall in love amidst trying to become famous in dog-eat-dog Hollywood. There is no denying the onscreen chemistry that both Gosling and Stone share. The modern day Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; their witty banter and sharp dance moves just work, hypnotizing the average viewer. It definitely engaged me as I was swept up in their characters’ love story. Not only that, but Gosling and Stone both nail the dancing and singing routines that were required of them. My favorite song from the film was actually sung by Emma Stone and I remember mouthing “wow” to myself because I was absolutely in awe that she was such a talented singer.
Putting the performances aside, I like how the writer/director, Damien Chazelle took the conventional formula for musicals and turned it around. Though the musical numbers went in line with how traditional Hollywood musicals would go, the plot was a different story and *SPOILER ALERT* I love how the movie did not go with a cookie-cutter, "happily ever after" ending. The fact that Stone and Gosling's characters don't end up together is a refreshingly realistic depiction of everyday romances: sometimes relationships just don't work out no matter how much love a couple has for one another. This bittersweet ending definitely strays away from the conventional Hollywood musical formula of the lead characters always get together at the end of the movie, and I love that.
Finally, the musical numbers themselves are magnificent. The choreography works beautifully with the camera movements in order to create a seamless spectacle. The music transports you to a place of fantasy as you get carried away by the choreography performed by the actors. You can tell that every little dance step along with every little shift of the camera was carefully planned out to create this beautiful masterpiece of a film. As a filmmaker myself, I can see Damien Chazelle's attention to precise detail in order to see this film come to fruition and he sure does deliver. So when the Oscars come around, I hope that "La La Land" will be victorious in sweeping the major awards. It truly deserves the praise.
