La La Land — Page 4

No problemo.

can't wait to see this tonight! the wait for it in my podunk town has been awful.

Absolutely LOVED IT. I was transfixed. I have some friends that didn't like the movie because of a few slant lyrics. Give me a break. It was stunning. It was brilliant! IT was incredible! I was mesmerized and I cried like a baby. I can't wait to see it again, and I hope it wins best picture! Hope the boys win Best Song too. Sorry Lin.

This film absolutely blew me away tonight. Wow. I was excited but a bit skeptical going in but I laughed, I cried, I even applauded at the end (which is something I never do at the movies because it's like you're clapping for yourself kind of). So beautiful. The music was a delight all the way through. I didn't listen to the soundtrack before even though i bought it the day it came out, and I'm so glad I went in never having heard the songs. I underestimated La La Land from the moment I saw the trailer (I simply thought the first trailer was very boring and that Emma Stone absolutely should kill whoever styled her eyebrows). The eyebrows grew on me as the movie progressed and I was riveted from start to finish. The terrific opening sequence, their first days played back-to-back, their wonderful dance numbers, the gorgeous instrumental score and the songs themselves... Emma Stone's final song was mesmerizing and the montage at the end that reminded me of Singin' in the Rain's dream ballet but with more relevance to the plot and I wept when Ryan Gosling kissed her at the end of it.

Sure the singing wasn't among the greatest singing ever used in film but it was so truthful to the film itself (maybe Dave282828 will appreciate the truthfulness?? lol who am i kidding he'll bitch about their voices allegedly not adding to the fantasy with voiceovers and filmic dubbing, plus talk-singing). I had no clue the film was directed by the same man who did Whiplash (which was also fantastic). I look forward to owning this film and enjoying it for many many years to come. I would also like Emma Stone to win an Oscar for it. Isn't it time she had an Oscar seeing as how she's so wonderful? Ryan Gosling was also lovely and I was stunned by his piano skills (at least i heard that he played it all himself). The supporting cast wasn't really relevant (though I despised John Legend's character which was intentional i'm sure), but that's fine because it really was just about those two people and their love and passion for each other and their work.

A lovely film.

Updated On: 12/27/16 at 12:37 AM

i'm glad you loved the movie ICB! agreed that the plot wasn't the most important aspect of the piece so whether it's cliche or not didn't matter to me.

i just finished listening to the soundtrack. my one complaint is that I wanted more music from the film. This film may contain one of my favorite scores, period.

As for the Oscar for Best Song, i haven't heard all the contenders but it seems like it will really be Moana vs La La Land. Of the two, the best songs in my opinion were Song of the Ancestors from the former (though they'll probably push for How Far I'll Go) and The Fools Who Dream from the latter (though apparently City of Stars is what's being pushed there). I want Lin-Manuel to PEGOT more than most people, but Fools was better than anything in Moana in my opinion. A fantastic song and sequence. If Fools isn't nominated... I want Lin to win (though obviously i'm sure he'll have many more opportunities in his career).

To clarify, Disney have submitted 'How Far I'll Go' and 'We Know the Way' for consideration at the Oscars. Lionsgate have submitted 'City of Stars', 'Audition (The Fools Who Dream)' and 'Start a Fire'. That means only these songs can get nominated. Also according to the rules a maximum of only two songs from any one film can be nominated, so La La Land wont be able to get three nominations.

City of Stars won the Critics Choice Award and was nominated against both Audition and How Far I'll Go. For the Golden Globes, both City of Stars and How Far I'll Go have been nominated but Audition hasn't. So if it seems like they're pushing City of Stars, it's probably due to the fact that so far voters have preferred it to Audition, although I think they'll be hopeful for both songs to be Oscar nominated. Also, they have released the City of Stars clip online which helps the campaign but I can't imagine them doing the same for Audition as it is the big 11-o-clock number in the movie that is best saved for seeing the whole thing.

As for my personal opinion, I thought Moana overall had the much stronger soundtrack (albeit, aided by far stronger vocals). When I left the movie only City of Stars had stood out to me, although having listened to the soundtrack a few times, I now like Someone in a Crowd too. I actually find Audition rather basic unfortunately, although it's helped by Emma's performance in the scene. However, I really do like City of Stars, I've loved it since the first teaser trailer.

Updated On: 12/27/16 at 02:53 AM

As far as I'm aware there isn't a limit on how many songs can be submitted but most only submit a couple. Interestingly, Disney originally had 'You're Welcome' on their For Your Consideration poster for Moana but then must have took it out at the last minute. My guess is they think they have a better chance at getting two songs nominated this way, but I actually think Lin stands his best chance if he has one nomination and La La Land has two, allowing for a potential split vote.

Yes it is the duet version of City of Stars that they have submitted.

Updated On: 12/27/16 at 03:12 AM

Several of us have parsed the story on the OT board -- and having any reservations about this feel good film of bad feelings generator, 2016, isn't terribly popular. I get why: it's an exercise in style, start to finish, built on a wisp of a plot, if any. The movie has no subplot, no counterpoint notes, not even a supporting player (Legend does little, but pull Gosling away). So you are pretty much held hostage to these two for 128 minutes, their ups and downs are very small potatoes, very odd obstacle-driven. You go with that, or you might find holes.

SPOILER

The bone of contention for some of us is the dinner scene wherein Gosling cooks for Stone, and what goes down. I was blind-sided by it on the big screen, and then revisited it on my screener. What irritates Mia -- this man's willingness to tour a couple of years to make some needed bucks (he can't pay his bills in the opening introduction) -- is simply impossible to swallow. All of this "follow your dream" integrity stuff from a woman who 30 minutes earlier in the story has a breakdown because she loses at TV pilot for a show that's described as recycled garbage. Suddenly, prepping a one-woman show for a 99 seat theater in LA (yeah, that's a usual venue for discovery, right? Ask anyone who's worked in LA theater) makes her the serious artist, but he's a sell-out for wanting to tour with -- wait for it -- John Legend. Who is supposed to be beneath Gosling's dream because he doesn't play jazz. It's ludicrous, but the actors play the scene so well -- they give it everything they got -- it reads as having an emotional logic. Why this guy who plays Christmas carols in a restaurant til he's fired can't tour a while and pocket some needed bucks upsets her is a mystery. She works in a coffee shop. And then Gosling basically forces her to get her big break in a major studio film because she gives up her dream (which earlier was just, you know a JOB acting, anywhere, anytime -- until she throws in the towel.). Still, they must split. Nothing about this has the whiff of reality, if they are in fact soulmates.

END OF SPOILER

But the movie doesn't really ride the reality of struggling artists. It's a fantasy. If you look too closely at any of it -- I have friends who get the giggles when they see Stone in her 99 seater, earnestly setting out to tell some story -- it falls apart. I can smile and enjoy most of the musical sequences anyway.

Updated On: 12/27/16 at 05:19 PM

I found this to be thematically quite similar to The Last Five Years, in that they both focus on the relationship between two artists and the challenges they face when one is more successful/further along in their career than the other.

Just saw the film today, and I thought it was very charming! Emma Stone was great, and the overall concept was very well executed. I don't think the songs themselves lived up to their full potential, and ended abruptly. Likewise, I'm not sure why Emma sang all of the songs but "Audition" so meekly, when she has a powerful voice. It may have been a character choice, but it just read as her having a weak voice (which is untrue). My only other issue was that most of the dance sequences moved too slowly. Emma and Ryan were great in these sequences, so why not give them more choreography as opposed to just staring or walking. The film could have benefited from a musical theatre choreography, as opposed to a contemporary one.



That being said, Emma is giving a career-defining performance, and the final dance sequence was worth it alone. Reminded me of "An American In Paris."

icecreambenjamin said:
Hopefully, we'll see some more musicals over the course of the next few years."

There is a new one coming up next Christmas. It's a musical biopic called THE GREATEST SHOWMAN based on the life of showbiz impresario and circus founder P.T. Barnum. The musical score is by Pasek and Paul ( the score was workshopped with Broadway actors like Hugh Jackman, Keala Settle, Cynthia Erivo, Jeremy Jordan, Carrie Manolakos, Natalie Weiss, etc., as reported on BWW) and the final script is by Oscar winner Michael Arndt ( with inputs from Bill Condon and Jenny Bicks).

In the cast are Hugh Jackman as Barnum, Michelle Williams as Charity Barnum, Rebecca Ferguson ( from Mission Impossible) as Jenny Lind, Zac Efron as Barnum's associate and ringmaster and Zendaya as a trapeze artist. Also included in the cast is Keala Settle.

They are currently filming in New York.

The film is the first one that is both produced and distributed by a major film studio ( FOX) for quite sometime now !

Updated On: 12/28/16 at 03:04 AM

Saw La La Land last night after anxiously waiting for it to open here. My feelings on the film are mixed. It was good but I think all the love for it is overrated.

The plot is hackneyed. It's been done ad nauseum through film. As mentioned earlier, I felt much of the characters' motivations just didn't make sense. That being said, I must have been drawn into their plight because I had tears in my eyes at the end.

I was somewhat confused about the time-setting. Everyone was driving old cars but using modern-day cell phones. The clothes seemed out of the past. And the music, as wonderful as it was, didn't fit modern time. When was this story supposedly happening? Or was this all done for artistic purpose?

I thought the music was wonderful - especially the orchestrations. The singing was weak. I was distracted by Ryan's lisp whenever he sang, and Emma's voice didn't do it for me. But her Audition number toward the end was showstopping. I also grew tired of the repeated riff throughout the film.

The cinematography was luscious eye-candy particularly during the dance numbers. It had a live-stage essence to it which, for this theater fan, I found charming.

It was refreshing to see a film without a single explosion, gun shot, naked body ,flying dragon, zombie, or f-bomb. We need more of that in film. Bravo, producers.

Overall, a good film - praise-worthy but not to the extent of all the hype it's receiving.