La La Land
{5/5} “No, Jamal. You be trippin’.”
La La Land, released in 2016
Mia is trying to become an actress but so far her auditions aren’t going very well. Sebastian is a jazz pianist who keeps playing things his boss doesn’t want to hear and getting fired. Mia hears Sebastian play and thinks it’s amazing but Sebastian isn’t interested in what Mia has to say and walks away. They run into each again and this time they hit it off.
The song and dance numbers are delightful — it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
It’s beautifully filmed, including a couple of scenes shot at dusk. It’s very funny.
It’s about how one decision can affect the rest of your life, it’s about the nature of jazz, and it’s an homage to old musicals.
Ryan Gosling did his own piano playing for this movie.
Stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Directed by Damien Chazelle (Whiplash). The music for the songs was written by Justin Hurwit, and lyrics by Pasek and Paul.