Love for La La Land

Staff writer, Dan Roeder reviews the much beloved “La La Land”

Emma+Stone+and+Ryan+Gosling+star+in+La+La+Land

Photo by Photo by Bago Games via Flickr Creative Commons

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star in “La La Land”

“La La Land”, Damien Chazelle’s first film following the sensational “Whiplash” is a throwback to the musical of the 40s and 50s. While it never quite reaches the heights of his previous effort Chazelle still managed to create one of the best movies of 2016.

Visually, “La La Land” is stunning. As with “Whiplash” the camerawork and editing is near flawless, and the colors are bright and vibrant which certainly gives off a lot of energy. The story is simple but well executed and the actors do a good job, but the real draw here is the many musical numbers. Thankfully despite getting off to a rough start, they deliver, with the epilogue sequence being a particular standout. Damien Chazelle was a drummer prior to his filmmaking career, which explains the heavy focus on jazz in both “La La Land” and “Whiplash”.

This film could’ve been a disaster in the wrong hands, but luckily thanks to the strong direction, soundtrack and performances, “La La Land” is a success on nearly every level.