Initial Thoughts

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2016)

Just saw La La Land and I think this is probably my favorite movie of 2016.
The film, directed by Damien Chazelle (who also directed 2014's Whiplash), follows the story of two artists, a musician named Sebastian (played by Ryan Gosling) and an actress named Mia (played by Emma Stone), who fall for each other and have to figure out not only what they want to do with their careers, but also with their lives.
After the movie was completed, I was in awe of what I have just saw. The film was a beautiful tribute to "Old Hollywood" and the films produced then. It also manages to present some interesting social commentary about the state of the film industry as well as the reality of someone working in that industry.
The cast was great. Gosling and Stone had great chemistry. They truly felt like a real couple and both performances felt genuine and real. The musical numbers were also amazing. I'm definitely looking up the soundtrack on Spotify. The cinematography by Linus Sandgren was also amazing. His work felt colorful and vibrant. Chazelle's direction as well as writing was great and never manage to hold back.
Overall Thoughts:
From the script to the acting to the cinematography and musical numbers to the direction, La La Land is a complete tribute to "Old Hollywood" and manages to both honor the legacy of that era while also managing to tell a heartfelt story about two artists falling in love in the City of Dreams. This is a fantastic movie and quite possibly, my favorite movie of 2016. I highly recommend seeing this movie during the holiday season. It's worth your time and money.
As they say in showbiz sometimes, "They don't make them like they used to."