should have won best picture

Rating: 8/10 (13 August 2019)

Everything about this movie is remarkable. From opening number (probably one of my favorite scenes ever) to the final montage (again, probably one of my favorite scenes ever), La La Land is a mesmerizing story about following your dreams. The film starts with an energetic, catchy, and beautifully choreographed tune called "Another Day of Sun" which really has nothing to do with the story, but sets up the mood and the context. From there, we follow two main characters as they pursue their dreams together. For Seb, a jazz musician. For Mia, an actress.
La La Land's most notable features are the music, colors, choreography, and cinematography. The music, written by Justin Hurwitz, perfectly fits and forms the mood of every scene. I really have no complaints about any of the songs. There are so many different hues of colors, and each scene seems to have a different color scheme. I don't know too much about dancing, but to the extent of my knowledge the choreography is brilliant and entertaining (though no comparison to Gene Kelly). The cinematography strategically combines elements of both a Golden Era masterpiece and a stage play, while also providing space to showcase the colors and music.
The actors try hard, but to be honest, I personally don't like any of the actors in this. Other than my personal distaste of casting, I have no complaints of La La Land. It's a visual and musical masterpiece that I plan to watch many more times.