Sorta slow. Didn't feel the magic.

Rating: 7/10 (27 December 2016)

It's very strange to me that I thought Passengers was quite good and La La Land rather slow and boring. The critics saw it the other way around. Disconcertingly, I just don't agree with what the glowing reviews are saying about this movie. I was checking my phone throughout.
I didn't see the magic here. This film didn't blow me away, despite what the critics were promising. I didn't get it.
I won't say that I wasn't moved, because it was moving near the end, and that's always a sign of a good film. I particularly liked the song about the aunt jumping in the Seine. More of this please. However, the people I was with didn't even appreciate this scene. They thought the whole show was a waste of money.
I can see Hollywood as a metaphor for "following your dreams". The theme of "follow your dreams wherever they may lead you" is a noble one. I loved "LA Story", including the surrealist bits but maybe that's because of the character development. I'm into movies, but I'm not particularly into Hollywood. I hated "The Artist".
The singing and dancing just weren't that great. The surrealism and overt Hollywoodness here felt cheesy and excessive to me. Did it go too far maybe? Perhaps I wanted more psychological insight, more realistic character development, and less Fred and Ginger. This movie was a little too artsy and contrived for me.
Still, I might see it again, just to try to see what all the critics are seeing.