City of Stars

Rating: 10/10 (12 January 2017)

This review of La La Land is spoiler free
***** (5/5)
A modern Hollywood film, about the glitz and glam of Hollywood with an addition of pure unadulterated joy is in very short supply in this crazy, sometimes nonsensical world both on and off the big screen. This is the short reason why the irresistible La La Land is so cherishable today. It's just as light on its feet as Fred Astaire and just as beautiful as Judy Garland. Sure enough, Whiplash was very intense especially with J.K Simmons' Terrance Fletcher screaming "that's not my f**king tempo" every so often and throwing a chair at Miles Teller's head, La La Land is a little more bittersweet than that in its first half it's footloose (not 'Footloose') and fancy free buoyed by the catchy soundtrack such as "City of Stars" which definitely deserves some awards recognition (thanks to the production team for coming up with that).
Its part New York, New York, part The Umbrellas of Cherbourg with a little bit of Singin' in the Rain we can just imagine the sweet singing voice and quick footed dance moves of Gene Kelly running the streets of modern day LA, though it's a bigger-budgeted upgrade over writer/director Damien Chazelle's short Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench with more or less the same idea. The story is Mia (Emma Stone) an aspiring actress trying to make her life in Hollywood who soon learns that if you don't make it, the place will eat you up whole and use your bones as a toothpick, she meets with Seb (Ryan Gosling) a jazz pianist trying to become a famous musician. It's an incredible part of the story which is the definition of simplicity and initially as soon as the pair meets the chemistry is electric as sparks fly in every place both literally and figuratively. Whether they are singing to a jazz track or dancing on a hilltop to a Technicolour backdrop they are unfathomably a match made in heaven and almost inseparable.
At one point, the two are walking through the modern streets of LA Seb is talking about his chances as a Jazz musician suddenly Mia states that she hates Jazz, so he teaches her that it is everything with his irresistible dance moves or playing A-Ha on a key-tar she learns to like his taste in music a bit more. When she gets the chance to star in a one-woman play the tension becomes unbearable between the two and they decide to go their separate ways, Mia's and Seb's career takes off on a high the two become famous and their life starts to go in different directions. Unfortunately there isn't much of a story which falls horribly flat in places due to some sadly misplaced Pulp Fiction-esque narration techniques but with the sound track, the dance moves and the electricity of the stage the message is clear that La La Land doesn't need much of a story. Despite the story falling flat in places, their chemistry is electric, the music is terrifically catchy, the dancing is irresistible and the awards-calibre performances keep the film on a high. La La Land will make you sing, dance and cheer if there is a musical you watch in 2017 make sure it's this one.
VERDICT: Fast paced, very funny, audacious and beautiful Hollywood doesn't make this kind of film anymore truly an instant classic with a lot of heart it's the best movie of 2017 so far.
10/10 stunning.