Excellent cinematography, soundtrack, and acting from Emma Stone

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2017)

La La Land really knocks it out of the park as a modern musical that incorporates elements of the classics. While its initial reception was overwhelmingly positive, unfortunately it led to backlash from others, many of whom cited reasons that suggest they are not fans of the genre in the first place
Even the most cynical hater of La La Land and other movies with joy- inspiring visuals and music (think Disney films) would agree that La La Land's cinematography is incredible. It's not just the colors and artistic value of each shot, but the long takes far exceeded my expectations. So we all realized the movie had two six-minute takes, which were impressive in their own right. There were actually many long takes that lasted several minutes, in scenes with just conversations/plot advancement. Completely unnecessary but an example of the kind of work and attention to detail that went into this passion project.
The soundtrack has been a hit with millions of viewers around the world. Not much else to say here, as the music clearly was successful at evoking strong emotions within viewers, many of whom bought the soundtrack and relived the movie over and over after leaving the theater.
Emma Stone is a brilliant actor and really showcases her talents in La La Land. While there's nothing wrong with Gosling's performance, his character isn't exactly written to be as emotional and expressive - he's simply Sebastian, the jazz-obsessed musician who cares about little else for a good portion of the movie.
I've seen this movie several times with people who otherwise wouldn't have watched it, but did hear about its critical success. Most teared up or cried - after all, the themes of love and pursuing your dreams are universal. Overall, La La Land is a wonderful work of art and succeeds when it comes to evoking strong emotions.