Not an original story but a masterfully told one

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2016)

I went to see this by myself today and boy did I cry like a baby.
Being a massive fan of Whiplash, I had huge expectations for this film which were all somehow exceeded. La La Land's tone contrasts strongly with Chazelle's previous masterpiece, but it still has everything from beautiful cinematography, solid script and of course error-less directing. The story has been told thousands of times before (cant say more without spoiling it), but it never once felt like a replication of anything.
What made it special for me however was how real it felt. You might disagree since characters break out singing and dancing all the time, which of course does not happen in real life. The long takes combined with staging and lighting makes it feel a lot more like a musical performance than a movie. But as do all great films, this one brings out each viewer's own personal story and all of its raw emotions.
The acting is perfect. This is the best I have seen from Emma Stone, although at times I still think Ryan Gosling managed to outshine her a little bit.
Last but not least, I cannot write this review without mentioning the scores. From my humble experience with films from the last few years, I would say no one understands music better than Chazelle. Nothing is there without serving a purpose for the story. And damn, he has such good taste!
Can't wait to see what Damien Chazelle does next! 10/10