LaLa Land.

telford

We learn by doing
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
1,162
Reaction score
280
Location
Australia
I'm not normally into musicals but I'll give this one a go.
 

playground

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 31, 2011
Messages
1,404
Reaction score
138
Did anyone see it yet? What an experience.
 

MDSchafer

Banned
Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
1,871
Reaction score
320
Location
Atlanta, GA
Website
firstfolio.blogspot.com
I had to see it to make the boyfriend happy and it's just horrible.

I know that it's a critic's darling, and I know it's probably going to do well at the Oscars, but I feel like that and Manchester by the Sea were two of the worst movies of the year. I get it, people like canned musicals, and mostly they're pretty bad. I watched about an hour of Hairspray and it was nearly unwatchable on television, but ratings show people like what they like, and they weren't bothered by the obvious lip synching.

The signing is clearly autotuned, there's not plot, a paper thin story, it's about Hollywood, it feels like a period piece, even though it isn't technically. Also, it relies upon dream sequences, dreams, the safe harbor of mediocre writers. After a while it was, "Oh wow, another song, that's so surprising and totally entertaining."

I feel if I wanted to see a musical I'd go see one live, because when it's live I can forgive the shortcomings of a musical because of the performance of the actors. Ryan Gossling is not a singer, nor a dancer and is a marginal actor. If we're honest it's pretty obvious that this is a pieced together performance from 20 to 50 takes of each musical number. I don't think either actor has the chops to do an honest Broadway musical.
 
Last edited:

playground

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 31, 2011
Messages
1,404
Reaction score
138
Interesting take MDSchafer. Side-note though, some of the songs were sung live and not autotuned.

I have to say though, just because they used dream sequences doesn't make Damien a mediocre writer. I feel that is a bit strong of language because of using a device to tell a story.
 
Last edited:

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
29,138
Reaction score
8,563
Location
Toronto
Website
ktcraig.com
I just got back from the theatre. I loved it beyond compare. I cried at least ten times... Mostly just at the beauty. Will be seeing this one multiple times. So. Much. Love.
 

MDSchafer

Banned
Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
1,871
Reaction score
320
Location
Atlanta, GA
Website
firstfolio.blogspot.com
Interesting take MDSchafer. Side-note though, some of the songs were sung live and not autotuned.

I have to say though, just because they used dream sequences doesn't make Damien a mediocre writer. I feel that is a bit strong of language because of using a device to tell a story.

I'm not saying the writer is bad, I'm just saying as a narrative tool dreams are bad, and typically show up in bad writing. I do feel the way La La Land uses the dream sequence is particularly lazy. What, a final third of the movie takes place entirely in one character's head?

It didn't help that before going to see the movie I watched The Lumineer's video for Sleep on the Floor, which is essentially the exact same concept, only much better executed and far more poignant.
 

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
29,138
Reaction score
8,563
Location
Toronto
Website
ktcraig.com
SPOILER ALERT - Highlight the rest to read my comment...

??? The final 3rd of the movie happened. Then it showed a what if...what if he had kissed her in the piano lounge instead. And then it raced through that scenario...and then it came back to what actually happened. The final third of the movie actually happened.
 

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Messages
8,745
Reaction score
3,096
Location
Toronto, Canada
Website
www.adriennekress.com
I enjoyed it but didn't love it. Felt the story was a bit thin and while there was such attention to detail when it came to the jazz, the songs, the aesthetic . . . the dancing was just not very good. And it felt kind of frustrating to seem to say how much you love movie musicals and then be so disrespectful towards that particular skill. I mean, I get it, the leads can't really dance. But I just felt . . . tough. Do an extra several months of training if you have to. Respect the art form, just as you respect the jazz, and the songs.

Anyway, did not at all move me the way MOONLIGHT and ARRIVAL did, but I was surprised how much I loved the music, and I am a big Ryan and Emma fan, together or apart, so definitely had a good time.
 

Fuchsia Groan

Becoming a laptop-human hybrid
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
2,870
Reaction score
1,399
Location
The windswept northern wastes
I think I'm in Toothpaste's camp. I enjoyed it fine, but I just don't get the overwhelming love for it (at the Golden Globes last night, and probably at the Oscars soon). It looks like Singin' in the Rain, and I fully appreciated the gorgeous colors and cinematography, but it doesn't have the sheer joy or sense of humor of a classic musical.

I loved some of the songs, and actually really enjoyed the execution of the whole ending sequence, but my biggest problem was that I just couldn't see any depth in the characters, or identify with them on a simpler level. I think, because the focus was almost exclusively on their love story (as opposed to the wider scope of something like SitR), they needed more development than they got. I like both actors okay (and have loved Gosling in some roles), but I'm getting weary of "iconic" characters who don't exhibit many individual quirks or flaws. I wanted some grittiness, some silliness, some not-so-pretty moments.

I do wonder if my "meh" is partly due to watching it on a medium TV (screener DVD) and not a real movie screen. I may try it again. During awards season, I watch a lot of movies in a few weeks (while also doing a ton of end-of-year work) and get very tired of it all.
 
Last edited: