La La Land is a film released in 2016. Set in Los Angeles, it tells the story of an aspiring actress and a pianist that fall in love. However, ultimately they come to realise that in order to follow one another’s dreams, they must go their separate ways. Directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Emma Stone as ‘Mia’ and Ryan Gosling as ‘Sebastian’, La La Land was awarded a total of six Oscars, including “Best achievement in cinematography”.
One aspect of the film that makes it so special to me is the soundtrack written by Justin Hurwitz. I can remember how I was immediately enchanted by the opening number: “Another Day of Sun”, in which a traffic jam break into song and dance on top of their cars. For me, a particular highlight of the soundtrack is Emma Stone’s solo entitled “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)”. Up until this moment, Mia has been struggling to achieve her dreams in the Hollywood scene; however, in this scene she sings completely from the heart and is able to capture the interest of the directors for a film, changing the course of her future, just as she was about to give up on her dreams of becoming an actress. Watching the film for the first time in a cinema with an incredible sound system certainly enhanced the experience.
The cinematography also plays a major role in why I enjoyed La La Land so much. Throughout the film, the screen is filled with an array of bright colours, making it a magical experience from the moment that the film begins. The use of such vivid colours makes it almost a surreal experience for the audience to watch. Through this, I was able to transform my mind into the headspace of a Los Angeles dreamer and forget about reality for a couple of hours. One of the most spectacular scenes is the tap-dancing scene, “A Lovely Night”. In this scene, Mia and Sebastian dance against the backdrop of an atmospheric purple sunset and it is truly a spectacle to behold. Infact, the director of photography, Linus Sangdren, has stated that there was a period of exactly thirty minutes within two days in which they could film this scene in order to achieve the desired dusky purple.
Above all, what makes this film my favourite film is the epilogue. The epilogue is a ballet, lasting a total of seven minutes and envisions the future that Mia and Sebastian could have had together if they had given up on their careers. Initially, I found it heartbreaking to watch Mia and Sebastian’s relationship come to an end. However, after some thought I was able to see that this bittersweet ending is necessary. Without it, Mia and Sebastian are unable to achieve their full potential in their careers. Through this, the film provokes the audience to question the sacrifices they make in their own lives in order to achieve their dreams, offering up an important message.
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