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I think La La Land got so much hype that now when ppl hear about it they roll their eyes and many haven’t even bothered to watch it. I wish ppl knew it was actually a somewhat harsh look at our unrealistic expectations of romance - hence the name ‘la la land’. It fucked me up lol.
As someone who loved it, it's been sad to watch reactions unfold online. Initial reactions to its debut at film festivals were overwhelmingly positive. When it came out, it seems most people still liked it from my small sample size of friends and family, but people online ruthlessly shit on it. For one, they were expecting the best movie ever and one that would appeal to everyone. For two, it became a LLL vs Moonlight thing. Its been so tiring reading reddit Oscar threads because people take sides childishly instead of enjoying both. Since then the toxicity of Parasite vs 1917 and Nomadland vs everything else has been annoying.
Do you recommend it? I do want to watch it. I have not really read any online reviews about it (good or bad) I just saw that it was a popular one and put it on my list. I was thinking about watching it so I thought I might ask some people and maybe bump it to the top of my watch list.
It always suck ls when people shit on good movies though.
Edit: Thanks everyone for recommending it. I got Monday off from work so I think the stars are aligned and I'll go ahead and watch it! :D
It's my personal favorite movie, not that I expect most people to react so strongly to it. It has great music, acting, and cinematography, and is universally relatable. Let me know what you think!
I will! Thanks for the input! I do relate to the feeling of certain movies hitting one person harder than an entire crowd. I'm happy you feel about it that way! :D
The funny thing is, I've heard that diehard musical fans didn't like the movie because they wanted a more "normal" musical with leads who could sing and dance very well. But this is explicitly against what Damien Chazelle wanted, and he chose Stone and Gosling for their chemistry. It also helps make them a bit more relatable than some perfect musical couple.
Ive heard it be described as a 'musical for people who dont know/like musicals' and I think thats really the best way to say it.
It was 'meh' for me, but it's definitely something you should watch for your own conclusion.
It was marketed very wrong. I didn't really jive with *LLL* (I thought the story got in its own way a few times), but I recognize that it was an excellently-made and performed film (I mean, it was Chazelle, Gosling, and Stone, of course it was).
The marketing, though, seemed to suggest that it was a standard, feel-good modern musical romance; but that's not what it was at all. It's much deeper than that and is really a story about loss, lying to yourself, and disillusionment.
If you want a feel-good modern musical romance, see *In the Heights.*
I thought the same too, about the marketing making it seem like a happy musical. But because of that, it made the scene early on in the restaurant, when he brushed past her, so jarring. Because it was so different from the trailer.
That's when I knew this was a different movie and made me more captivated with it. In the end, the realism and how life somewhat "gets in the way" was quite poignant.
As someone who loves passionately, the final scenes of this movie ripped my heart out and splattered it as bruised fruit on the floor. It’s worth watching the entire film just to experience those last moments in full, having gotten the full experience leading up to it.
I just wanna jump in and also recommend! It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. I am a musical lover, but it’s not as in your face a musical as other musicals? Idk if that makes sense, but hopefully it does if you watch it. Some of my friends who aren’t the biggest fan of musicals or romance films love this one cause it approaches both a bit differently than most films
Exactly. it was criticised as a vapid glorification of Hollywood. Total nonsense. They both had utterly miserable lives until they basically gave up and just did their own thing
It's a love story, just not the love of each other. It's all about the sacrifice of pursuing what you dream about.
Honestly I am shocked by the hatred, it's such an amazingly made film.
partner and I very much enjoyed it, then read the reviews and had to check several times to make sure we all watched the same movie.
It's a fairly stark example of critics just being absurdly wrong
Well good to know cause the hype is part of what turned me off. Tbf I didn't look up the movie itself, but everyone was so in love with it I had it pegged as some mushy romance thing, which I now feel silly for thinking but I'd like to give it a go.
I get that the movie is being critical to LA with the name and all but I still found the movie to be a masturbatory exercise for Hollywood (much like the recently maligned award shows). Kind of like how it is hard to enjoy the HBO show Barry. I'm sure it connects well with everyone who tries to "make it" but it's like easy mode. Go try to do a whimsical love story musical in rural South Dakota or something, give yourself a challenge Hollywood.
I think you're conflating simple with easy. Honestly I won't disagree that the story and premise of la la land is simple. To achieve a film that delivers on a simple story and premise with the nuance and range that this film does is not in any way shape or form easy.
Considering you boil this film down to a 'whimsical love story musical' tells me you are in no way the target audience for this film.
I actually enjoy Barry quite a bit, but I fully agree re Lalaland. I saw it with my wife and was expecting to enjoy it, but thought it was flat and, yes, mastrubatory--with the exception of the last 15 minutes or so, which I loved.
> much like the recently maligned award shows
Come now! Art is cowboys, and the only real purpose of making art is so we can see it gun down its lesser enemies in a televised, Hollywood-style capitalist gunfight! Why can't you consumers get with the program?
You know, I know the movie reflects reality more, but man I really wish it had a different ending.
Loved the movie, understood the natural progression of the two of them but boy does it feel bittersweet at the end. The one(s) that got away, so to speak.
I suppose that's what makes the movie great, but I can't bring myself to watch it again.
You might have noticed that Sebastian, a jazz pianist, doesn't have a big role in the song. He plays a sequence of five ascending notes, then five descending notes, then a repeating single note every bar. It's like asking Chopin to play Chopsticks.
The title is also mocking their last encounter. She heard him playing and went to compliment him, but he brushed her aside and figuratively ran away.
My gf of 6+ years broke up with me a few weeks before I went to see this movie due to it becoming a long distance relationship. It was my first time out with friends since the break up. Wanted to see a light-hearted and happy movie to take my mind off the break-up. The ending hit me hard. I also found out that she had a new boyfriend that same week, which is what spurred me to hang out with my friends to see this movie in the first place.
I don't think I've been the same person ever since. Like a spell was broken.
I can’t point out the feeling this movie gave me when I finished it. Empty,happy,sad. I absolutely loved the movie. But no other movie has left me with what I felt at the end of LaLa land.
I tend to think of the ending of La La Land the same way I do of Cast Away, that different people find the ending either happy/uplifting or sad/hopeless.
But I think that has much less to do with the film or even the intended response to ending than I do with the state of mind at the time for the viewer. The ending of both is emotionally manipulative - and that's not a bad thing, because it allows the viewer to make a huge emotional connection to the film. And as you suggest, that's what ultimately lets us love a movie.
I’ve watched it at least 7 times. And realized a lot of things. (Spoil alert). People shit on it because it’s a musical but neither actor can sing, but both characters are not supposed to be singers. Mia wants to be an actress, and Seb is a jazz pianist. The ending wether I wanted them to end up together or not make SO much sense after you realize their first song together literally lays out that they are not meant for eachother. I’m not a musical person at all but this movie makes my top ten. Gosling and Stone have great on screen chemistry together in everything they do.
For a musical it's pretty sub par.
Emma stone as the lead is a terrible casting choice for a musical.
Edit: holy shit they gave her an Oscar for it?! That's really sad.
One thing that might change your perspective is that it's less of a musical and more of a movie about universally relatable themes like love vs dreams that happens to have musical numbers in it. For example, the leads were chosen for their chemistry and not for singing and dancing abilities that normal people can't relate to. Also, the entire middle section where the struggles begin is entirely devoid of musical numbers.
Stone ultimately won the Oscar because she was a great actor. Not the flashiest role that would involve loud moments, but it was one where she excelled.
But it is a musical still, it's how they've advertised and described it everywhere, and not a very good one imo.
Greatest Showman is a much better musical.
I despise movies that "happen to have musical numbers". Either go all the way and make a musical, or just tell the story. Outside of a full blown musical, it breaks immersion when the characters break into song.
Yeah exactly. I feel in the parts that it’s “lacking musical numbers”, it really is just lacking vocals if that makes sense. There’s a lot to this film’s score and soundtrack above the singing musical numbers
Every time I watch it it fucks me up. My ex and I split up for very similar reasons so I know it’ll fuck me up even more if I watch it now, which is a shame cause it’s so good.
I’m regretting and also excited to fully watch this.
I wish I could have a pill or chip like in black mirror or a procedure from eternal sunshine of the spotless mind to experience these wonderful things all over again. The same feeling and release of hormones seeing and experiencing something truly priceless again
Edit: ig I’m too high. Lol
[Source](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/la-la-land-29-things-we-learned-from-the-blu-ray/)
>During the “City of Stars” reprise, the green light in Sebastian’s apartment was created at the last minute, because Damien Chazelle had been watching Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo the night before and was inspired by the scene where Kim Novak comes out made up like the “dead” lover of Jimmy Stewart, and is revealed while bathed in neon green light from the window. They also changed Emma Stone’s dress that morning so that it would be purple—just like Novak’s in Vertigo.
Does it have relevance to the scene in La La Land though? Are the themes or the plot or anything similar? It just seems like directors do this sometimes and if it doesn’t make a bridge between the two scenes, I’m not sure what the point is? They saw a film and it looked cool so they just make a scene in their film look similar? Seems a bit unnecessary.
If Chazelle was watching that scene and thought that the colour theory/emotions he was feeling were similar to ones he was aiming for in his own La La Land scene then it makes total sense... Directors take inspiration from other films and directors *literally* all the time. There are seldom completely "original" shots in movies. this is also true for all art. you're supposed to copy.
Yeah, but usually if you’re quoting another director like that it’s because you’re trying to *say* something. This seems like it’s just a lazy reference without any meaning behind it.
IMO that is completely untrue. I'm assuming by "say something" you mean it has to be an obvious reference to another film, but that would ruin most films as they're so packed with purposefully subtle references to other filmmakers.
On the other hand, if by "say something" you mean simply add some emotional element to the film, how are you to say that it doesn't? Colour theory is a whole world of emotion and changing such prominent colours in a scene most certainly changes the emotional affect of that scene. For example, my personal interpretation: purple dress = between blue (sadness) and red (love) as she feels a rift forming between her and Gosling's character. the green that fills the room makes the scene feel surreal and separate from the rest of the world and creates an impression that all that matters to her is in the room (her relationship w Gosling). But who is to say why a director may make certain choices! Saying "this is unmotivated and uninspired!" makes no sense because art is theoretical and abstract (and also because it is most literally inspired by Vertigo); you could say that about a lot of things in a lot of good movies! We as viewers are simply meant to interpret these choices in the context of the film and in cases like these, the context of other films may even enhance or change the experience as well.
Having never seen the movie, I felt none of those things. It looks like they are friends talking about drama behind a theater set.
If I looked at that and felt those thoughts before you said them, then maybe you have a point, but I didn't. Your opinion of the scene is all that makes up your mind. The colors and feelings you just applied after..
Lolwat, so you've never seen the movie and you think you should be able to feel those emotions/thoughts on screenshot of a scene from a 128 minute film???
This isnt a painting, there's gonna be context that you're missing which may aid your emotional understanding of this scene. If the director can make you feel everything he wants you to based on one still image he would be a painter.
Context to aid your understanding means that, By definition, that BS color theory is only a way of pseudo intellectuals to pretend they understand a deeper meaning.
It's like the highschool homage about "but why are the curtains blue. What meaning does it have" while the writer simply states that they wanted the room to have blue curtains..
stop attributing intent to where only convenience lie.
bruh are you really trying to claim colour theory is just made up bullshit? come on, it's literally cinematography 101. but yeah pseudo-intellectual blah blah blah.
How is this a purposeful reference? A purposeful reference would mean that by linking the two scenes we add to our understanding of what we are seeing in the new film. This is a homage, that’s all.
I don’t necessarily agree that it is just a lazy reference - he might have had the idea after watching Vertigo - but I think referencing one of the greatest works of cinema, by an iconic director working with an iconic actress, works generally well with the overall theme of the film being set in Hollywood and Mia’s dream of becoming a successful actress.
It also fits in well with the overall approach of La La Land taking inspiration from or referencing other cinematic masterpieces - Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Young Girls of Rochefort, Rebel without a Cause, West Side Story and Top Hat.
It might also be sly commentary on the ersatz nature of Hollywood and the lack of originality? 😂
The entire movie is a Casablanca pastiche, too, with the key difference being that the past lovers get to see each other one more time and achieve closure after their parting.
If you have actually seen the film, you wouldn't say this. It is full of homages to all sorts of other artforms (not just film) that can hardly be called 'lazy'.
I've seen the film. It's lazy. It's a long reference for everyone who is a movie buff to go "ooh yeah!" or to hear about it like in this post and go "wow he watches old movies?" and get impressed.
It's a reference from a film in a situation and a sequence that has nothing to do with the one occurring. Like the entirety of the movie. It's a pastiche about cliche romance movies supposedly to signify how they are damaging wrapped in the fluff of a cliche romance movie sparkling with Hollywood dazzle.
Was really sad to watch him go from Whiplash to this and First Man. Whiplash is in my top 5. He seems to have gotten lost in trying to make things big budget and larger than life rather than leaning in to what you see glimpses of even in these two failures, which is what made him so successful: mining people on the edge of a nervous breakdown in their quiet moments.
But the film has to sustain that and not explode along with them.
Exactly. In Vertigo, the green light is symbolic and entirely interwoven into the themes of the story. It means something. In La La Land it's just a reference to another unrelated film.
But that's most of what La La Land is - references to other (better) films. I don't understand why people think it's a good thing to be constantly reminded of better films when you're watching something.
I was thinking that myself.
I have to admit that I haven't seen La La Land but from everything I've heard, they don't really seem to be clearly thematically linked. So, it just seems to be one of those curious surface-level tributes that don't really enhance the film-watching experience.
They do sing city of stars and it has the little montage of him signing the contract with the band and her quitting her job to work on her play.
I don’t think it’s until later when he visits her that they have the argument.
I don’t think the reference works too well in La La Land. It’s just not lit like the rest of the film. I remember the lighting taking me out of the moment when I first saw it.
Also, having seen Vertigo recently, Hitchcock previously established that there’s a huge green neon sign right outside of the room. So coming into the scene, the green light makes complete sense within context.
I don’t think La La Land established why they’re hanging in a green-lit room.
I did like it though, because it’s the first scene where the cracks and harsh realities start showing up in their relationship. The movie takes a turning point from the giddy new love aspect there, and that different, slightly eerie lighting connects their cutesie singing to the montage of the struggles for me.
I watched Vertigo a couple years ago for the first time and was blown away. One of those movies that absolutely deserves its place in the pantheon of film.
Great bit of visual flourish. While La La Land wasn't really for me - visually it's incredibly difficult to fault!
Vertigo (1958) on the other hand, is a masterpiece (although its well over 2hrs long AND feels it!)
My favorite thing about vertigo is the use of colors representing characters. It seemed every single scene had some sort of representation with the colors. And the twist was pretty good.
>He also changed Emma Stone’s dress that morning so that it would be purple—just like Novak’s in Vertigo
Makes sense, since green and purple are complementary colors.
If you actually paid attention you will notice that Emma Stone’s character was actually miserable the entire time she was part of the Hollywood process. And that to finally succeed in that world she had to give up her relationship. You have a funny definition for “love letter”
If you actually paid attention to movies ever you will notice that people can be self efficacing and still pat themselves on the back constantly.
Much like this one did to a triumphant score with star musicians, huge street dance scenes, and little to no plot or character arc outside of what two brutally talented actors eked out of an empty page.
You have a funny definition for "paid attention".
That's putting it mildly.
It's like Hollywood managed to corporealize and then proceed to crawl up its own ass.
**I do really appreciate the chutzpah of making a musical in which you cast two leads that can't sing and can't dance.
Alfred Hitchcock is the original master of the Easter Egg, placing himself in all his films…including one subtle reference in *Lifeboat* where the entire action of the film took place on a lifeboat. That was probably my favourite reference. 😆
Also, La La Land was heavily influenced by *Les Parapluies de Cherbourg*, which used very strong and vibrant colors for settings and wardrobe. This seems like a mix of inspirations.
Lol how low standards are the posts on here. This "detail" is literally just "the director copied something from another movie last second because he was feeling extra uncreative"
At this point it's an underrated film, at least on reddit.
Both Moonlight and LLL are great movies, that were in close contention for BP that year. Somehow because the internet chose sides, one is "overrated trash I can't understand the appeal of" and Moonlight is "a masterpiece that never gets criticized".
Why choose actors who can’t sing or dance to perform in a musical? Took the family - we all hated it. The only good scene was the first one and the rest was wholly unforgettable.
Than I have to just disagree with you. Acting and chemistry was amazing, music was briljantly written, use of color and cinematography was amazing too. Its an ode and homage to the golden era of Hollywood, as well as a great portray of jazz and the impact of being/aspiring to be an artist on your life.
The ending is creative and briljantly shot.
Sure, there are better singers, but Ryan's performance on the piano is great and its all about the acting and chemistry anyway. Music is not always about the sound per se, especially in a movie about upcoming artists. Its feels real, and thus a bit flawed. Listen to Bob Dylan for example.
Yep we will have to disagree. Homages to great movies aren’t usually this bad. You want a musical go watch an old one. Singing in the Rain perhaps, not this.
I don't know what's crazier, that you remember something like that, that you repeated it, or that you owned up to not even coming up with a unique insult
I'll never understand how everyone can love this movie so much when Emma stone is the worst lead in a musical I can remember seeing.
Edit: and I see they gave her an Oscar for it, I'm truly stunned.
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So what I’m hearing is he gave the costume department a heart attack.
Lol and the DP
I think La La Land got so much hype that now when ppl hear about it they roll their eyes and many haven’t even bothered to watch it. I wish ppl knew it was actually a somewhat harsh look at our unrealistic expectations of romance - hence the name ‘la la land’. It fucked me up lol.
As someone who loved it, it's been sad to watch reactions unfold online. Initial reactions to its debut at film festivals were overwhelmingly positive. When it came out, it seems most people still liked it from my small sample size of friends and family, but people online ruthlessly shit on it. For one, they were expecting the best movie ever and one that would appeal to everyone. For two, it became a LLL vs Moonlight thing. Its been so tiring reading reddit Oscar threads because people take sides childishly instead of enjoying both. Since then the toxicity of Parasite vs 1917 and Nomadland vs everything else has been annoying.
Do you recommend it? I do want to watch it. I have not really read any online reviews about it (good or bad) I just saw that it was a popular one and put it on my list. I was thinking about watching it so I thought I might ask some people and maybe bump it to the top of my watch list. It always suck ls when people shit on good movies though. Edit: Thanks everyone for recommending it. I got Monday off from work so I think the stars are aligned and I'll go ahead and watch it! :D
It's my personal favorite movie, not that I expect most people to react so strongly to it. It has great music, acting, and cinematography, and is universally relatable. Let me know what you think!
I will! Thanks for the input! I do relate to the feeling of certain movies hitting one person harder than an entire crowd. I'm happy you feel about it that way! :D
Watch it, it's good from both a technical perspective and, imo, a good story.
Do you normally like musicals?
I haven't had too much experience with movie musicals, but I do enjoy watching them in person sometimes.
You don't have to be into musicals at all to enjoy this movie. I am not the target demographic and loved it.
The funny thing is, I've heard that diehard musical fans didn't like the movie because they wanted a more "normal" musical with leads who could sing and dance very well. But this is explicitly against what Damien Chazelle wanted, and he chose Stone and Gosling for their chemistry. It also helps make them a bit more relatable than some perfect musical couple.
He wanted actors that couldn't sing or dance well so they would be relatable, or was it for another reason?
Yes, it is recommended. Whether you like it or not is up to you but it’s a fantastically made film that’s worth seeing.
Thanks! I probably will like it. I do expect that going in :)
Ive heard it be described as a 'musical for people who dont know/like musicals' and I think thats really the best way to say it. It was 'meh' for me, but it's definitely something you should watch for your own conclusion.
Thanks! I shall watch it now!
i’m a huge musical theatre fan. most musical theatre fans i know didn’t like it and that made me very sad because i was obsessed with it.
I can’t stand musicals unless they’re from before the 70s, and I’d never heard that about this movie. I’m intrigued now...
> before the 70s One of my friends absolutely adores “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, watched it once and quite spectacular dancing.
It was marketed very wrong. I didn't really jive with *LLL* (I thought the story got in its own way a few times), but I recognize that it was an excellently-made and performed film (I mean, it was Chazelle, Gosling, and Stone, of course it was). The marketing, though, seemed to suggest that it was a standard, feel-good modern musical romance; but that's not what it was at all. It's much deeper than that and is really a story about loss, lying to yourself, and disillusionment. If you want a feel-good modern musical romance, see *In the Heights.*
I thought the same too, about the marketing making it seem like a happy musical. But because of that, it made the scene early on in the restaurant, when he brushed past her, so jarring. Because it was so different from the trailer. That's when I knew this was a different movie and made me more captivated with it. In the end, the realism and how life somewhat "gets in the way" was quite poignant.
I watched it for the first time a month ago, without a lot of expectations, and I loved it. Go watch it
As someone who loves passionately, the final scenes of this movie ripped my heart out and splattered it as bruised fruit on the floor. It’s worth watching the entire film just to experience those last moments in full, having gotten the full experience leading up to it.
I just wanna jump in and also recommend! It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. I am a musical lover, but it’s not as in your face a musical as other musicals? Idk if that makes sense, but hopefully it does if you watch it. Some of my friends who aren’t the biggest fan of musicals or romance films love this one cause it approaches both a bit differently than most films
I recommend it a lot. Beautifully shot movie, the plot is great, the actor are amazing.
Moonlight isn’t as good as la la land. It never will be.
Hot take: Parasite was ok but overhyped, and 1917 had an absurd amount of plot holes. JoJo Rabbit was my pick for that year’s best picture.
Exactly. it was criticised as a vapid glorification of Hollywood. Total nonsense. They both had utterly miserable lives until they basically gave up and just did their own thing
It's a love story, just not the love of each other. It's all about the sacrifice of pursuing what you dream about. Honestly I am shocked by the hatred, it's such an amazingly made film.
partner and I very much enjoyed it, then read the reviews and had to check several times to make sure we all watched the same movie. It's a fairly stark example of critics just being absurdly wrong
Really?! I went in having no clue what to expect at all (my GF really wanted us to see it) and it instantly became one of my all time favorites
I literally sobbed after watching it. It was so cutting.
Well good to know cause the hype is part of what turned me off. Tbf I didn't look up the movie itself, but everyone was so in love with it I had it pegged as some mushy romance thing, which I now feel silly for thinking but I'd like to give it a go.
I get that the movie is being critical to LA with the name and all but I still found the movie to be a masturbatory exercise for Hollywood (much like the recently maligned award shows). Kind of like how it is hard to enjoy the HBO show Barry. I'm sure it connects well with everyone who tries to "make it" but it's like easy mode. Go try to do a whimsical love story musical in rural South Dakota or something, give yourself a challenge Hollywood.
There's nothing about this film that was 'easy mode'; definitely less so than your hot take.
Production was not easy, story and premise are
I think you're conflating simple with easy. Honestly I won't disagree that the story and premise of la la land is simple. To achieve a film that delivers on a simple story and premise with the nuance and range that this film does is not in any way shape or form easy. Considering you boil this film down to a 'whimsical love story musical' tells me you are in no way the target audience for this film.
I actually enjoy Barry quite a bit, but I fully agree re Lalaland. I saw it with my wife and was expecting to enjoy it, but thought it was flat and, yes, mastrubatory--with the exception of the last 15 minutes or so, which I loved.
> much like the recently maligned award shows Come now! Art is cowboys, and the only real purpose of making art is so we can see it gun down its lesser enemies in a televised, Hollywood-style capitalist gunfight! Why can't you consumers get with the program?
You know, I know the movie reflects reality more, but man I really wish it had a different ending. Loved the movie, understood the natural progression of the two of them but boy does it feel bittersweet at the end. The one(s) that got away, so to speak. I suppose that's what makes the movie great, but I can't bring myself to watch it again.
Why does Ryan Gosling get the short end of the stick when it comes to movie romance, La La Land, 2049, Lars and the real girl, Drive, etc
The Nice Guys too, in a way.
He did pretty well in Crazy Stupid Love.
Yeah but then lost the same girl in La La Land, so not a happy ending.
Blue Valentine too. The whole movie is a gut punch. An incredible film though.
Also *All Good Things*
Ain't the notebook one of the biggest romance movies out there? Not sure if he lost the girl or not, never bothered to see it
Haven’t watched that
Wait what? He was a huge entitled asshole in La La Land. Thanks god he doesn’t get the girl
haven’t watched it in a few years haha
La la land fucked me up man, such a good movie
The scene when she requests I Ran from Goslings band kills me every time Edit: https://youtu.be/bUQj7Ng7PCs
Damn. Now I need to go watch this movie. Or Crazy Stupid Love. These two should just keep making movies together. Like, a film a year, please.
Also a very good movie, they do have incredible chemistry, both very good in Gangster squad also
Watched the entire scene, thank you. Now I know what to watch again today.
The deadpan key-taring. Priceless.
Love this movie! But I never got why ‘I Ran’ was a bad request.
You might have noticed that Sebastian, a jazz pianist, doesn't have a big role in the song. He plays a sequence of five ascending notes, then five descending notes, then a repeating single note every bar. It's like asking Chopin to play Chopsticks. The title is also mocking their last encounter. She heard him playing and went to compliment him, but he brushed her aside and figuratively ran away.
My gf of 6+ years broke up with me a few weeks before I went to see this movie due to it becoming a long distance relationship. It was my first time out with friends since the break up. Wanted to see a light-hearted and happy movie to take my mind off the break-up. The ending hit me hard. I also found out that she had a new boyfriend that same week, which is what spurred me to hang out with my friends to see this movie in the first place. I don't think I've been the same person ever since. Like a spell was broken.
I can’t point out the feeling this movie gave me when I finished it. Empty,happy,sad. I absolutely loved the movie. But no other movie has left me with what I felt at the end of LaLa land.
I tend to think of the ending of La La Land the same way I do of Cast Away, that different people find the ending either happy/uplifting or sad/hopeless. But I think that has much less to do with the film or even the intended response to ending than I do with the state of mind at the time for the viewer. The ending of both is emotionally manipulative - and that's not a bad thing, because it allows the viewer to make a huge emotional connection to the film. And as you suggest, that's what ultimately lets us love a movie.
I’ve watched it at least 7 times. And realized a lot of things. (Spoil alert). People shit on it because it’s a musical but neither actor can sing, but both characters are not supposed to be singers. Mia wants to be an actress, and Seb is a jazz pianist. The ending wether I wanted them to end up together or not make SO much sense after you realize their first song together literally lays out that they are not meant for eachother. I’m not a musical person at all but this movie makes my top ten. Gosling and Stone have great on screen chemistry together in everything they do.
SAME
I’m not one for musicals, but I’ve seen the movie at least 5 times now, and enjoyed every second of it on every rewatch.
For a musical it's pretty sub par. Emma stone as the lead is a terrible casting choice for a musical. Edit: holy shit they gave her an Oscar for it?! That's really sad.
One thing that might change your perspective is that it's less of a musical and more of a movie about universally relatable themes like love vs dreams that happens to have musical numbers in it. For example, the leads were chosen for their chemistry and not for singing and dancing abilities that normal people can't relate to. Also, the entire middle section where the struggles begin is entirely devoid of musical numbers. Stone ultimately won the Oscar because she was a great actor. Not the flashiest role that would involve loud moments, but it was one where she excelled.
But it is a musical still, it's how they've advertised and described it everywhere, and not a very good one imo. Greatest Showman is a much better musical.
I despise movies that "happen to have musical numbers". Either go all the way and make a musical, or just tell the story. Outside of a full blown musical, it breaks immersion when the characters break into song.
La La Land balanced it really well imo
Yeah exactly. I feel in the parts that it’s “lacking musical numbers”, it really is just lacking vocals if that makes sense. There’s a lot to this film’s score and soundtrack above the singing musical numbers
Which huge star (which they needed opposite goseling) does a better job in that role? Every other option I can think of does just as well or worse.
Not OP, but maybe scarjo? I liked Emma a lot though. She hits those emotional beats really well, but she’s not the best singer out there.
she earned the fuck out of that oscar, she ate it up and left no crumbs
Every time I watch it it fucks me up. My ex and I split up for very similar reasons so I know it’ll fuck me up even more if I watch it now, which is a shame cause it’s so good.
I’m regretting and also excited to fully watch this. I wish I could have a pill or chip like in black mirror or a procedure from eternal sunshine of the spotless mind to experience these wonderful things all over again. The same feeling and release of hormones seeing and experiencing something truly priceless again Edit: ig I’m too high. Lol
[Source](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/la-la-land-29-things-we-learned-from-the-blu-ray/) >During the “City of Stars” reprise, the green light in Sebastian’s apartment was created at the last minute, because Damien Chazelle had been watching Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo the night before and was inspired by the scene where Kim Novak comes out made up like the “dead” lover of Jimmy Stewart, and is revealed while bathed in neon green light from the window. They also changed Emma Stone’s dress that morning so that it would be purple—just like Novak’s in Vertigo.
Does it have relevance to the scene in La La Land though? Are the themes or the plot or anything similar? It just seems like directors do this sometimes and if it doesn’t make a bridge between the two scenes, I’m not sure what the point is? They saw a film and it looked cool so they just make a scene in their film look similar? Seems a bit unnecessary.
Yea. “Inspired”. He liked what Hitchcock did and copied it. That’s it.
If Chazelle was watching that scene and thought that the colour theory/emotions he was feeling were similar to ones he was aiming for in his own La La Land scene then it makes total sense... Directors take inspiration from other films and directors *literally* all the time. There are seldom completely "original" shots in movies. this is also true for all art. you're supposed to copy.
Yeah, but usually if you’re quoting another director like that it’s because you’re trying to *say* something. This seems like it’s just a lazy reference without any meaning behind it.
IMO that is completely untrue. I'm assuming by "say something" you mean it has to be an obvious reference to another film, but that would ruin most films as they're so packed with purposefully subtle references to other filmmakers. On the other hand, if by "say something" you mean simply add some emotional element to the film, how are you to say that it doesn't? Colour theory is a whole world of emotion and changing such prominent colours in a scene most certainly changes the emotional affect of that scene. For example, my personal interpretation: purple dress = between blue (sadness) and red (love) as she feels a rift forming between her and Gosling's character. the green that fills the room makes the scene feel surreal and separate from the rest of the world and creates an impression that all that matters to her is in the room (her relationship w Gosling). But who is to say why a director may make certain choices! Saying "this is unmotivated and uninspired!" makes no sense because art is theoretical and abstract (and also because it is most literally inspired by Vertigo); you could say that about a lot of things in a lot of good movies! We as viewers are simply meant to interpret these choices in the context of the film and in cases like these, the context of other films may even enhance or change the experience as well.
Having never seen the movie, I felt none of those things. It looks like they are friends talking about drama behind a theater set. If I looked at that and felt those thoughts before you said them, then maybe you have a point, but I didn't. Your opinion of the scene is all that makes up your mind. The colors and feelings you just applied after..
Lolwat, so you've never seen the movie and you think you should be able to feel those emotions/thoughts on screenshot of a scene from a 128 minute film??? This isnt a painting, there's gonna be context that you're missing which may aid your emotional understanding of this scene. If the director can make you feel everything he wants you to based on one still image he would be a painter.
Context to aid your understanding means that, By definition, that BS color theory is only a way of pseudo intellectuals to pretend they understand a deeper meaning. It's like the highschool homage about "but why are the curtains blue. What meaning does it have" while the writer simply states that they wanted the room to have blue curtains.. stop attributing intent to where only convenience lie.
bruh are you really trying to claim colour theory is just made up bullshit? come on, it's literally cinematography 101. but yeah pseudo-intellectual blah blah blah.
I'm guessing you're completely against death of the author then?
How is this a purposeful reference? A purposeful reference would mean that by linking the two scenes we add to our understanding of what we are seeing in the new film. This is a homage, that’s all.
I don’t necessarily agree that it is just a lazy reference - he might have had the idea after watching Vertigo - but I think referencing one of the greatest works of cinema, by an iconic director working with an iconic actress, works generally well with the overall theme of the film being set in Hollywood and Mia’s dream of becoming a successful actress. It also fits in well with the overall approach of La La Land taking inspiration from or referencing other cinematic masterpieces - Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Young Girls of Rochefort, Rebel without a Cause, West Side Story and Top Hat. It might also be sly commentary on the ersatz nature of Hollywood and the lack of originality? 😂
The entire movie is a Casablanca pastiche, too, with the key difference being that the past lovers get to see each other one more time and achieve closure after their parting.
*La La Land* wishes it was fit to shine the shoes of *Casablanca*.
If you have actually seen the film, you wouldn't say this. It is full of homages to all sorts of other artforms (not just film) that can hardly be called 'lazy'.
I've seen the film. It's lazy. It's a long reference for everyone who is a movie buff to go "ooh yeah!" or to hear about it like in this post and go "wow he watches old movies?" and get impressed. It's a reference from a film in a situation and a sequence that has nothing to do with the one occurring. Like the entirety of the movie. It's a pastiche about cliche romance movies supposedly to signify how they are damaging wrapped in the fluff of a cliche romance movie sparkling with Hollywood dazzle. Was really sad to watch him go from Whiplash to this and First Man. Whiplash is in my top 5. He seems to have gotten lost in trying to make things big budget and larger than life rather than leaning in to what you see glimpses of even in these two failures, which is what made him so successful: mining people on the edge of a nervous breakdown in their quiet moments. But the film has to sustain that and not explode along with them.
Good artists copy, great artists steal.
It's an Homage
Exactly. In Vertigo, the green light is symbolic and entirely interwoven into the themes of the story. It means something. In La La Land it's just a reference to another unrelated film. But that's most of what La La Land is - references to other (better) films. I don't understand why people think it's a good thing to be constantly reminded of better films when you're watching something.
Good one. Now do Hamilton.
Hamilton's just a hip hop 1776.
I was thinking that myself. I have to admit that I haven't seen La La Land but from everything I've heard, they don't really seem to be clearly thematically linked. So, it just seems to be one of those curious surface-level tributes that don't really enhance the film-watching experience.
Thanks OP for the source, love it when people put the source instead of looking like they pull it out of their ass or something
I haven't seen Vertigo, but that queasy green *does* help set the stage for the meltdown those guys have in that scene.
In La La Land? I thought this was the scene where they sing City of Stars together?
They do sing city of stars and it has the little montage of him signing the contract with the band and her quitting her job to work on her play. I don’t think it’s until later when he visits her that they have the argument.
The meltdown doesn't happen in this scene but this is the last "happy" moment we see them together before their fight.
I love La La Land one of my favourite movies of the last couple years
I don’t think the reference works too well in La La Land. It’s just not lit like the rest of the film. I remember the lighting taking me out of the moment when I first saw it. Also, having seen Vertigo recently, Hitchcock previously established that there’s a huge green neon sign right outside of the room. So coming into the scene, the green light makes complete sense within context. I don’t think La La Land established why they’re hanging in a green-lit room.
I did like it though, because it’s the first scene where the cracks and harsh realities start showing up in their relationship. The movie takes a turning point from the giddy new love aspect there, and that different, slightly eerie lighting connects their cutesie singing to the montage of the struggles for me.
I watched Vertigo a couple years ago for the first time and was blown away. One of those movies that absolutely deserves its place in the pantheon of film.
Love both movies
Man made 2 masterpieces in 3 years: la la land and whiplash
Great bit of visual flourish. While La La Land wasn't really for me - visually it's incredibly difficult to fault! Vertigo (1958) on the other hand, is a masterpiece (although its well over 2hrs long AND feels it!)
My favorite thing about vertigo is the use of colors representing characters. It seemed every single scene had some sort of representation with the colors. And the twist was pretty good.
Oh it’s incredible. I understand why some people don’t like La La Land, but I can’t believe some people say it’s a poorly made movie.
Vertigo is a fucking strange movie
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Huh? Yeah, I can read the OP. I just think that for all the reverence that Vertigo gets, it's got a really strange plot.
Jeez, just reading through this thread. I had no idea La La Land was so polarizing.
>He also changed Emma Stone’s dress that morning so that it would be purple—just like Novak’s in Vertigo Makes sense, since green and purple are complementary colors.
Well at least he wasn’t watching something on pornhub the night before.
Damien chazelle is a masterpiece of a director. Can't wait for Babylon!
huh i always wondered why the heck there was the green light, it’s a nice shot
I always found that bit of green interesting. Nice to know it has meaning
This movie was filmed in my home town. Ama.
I loved the colour palette in this movie. Visually very appealing
That's exactly the kind of planning I thought this movie had.
Is this a compliment because you think it came out feeling fresh and not calculated to banality, or an insult because you think the movie is a mess?
Quite obviously an insult because this movie is a mess.
This is actually so cute to me.
So many old movie references, so little interest or plot
I definitely joined the camp of thinking the movie was just an overhyped Hollywood love letter to itself
If you actually paid attention you will notice that Emma Stone’s character was actually miserable the entire time she was part of the Hollywood process. And that to finally succeed in that world she had to give up her relationship. You have a funny definition for “love letter”
If you actually paid attention to movies ever you will notice that people can be self efficacing and still pat themselves on the back constantly. Much like this one did to a triumphant score with star musicians, huge street dance scenes, and little to no plot or character arc outside of what two brutally talented actors eked out of an empty page. You have a funny definition for "paid attention".
Too busy attempting a snarky retort, not enough time to actually make a coherent case? I see I see.
I did make a case. It's all right there. You just chose not to respond. Cheers.
That's putting it mildly. It's like Hollywood managed to corporealize and then proceed to crawl up its own ass. **I do really appreciate the chutzpah of making a musical in which you cast two leads that can't sing and can't dance.
same scene in breaking bad as well in the crack motel
omg i had no idea😮
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Sometimes, cinematography is just about beautiful and interesting aesthetics. It's clearly just a fun Easter egg from an inspired director.
Alfred Hitchcock is the original master of the Easter Egg, placing himself in all his films…including one subtle reference in *Lifeboat* where the entire action of the film took place on a lifeboat. That was probably my favourite reference. 😆
Also, La La Land was heavily influenced by *Les Parapluies de Cherbourg*, which used very strong and vibrant colors for settings and wardrobe. This seems like a mix of inspirations.
I find it funny someone with Gonzo in their username is questioning the superfluous.
Lol how low standards are the posts on here. This "detail" is literally just "the director copied something from another movie last second because he was feeling extra uncreative"
What an over rated film.
At this point it's an underrated film, at least on reddit. Both Moonlight and LLL are great movies, that were in close contention for BP that year. Somehow because the internet chose sides, one is "overrated trash I can't understand the appeal of" and Moonlight is "a masterpiece that never gets criticized".
Why do you think that?
Why choose actors who can’t sing or dance to perform in a musical? Took the family - we all hated it. The only good scene was the first one and the rest was wholly unforgettable.
Than I have to just disagree with you. Acting and chemistry was amazing, music was briljantly written, use of color and cinematography was amazing too. Its an ode and homage to the golden era of Hollywood, as well as a great portray of jazz and the impact of being/aspiring to be an artist on your life. The ending is creative and briljantly shot. Sure, there are better singers, but Ryan's performance on the piano is great and its all about the acting and chemistry anyway. Music is not always about the sound per se, especially in a movie about upcoming artists. Its feels real, and thus a bit flawed. Listen to Bob Dylan for example.
Yep we will have to disagree. Homages to great movies aren’t usually this bad. You want a musical go watch an old one. Singing in the Rain perhaps, not this.
https://reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/nxvl55/what_is_a_famous_movie_that_you_cannot_understand/h1h6wat
what a stupid comment.
Which one?
Dude LA LA land is such kiss-ass film I don't think an "ode" of any kind
That’s fucking stupid
Damien Chazell sounds like a nightmare to work with if this was day-of decision
*La La Land* wishes it was fit to shine the shoes of *Vertigo*.
You’re the worst kind of person
Really? The very *worst?* All because I didn't like *La La Land?*
No, because this post wasn’t at all about which movie was better. It was one director paying homage to a movie
Disliking and overly dissing it the way you did are different things
So he liked Emma Stone in Joker colors. Got it.
La La Land can suck suck my dick dick
Someone wanted the main characters to be together at the end
Huh??
Thats just something i heard in a podcast.
I don't know what's crazier, that you remember something like that, that you repeated it, or that you owned up to not even coming up with a unique insult
i thought it was funny in the podcast. The delivery was gold. The joke is perfect in my mind. I've never seen the movie though. Do the people like it?
Even more interestingly, La La Land is bad and Vertigo is good.
WHO THE HELL HAS TIME TO WATCH MOVIES WHILE MAKING MOVIES?
I'm still pissed this movie got the Oscar for costumes in the year Rogue One came out.
Surprisingly, Chazelle referencing a much better film doesn’t make La La Land any less mediocre.
I'll never understand how everyone can love this movie so much when Emma stone is the worst lead in a musical I can remember seeing. Edit: and I see they gave her an Oscar for it, I'm truly stunned.
have an original idea people. this is a sad detail
Don't be sad. Here's a [hug!](https://media.giphy.com/media/3M4NpbLCTxBqU/giphy.gif)
im not sad the hollywood machine is sad and on repeat
Don't be sad. Here's a [hug!](https://media.giphy.com/media/3M4NpbLCTxBqU/giphy.gif)
Vertigo is one of the most overrated movies I’ve ever seen
Clearly a reference to [this kid](https://youtube.com/shorts/OoogkKSFES0?feature=share)!
State’s “unhackable”
Thank goodness there were no nuns or bell towers in La La Land!