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[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Is it just me or did this film forget it was a musical after the first two numbers?

Those first two songs were wonderful, and then it turned into a romcom with the occasional musical montage. Hardly any singing or dancing, just a flood of movie references.

Pretty good movie, coulda been a lot better.

Not just you. Its pretty noticeable if you listen to the soundtrack. It tones down from the beginning but thats not to say it loses having memorable music numbers and melodies.

I probably wouldn't have liked this movie as much if it went full musical.

 

[Moonkid]

the not perfect singing actually made it better for me. more real.

That seems to be the consensus and I'm glad it didn't drag the experience down for a lot of people. It was just real jarring for me that in a tight, polished musical we have two leads that are average at singing. It'd be like the sound mix being a rough cut or them cheaping out on special effects.

 

[RastaMentality]

it's probably been mentioned but the shot when Mia leaves the bathroom and the snow is falling as the music builds is the best shot in the film.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Its happening....

I've started to hear the soundtrack at random places around LA and on the radio

it's probably been mentioned but the shot when Mia leaves the bathroom and the snow is falling as the music builds is the best shot in the film.

My favorite is when Mia stops in front of the restaurant in between the red neon lights while Seb plays their theme.

So vivid and beautiful

 

[shira]

it's probably been mentioned but the shot when Mia leaves the bathroom and the snow is falling as the music builds is the best shot in the film.

its very giffable

cant wait to tumblr upload a bunch

 

[Ohwiseone]

Amazon has a listing for a 4K UHD blu-ray of this.

I am so going to be buying that version. Should look SO GOOD on 4K.

 

[Auron_Kale]

it's probably been mentioned but the shot when Mia leaves the bathroom and the snow is falling as the music builds is the best shot in the film.

Although I have many of them, the slow shot of the guy jumping off the balcony (or was it the roof?) during Someone in the Crowd was so perfectly in sync with the music that made it stand out for me.

 

[TheFlow]

yah need to watch The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. The visuals and ending inspired La La Land.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Although I have many of them, the slow shot of the guy jumping off the balcony (or was it the roof?) during Someone in the Crowd was so perfectly in sync with the music that made it stand out for me.

that was a sick drop

 

[WriterGK]

beautiful and devastating.

You do know he actually sings in a band? Called Dead Man's Bones? I quite like them

 

[lenovox1]

That seems to be the consensus and I'm glad it didn't drag the experience down for a lot of people. It was just real jarring for me that in a tight, polished musical we have two leads that are average at singing. It'd be like the sound mix being a rough cut or them cheaping out on special effects.

While neither of them would necessarily make it on Broadway (though Stone was a replacement Sally Bowles in the last revival of Cabaret), this was clearly a stylistic choice on the director's part.

 

[shira]

TIL LLL is available in IMAX

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IMAX_DMR_films

La La Land December 9, 2016 Selected territories only. Limited engagement. Expands to select domestic theatres on January 13, 2017.**+

http://www.imax.com/movies/la-la-land

Delaware is the closest to me. . . .

 

[beat]

If they were open to African-American leads then it could've been fucking amazing.

Michael B Jordan was up for the lead at one point. I have no idea how well he sings.

--

BTW, here's a video for "Someone in the Crowd" made from pieces of all the trailers, plus half of the DWTS bit (DWTS shares a choreographer with LLL), plus an Arcade Fire video Emma Stone starred in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ynqmyL_q0

 

[Moonkid]

While neither of them would necessarily make it on Broadway (though Stone was a replacement Sally Bowles in the last revival of Cabaret), this was clearly a stylistic choice on the director's part.

Not all stylistic choices work. For me, it missed the mark.

 

[greatestjediever]

TIL LLL is available in IMAX

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IMAX_DMR_films

http://www.imax.com/movies/la-la-land

Delaware is the closest to me. . . .

Unfortunately, I don't think any of the "true" larger IMAX screens are playing it (at least none of the ones I've seen in the DMV area, Pennsylvania, NY or Toronto), as I think Rogue One probably still has a contractual hold on those screens until the 20th, when xXx takes over. So all of these ones are of the smaller digital IMAX variety, I believe. I also read if you go this weekend, you might get a free IMAX poster.

 

[GamingOblivion]

That seems to be the consensus and I'm glad it didn't drag the experience down for a lot of people. It was just real jarring for me that in a tight, polished musical we have two leads that are average at singing. It'd be like the sound mix being a rough cut or them cheaping out on special effects.

I disagree that those are the same. One is needed for a film and one is not.

 

[shira]

Unfortunately, I don't think any of the "true" larger IMAX screens are playing it (at least none of the ones I've seen in the DMV area, Pennsylvania, NY or Toronto), as I think Rogue One probably still has a contractual hold on those screens until the 20th, when xXx takes over. So all of these ones are of the smaller digital IMAX variety, I believe. I also read if you go this weekend, you might get a free IMAX poster.

Ayyy

 

[EatinOlives]

I mean there's something to be said about a film that romanticizes "unknown artists dreaming of their big break" while casting two extremely well known Hollywood stars who 1) aren't really great at singing, 2) aren't particularly great at dancing, 3) one of the two leads is a Jazz pianist but the actor isn't one, meaning the casting was done almost purely for star power and chemistry.

I would've found the message of the film much, much more powerful if they had in actuality found relative nobodies to showcase genuine talent, a movie about dreaming for a big break while simultaneously giving them that big break. That's a genuinely more powerful and honest message. That, and you can easily, easily find talented actors who are genuinely great at singing, dancing, and playing the piano.

 

[shira]

I mean there's something to be said about a film that romanticizes "unknown artists dreaming of their big break" while casting two extremely well known Hollywood stars who 1) aren't really great at singing, 2) aren't particularly great at dancing, 3) one of the two leads is a Jazz pianist but the actor isn't one, meaning the casting was done almost purely for star power and chemistry.

I would've found the message of the film much, much more powerful if they had in actuality found relative nobodies to showcase genuine talent, a movie about dreaming for a big break while simultaneously giving them that big break. That's a genuinely more powerful and honest message. That, and you can easily, easily find talented actors who are genuinely great at singing, dancing, and playing the piano.

I think that's supposed to be the irony of it all. Someone telling Emma Stone "next"

And the ending well it's Hollywood too

 

[EatinOlives]

I think that's supposed to be the irony of it all. Someone telling Emma Stone "next"

And the ending well it's Hollywood too

Maybe? That's kind of an interesting angle to approach it from, someone you know is talented being passed up for completely random reasons, but again, some of that falls flat when the leads in question can't do singing/dancing/piano playing particularly well. It muddies the message too much.

 

[Haloid1177]

My fake IMAX is getting a showing and fuck it I'm going again Thursday night.

 

[shira]

Maybe? That's kind of an interesting angle to approach it from, someone you know is talented being passed up for completely random reasons, but again, some of that falls flat when the leads in question can't do singing/dancing/piano playing particularly well. It muddies the message too much.

Spoiler

Well I also thought of it as Chazelle and Hurwitz being the Stone and Gosling charachters. That way "they" were the nobodies that made it in Hollywood.

But yeah you are never really going to get that perfect mesh of talent, star power, Hollywood. I assume the goal of the movie was to win Oscars and its paying off

Unfortunately, I don't think any of the "true" larger IMAX screens are playing it (at least none of the ones I've seen in the DMV area, Pennsylvania, NY or Toronto), as I think Rogue One probably still has a contractual hold on those screens until the 20th, when xXx takes over. So all of these ones are of the smaller digital IMAX variety, I believe. I also read if you go this weekend, you might get a free IMAX poster.

The west coast ones in Seattle in LA have it in the big ones. LieMAX sucks

 

[mcfrank]

Arclight Hollywood is putting LA LA Land back in the cinerama dome on Friday. I saw it there opening weekend and it was incredible. I highly recommend if you are in the area seeing it there.

 

[jstevenson]

Arclight Hollywood is putting LA LA Land back in the cinerama dome on Friday. I saw it there opening weekend and it was incredible. I highly recommend if you are in the area seeing it there.

ahhh shit

 

[Grizzlyjin]

My fake IMAX is getting a showing and fuck it I'm going again Thursday night.

Join us in the sun. Yeah, I'm thinking about rewatching this and then catching a screening of Hidden Figures. Either tomorrow or Thursday. My university should be screening Moonlight soon when classes start again, so I'll be rewatching that as well. I'm on an Oscar high!

 

[adamsappel]

the not perfect singing actually made it better for me. more real.

It was enjoyable in the movie, but it hinders me from listening to the soundtrack.

 

[cj_iwakura]

It was enjoyable in the movie, but it hinders me from listening to the soundtrack.

I've been listening to the OST nonstop, it feels like it recaptures the film from start to finish.

 

[TheFlow]

for anyone here who loves La La land

watch The young girls of Rochefort asap

 

[DrEvil]

Yes, in a way. Doesn't even have to be that specific in particular as I was just naming an example, but it just seemed odd to me that they talk explicitly about the clash of the new and old in regard to music production, but filmmaking still seems to live in an idealistic, classic, yet-untouched by modernization world in comparison.

To further elaborate, I'm not just asking for green screens on the WB lot. I'm pointing out that it seems odd to have characters in the movie who literally talk about how modernization is required to save a medium (Jazz), but filmmaking, a field which also has presumably seen modernization in La La Land's world, seems to be untouched by its effects. In fact, if anything, most of the limited instances we get to see filmmaking in the movie appear unusually classic given the assumed current timeframe. Not even limited to the WB lot, it seems odd that a conversation between the characters one of whom struggles with the shift in Jazz production as a purist and the other of whom is noted to have gotten her inspiration to become an actor based on older movies, never takes place.

I think the difference with film though, is that the modernization of the medium hasn't strayed too far from its roots. The biggest change is film to digital, and even then it's been a gradual thing that hasn't been negative in any way (except for film grain purists).

The method of making a movie has largely stayed the same (minus the obvious CGI), regardless of the transformation of the technology required to do so.

Hell, the couple instances we do see in the film are using miniatures/cutouts for forced perspective.. all methods still used today.

 

[LucidMomentum]

Man, Mia's song about her aunt at the end just hits so hard.

I still think about that last scene too, what a movie.

 

[H2intensity]

just watched it at cinema with my wife..its a fantastic movie, i love it. Its quite perfect movie i think and that ending scene....its Whiplash over again, fantastic. Damien Chazelle is real deal, looking forward for his next project.

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

Was I supposed to hate the John Legend song? Because it wasn't the jazz music that Gosling liked? Why would they commission him for the 'catchy' song of the movie if it's supposed to represent Gosling not fulfilling his dream?

I really liked that song, not sure if that's how I'm supposed to feel though.

 

[shira]

Was I supposed to hate the John Legend song? Because it wasn't the jazz music that Gosling liked? Why would they commission him for the 'catchy' song of the movie if it's supposed to represent Gosling not fulfilling his dream?

I really liked that song, not sure if that's how I'm supposed to feel though.

It's not a bad song, it's just not a song that Sebastien would like or enjoy playing.

It sticks out as different when you listen to the OST

 

[Haloid1177]

Was I supposed to hate the John Legend song? Because it wasn't the jazz music that Gosling liked? Why would they commission him for the 'catchy' song of the movie if it's supposed to represent Gosling not fulfilling his dream?

I really liked that song, not sure if that's how I'm supposed to feel though.

I thought you were supposed to like it? Seemed like the audience was supposed to realize that even when you're doing well you should still try for your dream.

Honestly, as much as I've grown to like La La Land the more I think about it, the narrative is still incredibly weak all around. Luckily everything else manages to raise it up quite a bit.

 

[Hexxen-Panda]

for anyone here who loves La La land

watch The young girls of Rochefort asap

Will do! Looking forward to it!

 

[cj_iwakura]

for anyone here who loves La La land

watch The young girls of Rochefort asap

Said that very same recommendation earlier.

 

[TheFlow]

Said that very same recommendation earlier.

respect +1

I am on a Demy marathon. might rewatch la la land again to see if I spot anything else in common.

People say Chazelle burrowed from Umbrellas but I think that was just the ending. The young girls rochefort might have more of an influence

Will do! Looking forward to it!

it is easily in my top 10 of all time

 

[greatestjediever]

Was I supposed to hate the John Legend song? Because it wasn't the jazz music that Gosling liked? Why would they commission him for the 'catchy' song of the movie if it's supposed to represent Gosling not fulfilling his dream?

I really liked that song, not sure if that's how I'm supposed to feel though.

I don't think you're supposed to think Start a Fire is bad, only to understand that it is not music that Sebastian likes to make. Mia says she likes the music, but can tell that Sebastian is not enthused about making it. Even Chazelle has said in interviews that he doesn't think Keith is wrong, and in many ways he has struggled with those own ideas - of holding onto something so strongly that he risks simply imitating it instead of making it his own. John Legend has said interviews that while he sides with Sebastian's position, it's not because he thinks making pop music is a cop out, but rather he doesn't feel everyone needs to be a huge star to be 'successful'. Legend believes making music you're passionate about, regardless of the fame level it entails, is a success in and of itself.

If anything, it's supposed to make you empathetic to the scenario that Sebastian is in. He wants to make classic jazz, but the only way he's able to be financially viable is to make music he isn't passionate about, even if other people like it.

 

[dcassell]

for anyone here who loves La La land

watch The young girls of Rochefort asap

Listening to some of the scores to both this and Umbrellas of Cherbourg (what I can find on Spotify at least). Very, very pretty, and I immediately hear the comparison to La La Land's music. Absolutely planning to watch these two films soon. I love the main theme of Cherbourg.

 

[TheFlow]

Listening to some of the scores to both this and Umbrellas of Cherbourg (what I can find on Spotify at least). Very, very pretty, and I immediately hear the comparison to La La Land's music. Absolutely planning to watch these two films soon. I love the main theme of Cherbourg.

I swear one the ending tunes in young girls of rochefort is featured in la la land. But enjoy. Definitely must watch films

 

[valkyre]

Maybe i am dead inside, dunno, but its very hard for me to be immerssed with a musical, or even relate to it.

I just find it very very hard to accept that way of storytelling.

I can definitely applaud the leads' performance as well as the cinematography and direction of many scenes. Even the core plot is good for what it is.

But when the singing starts and when the whole dancing ensues ... my eyes start rolling, i cant help it...

 

[cj_iwakura]

respect +1

I am on a Demy marathon. might rewatch la la land again to see if I spot anything else in common.

People say Chazelle burrowed from Umbrellas but I think that was just the ending. The young girls rochefort might have more of an influence



it is easily in my top 10 of all time

I think it has more in common too. The theme of dreamers wanting to escape, not to mention the colorful musical numbers(and they're both musicians).

 

[golem]

Amazon has a listing for a 4K UHD blu-ray of this.

I am so going to be buying that version. Should look SO GOOD on 4K.

Finally my 4k player will come in useful!

 

[shira]

Tabloid fodder is hitting, so apparently he wrote the movie @ Harvard possibly with the Mia role for his then wife or something?

Also people wondering why he didn't cast his current muse Gluten-free girl in a bigger role

Maybe i am dead inside, dunno, but its very hard for me to be immerssed with a musical, or even relate to it.

I just find it very very hard to accept that way of storytelling.

I can definitely applaud the leads' performance as well as the cinematography and direction of many scenes. Even the core plot is good for what it is.

But when the singing starts and when the whole dancing ensues ... my eyes start rolling, i cant help it...

Nah, it was made for 3 very specific crowds
- Oscar voters and speculators
- old people
- dreamers
It wasn't made for you.

 

[TheFlow]

I think it has more in common too. The theme of dreamers wanting to escape, not to mention the colorful musical numbers(and they're both musicians).

indeed

 

[y2dvd]

It's not a bad song, it's just not a song that Sebastien would like or enjoy playing.

It sticks out as different when you listen to the OST

I skip that song every time lol.

Maybe i am dead inside, dunno, but its very hard for me to be immerssed with a musical, or even relate to it.

I just find it very very hard to accept that way of storytelling.

I can definitely applaud the leads' performance as well as the cinematography and direction of many scenes. Even the core plot is good for what it is.

But when the singing starts and when the whole dancing ensues ... my eyes start rolling, i cant help it...

All good. It's a very specific genre. I hate horror movies. Some things don't click (or is too scared to let it click in the first place haha).

 

[oipic]

I finally saw this last night. What a wonderful film, it really resonated with me. Perhaps it's having recently loved and lost, I'm not sure.

Not much to add that hasn't already been said, but I'm blown away by how remarkably well Chazelle directed this, and how the use of colour, cinematography and score all intertwine and create a perfect storm of joyous film-making.

Gosling was better than good, in my opinion, but Stone is every bit the Hollywood star leading lady nailing an Oscar winning performance. Mesmerising in every scene.

Walked (floated?) out of the cinema with the feeling I'd just watched something a bit special.

 

[show me your skeleton]

good lord, what a beautiful film.

 

[Timbuktu]

I really didn't expect Chazelle to move from Whiplash to this. Both fantastic in different ways, which speaks to the incredible talent of that man. Anything thinks he succeeded in making jazz more cool again?

 

[shira]

I really didn't expect Chazelle to move from Whiplash to this. Both fantastic in different ways, which speaks to the incredible talent of that man. Anything thinks he succeeded in making jazz more cool again?

Jazz in space

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1213641/