La La Land hit theaters in winter of 2016 and illustrated the tragedy of art. The musical movie
takes place in Los Angeles and focuses on the plight of two starving artists, Mia and Sebastian.
Mia is an actress who dreams of making it big in Hollywood and Sebastian is a jazz fanatic
dreaming of opening his own jazz club. The two cross paths and over time become entranced
by each other's passions. After many months of being together, however; they realize they have
both forgotten about their dreams of separate. Some months later, Mia gets a starring role in a
big film and Sebastian owns a roaring jazz club. They cross paths yet again but know their art
will forever be the boundary between them.
takes place in Los Angeles and focuses on the plight of two starving artists, Mia and Sebastian.
Mia is an actress who dreams of making it big in Hollywood and Sebastian is a jazz fanatic
dreaming of opening his own jazz club. The two cross paths and over time become entranced
by each other's passions. After many months of being together, however; they realize they have
both forgotten about their dreams of separate. Some months later, Mia gets a starring role in a
big film and Sebastian owns a roaring jazz club. They cross paths yet again but know their art
will forever be the boundary between them.
The movie is gorgeous just to look at. The film is shot in Cinemascope, a type of film shooting
used in the 50s, making the film have a more classical feeling. Colors play a huge role in it,
using bright blues and greens and reds and yellows to not only put focus on characters, but to
create important symbolisms of the film. For instance, the color Mia wears for the song
Someone in the Crowd is blue, a song about finding that one person/role who can launch her
career. This is the same color Mia wears at her final audition for a movie that ends up launching
her career. Another thing the film loves to repeat are structures and characters seen throughout
the film. In the final song The End, the audience is taken through Mia and Sebastian’s “la la land”,
repeating everything that had happened to them but with a major change: them staying together.
used in the 50s, making the film have a more classical feeling. Colors play a huge role in it,
using bright blues and greens and reds and yellows to not only put focus on characters, but to
create important symbolisms of the film. For instance, the color Mia wears for the song
Someone in the Crowd is blue, a song about finding that one person/role who can launch her
career. This is the same color Mia wears at her final audition for a movie that ends up launching
her career. Another thing the film loves to repeat are structures and characters seen throughout
the film. In the final song The End, the audience is taken through Mia and Sebastian’s “la la land”,
repeating everything that had happened to them but with a major change: them staying together.
I absolutely love this movie. The movie takes an honest approach on what it takes to “make it”
as an artist, an honesty which I would love to see in all films surrounding the artist’s dream. A
lot of people who dislike the film hate the ending, which sees our two artists separating because
of their art. I personally think that this ending is beautiful. Again it is, in my opinion, the truth of
“making it”, that you must sacrifice everything to become the artist you dream of becoming,
even if it means sacrificing “the one”. It shows that the only place that everything can work out in
is in our own individual la la lands. I think every person who has a dream and is pursuing it needs
to watch this movie to understand what it takes to “make it”.
as an artist, an honesty which I would love to see in all films surrounding the artist’s dream. A
lot of people who dislike the film hate the ending, which sees our two artists separating because
of their art. I personally think that this ending is beautiful. Again it is, in my opinion, the truth of
“making it”, that you must sacrifice everything to become the artist you dream of becoming,
even if it means sacrificing “the one”. It shows that the only place that everything can work out in
is in our own individual la la lands. I think every person who has a dream and is pursuing it needs
to watch this movie to understand what it takes to “make it”.
GOOD/GOOD
Great review, Henry! Putting the plot summary in the opening paragraph allows you to really focus on objective evaluation in the second paragraph. Clear details and choices about what works in this film. The subjective turn is also strong, and comes back to how you personally engage with the thematic assertions about the complex relationship of art and fame. Would love to see how a title can start to introduce us to your ideas and style. This post was definitely NOT a waste of a lovely post.... (I'll show myself out).
ReplyDelete