471 posts
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Post by mistressjojo on Jan 16, 2017 2:42:32 GMT
This is off-topic but if you go to the cinema often, a Unlimited card from Cineworld or Limitless card from Odeon is really good value for money. Back to La La Land, the group numbers are excellent but I really like Audition (Fools who Dream) the most, Off-topic: Annual Curzon membership is really expensive but I've used mine so much that with a quarter of the year still to go, I've reduced the individual ticket cost to the equivalent of about £6 - and it will continue to fall. Back to the film: I'd be interested in the soundtrack, but for the fear that it would include lots of jazz, as there seemed too few of the other numbers to justify a recording otherwise. Cinemas might be missing a trick by not offering merchandise, especially as it has been reported that some people are going back to see this several times. The soundtrack is available on iTunes and on CD (in some countries anyway).
Here is the track listing - the download version is the same as the CD. If you have iTunes you can sample before you buy.
itunes.apple.com/us/album/la-la-land-original-motion/id1175664785
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3,557 posts
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Post by showgirl on Jan 16, 2017 4:42:08 GMT
Thank you, mistressjo. I might be able to listen to samples on (ahem!) Amazon, but I don't use iTunes or anything digital for buying/listening. I will see what I can find, as all I really need is a track listing, then, if I want to buy the CD, to see if it is available in the UK.
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134 posts
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Post by Kenneth_C on Jan 16, 2017 8:41:39 GMT
Having been to LA recently, it was really great to see it in La La Land especially the Griffith Observatory and the Warner Bros lot. The street that Emma runs up after leaving the dinner with Greg & his brother is located a few blocks away from me. As an Angeleno, when I first heard about this film during production, I immediately got my back up. The term "La La Land" is usually derogatory; coupled with the fact that it was being made by this young, East Coast-born & raised director, I assumed it would be some flippant, mocking, cliche version of L.A. (See, for example, Woody Allen's Annie Hall.) But then, the teaser trailer ( "Audition") was released last summer -- and my jaw dropped at the beauty contained therein. At that point, my whole idea about this film completely flipped. I began following it in earnest and my enthusiasm only grew as it premiered to ecstatic reviews at the Venice, Telluride, and Toronto International Film Festivals (where it won the Audience Award). By opening night at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, my anticipation was through the roof. Friends of mine were concerned that my expectations were so high that I might be disappointed. Well, what can I say? I cannot remember the last time I so unconditionally loved a film from first frame to last. I found it rapturous, heartfelt, audacious, visually stunning, incredibly moving, ineffably sublime. It reminded me of just how utterly magical, transcendent, and transporting movies can be. And it was all set in this crazy, wonderful, maddening, incredible, frustrating, fabulous place I call home. I have now seen it 4 more times -- something I rarely do -- and my opinion has not changed. If anything, the movie has only gotten better the more times I see it.
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103 posts
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Post by bren on Jan 17, 2017 18:03:38 GMT
Oh my.
I am genuinely astonished by some of the response to this movie. It is not the best movie of the year. It is not even the best movie I've seen this month. Perhaps it's the way it's been hyped- maybe it just couldn't live up to that. It is probably the most ambitious thing I've seen this year (and that is to be applauded) but that doesn't mean it works.
First things first- I adore musicals.I was off on Friday and was so excited when I went to see it at the midday showing but I found it to be extremely disappointing.
The opening of the movie is stunning but it goes downhill quickly. For me, it felt like two movies meshed together, and neither were executed very well. It seems afraid to be a full blown musical and it does not work very well in the more dramatic moments either.
There are some high points. It has moments of absolute beauty where everything works very well- music, visuals, choreography. Though sometimes I felt that the set pieces were trying to emulate moments from Moulin Rouge etc and coming up short. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are charming and beautful leads but the material is so flat at times. There are visually superb moments but these are as many dull moments. I thought the pacing was just dreadful and I even considered walking out at one point. I heard a number of people making this point afterwards.
The score is brilliant towards the beginning but I felt it petered out for the rest of the movie and I found much of the score later on to be largely forgettable.
I was hoping for this glorious, sumptuous, mesmeric movie and it just isn't what I hoped for at all. I feel that they sacrificed what could have been a superb musical in favour of a sub par melodrama with a few songs interspersed. It all felt very disjointed. I did enjoy the ending of the movie as it was unexpected and deserves kudos as I imagine it won't be to everyone's taste. I have a habit of seeing shows and movies I like a number of times but I just would not sit through this again. I'm not sharing my thoughts with friends as I don't want to influence their view but I will wait with baited breath for their reviews.
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471 posts
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Post by mistressjojo on Jan 18, 2017 2:12:37 GMT
The opening of the movie is stunning but it goes downhill quickly. For me, it felt like two movies meshed together, and neither were executed very well. It seems afraid to be a full blown musical and it does not work very well in the more dramatic moments either.
Funny, I felt that the opening number was the weakest point of the whole film. It was all very colourful and brilliantly choreographed, but it didn't really gel with the rest of the film. Was a bit too much like Glee for me.
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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 18, 2017 6:41:42 GMT
Oh my. I am genuinely astonished by some of the response to this movie. It is not the best movie of the year. It is not even the best movie I've seen this month. Perhaps it's the way it's been hyped- maybe it just couldn't live up to that. It is probably the most ambitious thing I've seen this year (and that is to be applauded) but that doesn't mean it works. First things first- I adore musicals.I was off on Friday and was so excited when I went to see it at the midday showing but I found it to be extremely disappointing. The opening of the movie is stunning but it goes downhill quickly. For me, it felt like two movies meshed together, and neither were executed very well. It seems afraid to be a full blown musical and it does not work very well in the more dramatic moments either. There are some high points. It has moments of absolute beauty where everything works very well- music, visuals, choreography. Though sometimes I felt that the set pieces were trying to emulate moments from Moulin Rouge etc and coming up short. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are charming and beautful leads but the material is so flat at times. There are visually superb moments but these are as many dull moments. I thought the pacing was just dreadful and I even considered walking out at one point. I heard a number of people making this point afterwards. The score is brilliant towards the beginning but I felt it petered out for the rest of the movie and I found much of the score later on to be largely forgettable. I was hoping for this glorious, sumptuous, mesmeric movie and it just isn't what I hoped for at all. I feel that they sacrificed what could have been a superb musical in favour of a sub par melodrama with a few songs interspersed. It all felt very disjointed. I did enjoy the ending of the movie as it was unexpected and deserves kudos as I imagine it won't be to everyone's taste. I have a habit of seeing shows and movies I like a number of times but I just would not sit through this again. I'm not sharing my thoughts with friends as I don't want to influence their view but I will wait with baited breath for their reviews. Is it possible you were to hyped up for this? I've done that to myself. Leave it 24 months and try the DVD, I do think there's a lot to be enjoyed even if I can see what you a getting at.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2017 7:41:21 GMT
I'm definitely with bren...
Had been so looking forward to this, and didn't even consider that it couldn't possibly live up to the hype. (And what hype!)
But oh my...! From the Kids from Fame opening sequence, I started to have my doubts. Then I wished I had a remote to crank up the sound (no oomph!). Then I got that awful feeling where I know I shouldn't look at my watch just yet (because it's too early on in the film.) Then I looked at my watch and saw we had an hour to go... A whole hour of wishy-washy music that never quite got off the ground and a couple occasionally dancing down a street or by a bench. Sometimes getting off the ground (although even this bit I was underwhelmed by.) My mind wandered to films like this that I thought were far, far better. Parapluies de Cherbourg... Moulin Rouge... If only the Land had had an 'e', perhaps it could have worked...?
I did like the pop song, although by then I had a feeling I wasn't meant to like it.
And I loved the ending. Very clever. But by then it was too late. For me.
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571 posts
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Post by westendwendy on Jan 20, 2017 8:25:43 GMT
Well I'm sorry but it was rather Blah Blah Land for me... Too forced, the emotional change of gear from text to song too manufactured, too obvious the soundtrack was recorded in a studio, average singing and dancing (why does Hollywood cast actors and not singers in musicals anymore?), it had a clunky book and a candy floss simple story about love, chance, fate and serendipity... Emma Stone was great yes, the story was a nice look into the harsh reality of showbusiness - but Ryan Gosling is looking old, he didn't make me swoon and I question if he really did play the piano at all times. Hm.. Overall I don't get the hype, the currency and heart of the piece wasn't authentic, the choreography for 10 year olds and well..... I was bit bored. Give me Moulin Rouge anytime. La La Land is fresh and creative but it tried so hard to be unique fusing the Hollywood from yesteryear with iPhones and yoof culture of today awkwardly. Ultimately I think it was miss cast, it failed to offer the true social comment it tried so hard to find and it never reached its potential. An ambivalent sweet and sticky 6/10.
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4,153 posts
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Post by kathryn on Jan 20, 2017 8:26:39 GMT
. Is it possible you were to hyped up for this? I've done that to myself. Leave it 24 months and try the DVD, I do think there's a lot to be enjoyed even if I can see what you a getting at. I've seen it twice, now - at the London Film Festival and Wednesday night, both times with friends who loved it. The first time I was too distracted by the technical stuff to fall in love with it - I kept wondering how they were getting those shots. The second time I focused in on the story and music and characters, and I still don't love it. It works as spectacle but it is curiously hollow. The characters are flat as a pancake - what is Mia's play about?? We never find anything out about her except that she is an aspiring actress who watched old films with her aunt but has never seen Rebel Without a Cause. She has no musical flavour of her own - her songs sound like the music he plays, she doesn't even sing about herself, her big song is about her aunt! The relationship doesn't ring true - have they really never spoken about his career plans after joining the band before the argument at dinner?! Do this couple ever have a proper conversation? It's not a proper musical - the story is not told and the characters are not revealed through music. It's a film about a musician with occasional dance numbers. It looks beautiful, but there's no depth to it.
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4,153 posts
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Post by kathryn on Jan 20, 2017 8:31:33 GMT
WestEndWendy, forgive me not quoting you but I'll probably mess up the tagging again!
Emma Stone is capable of singing better than she does in this. I saw her in Cabaret on Broadway. I think they've deliberately picked a 'naturalistic' singing style for the characters, though why they'd then pair that with a full orchestra is beyond me. It sounds odd - too obviously studio-produced.
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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 20, 2017 8:49:06 GMT
I can see all the criticism and I just hope I dont fall out of love with it.
City of Dreams is stuck in my head. Beautiful low key tune...
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155 posts
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Post by synchrony on Jan 20, 2017 10:23:07 GMT
I had mixed feelings.
I really liked the way it was shot, especially the final montage of how it 'could have been'.
I liked the choreography in the opening number.
I liked Emma Stone.
But I found the singing wishy-washy right from the start, and obviously done in a studio. I felt like everyone was lip-synching. So I agree with others on this.
I also didn't feel very involved with the characters. I don't understand why their relationship turned out the way it did. Seems a bit ridiculous that the issues involved wouldn't have come up in conversation sooner, or that they couldn't have overcome them if they'd wanted to. As Gosling says himself, there is lots of great jazz in Paris!
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 20, 2017 20:47:09 GMT
I wasn't a huge fan. It had its moments. For me it was 2.5 out of 5.
Maybe just not my cup of tea, but I am mystified by the hype. I don't think this is a "musical" for real musical fans.
A lot of the pastiche and homage to the so-called golden era was wasted on me, as that's never held much appeal to me - I prefer the more conceptual (post Cabaret/WSS type shows) .
The last 40 minutes just about rescued it for me, as wider themes around the pursuit of dreams made it more interesting, but I found the romance very run of the mill, especially in the middle of the film.
I guess nostalgia and convential "feel good" stories/stylings are quite bewitching to the typical blockbuster film goer, and it seems critics too. I just found it bordering on the side of "nice" and "wistful".
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 20, 2017 20:50:30 GMT
I've always been slightly confused by this movie, is it a full musical or just a movie with a few songs ? The trailers don't make it out to be a musical but it's always classed as that in articles. I plan to see it at the weekend regardless! Definitely a movie with a few songs. It pretends to take on the musical aesthetic but is never totally on board with the concept if you ask me. It doesn't know what it wants to be.
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 20, 2017 20:54:05 GMT
Started with great premise, visually exciting, great music, fabulous costumes. It lost it along the way, from being utterly wrapped up in it my attention drifted as the relationship changed. I wanted more whimsy. Oh god, it was TOO whimsy for me.
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 20, 2017 20:59:50 GMT
Well I'm sorry but it was rather Blah Blah Land for me... Too forced, the emotional change of gear from text to song too manufactured, too obvious the soundtrack was recorded in a studio, average singing and dancing (why does Hollywood cast actors and not singers in musicals anymore?), it had a clunky book and a candy floss simple story about love, chance, fate and serendipity... Emma Stone was great yes, the story was a nice look into the harsh reality of showbusiness - but Ryan Gosling is looking old, he didn't make me swoon and I question if he really did play the piano at all times. Hm.. Overall I don't get the hype, the currency and heart of the piece wasn't authentic, the choreography for 10 year olds and well..... I was bit bored. Give me Moulin Rouge anytime. La La Land is fresh and creative but it tried so hard to be unique fusing the Hollywood from yesteryear with iPhones and yoof culture of today awkwardly. Ultimately I think it was miss cast, it failed to offer the true social comment it tried so hard to find and it never reached its potential. An ambivalent sweet and sticky 6/10. Best review I've read!
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Post by welsh_tenor on Jan 20, 2017 22:48:28 GMT
Just seen this and it was so my type of film!
I started smiling at the opening number and didn't really stop all the way. I love whimsy and heart-warming and it certainly gave me that in buckets. I'm a sucker for a happy ending and so glad we had the montage in the final moments... loved Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling and I'm still whistling the main tune now I'm home...
When it finished I thought there was lots that could lend itself to a stage show but as an earlier poster said, part of the charm of the story were the montages and they just wouldn't work I don't think on stage.
Overall it was a thumbs up from me and also the girl sitting next to me - she cried happiness and sadness all the way through!
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Post by Dave25 on Jan 21, 2017 11:47:51 GMT
I LOVED the pre-recorded tracks. This is what creates some kind of "better than reality" quality, which lifts the scenes and emotions. I cried almost 7 times during the film, just because of the sheer beauty. There is a scene where they sing "live" and that one actually took me out of the film, because suddenly it felt like I saw 2 actors struggling with the material and feeling uncomfortable. That scene was too literal. While the rest of the film is a triumph of the fantasy, which is what this artform should be.
I also loved the moments that has no specific reason, other than just conveying a certain mood/feeling, such as the opening number, the scene in the hills on the bench, certain montages, the scene on the pier, it kind of reminded me of Disney classics like "Sleeping Beauty". Where scenes as Gifts of beauty, I wonder/do you hear that' have the same kind of approach. It was extremely refreshing to see a film that dared to go there and embrace that. Taking a moment to appreciate the beauty instead of constant action, oneliners or throwing every moment away with a joke. This approach really supported the way the pre-recorded tracks worked so well.
It was a triumph of the fantasy and therefore it felt extremely raw, real and emotional. That is how this artform works. I have missed this understanding in most recent (musical)films.
In addition to that, I thought is was very well acted, there were so many clever nuances in their scenes and loved the "could have been" montage and that (spoiler) even though they don't end up together, some bonds in life are different and good in another way. I loved the ending. And then the whole story of the struggle to achieve your career goals, the whole film actually was the opposite of a classic hollywood film.
I really hope other directors of future musicalfilms learn something from this.
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543 posts
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Post by freckles on Jan 21, 2017 11:56:50 GMT
I liked it. Great fun and a marvellous blend of genres, part musical, part rom com, part drama. I don't think it would work on stage because it's not a fully formed musical, and so much of its charm is the clever cinematography and nods to other movies. It wouldn't be impossible to stage it but would lose a lot of its basic essence, for me. Very brave to do the ending as they did. Little touches like that are what set it apart as a great film.
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Post by n1david on Jan 21, 2017 14:16:32 GMT
For those complaining about the studio-ness of the songs, here's an interesting podcast about the recording of the Audition Song, which was done live, in a single take, when it was being filmed. songexploder.net/la-la-landAnd for me, I am firmly on the Love side.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2017 14:48:03 GMT
Well I'm sorry but it was rather Blah Blah Land for me... Too forced, the emotional change of gear from text to song too manufactured, too obvious the soundtrack was recorded in a studio, average singing and dancing (why does Hollywood cast actors and not singers in musicals anymore?), it had a clunky book and a candy floss simple story about love, chance, fate and serendipity... Emma Stone was great yes, the story was a nice look into the harsh reality of showbusiness - but Ryan Gosling is looking old, he didn't make me swoon and I question if he really did play the piano at all times. Hm.. Overall I don't get the hype, the currency and heart of the piece wasn't authentic, the choreography for 10 year olds and well..... I was bit bored. Give me Moulin Rouge anytime. La La Land is fresh and creative but it tried so hard to be unique fusing the Hollywood from yesteryear with iPhones and yoof culture of today awkwardly. Ultimately I think it was miss cast, it failed to offer the true social comment it tried so hard to find and it never reached its potential. An ambivalent sweet and sticky 6/10. Ryan Gosling old just because he didn't make you swoon?! lol. And he has said he learnt to play the piano for the role, although apparently he knew the basics from when he was younger
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2017 14:53:32 GMT
I'm over a decade younger than Gosling and he definitely made me swoon. Not too old at all.
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Post by confessor on Jan 21, 2017 21:03:20 GMT
Saw it this afternoon, I enjoyed it but just not as much as I hoped I would. Really enjoyed the songs that were in it, could have done with more though, and I agree with others that the studio recorded numbers were missing something.
And despite Ryan trying his best to woo me with it, I still hate jazz.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 21:56:17 GMT
I came out singing 'Rainbow Connection' from the muppets.... im not sure if it was because one of the songs sounded familiar or because Ryan Gosling sounds like Kermit when he sings.
I wished they had changed the scene where she is auditioning for the not intrested casting people. She showed how easy it was for her to well up in tears, then everytime she did it for the rest of the film, i thought, oh shes acting, its not real. it took me out of the film for a while.
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Post by Stasia on Jan 24, 2017 8:07:57 GMT
Lots of my friends agreed with me on this one having something common with Once. Which is obviously the "I believe in you and will make you to believe in you, too", and the bittersweet ending, and a bit moody male character (I immediately imagined a stage version with Arthur Darvill playing that part)
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