La La Land (2016)

[vibeology]

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 1:46 PM, cpcathy said:

The sound mixing has got to be my biggest pet peeve from this film.

It got an Oscar nomination for this today and I honestly can't believe it. The other nominations are deserved but that? Nope.

[joelene]

Just saw this. I like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling sure is pretty, but come. on. That was one boring love story. I found most of the song and dance numbers very underwhelming (it's been two hours and the opening is the only one that really stuck with me). This thing needed so much more oomph. 

IMO. 

[cpcathy]

I'm laughing at the sound mixing nomination.

[JessePinkman]

I opened this thread only to say that the sound mixing in the first song was atrocious. Maybe it was my theater but I could not for the life of me make out what the singer was saying. There were a few songs where the lyrics were indecipherable (the part of that one song with her friends before the party they went to for instance) but that one was the worst.

[SeanC]

I had trouble in my theatre, and it sounds like a lot of people had similar experiences, but there was a copy of the opening on YouTube for a bit (it's since been taken down by Lionsgate) and to my surprise it was all perfectly audible there, so I don't know what the issue was.

[Browncoat]

I've seen the movie twice in two different theaters, and had no problem either time.

[caracas1914]

Well there is at the least social media "backlash" to the perceived  over the top praise for LALA Land...and I have to admit this SNL skit was funny.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2017/01/22/saturday-night-live-la-la-land-sketch-aziz-ansari/96917224/

[Bill1978]

I haven't seen La La Land yet and will have to wait for the DVD but at the moment my issue with the praise it is getting stems from the way some people. critics and those involved with the movie think that they have done something innovative. Like this is the first movie musical ever!! I get what they wanted to say was thanks for taking a chance on an original live action musical in this day and age but all the speeches at the Golden Globe had me thinking what a slap in the face it must be for all those people who worked on recent animated musicals, all those people who worked on recent movie adaptations of Broadway hits. It has left a very sour taste in my mouth.

I'm just hoping it doesn't end up tying or beating the record of 11 Oscars, cause the movie to me just isn't creating a similar buzz like Titanic or Return of the King did when they were released.

On ‎25‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 7:30 AM, cpcathy said:

I'm laughing at the sound mixing nomination.

An Oscar site I regularly visited has said in the past that if you are struggling to pick the winner in this category you always choose the musical nominee first, then the loudest as back up. I actually thought of all the complaints about mixing that have been in his thread and laughed out loud when I saw it got nominated.

[Artsda]

I finally saw it and loved it, the music & cinematography was so beautiful. 

The ending of them not being together was poetic and realistic that they wouldn't end up together or a happily ever after. However, knowing Hollywood/show business I didn't really see it as a they won't be together ending. Because odds her marriage would last in that famous actress world isn't good. lol 

I wished her old boss was the one at cash when she came into the coffee shop. 

I see why all the love/hype/it's the best move ever from critics and award season. They love movies like this, movies about  art, or making it in Hollywood/about Hollywood in general like The Artist recently. 

[Bruinsfan]

To be fair, as someone in a flyover state with no show business aspirations, The Artist struck me as good enough to actually deserve all the praise it got. It was my favorite movie by far in 2011, and I'm kind of sad I haven't seen Jean Dujardin in more movies with US releases since then.

[cpcathy]

I am wondering if La La Land, given the social and political climate that we are in right now, will win the major awards because it's a feel good film (well, MOST of it, anyway). Like if they'd given Oscars to Astaire and Rogers films during the depression.

[Silver Raven]

5 hours ago, Bruinsfan said:

To be fair, as someone in a flyover state with no show business aspirations, The Artist struck me as good enough to actually deserve all the praise it got. It was my favorite movie by far in 2011, and I'm kind of sad I haven't seen Jean Dujardin in more movies with US releases since then.

He was in Monuments Men, and is supposedly in the next Transformers movie.

[snickers]

1 hour ago, Silver Raven said:

To be fair, as someone in a flyover state with no show business aspirations, The Artist struck me as good enough to actually deserve all the praise it got. It was my favorite movie by far in 2011,

And it didn't get as many nominations as la la land did!

Don't get me wrong, I really liked la la land a lot.  I thought Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were great together with excellent chemistry.  But I'm not getting all the golden globes/oscar love.  Can someone explain this to me?

Natalie Portman in my opinion should win the oscar for best performance, and Moonlight should win best picture, but I have a feeling neither thing will happen and Emma will win best actress and la la land best picture.  While I don't think la la land will win in every category it was nominated in, I bet it wins 10 oscars. 

My only hope at this point is that lady from Elle takes the best actress and upsets both Natalie and Emma's camps LOL.

[arc]

I liked La La Land a lot and I still don't think it should have any screenwriting nominations. Maybe I'm missing something.  Acting, music, direction, cinematography, sure. As far as the writing of it goes, the ending is very powerful. But the conflict in the story is weak, the depiction of actual artistic struggle is bonkers bad... 

[wlk68]

I'm suffering from La La Land fatigue. I'm sick of seeing this movie win all the awards when I just don't think it was the bestest thing evah!

I liked Jackie more. I like Arrival more. I liked Manchester by the Sea more. I liked Moonlight more.

[cpcathy]

I liked Arrival more. La La Land was a nice diversion on Christmas Eve, which is when I saw it.

[vavera4ka]

Add me to the Arrival crowd.

As much as I loved LaLa, my fav movie of the year is still Arrival.

[PepSinger]

On January 30, 2017 at 9:06 PM, arc said:

I liked La La Land a lot and I still don't think it should have any screenwriting nominations. Maybe I'm missing something.  Acting, music, direction, cinematography, sure. As far as the writing of it goes, the ending is very powerful. But the conflict in the story is weak, the depiction of actual artistic struggle is bonkers bad... 

Heh. I loved this movie, but I will gladly call out the screenwriting and sound mixing nominations. They are 100% bullshit.

[JustaPerson]

I saw a clip of Chris Evans during the Civil War press junket talking about how he tapped a lot growing and was waiting for "a good tap movie" so he can use his skills and now I'm imagining Chris tapping along with Emma.

ETA: Or..OR...Chris and Ryan? *wiggles eyebrows* 

Edited February 5, 2017 by JustaPerson

[frogzapper]

On 2/1/2017 at 6:43 PM, JustaPerson said:

I saw a clip of Chris Evans during the Civil War press junket talking about how he tapped a lot growing and was waiting for "a good tap movie" so he can use his skills and now I'm imagining Chris tapping along with Emma.

Oooh, now that's something I'd like to see! It's fun to see an actor demonstrating a skill you never would've thought they had! And I always enjoy seeing someone break out the tap dancing (if they do it well) because it seems like such an old school skill to have, lol!

Back on topic, I thought "La La Land" was okay and entertaining enough, but I didn't think it was all that great. I though Emma Stone handled the singing parts pretty well but Ryan Gosling was just passable in his singing. And the dancing numbers just didn't quite work for me. I don't know exactly what it was, but I kept wanting something more - to feel lifted out of my seat - and it just felt like it fell short. Finally, it seemed like the final act of the movie felt kind of forced and rushed.

[stealinghome]

I saw this movie tonight and was quite underwhelmed. I can't believe it's getting so much awards love--I would not even have nominated it for Best Picture. I mean, it wasn't a BAD movie by any stretch, but it wasn't particularly good either. It was just solidly mediocre...nothing special about it at all. I admire its ambition, but it didn't come anywhere close to being the transcendental experience I think it wanted to be.

Emma Stone was very good and I can buy a nom for her, but Ryan Gosling was dull as dishwater--I can't BELIEVE he was nominated. And the script was atrociously paper thin--again, THAT got a nomination? I do think the artistic nominations were well deserved, though. The sets and costumes were gorgeous.

The only other Oscar movies I've seen this year are Hidden Figures and Arrival, and I would rank both WAY above La La Land. Like light-years above.

[Sweet Tee]

4 minutes ago, stealinghome said:

Ryan Gosling was dull as dishwater

YES!  I feel that way about him everything except The Nice Guys.  That movie almost had me reevaluating my feelings on him but then I saw this and nope.  He's still like watching paint dry to me.  I don't think he's particularly good looking either.  He's okay, I guess.  I just do not understand his popularity.  I'm not seeing this amazing chemistry with Emma Stone either.  But, at least she's charismatic and fun to watch.  Him, not so much.

[Silver Raven]

41 minutes ago, Sweet Tee said:

YES!  I feel that way about him everything except The Nice Guys.  That movie almost had me reevaluating my feelings on him but then I saw this and nope.  He's still like watching paint dry to me.  I don't think he's particularly good looking either.  He's okay, I guess.  I just do not understand his popularity.  I'm not seeing this amazing chemistry with Emma Stone either.  But, at least she's charismatic and fun to watch.  Him, not so much.

I highly recommend Drive, and Lars and the Real Girl.

[Ms Blue Jay]

That's so funny, weird.  I thought Ryan was the charismatic part of the movie while Emma wasn't.  LOL.

So happy to see so many fellow Arrival lovers.  

I am wondering if La La Land, given the social and political climate that we are in right now, will win the major awards because it's a feel good film (well, MOST of it, anyway). Like if they'd given Oscars to Astaire and Rogers films during the depression.

But it is also the white movie, when so much of the U.S.'s political climate right now is dominated by white supremacists, including many major people in the government.  I don't think people who feel bad because of the government were necessarily uplifted by this story.  Especially Emma's "dancing" in that jazz bar.  When Arrival came out, there was a lot of talk on social media about how it had a great story about listening and communicating with different populations before reacting with violence.... 

[clb1016]

On 2/10/2017 at 11:47 PM, Silver Raven said:

I highly recommend Drive, and Lars and the Real Girl.

Also Half Nelson; although it's really a downer, it's well worth seeing (also worth it for the lovely work of the young Shareeka Epps}.

[Frost]

I was underwhelmed as well.  I didn't even have that high of expectations.  Manchester By the Sea and Hidden Figures were both much better.  I haven't see Arrival so I can't speak to that film.  I call 'foul' if this wins any of the major Oscars.

[choclatechip45]

I guess I am in the minority who liked La La Land better than Arrival. However, I think Amy Adams deserved to be nominated for best actress.

[raezen]

I saw it tonight.  I hated it. Stone and Gosling were excellent but this just reinforced for me that I don't like musicals. I just wanted to see what the hype was about and I was constantly being told it was reinventing the musical. It really didn't for me. Everything that I would expect in a musical happened. By the time the montage for Fall rolled around it really felt like I had sat through 3 seasons, but even that I would have just chalked it up to being a nice but slow film , but the end came..... I agree with everyone who disliked the end. 

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I had a different reaction from most in here.  While the thread of their "love" for most of the film was, indeed, "thin," the scene when he came home for one day and they hashed out the tensions (settling/shooting for the stars, each pursuing "fame," etc.) was as smart as any such scene I have ever watched.  Add to that the non-Hollywood romance ending totally made the movie and was itself, brave.  For me, most uncommon and praiseworthy.

I knew several folks very much like these two protagonists when I lived, as it happens, near Burbank.  There's a Ralphs super market on Magnolia (the street where VanBeek's (samba and tapas) was located) which virtually crawls with these ambitious, and pretty, people.  Most got involved in a romance, or three.  None of these resulted in marriage.  A common issue: Being available for a last-second read through/audition/meeting.   They just could not count on the other "being there" for them.  That's what happened to Mia and Seb.  Neither could either subjugate their career aspirations and neither could accept the other doing that, as that would radically change the person with whom they fell "in love."  Almost as if there were a built-in poison pill, eh?  Ding.

The thing I least enjoyed was the constant, "Look what we can do with whizbang tech and an outrageous vision (shutting down a highway" (the 710?))!   I spent most of the otherwise wonderful "Don't Waste the Night" number wondering how much CGI was used to maintain the gorgeous lavender sky behind the hills.  I wished I could have just allowed it all to wash over me, but they went too far, too often, with over-the-top sequencing.  

Overall, I was thrilled with the audacity of the vision to sell a jazz/dance film and the marvelous original music and choreography.  The shockingly smart dialogue and the overall flow of the relationship were cathartic to these eyes and ears.  I am heartily recommending it to everyone I know with one caveat:  If you do not like jazz, stay away!

Edited February 15, 2017 by Lonesome Rhodes

[Inquisitionist]

I'm not a huge fan of jazz,  but I can appreciate artistry and passion, so that did not diminish my enjoyment of the film.

[sum]

6 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

[...]
The thing I least enjoyed was the constant, "Look what we can do with whizbang tech and an outrageous vision (shutting down a highway" (the 710?))!   I spent most of the otherwise wonderful "Don't Waste the Night" number wondering how much CGI was used to maintain the gorgeous lavender sky behind the hills.  I wished I could have just allowed it all to wash over me, but they went too far, too often, with over-the-top sequencing.
[...]

No CGI was involved in that scene (or for that matter any early morning/evening backdrops) according to Linus Sandgren and Chazelle. They said they got the same question frequently but it was just a well rehearsaled scene, took two evenings if I remember correctly.

[Bruinsfan]

On 2/12/2017 at 8:10 PM, choclatechip45 said:

I guess I am in the minority who liked La La Land better than Arrival. However, I think Amy Adams deserved to be nominated for best actress.

I enjoyed it more than Arrival—it's a more entertaining film, but I think Arrival is the better written and acted one.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

8 hours ago, sum said:

No CGI was involved in that scene (or for that matter any early morning/evening backdrops) according to Linus Sandgren and Chazelle. They said they got the same question frequently but it was just a well rehearsaled scene, took two evenings if I remember correctly.

Thank you for this.  They did something(s).  Light like that does not hold precisely as it appeared to in the film.  It also requires a near-precise replication of the aerosols (particulate matter) in the air for a second day.  

It was a gorgeous effect, to be sure.  But, it was an effect.  Fine by me if they win the Oscar for Cinematography.

[BetterButter]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: How 'La La Land' Misleads on Race, Romance and Jazz

[sum]

18 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

Thank you for this.  They did something(s).  Light like that does not hold precisely as it appeared to in the film.  It also requires a near-precise replication of the aerosols (particulate matter) in the air for a second day.  

It was a gorgeous effect, to be sure.  But, it was an effect.  Fine by me if they win the Oscar for Cinematography.

I have no knowledge to argue it. :p Funnily enough, Chazelle talked about the scene briefly last night. (from 5min) 

[choclatechip45]

On 2/15/2017 at 2:48 PM, Bruinsfan said:

I enjoyed it more than Arrival—it's a more entertaining film, but I think Arrival is the better written and acted one.

I agree with that.

[Ms Blue Jay]

My body and mind were shaken up by Arrival.  After it was finished, I just sat there, stunned.  It was one of the most powerful movie experiences I've ever had.  I told everyone to go see it.  

La La Land was cute, fun, I agree, "enjoyable".  But it didn't change my life or anything (I'm enough of a geek that I think some movies did) and nothing has really stayed with me since, not even the uber-catchy music.  I only told my brother to see it because he's a musician and I thought maybe he'd relate to Ryan.

But hey, to each their own.  Everyone has a different favourite, a different horse in the race.  I preferred Fences over La La Land!

Edited February 18, 2017 by Ms Blue Jay

[Silver Raven]

If La La Land had been directed by David Lynch:

[sally-can-wait]

I loved it but one of the main reasons I loved it was because it reminded me A LOT of my dad. He grew up in Southern California, is a piano player and is always telling me how great jazz is (I have a hard time with it. LOL) and he also loves Rebel Without A Cause and James Dean. So it hit a lot of notes for me on a personal level and I’ll always think of him when I watch it. 

I’ll be fine if it does not win Best Picture though. What I want to happen is for Moonlight to take Best Picture and for Chazelle to take Best Director and I’m PRAYING that Taylor Sheridan wins for Original Screenplay for Hell or High Water but I know the likelihood of that is zero.

Oh and as much as people seem to hate La La Land I have a similar amount of hate for Manchester By The Sea. That is the most overrated moves in years as far as I'm concerned.

[raezen]

14 hours ago, double-elvis said:

I’ll be fine if it does not win Best Picture though. What I want to happen is for Moonlight to take Best Picture and for Chazelle to take Best Director and I’m PRAYING that Taylor Sheridan wins for Original Screenplay for Hell or High Water but I know the likelihood of that is zero.

Oh and as much as people seem to hate La La Land I have a similar amount of hate for Manchester By The Sea. That is the most overrated moves in years as far as I'm concerned.

Funny, I'm the opposite. I still don't like La La Land but I've come to terms with the idea that it probably will win best picture. If that is the mood of the nation right now, "we need fluff", I guess that will be it's time capsule. But I do really hope Barry Jenkins gets best director. 

Edited February 23, 2017 by raezen

[thuganomics85]

Damn, I know not everyone liked La La Land and I agree with some of the issues, but I felt bad for them tonight, after they were announced the Best Picture winner, only to be told mid-speech that there was a fuck-up, and it was actually Moonlight.  That had to feel like the rug being pulled out from under your feet!

At least they can't take Damien Chazelle's director trophy from him!  Congrats to him, Emma Stone, and the awards it did win!  But, man, I can only imagine how they're all feeling right now.

Edited February 27, 2017 by thuganomics85

[JustaPerson]

I can't imagine how they must be feeling. How embarrassing and awful. That said, now I absolutely have to see Moonlight -- I heard so many good things about it and I was hoping if La La Land (the only BP film I've seen so far) didn't win that they would.

[BetterButter]

[Lonesome Rhodes]

For me, Soundtrack, Song, and Director were the unarguable and clear bests this year.  Cinematography was also quite deserving.

In classic Hollyweird fashion, Faye Dunaway, who is the only person who actually said "LaLa Land" won, is getting zero blame.  Beatty never once uttered those words.  As always, the story is more important than the truth.

Good on Horowicz for his gracious stage presence.

[Artsda]

Congrats on the 6 Oscars they won! 

[VCRTracking]

This tweet made me laugh:

[Spartan Girl]

At least they were good sports about it.

[Lazlo]

On 2/27/2017 at 8:46 AM, VCRTracking said:

This tweet made me laugh:

I loved La La Land and was rooting for it but this made me laugh too!

I am puzzled by the narrative that seems to be developing in the media that Moonlight winning was some David over Goliath victory. La La Land is a crowd pleasing frothy romantic comedy musical, Moonlight is  a downbeat character study about serious issues. I don't think either film can (fairly) be called 'Oscar bait' but if either could, well, it wouldn't be La La Land.

[cpcathy]

The Academy has been splitting Best Picture from the other wins in recent years, i.e., Gravity winning a bunch then 12 Years a Slave winning BP, or whatever last year's "lock" was (Revenant?) and then Spotlight winning. If I had participated in an Oscar pool, I would have chosen Moonlight to split and win BP.

And that tweet is indeed super spot on!

[aradia22]

Quote

I am puzzled by the narrative that seems to be developing in the media that Moonlight winning was some David over Goliath victory. La La Land is a crowd pleasing frothy romantic comedy musical, Moonlight is  a downbeat character study about serious issues. I don't think either film can (fairly) be called 'Oscar bait' but if either could, well, it wouldn't be La La Land.

La La Land as the odds on favorite has been the narrative for a while. It's a movie about Hollywood and not just that but a movie celebrating artists (musician/actors specifically). I personally didn't find it pleasing and frothy (I thought it was bitter and cynical) but it is about a romantic relationship and it's a colorful musical. The Oscars like romantic movies and they like spectacle. It's got two relatively famous stars (particularly compared to Moonlight) who have gotten awards attention in the past. The movie was written and directed by a young auteur who had already gotten attention for a movie last year and the Oscars loves anointing (usually white, usually male) directors. Also, yeah, it's not a very diverse cast and the Oscars hasn't been great about awarding diverse films though evidently the changes they made to shake up the voting body had some effect. And during awards season, La La Land had all the momentum and seemed to be doing the major campaigning work.