La La Land
Posted: January 16th, 2017, 11:32 pm
5/10.
I had very high expectations of this as the critics are going crazy about it.
The first 15-20 minutes is promising. We have a huge song & dance number in a traffic jam on an elevated freeway, there's some clever and snappy dialogue, good new modern twists on the musical genre, and a clever technique where the film removes everything except the chief character in the scene, who is then highlighted. The two lead characters are engaging and all looks promising.
After the first 20 minutes however, it's like different (worse) directors and writers takes charge of most of the rest of the film. It virtually abandons the musical theme for a plodding and hackneyed romance based around a theme of how difficult it is to make it in Hollywood, where you just get bored with the two main characters. Dullness abounds, and I found myself frequently checking my watch.
Apparently the original director comes back for the last 10 minutes which are visually arresting and has clever plot ideas, but it's all a bit late by this point to save the film.
"Moulin Rouge" was in a similar vein, but much much better and creative. La La Land lifts ideas from quite a few others. It pays homage to "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" with vivid colours and lots of visual references to umbrellas (and even parapluies).
Wondering why it's had such great reviews. I can only think that Hollywood often loves films about Hollywood, especially when there's a subtext of how important artistic dreamy types are in livening up all of our humdrum little lives.
Massively disappointed.
I had very high expectations of this as the critics are going crazy about it.
The first 15-20 minutes is promising. We have a huge song & dance number in a traffic jam on an elevated freeway, there's some clever and snappy dialogue, good new modern twists on the musical genre, and a clever technique where the film removes everything except the chief character in the scene, who is then highlighted. The two lead characters are engaging and all looks promising.
After the first 20 minutes however, it's like different (worse) directors and writers takes charge of most of the rest of the film. It virtually abandons the musical theme for a plodding and hackneyed romance based around a theme of how difficult it is to make it in Hollywood, where you just get bored with the two main characters. Dullness abounds, and I found myself frequently checking my watch.
Apparently the original director comes back for the last 10 minutes which are visually arresting and has clever plot ideas, but it's all a bit late by this point to save the film.
"Moulin Rouge" was in a similar vein, but much much better and creative. La La Land lifts ideas from quite a few others. It pays homage to "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" with vivid colours and lots of visual references to umbrellas (and even parapluies).
Wondering why it's had such great reviews. I can only think that Hollywood often loves films about Hollywood, especially when there's a subtext of how important artistic dreamy types are in livening up all of our humdrum little lives.
Massively disappointed.