La La Land

While the Oscars may not have gone in the way you wanted too, it made you want to watch the films Moonlight, La La Land, etc. La La Land won many, many awards and for different aspects within the film. It is a fantastic movie, a modern day romance with a nod to Broadway. The film is set in Los Angeles and stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling (throwback to Crazy, Stupid, Love). The chemistry is unreal onscreen even if they aren't together in real life. The two characters are what you would normally think of when you hear L.A., an aspiring actress and a struggling musician. Both characters have strong personalities and challenges that provide them with different outlooks on life. The film does a great job at introducing the characters and their stories even before they meet. A scene on a bridge stuck in traffic, Emma Stone is reading a script and distracted, a car honks behind her and pulls around her. The honking car turns out to be Ryan Gosling and chance encounters follow the two until they meet. Gosling has an obsession with jazz that he shares with Stone who learns to love it as well. Stone has ideas and dreams that Gosling sees as inspiring and is her biggest fan when it comes to her acting.

The couple is strong, wants each other to succeed, and works hard to make their dreams come true. Gosling begins to succeed when he joins a successful band that introduces a new form of jazz. His eventual goal is to open up a jazz club. Stone writes a one woman show that she thought would be a hit, but barely anyone shows up; including Gosling. The film follows the couple as their relationship starts to crumble and they go off in their separate ways. Both characters are not happy without each other but still try and move on. They are brought together again when a call is made to Gosling looking for Stone's character about an audition. He basically drags her to the audition and they end up talking about their relationship. Both move on with their lives and while I won't spoil the ending, it is both beautiful and sad at the same time.

The movie contains realistic issues in relationships such as distance and communication. When someone travels for a large amount in their field communication needs to be kept as well as an understand for their partners feelings. The lack of communication, lack of understanding, and just a lack of planning left the relationship in turmoil. The beauty of relationships was also represented well, both people wanting the other to succeed. Constantly pushing one another and admiring each others talents. Emma got into jazz, began dancing to it and enjoying it because of Ryan. Ryan appreciated acting and Emma's hard work. Something the film lacked was showing two people unable to be with each other when both of them are successful. I find that to not be true at all and I know both people in a relationship can be successful.

All in all the film was witty, charming, and had fantastic musical numbers. Showing more in depth emotions in a relationship as well as deep seeded passion for different aspects of life was refreshing as well as entertaining.