By Luca Newton
La La Land released in 2016 to critical acclaim, and 5 years later, I rewatched it. This film is still absolutely a masterpiece, and even better upon second viewing.
I decided to rewatch La La Land on the whim of it leaving Netflix in a couple days, and it was the first time since I physically saw it in the cinema in 2016, 5 yeas ago. For that reason, my memory was a little fuzzy, but I did remember the main parts. I knew it was a masterpiece, but after my rewatch last night I was utterly blown away by how much better it was to me a second time. So utterly blown away, that I needed to articulate my thoughts.
The truth is, I am passionate for movies because when you're enthralled by something, it's the perfect combination of narrative, performance, cinematography, emotion and soundtrack. Nothing does it as well as films in my honest opinion. Absolutely the strongest form of storytelling, as it weaves a combination of these elements in a confined form. A form, if perfected, can make for something with plenty to love, easy to access and analyse and rewatch over and over. To me La La Land is an example of perfecting film form.
How I Define Movie Magic..
There are certain movies that know they're movies. Sure, every movie knows it's a movie, but when you break it down - a movie to me is a specific definition. There are films, and then there are movies. A movie is something that takes film form and perfects it to such a degree that you are left speechless. It's why I have such a passion for movies. The best ones make me feel something so deeply that nothing else can really. Movies are art. They're a collaboration between writers, actors, cinematographers, all lead by a director who sews the film together. When that perfect collaboration occurs, that casts a spell of movie magic.
And this isn't a jab at what I define as "films" - they also very much have merit in my opinion. I mean, I am deeply passionate for Marvel films, but I don't really think they're movie magic in the same way as other movies, even with some MCU films being some of my favourite films. However, when comparing to some of my other favourite movies. Baby Driver is this beautiful, fast-paced, action-packed masterpiece which is gorgeous and full of nuance, and a godly soundtrack. Everything Edgar Wright did with Baby Driver really showed a true understanding of film form. A perfect marriage of everything a movie should be.
Despite all of that, I have seen plenty of movies that do all those things, but for me don't capture my own movie magic. That is because at the core of movie magic is heart. Heart is the thing that makes a movie truly magical. Room, another one of my favourite films of all time, is one of my favourites because of the pure heart. Man, that film had me crying three times, not even for sad parts, just out of the pure heart the film has. You are invested in these characters to the point of happy tears in emotional moments. That emotional core not only has to make you cry. A film like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, isn't sad, but it has so much soul and heart that seams through the film every single rewatch.
How La La Land Defines Movie Magic..
Everything about La La Land absolutely defines movie magic. From every part of my criteria. Is it the perfect marriage of all film forms that are formed together like art with a huge heart and emotional core that is impossible to miss? Absolutely.
La La Land starts in the busy highways of Los Angeles in the middle of the day. A mundane day. However, a girl starts to sing. And eventually everyone on that mundane highway get up and participate in a huge dance number. This scene finishes, and we are instantly aligned to our main characters, as they see each other for the first time in a very unflattering and grounded way. But this contrast is a theme that runs through the whole movie - it is the thing that truly makes this a special movie. This idea of mundane life being elevated with music and performance. Glamorising LA, and the showbiz industry, in a deeply grounded story of realistic characters in a real world. The fantastical, colourful dance numbers define the ideology of La La Land. Because at its core, this story is way more realistic and true to life than the majority of other romance films - yet the film chooses to appear more of a fairytale with the musical structure, and directly contrast it with the serious narrative.
This contrast also acts as a way of aligning us to our main characters, and the main theme - dreams. Mia and Sebastian have strong passions, and those passions are the driving part in how they come together. By making the film a musical, it plays into the dream-like fantasy that these characters are hoping for out of life. The thing is, the film gives them that fantasy, but at the cost at each other. They eventually achieve their goals by not being in a relationship. Thematically, these music set-pieces fit within the narrative perfectly, and marry the film with a larger than life and whimsical tone that completely sets you up to be completely crushed by what the film shows is reality. All this is masterfully directed by Damien Chazelle. The musical part of this film is so flawlessly weaved within the fabrics of La La Land that it manages to display the magic of movies within a physical form without ever feeling forced or too on the nose. The most egregious example is the observatory scene, where they literally dance in space, in a serene way. The scene perfectly captures the heart of the film.
While being magical feeling, it's the marriage of writing, acting, and the film form that will make a film magic. La La Land luckily excels in every area. La La Land is one of the prettiest movies I've ever seen - every shot in the film is bombastically colourful and full of life. Each shot is purposeful, with incredible framing, incredible use of movement. The way the story is told, and the mise-en-scene can tell the narrative for you without them directly telling you. When the cinema embodies Mia and Sebastian's relationship. It's driven by twice; open at first, but closed when their relationship is on its downfall. The theme that Seb played in their first encounter, that is constantly reused in the movie to really define their relationship and the melancholic truth of it. The subtlety is also in the acting. Emma Stone literally tells us her internal conflict at the start of the film before she goes out with her friends - you know she's debating whether its a good idea, but ultimately thinks that she should go. All of that is literally in the facial expressions and how she conveys them. It's genius, and it is exactly what indicates a good actor. The writing is also incredible. The story of the film is simple, however the way its told is carried with how good the writing is. You're invested in the film due to the convincing relationship between Mia and Seb, which feels so natural.
Movie magic is where this is all married together. Well, La La Land absolutely does this flawlessly. I think the final scene is the perfect example. Mia and Seb have moved on with their lives, but for a brief moment, they run into each other one more time. Mia, with her husband, watches Seb perform their song. In that moment, the light singles out Mia, and we see a moment of what could have happened. A flash of an alternative timeline. This is weaved in with this visually stunning dance set piece between different sets with an almost play-like aesthetic to really hammer in the make-believe nature of what the scene. It looks the most dream-like out of every musical number, because it's the least tangible. Then the cinema, that has defined their relationship, is used to show Mia and Seb looking at old clips of them raising a child they don't have. It's beautiful, and also deeply sad. After all of that, Mia leaves, but looks to Seb. They share a look at each other. They both smile, and Mia then leaves. Just that expression tells an entire story. It shows their understanding for each other. That look basically is that previous musical number but communicated to each other. The subtlety is so brilliant at conveying the message of the film. The final scene is this wild ride, but also just 2 people that went separate ways communicating through expression.
It is truly magic. It is what I use as an example for what I define as movie magic. The way the movie is a perfect marriage of all the best parts of what makes movies so special, and what makes La La Land one of my favourite movies of all time.
Thanks for reading.
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