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The Villages
Friday, March 29, 2024

Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone work hard to make ‘La La Land’ look effortless

Jack Petro
Jack Petro

You can expect by its title that “La La Land” is going to be some sort of parody on the entertainment business in Los Angeles and Hollywood. Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) cross paths on their quests for stardom. Mia is a budding playwright and actress. Sebastian is an accomplished musician who eventually wants to own a high-class jazz night club in Los Angeles.

While bumping along together on their paths for artistic recognition, they fall in love.  The screenplay is a genuine musical and has them singing and dancing across the screen in their hopes of making it big.  Their scenes in Griffith Park overlooking Los Angeles and inside museum are spectacular with their principal dance shot by a single camera with no breaks – in the style of Fred and Ginger.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in "La La Land."
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in “La La Land.”

Everything is roses between Mia and Sebastian as they struggle with their careers.  Sebastian strikes gold first but his gigs are constantly on the road which separate the pair.

Director Damien Chaze has some fun with the script. Note that while the show is divided into the seasons spring, summer, fall, and winter, all the backgrounds are the identical foliage and 72 degrees. Rumor has it that she practiced a month on the feature dances. Gosling is an accomplished musician and all the piano shots are his. The movie gets an A grade from me. It already won a record number of Golden Globes.

Note: The evening view of LA from Griffith park is one of the world’s classic vistas.  If you visit, view the Foucault Pendulum within the museum. The perpetual movement of the Pendulum proves mathematically and physically that the earth is rotating.

“La La Land” is currently playing at the Rialto Theater in The Villages.   

Villager Jack Petro reviews movies for Villages-News.com

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