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The News Website for Glendale High School

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The News Website for Glendale High School

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La La Land

Go on a romantic musical journey!
La+La+Land

La La Land is an amazing romantic musical, directed by Damien Chazelle, and it was released in 2016. The film quickly became an instant classic, receiving critical acclaim and multiple Academy Awards. Mia, played by Emma Stone, and Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, are two characters that will make you want to fall in love. 

La La Land tells the story of Mia, whose dream is to become an actress, and Sebastian, a pianist who is in love with jazz. The movie takes place in modern-day Los Angeles, where the two characters follow their goals, while falling in love with one another. 

The music in La La Land plays a significant role in creating a romantic vibe. The film’s soundtrack was inspired by the old classic Hollywood musicals. The cinematography is beautiful, with vibrant colors and creative sets, which all pull the audience in. 

The piano specifically plays a huge role in the film. It serves as a symbol of communication between the two characters, and it also represents the dreams and aspirations of the main character, Sebastian.

Throughout the movie, we can see Sebastian’s passion for jazz music. He is a talented jazz pianist and is in love with the genre. Over the course of the film, we see his dedication to keeping the spirit of jazz alive, because he thinks that this style of music is slowly becoming an abandoned artform. 

Sebastian dreams of opening his own jazz club, where he can share his passion with others. His love for jazz is helps him to pursue his dreams, even when he is faced with different complicated situations. 

Similarly, Mia’s passion in La La Land is for acting. She dreams of becoming a successful Hollywood actress, and we see that she is dedicated to making her aspirations come true, even after being rejected from many auditions. 

Through her journey, Mia’s love for acting helps her to discover herself more and gain self-confidence. This passion for performing also helps bring her closer to Sebastian.

Emma Stone is a talented actress and producer in the movie industry. She has played in various other famous movies, such as Easy A, Birdman and Crazy, Stupid, Love. She received the Academy Award for Best Actress, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her role in this movie. 

Ryan Gosling has played in many different movies, such as Blade Runner 2049 and The Notebook. He has earned a Grammy nomination and was recently nominated for an Oscar for his role as Ken in Barbie, and he sings the Best Original Song nominee, ”I’m Just Ken” from that movie.

What makes Stone and Gosling’s performances so great is that their individual talents are exposed throughout the movie. They reveal their abilities to sing, dance and play music. Ryan Gosling actually learned to play the piano for his role in La La Land, in only a matter of months, with the help of professional pianist Randy Kerber. 

There are a total of six unique numbers in La La Land, including “Another Day of Sun”, “Someone in the Crowd”, “A Lovely Night”, “Start a Fire”, and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)”. But my personal favorite is “City of Stars”, because the song reflects on Sebastian’s optimism in Los Angeles. It shows the dreamer’s perspective, as they are trying to achieve their own goals in Los Angeles, and it encourages the audience to believe in themselves and keep chasing their dreams.

Ultimately, La La Land can be connected to real life in a few ways. It reminds us to never give up on our goals and to keep pushing forward no matter what. Additionally, the film exposes the truth, that we will all face challenges and sacrifices, in order to follow the path we want our lives to take. La La Land is different from many other movies for its mixture of genres, like romance and drama. 

Overall, La La Land is an amazing story that captures the difficulties of life, dreams, and love. Be prepared that the final scenes of the film may leave you with mixed emotions, exposing the realities of pursuing one’s passions and the hurtful sacrifices that come with it. 

And if you enjoy this movie, you might also love The Greatest Showman and Chicago.

About the Contributor
Sofya Ghazaryan
Sofya Ghazaryan, Staff Writer
Sofya is a sophomore at Glendale High School and a member of the Nitro volleyball team. She loves spending time with her boyfriend, friends and family. She enjoys watching Netflix and playing beach volleyball and tennis.
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