La La Land
First screened in October 2016
Director: Damien Chazelle. Cast: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend, Finn Wittrock, Rosemary DeWitt, Tom Everett Scott, Callie Hernandez, Sonoya Mizuno, Jessica Rothe, J.K. Simmons, Josh Pence, Nicole Coulon, Meagen Fay, Claudine Claudio, Amiée Conn, Zoë Hall, Marius De Vries, Anna Chazelle. Screenplay: Damien Chazelle.

Twitter Capsule: Stone, Gosling are assets, increasingly. Really disliked the lighting and look. Chazelle shows off at his own expense.

Second Capsule: If you gave The Artist, Birdman, and/or the John Carney trio a hard time, I'm going to approach your La La Land rave with an eyebrow raised.

VOR:   Clearly a major movie event of the year, marketing-wise. Just as clearly an ambitious undertaking in genre and execution. But will it hold up?



Photo © 2016 Lionsgate/Black Label Media/Summit Entertainment

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: B–


Academy Award Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture
Best Director: Damien Chazelle
Best Actress: Emma Stone
Best Actor: Ryan Gosling
Best Original Screenplay: Damien Chazelle
Best Cinematography: Linus Sandgren
Best Production Design: David Wasco; Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
Best Costume Design: Mary Zophres
Best Film Editing: Tom Cross
Best Original Score: Justin Hurwitz
Best Original Song: "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)"
Best Original Song: "City of Stars"
Best Sound Mixing: Andy Nelson, Ai-Ling Lee, Steven Morrow
Best Sound Editing: Ai-Ling Lee & Mildred Iatrou

Golden Globe Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture (Musical/Comedy)
Best Director: Damien Chazelle
Best Actress (Musical/Comedy): Emma Stone
Best Actor (Musical/Comedy): Ryan Gosling
Best Screenplay: Damien Chazelle
Best Original Score: Justin Hurwitz
Best Original Song: "City of Stars"

Other Awards:
Venice Film Festival: Best Actress (Stone)
Toronto International Film Festival: People's Choice Award (Gala or Special Presentations)
Producers Guild of America: Best Picture
Directors Guild of America: Best Director
Screen Actors Guild Awards: Best Actress (Stone)
New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture
Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Original Score (Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul)
Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Picture; Best Director; Best Film Editing
Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Cinematography; Best Film Editing
British Academy Awards (BAFTAs): Best Picture; Best Director; Best Actress (Stone); Best Cinematography; Best Original Score

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