Walking out of a movie theater after seeing a film is always something that is memorable. Right when the credits start to roll, there are people who get up and leave the theater. There are those who sit for a couple minutes and then leave. And then there are some people who sit and go through the entire credits before leaving the theater, nodding to the person going in to clean the theater before the next showing. Normally, that's pretty much what happens during every film that I go see, but not with La La Land. Once "The End" popped up, almost everyone left the theater, looking at their phones. There were only a couple people, including myself, just sitting, thinking about what we just saw (or, they were just sitting there killing a little bit of time before having to get up and leave). Regardless, the theater was nearly empty once the credits ended. A film as electrifying and mesmerizing as La La Land would have normally made the crowd energetic, but people seemed desperate to leave the theater.

I have absolutely no understanding as to why these people wanted to leave so quickly. I ran through the movie, wondering if there was something that I could think of that people wouldn't have enjoyed about the film. I thought about everything, down to the last technical aspect of the film and couldn't find one thing that I think people would not have enjoyed about the film. There was absolutely nothing in the film that was undesirable or even remotely unattractive. In essence, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the film, meaning that this film is not only a masterpiece but is also flawless. Even my favorite films I can find small flaws in, but I absolutely cannot find any flaws in La La Land.

Sitting there, almost alone in the theater, I realized that I haven't loved a film as much as I loved this. It's a love that I haven't actually felt before, a love that left me euphoric after leaving the theater, and still stays with me as I write this review. I've had films that I have loved, The Silence of the Lambs being one I dearly love, but not a film that has completely transfixed me, taking over my thoughts. Even before watching this film it was engrained into my mind. From sitting with family opening Christmas presents to registering for my classes this semester, La La Land resonated with me, sitting in the back of my head at all times. I knew that I was going to enjoy this film immensely, but I never realized that I was going to watch the best film that I have ever seen.

La La Land feels like a dream, one of those dreams that you never want to wake up from. The title not only suggests this dream-like state, but Chazelle's hypnotic direction and Sandgren's beautiful cinematography work together to create this stunning film. The colors throughout the film hypnotize you, while the smooth direction creates an ethereal world that you desperately want to join in. Adding to this dream-like fantasy is the stunning music and choreography, making you want to join in the film and have fun. All of these blend together seamlessly, held together by Gosling and Stone's unforgettable performances. With all of these working together, La La Land is able to work magic.

It is always a surprise to hear people claim that cinema is dead or that older films are far superior to today's films. While there are countless classic films that are amazing, contemporary cinema has been the one putting out the best films. Almost all of my favorite films happen to be modern, and that's no surprise. Cinema today creates worlds that resonate much better with me. Granted, I adore classic cinema, but there is just something about modern films that I always enjoy more. La La Land is a prime example of how good modern cinema can be, as well as how good films really can be.

There is nothing like going a seeing a film in the theater. I always love to go see films in the theater, despite having to sit with older crowds for a majority of the films that I go see. It is always a treat to just go and sit in a room and watch a movie, not having a care in the world. La La Land made me forget the world and immersed me into a world that is brilliant and perfect. It is almost unbelievable to think that film can be as good as La La Land, and I don't think there will be a film for a long time that is as good as this film is. La La Land is a perfect film and is now my favorite film. It was an honor to see this film in a theater and be able to sit all the way through the film, up until the lights turned on and someone came to clean the auditorium.

Cinema is not dead because La La Land exists.