Tom’s review published on Letterboxd:
Damien Chazelle gained international acclaim and recognition from his masterful drama 'Whiplash', what were the chances that he could pull off similar success two times in the row? Well, if 'La La Land' is anything to go by, then I'd say he did the job. With just three films under his belt as of 2016, Chazelle is slowly becoming the next big thing this movie industry has seen. His passion for classic movies and musicals is evident as he references and pulls influence from films like 'Singin' in the Rain', 'The Umbrellas of Cherborg' and even 'Rebel Without a Cause', the latter of which is one of my favourite films so seeing the nod to it was something I was pleased about.
The chemistry between Gosling and Stone is strong to say the least, after two previous collaborations, their already-strong bond helped them become one of modern-day cinema's finest couples. The music is bouncy and toe-tapping catchy, the cinematography is utterly stunning with gorgeous colours and impressive long takes, and the locations sum up the American dream and the passion the characters hold for Los Angeles. 'La La Land' is by far one of the finest cinema experiences I have had in the past 10 years, and although this isn't a film I would typically enjoy (genre-wise), Chazelle has instead crafted one of my favourite films of the 2010s. A film I would recommend everyone see in the cinema to truly witness the CinemaScope magic.
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