Sunday, January 15, 2017

LA LA LAND REVIEW


Ah . . .  the American musical. With the exception of Disney’s releases, American musical films had all but died. Sure, we got rehashes of Broadway shows like Mamma Mia and Hairspray, but we’ve seen nothing truly original in many years. I have to admit, it hasn't been a genre that has excited me. That was, until the genius screenwriter and director behind Whiplash came up with this crazy new flick called La La Land, a musical featuring completely original music, telling the sweet story of pursuing one’s dreams in Hollywood. And boy oh boy is it good.  




Ah . . .  the American musical. With the exception of Disney’s releases, American musical films had all but died. Sure, we got rehashes of Broadway shows like Mamma Mia and Hairspray, but we’ve seen nothing truly original in many years. I have to admit, it hasn't been a genre that has excited me. That was, until the genius screenwriter and director behind Whiplash came up with this crazy new flick called La La Land, a musical featuring completely original music, telling the sweet story of pursuing one’s dreams in Hollywood. And boy oh boy is it good.  

La La Land is the story of how two struggling artists -- an actress named Mia (Emma Stone), and a jazz musician named Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) -- come together to make their careers better and fulfill their dreams. When they first meet, they can’t stand each other. But with time, and a number of chance encounters, they wind up together. Throughout the story, they encounter things that test their commitment to their chosen professions. For Mia it’s the endless number of auditions that don't seem to turn into much. And for Sebastian it’s the realization that compromising his musical ideals might be the only way to get in the door. Such moments were hard for me to watch, because I’d begun to care about the two leads early on.

While the story alone is wonderful, the music is what really gives it color. The jazz-infused songs that Stone and Gosling sing and play allow them to showcase their talents. This is really one of the best things about the film, because along with delivering stellar acting performances, Stone and Gosling sing, dance, and play beautifully. They are the exact definition of triple threat.
Along with all of that is a terrific script by screenwriter and director Damian Chazelle, who directs the leads with a light but direct hand. He has stylized this world beautifully, making even those people who might consider LA a place to avoid, see it as rather beautiful and dreamlike. Linus Sandgren, the cinematographer, deserves an Oscar for his lush one-shot takes that swirl us from the freeways that wind around Los Angeles, to the street corners, shops, and lots where Mia and Sebastian spend their lives. The Costumer, Mary Zophres, adds glamour to the story, and it all reminds everyone that stories don’t need to be complicated. A simple story can be told well by employing classic elements.
But most of all, the music is the key. Justin Hurwitz, one of Chazelle’s former classmates, will win the Oscars for Best Song and Best Score. You heard it here first! The music is catchy, but sweet. At times it unfolds with an intentional slowness so that we don’t miss anything. It’s clear that Chazelle and Hurwitz were so in sync; their collaboration produced pure movie magic.

                                                 

                                                        THE VERDICT
La La Land is a terrific film. Thanks to outstanding performances, memorable music, and great technical additions, it will win loads of prizes, and help usher in a new era of the American film musical. I give La La Land an A+.

Saturday, January 7, 2017

MOANA REVIEW


Disney has done it again! Since the late ‘80s, the majority of Disney’s animated films have been musicals, and they’ve been quite successful. With Oscar-winning ventures from 1989’s The Little Mermaid to the more recent Frozen, they have been leading the industry in revitalizing musicals for the big screen. And their latest film is no exception.  

Moana stars the voices of Auli'l Cravalho and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and it’s a Pacific Island paradise of a film. I have to admit, when I first saw the trailer I was intrigued, but unsure. Could Dwayne Johnson hold his own in an animated musical? I mean, has anyone heard The Rock sing? How would he do? It turns out I was happily surprised and thrilled with it all.
Moana is a girl from the island of Motunui in the Pacific. From the time she is a toddler, tentatively walking barefoot on the sand, she feels the sea calling to her. Yet she spends her childhood and early adolescence doing her best to suppress the urge to explore places beyond her home island. As the daughter of the chief, and the next chief in line, (How cool is that?) Moana knows that her island, which has been experiencing problems, needs her. Her grandmother tells her that the island’s problems stem from a magic stone stolen from an island goddess. She urges Moana to find the demigod named Maui who stole it, and convince him to return the stone. Can she find Maui and heal her island? Will Maui be willing to help her? It is absolutely worth seeing Moana and and finding out!


I loved this movie. It’s a solid production, bolstered by music written by Opetaia Foa'i and Hamilton's Lin Manuel Miranda. Its gorgeous animation brilliantly depicts the ocean’s sights, from the intricate shell on a giant coconut crab, down to the finest grains of sand. I especially appreciated how the story concentrates on Moana being the next chief, and doesn't go down the path of assuming she can't because she is a girl. That's what I think indeed made it special: It is always asserted that Moana is inherently capable, and will make a great chief to her people one day. I had only one complaint, in that I felt like the beginning was a little slow. But the music and the animation moved things along, and was well worth it in the end.



THE VERDICT
Moana may be slow to start, but with its fantastic performances, songs, and animation, it keeps you entertained. I give it an A-.