Tag: La La Land

Geekscape Movie Reviews: First Man

by MCDave

Caught in the midst of a time when truth no longer feels singular, America has brought forth a generation of skeptical individuals taught to question everything they’ve been told to believe. And what were once widely disregarded conspiracy theories, such as the legitimacy of the moon landing, have suddenly transformed into a more populist norm. Yet, no matter the resistance in which his film is sure to encounter, 2017’s Oscar-winning director, Damien Chazelle, mirrors a fearlessness to that of legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong, the centerpiece of Chazelle’s latest Oscar-destined drama, First man. It’s an ambitious effort, one cloaked in raw emotion and an often dark tone that feels moons away from his previous achievement, La La Land. But still, Chazelle cements his elite directorial status with another sharply-captured and deeply personal experience.

First Man opens in 1961, where the United States continues to lag behind the Soviets in the race to space. Fast forward a few years and a uniquely qualified candidate, Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), applies to NASA with hopes of joining their efforts in beating the Soviets to the moon. And as the space program slowly breaks through barriers in its seemingly impossible quest for reaching the lunar surface, the stakes get higher and higher, forcing these astronauts to risk everything in order to achieve the unimaginable.

Damien Chazelle’s already displayed a knack for greatness with his first pair of feature films, Best Picture Nominees Whiplash and La La Land. And while this latest work isn’t quite up to their level, it’s still a worthwhile film in its own right. First Man digs to the core of Armstrong and truly searches for the origins of his bravery and determination. It’s an intimate journey, one that becomes much easier thanks to Ryan Gosling’s heavyweight performance. It’s quiet but heavy, tempered but explosive, and everything you’d expect from a Best Actor Nominee, one that I clearly envision happening. Likewise, his onscreen counterpart Claire Foy delivers a meteoric turn as Armstrong’s bedrock of a wife. And unlike her internalizing husband, Foy’s character isn’t afraid to speak her mind and display her outspoken strength. She’s the one left sitting at home, worlds away, glued to her radio listening to NASA’s direct feed of Neil’s mission. Gloom and doom run rampant in First Man, so you shouldn’t expect a shiny or uplifting tale of heroism. Instead, Chazelle recognizes that for any great journey into the unknown sacrifices must be made, and the director dwells on this notion rather than turning a blind eye to it. This theme becomes a true staple of the film as First Man forces its audiences to remember the many people, in all facets of life, who gave everything for the greater good. And for that, Mr. Chazelle, we salute you.

GRADE: 4/5

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‘La La Land’ And The Impact Of “What If”

by Josh Jackson

*WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE FILM AHEAD*

Now that La La Land is available for DVD, Blu Ray and 4K platforms, it seemed like an opportune time to wrap up my review on the film. But between the praise its received since release, the almost unattainable amount of hype it built up before Oscar season, and the many other sites that will surely do a fantastic job explaining how great the film and all of the special features are, (the making of the show stopping Another Day of Sun freeway number being a personal favorite), I doubt there’s anything I can say regarding the quality of the film that you haven’t heard a thousand times by now. I still can’t decide which movie I liked better among the Best Picture nominees between this and Hidden Figures, but Damien Chazelle’s ode to the musicals of decades past has stuck with me since I walked out of the theater months ago. When I’m asked about why I enjoyed this love letter to the dreamers of the world as much as I did, it always comes down to that ending.

Seb’s passion for Jazz becomes shared.

Detractors of the film have stated that everything ends up a little bit too perfect for Sebastian (Ryan Gossling) and Mia (Emma Stone), aspiring entertainers who are lost among the stars of Los Angeles. Trying to find a path to success, their love sets them on their respective paths to achieve their dreams. While they don’t end up together, Seb opens the Jazz club that he always dreamed of while Mia becomes a famous actress, giving each other one last nod of approval after what might be the last of their many chance encounters throughout the film. And to be honest, I can’t argue with that assessment! From a pure conflict resolution standpoint, the majority of the film focused primarily on their need to achieve their respective goals, and while they had to sacrifice their romance to do so, they both got where they wanted to be with relatively minor resistance.

But what makes the ending great is that it’s not the only right answer.

The viewer’s perspective shapes how they interpret the final ten minutes of what was a relatively straightforward story up until that point. After a brief time skip, we’re re-introduced to the characters in quick fashion, with Mia being a successful actress with a husband and daughter. It’s not until they wander into a club that turns out to be Sebastian’s dream bar that the film sets us up for that big turning point. During that vibrant “what if” scenario that the pair envision, we see what things could have been like if a few of their choices were different. An argument can be made that even this scenario still isn’t perfect, since it’s implied that Seb never gets his club. And yet, he seems perfectly happy being at Mia’s side, helping her achieve her big dreams.

What could have been

Which brings me to City of Stars, the popular duet that I’m sure you’ve heard a thousand times by now. More specifically, one particular set of lyrics speak volumes. At this point in the film, Mia is hard at work writing a one woman show that Seb convinced her to put together as a way to avoid the humiliating auditioning process, since he fully believed that her enthusiasm would draw people to her rather than her having to essentially beg for work. On the other side, Seb has just joined a more pop oriented Jazz band that pays enough to help him support himself and Mia, but plays a style that he’s personally unhappy with. Far from ideal, especially on his side. Yet in the song, the pair sing,

I felt it from the first embrace I shared with you.

That now our dreams, they’ve finally come true.

Despite them being very far from where they want to be career wise, in this moment in time, they feel like their dreams have already been achieved by being with each other. Unfortunately for them, the pressure of being unhappy in the band and Mia’s show tanking leads to the pair splitting, but not before Seb gives Mia one last boost of encouragement by taking her to an audition that came about in response to her show. Once we see that Seb decided to name his club “Seb’s”, using the same name and design Mia suggested, instead of “Chicken on a Stick”, a name that he was 100% adamant about earlier in the film, it’s clear to see how Mia’s memory had become a driving force that ultimately pushed him to open his club.

A final goodbye

Now onto the ending itself. I personally feel that the movie is tragically cold with the abrupt way that it ends after showing us what could have been. Yes, they achieved their dreams, but there’s a cruel irony about being completely estranged from the person who enabled those dreams in the first place. Not only that, but over the course of the film, their dreams changed to simply wanting to be together. Having to sacrifice one dream that we watched grow and blossom as viewers for the sake of dreams that are achieved off screen really drives home how unfair it is. But the most lasting part of the ending is that it’s one that we can all relate to. Would our lives be better or worse if we handled those past circumstances differently? I have my dream career, but was it worth losing touch with the people who grew alongside me to achieve it? How can a person who was my biggest supporter become a stranger within the blink of an eye? And why can’t the people who enabled, encouraged and empowered us to be the best version of ourselves be by our side when the fruits of their labor finally comes to fruition? It’s not fair. Life rarely is. But like Seb and Mia, sometimes we have to nod, smile, and resume our lives with the circumstances we’re presently in.

So yes, I can’t argue that from one perspective, the film is pretty straightforward, with the characters getting everything they fought for from the beginning and more. I can’t even argue with someone who says the ending was happy since sometimes, we have to make sacrifices to win at this crazy game. Which is what makes the ending so beautiful. Depending on your own perspective, you can draw so many different conclusions from it. Yet for me, even with whatever success may come, I’m still wondering if it was worth it.

La La Land is now available on DVD, Blu Ray and 4K formats.

Celebrate ‘La La Land’ Day With Festivities Across The City Of Stars!

by Josh Jackson

To commemorate the record breaking Golden Globe winning and almost Best Picture Oscar recipient La La Land‘s release on home media, April 25 will become La La Land Day across the city of stars.

Beginning with an official declaration by Mayor Eric Garcetti, screenwriter/director Damien Chazelle will be honored for his “extraordinary portrait of the city and its iconic locations”. Which makes sense when you consider that tourism has skyrocketed since the film’s release. Also on hand will be composer Justin Hurwitz, production designers David and Sandy Wasco, choreographer Mandy Moore and jewelry designer Kyle Chan. The festivities will be topped off with a live arial performance by the dance troop BANDALOOP.

Outside of the official declaration, special events will be held throughout the City of Stars. From dance lessons, set recreations, screenings and full recreations of Seb’s club from the film, both at the original location in Hermosa Beach to other Jazz clubs throughout the city, check out the full list of events below!

 

  • Grand Central Market will hold a La La Land dance lesson at 10am at 317 S. Broadway in downtown, and Sarita’s, the site of Mia and Sebastian’s first date will be featuring a La La Land photo op with the stools they sat on.
  • 3rd Street Dance will offer La La Land themed Dance Class at 7pm at their 8558 West 3rd St. location.
  • Kyle Chan Design will display the jewelry that Academy Award® Best Actress winner Emma Stone wears in the film at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Ste 114. The first three people to come in and buy La La Land jewelry will take home a Blu-ray of the film.
  • Brits in LA will host a “Brits in La La Land” Breakfast at Cecconis on “La La Land Day” and give away free breakfast to the first 20 people who share an image that best represents #LaLaLand to them and why.
  • The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising will have their final day of display of the La La Land costumes in their museum, along with the unveiling of the La La Land inspired costume design contest winner.
  • Inglewood Library will have a La La Land themed activities hour at 4pm for youth who want to express their creative side with La La Land activity sheets and coloring pages.

 

Jazz bars across the country will be transformed into “Seb’s” on April 25, for one night only, including Long Beach’s “The Blind Donkey” (149 Linden Ave), the original location for “Seb’s” in the film, featuring live music, themed drinks and a full size Seb’s neon sign.

 

Additional area taverns will also celebrate with La La Land themed nights featuring ‘enter to win’ boxes with Blu-rays offered as prizes.  Bars include:

  • Light House Café – 30 Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA
  • No Vacancy – 1727 N. Hudson Ave. Los Angeles, CA
  • Bar One – 12518 Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood, CA

Far from a waste of a lovely night for sure. How will you be celebrating La La Land Day?

The film will be released for home media on April 25.

MCDave’s Top Ten Films Of 2016!

by MCDave

Can you believe that 2016 is coming to a close? In just a few days, we’ll abolish that dreaded six for ten more years, and a cool, clean, sexy seven will take its place.

2016 has been an incredible year for everything aside from presidential candidates and celebrity deaths, so as always, we wanted to share our favourite games, movies, moments and more of 2016.

Adam shared his favourite things yesterday, and today longtime critic MCDave is here to share his favorite films of the past year!

#10. Arrival

My top ten list begins with Denis Villenueve’s sci-fi drama, Arrival. This Oscar hopeful deviates from the stereotypical sci-fi structure by offering majestic cinematography and an artistic vision from its filmmaker. After 12 alien spacecrafts appear across the globe, the U.S. military reaches out to a linguistics expert (Amy Adams) to form a line of communication and determine if their motive is peaceful or violent. This cerebral effort works in opposition to some punishingly sluggish pacing which, admittedly, concludes in a remarkably clever fashion.

#9. The Nice Guys

One of the year’s most entertaining features came from Iron Man 3 director, Shane Black, and jump-started the summer blockbuster season. The Nice Guys stands as a successful twist on the buddy-cop genre as two private investigators (Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe) look into the disappearance of a teenage girl. There are countless laugh-out-loud moments scattered throughout this hilariously scripted story that’s bound to get the sequel treatment.

#8. Remember

One of the only upsides to this year’s middling crop of releases is it allows me to offer praise to some lesser-known titles. One such film is the early-year release, Remember, from director Atom Egoyan. Christopher Plummer stars as Zev, an elderly man living in a retirement-home and experiencing early stages of dementia. He is reminded of his gruesome childhood in the Auschwitz internment camp where a Nazi guard killed both his and a fellow resident’s families. With nothing left to live for, Zev sets out on a vengeful mission to find the prison guard and kill him. Remember is a wildly engaging thrill ride that’s elevated by an explosive final scene you won’t want to miss.

#7. Nocturnal Animals

Tom Ford’s stylish sophomore effort isn’t everything you’d expect it to be, but it’s still quite good. Amy Adams stars as an art gallery owner who receives a manuscript of her ex-husband’s new novel. The book is dedicated to her and, as she becomes consumed by its grisly story, she reflects on the emotional torment she caused her former lover (Jake Gyllenhaal). I expected a more brutal and twisted affair, but what it lacks in physical anguish is made up with psychological misery. Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson offer fine supporting work while Tom Ford’s direction is on-point.

#6. Don’t Think Twice

The modern evolution of the comedy genre is actually quite sad. Character development in such a setting has become a lost art and cleverly-crafted humor is a dying skill. Thankfully, Mike Birbiglia’s personal indie comedy, Don’t Think Twice, represents a return to the glory days. The film follows a tight-knit improv comedy group who begin to experience fierce competition between one another when the world’s most notable sketch-comedy show scouts them for new talent. This wonderfully told story draws the audience into each of its characters and is highlighted by hilarious situational humor.

#5. Manchester by the Sea

Kenneth Lonergan’s emotionally charged Oscar contender is by no means an easy watch. Casey Affleck, who stands as the Best Actor frontrunner for his unmatched performance, plays a brutally scarred handyman who returns to his home town to care for his nephew after his brother passes away. Deeply immersed in feelings of hope, heartache and uncertainty, Manchester by the Sea absolutely pushes the dramatic envelope.

#4. Captain Fantastic

There’s something so euphoric about Captain Fantastic. On the surface the film’s central characters appear to be a crazed family who shut themselves off from the world by living deep in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. But at the same time, to have the fortitude and survival instincts to actually pull it off are impressive and convincing. There are countless controversial elements scattered all throughout this captivating story and artistically shot film that make Captain Fantastic a movie unlike any other.

#3. Hell or High Water

David Mackenzie’s tale of bank-robbing brothers is the perfect blend of the classic Western genre with a modern day flair. Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges all provide phenomenal performances that catapult this slow-boiling and often witty screenplay into a completely well-rounded piece of filmmaking.

#2. Moonlight

I had heard all of the lofty praises for Barry Jenkins’ indie drama, but a familiar premise left my expectations extremely tempered. However, Moonlight was this year’s biggest surprise. It delivers the finest ensemble of 2016 and tells its powerful coming-of-age story with a level of tenderness and humanity that will leave you craving for more long after its credits roll.

#1. La La Land

In a year overrun with grim storylines from its major awards season contenders, Damien Chazelle’s whimsical musical is a fresh breath of upbeat originality and a bona-fide Best Picture selection. La La Land comes with its own roller coaster of emotions, but the film tells a deeply passionate story using a deliberate nod to classic cinema all while injecting a modern touch.

We’ve Got This Years ‘Golden Globe’ Nominations & They’re Fantastic!

by Shane O'Hare

Every year the Golden Globes come and go, and every year a select few walk away with the fancy awards.

The list of nominee’s have officially been released, and the lineup is quite interesting! This is going to be an exciting award show. I personally hope to see  Deadpool walk away with a couple Globes.

The 75th Golden Globes air January 8th and is hosted by Jimmy Fallon (Editors Note: Can we have a drinking game for all his fake laughter/outbursts?).

Movies

Best Motion Picture, Drama
Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

Lion

Manchester by the Sea

Moonlight

Best Motion Picture, Musical, or Comedy
20th Century Women

Deadpool

Florence Foster Jenkins

La La Land

Sing Street

Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

Amy Adams, Arrival

Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane

Isabelle Huppert, Elle

Ruth Negga, Loving

Natalie Portman, Jackie

Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Annette Bening, 20th Century Women

Lily Collins, Rules Don’t Apply

Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen

Emma Stone, La La Land

Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Joel Edgerton, Loving

Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge

Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic

Denzel Washington, Fences

Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water

Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins

Dev Patel, Lion

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals

Best Performance by Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Viola Davis, Fences

Naomie Harris, Moonlight

Nicole Kidman, Lion

Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures

Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Best Director, Motion Picture

Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals

Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge

Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical, or Comedy

Colin Farrell, The Lobster

Ryan Gosling, La La Land

Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins

Jonah Hill, War Dogs

Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture
La La Land

Nocturnal Animals

Moonlight

Manchester by the Sea

Hell or High Water

Original Score, Motion Picture
Moonlight

La La Land

Arrival

Lion

Hidden Figures

Best Motion Picture, Animated
Kubo and the Two Strings

Moana

My Life as a Zucchini

Sing

Zootopia

Best Original Song, Motion Picture

“Can’t Stop the Feeling,” Trolls

“City of Stars,” La La Land

“Faith,” Sing

“Gold,” Gold

“How Far I’ll Go,” Moana

Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language
Divines

Elle

Neruda

The Salesman

Toni Erdmann

Television

Best Television Series, Drama
The Crown

Game of Thrones

Stranger Things

This Is Us

Westworld

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy
Atlanta

Blackish

Mozart in the Jungle

Transparent

Veep

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
American Crime

The Dresser

The Night Manager

The Night Of

The People v. O.J.: American Crime Story

Best Performance By an Actor in a Television Series, Drama

Rami Malek, Mr. Robot

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

Billy Bob Thornton, Goliath

Best Performance By an Actor in a Television Series, Musical, or Comedy

Anthony Anderson, Blackish

Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle

Donald Glover, Atlanta

Nick Nolte, Graves

Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television

Riz Ahmed, The Night Of

Bryan Cranston, All the Way

Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager

Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J.: American Crime Story

John Turturro, The Night Of

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television

Sterling K. Brown, The People v. O.J.: American Crime Story

Hugh Laurie, The Night Manager

John Lithgow, The Crown

Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

John Travolta, The People v. O.J.: American Crime Story

Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Drama

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander

Claire Foy, The Crown

Keri Russell, The Americans

Winona Ryder, Stranger Things

Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television

Olivia Coleman, The Night Manager

Lena Headey, Game of Thrones

Chrissy Metz, This Is Us

Mandy Moore, This Is Us

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Felicity Huffman, American Crime

Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience

Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J.: American Crime Story

Charlotte Rampling, London Spy

Kerry Washington, Confirmation

Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series, Musical, or Comedy

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce

Issa Rae, Insecure

Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin

Tracee Ellis Ross, Blackish

And that’s it! What are you thoughts? Are there any nominees that you think should be dropped from the list; or any that should be added? Let us know!

Geekscape Movie Reviews: La La Land

by MCDave

This year’s 25th annual Philadelphia Film Festival opened in style with La La Land, one of these year’s finest achievements. Damien Chazelle follows up his highly regarded Best Picture Nominee, Whiplash, with this dazzling sophomore effort. Nostalgic and full of passion, the film pays its respects to old Hollywood all while providing a fresh vibe that will be difficult for any competitor to topple during the upcoming awards season. So if you’re in search of an early Best Picture frontrunner, look no further than La La Land.

Mia’s (Emma Stone) lifelong dream is to be a respected actress in Hollywood. But as the Nevada native experiences the ego-crushing defeat of Los Angeles’ cutthroat audition process, she falls for a Jazz pianist named Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) who hopes of one-day running a club of his own. And while this pair of starry-eyed romantics fall madly in love with each other, the weight of their relationship makes it difficult staying committed to their dreams.

LLL d 12 _2353.NEF

From the opening number all the way to its monumental finale, La La Land consumes its viewers with an extraordinary combination of a wonderfully composed score, intricate choreography, towering performances and tastefully advanced direction. Damien Chazelle is beyond deserving for a Best Director nod as his immaculate vision comes to life on the big screen. Six years in the making, Chazelle and his composer, Justin Hurwitz, used this abundance of time and patience to hone their story and fine-tune the music. This precise attention to detail spills through each and every scene as La La Land serves as a testament to originality and a shining example of its own greatest storyline, devoted passion to achieving ones dreams.

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Not only are the film’s direction and melodic score an absolute marvel, La La Land‘s lead co-stars are enchanting in their own right. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling offer a unique chemistry that breathes authenticity into their onscreen romance. The film can’t capture all of its engaging essence without a sharply convincing love story, and boy do they deliver! This magical romance is reminiscent of legendary cinematic duos such as Bogart and Bacall or Tracy and Hepburn, while they naturally fall in line as a contemporary equivalence. And although Emma Stone’s character is written with more depth and layers by comparison – which may be enough to tip the scales in her favor in this year’s Best Actress race – it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear Gosling’s name called as an Oscar finalist as well.

Hollywood adores movies about the industry and La La Land uses this cachet to mold together the aura of classic cinema with a vibrant and updated appeal. It’s challenging to identify a single glaring weakness within the film, making it destined for a justifiably successful awards season run. It’s important to note that musicals aren’t for everyone, but La La Land‘s transcends this generic label thanks to an infectious passion for the arts that makes you wish you could create something as everlasting as the film itself. Consequently, La La Land stands as one of 2016’s finest offerings and an clear-cut must-see effort from one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising filmmakers.

GRADE: 4.5/5

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