La La Land

⭐⭐⭐

I know I am watching this film long after it was released back in January, but I am glad I didn't see it then. I remember seeing the posters that had many stars emblazoned all over it with reviews and critics hailing it from the Hollywood hills. I could have easily got sucked into that over-hyped vortex but I stayed back from the cinema and 7 months later rented it from LoveFilm (segue: LoveFilm was a great service which meant you got the latest film releases before they went on streaming outlets. Where will film buffs go to now? The cinema is far too expensive and it takes 12 months plus to appear on Netflix or Amazon if at all! LoveFilm was affordable and offered great choice, I'll feel lost without it and know others will too. Streaming will get far too expensive, especially if the big productions companies set up their own, just as Disney will be.)

Now back to my review: I thought this film was miss sold and people/reviewers got carried away with the style and look of the film rather than the plot and story. This film starts off very bright and exuberant, all singing and dancing - in the first 5 minutes you know it'll be a musical, harking back to the classics like Singing in the Rain etc. However, this film doesn't deliver the razzmatazz as it indicates in the opening sequence. I found this film depressing and sombre and was expecting something alot more uplifting. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the jazz, the dance numbers with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, the 50s look and style of the film was refreshing to see amongst the juggernaut, that is the comic-book blockbuster period we're in. 

Overall, this film did disappoint and it was critically over-hyped. The film is not perfect and it was almost made out to be from the get go.  Did it really deserve 14 Oscar nominations, I don't think so.