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‘La La Land’ resurrects the Hollywood musical

“La La Land,” the critically acclaimed musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling premiered on Christmas to much-deserved raves, earning an 8.9 out of 10 on IMDB and a 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie proved to be the Hollywood musical America didn’t know it needed, with a catchy soundtrack featuring John Legend, and acting by Stone and Gosling that proves they are masters of their craft.

Even the most cynical moviegoer has something to gain from seeing this movie, as it doesn’t sacrifice sharp, witty dialect to make room for the singing. Rather, both intermingle together to create an experience that is both whimsical and relatable.

The story surrounds the life of Mia (Stone), an aspiring actress who never seems to run out of enthusiasm or bright sundresses, and Sebastian (Gosling), a jazz musician whose dedication to the classics and aversion to authority keep him hopping from gig to gig.

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Though their original introduction is far from love at first sight — they meet honking at one another in traffic — they eventually bond over their commitment to their wild dreams, pursuits that border on foolishness.

The characters and storyline are so skillfully developed that when the characters are quite literally floating on air, dancing amongst the stars, the audience members are right there with them.

It’s no wonder the film received a hearty seven Golden Globes at the ceremony on Jan. 8.

The musical dominated the service, winning each category it was nominated in, including best picture comedy or musical, lead actor awards for Gosling and Stone, as well as awards for screenplay, song, score and director.

This record-breaking award assimilation could be viewers’ best chance at guessing which movies are going to win at the anticipated Oscar award ceremony, as well as sending directors in a new, more musically inclined direction.

Most of all, with their wins, we’ve all been reminded once again that musicals, especially musicals detailing the love and magic of Hollywood, stay fresh in the hearts of viewers and keep us humming their soundtracks.

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