The masterpiece La La Land, released in 2016, is a romantic musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling that shook the world by storm and still continues to do so almost a decade after its release. It features the story of Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a hopeful jazz musician and how they develop a romantic relationship and deal with challenges along the way in the glamorous city of Los Angeles. La La Land won a whopping six Oscars at the 2017 Academy Awards and broke the record for the most Golden Globe awards ever won by a single film. But, what makes this film so extraordinary and stand out from the rest? And how come everyone is still losing their minds over it despite it being about a decade since its release? La La Land is a truly unique film that incorporates unique uses of music, cinematography, screenwriting, blend of film styles and emotions throughout. Here’s a deep dive into each element and how each makes it the spectacular film it is.

An unforgettable original soundtrack 

Blending musical components and movies is not a new concept to the film industry, but one could argue that La La Land’s soundtrack is unmatched. The soundtrack includes 15 original songs composed by Justin Hurwitz and sung by the cast. Some of the most famous ones being “Mia and Sebastian’s theme” and “City of Stars”, both of which include an ethereal feel similar to the many other songs in the soundtrack. The tracks use the same instruments in the songs and often add traces of similar tunes in each and in the background music to provoke nostalgia and make the audience correlate that specific rhythm with the film adding a sense of familiarity. Each song is carefully crafted- from the lyrics to the tunes, and effortlessly blends in with the storyline and matches the overall vibe of the film. 

Cinematography

It is no secret that La La Land has some of the most aesthetically pleasing visuals that the history of cinema has ever witnessed. With the countless breathtaking sights in Los Angeles being included in the film such as Griffith Observatory, Colorado Street Bridge and Mt. Hollywood Drive, it allows for the shots to have a dreamy feel to it. Not only are the filming locations an excellent choice for the visuals, the film also puts a creative twist to many of the scenes which truly captivates the audience and reels them in to want more. For instance, in a scene Mia and Sebastian begin dancing during a date in a planetarium and the scene slowly transitions to them levitating around actual stars which leaves viewers in awe. The interesting choice of colours throughout the film enhances the visuals of it and creates a more vibrant atmosphere. 

Blending modernized and old film styles

A large reason as to why La La Land has been able to stay relevant for such a prolonged period of time is because instead of jumping onto the latest trendy styles to use in films in hopes for a larger target audience, the film uses timeless and more modernized film elements which makes it something truly memorable. The romance in the film is more focused on in person experiences and memories rather than including scenes focusing on social media or technology in general which is similar to how love is depicted in older times. Sebastian’s character, who is deeply passionate about specifically jazz music brings back the nostalgia of the 90s with the music playing a lot of times throughout the film. 

The symbolism in the title

The term La La Land is an older name that was used to refer to Los Angeles with a double meaning of being out of touch with reality due to the reputation LA has for attracting individuals with big dreams, especially those who are trying to make it and have a successful career in entertainment. In the film, Mia and Sebastian are also aspiring entertainers who wish to pursue entertainment in one way or another and make a living out of it in the city. But, in addition, we see that throughout the duration of their relationship their moments gradually transition into many dream-like impractical states which showcase their unrealistic and ambitious personalities, implying that they are in “la la land”. Despite this, the ending is still realistic which demonstrates the contrast and irony expressed through the title.