Last year was a crazy whirlwind for La La Land, what with the film rapidly rising from festival darling to surprising indie hit, and cresting at an (almost) Best Picture-winning run at the Oscars. But, as with any film that's gained the kind of following Damien Chazelle's musical throwback earned, there's going to be a backlash, complete with a video noting the ways that this film's taken serious liberty with cinema. Watch this video break out the knives, below.
Right out of the gate, the opening number to La La Land gets blasted with a little over a minute's worth of nit-picking that kind of takes the wind out of "Another Day of Sun's" sails. Between the supposed circumstances of the big pile-up on the sky bridge, as well as the implication that those poor orchestra members were roasting during the high heat shooting of that very scene, it's hard to sing along about wanting your Hollywood dreams more than the next guy. And considering the next guy is probably riding his bike on top of your car, stuck in a baking traffic jam, sun's going to be the least of your worries.
But, of course, La La Land is the story of Ryan Gosling's Seb and Emma Stone's Mia, and that's where most of the video's venom lies. A really good point that Cinema Sins brings up in its laundry list of negative aspects, is the fact that the lack of substantial supporting characters is pretty prominent. Also, the heightened lack of reality in situations like when Mia stands in front of a crowded theater looking for Seb are contrasted with the more realistic scenarios mixed into the film, such as that downer ending. Oh, and those of you just waiting for a mention of Mia's lack of a blind CC on her invitation to take in her one woman show will get your wish.
Still, the charms of La La Land aren't completely lost, as the video retracts five sins from the film's total count. That seems like a pretty big amount, and it's mostly because of Damien Chazelle's visual framing style, and the charms of Academy Award winner Emma Stone. That's not meant to be a dig against co-star Ryan Gosling, but rather a testament to Stone's talents in the role that won her that big golden glow. However, even that's not enough to get over the fact that the movie's ending does kind of cheat with the whole alternate reality it shows to please those who really wanted these crazy kids to end up together.
If you want to get caught up in the movie that thrilled audiences and cost an accountant his job, it's available on Digital HD, Blu-ray, and DVD. Though if you're looking for a unique experience, the film is making its rounds across the nation with a live scored concert showing of the film. Check your local concert venues for dates and ticket info.
