By the time the Oscars finally arrived La La Land had almost been ruined by the sheer magnitude of the hype surrounding it. Fortunately Damien Chazelle’s musical love letter to old Hollywood exceeds all expectations – an ambitious, creative and perfectly executed delight. The cast and choreography are brilliant but the star here is Chazelle. The script isn’t as polished as it could’ve been, but as his camera weaves in and out of every song and dance number he evokes a delirious euphoria that is impossible to shake even by its surprisingly emotional conclusion. Through busy LA highways and crowded swimming pools this is a genuinely wondrous cinema experience.
the maddening loop 