With La La Land, I don’t even know where to begin. I’m intimidated by the daunting task that is reviewing it, because writing about this incredible film is like holding a delicate crystal bird in my hand. I could drop it at any moment, dooming its future to shattering on the floor. In this case, though, I would probably be unable to even catch the bird, and if I did manage to, I wouldn’t be able to hold it for long before it wrenched out of my hands and soared away to Los Angeles.

Critics, Hollywood professionals, and everyday moviegoers alike have spent the last few weeks walking out of the theatre with stars in their eyes and music in their ears. I am one of those people. As a prospective filmmaker, I was excited to see this film for many reasons, but there was a review at the end of one of the trailers which said something like, “they don’t make movies like this anymore,” that really caught my eye. Well, whoever said that was right. I literally cannot come up with words good enough to describe this film, because La La Land has created a new alphabet. The struggling actress/musician is a classic phenomenon, but Chazelle has veered off the beaten path. Rather than giving his characters everything they want, an unrealistic yet undeniably enjoyable classic Hollywood ending, his characters learn their lessons, so that they truly grow throughout the movie. However, rather than crush his character’s dreams by proving how unrealistic they are, he has let them soar, teaching a valuable lesson to even the most cynical audience members. When it was first discovered that Ryan Gosling would be singing, there was an uproar of teenage excitement. However, I can assure you that this film is to be taken very very seriously, it isn’t some bubble gum chick flick. Chazelle has wiped the board on musicals, and filled it in with his own definition. Even if you don’t like musicals, I dare you not to be tapping your foot and singing these songs for the next week after seeing this. Really. I loved it so much, I saw it again the very next week, and I’m seeing it yet again tonight.  Watching La La Land is like drinking six espressos on a technicolor beach, and both times I have seen it have been followed by sleepless nights singing songs off the best original soundtrack in history (thank you thank you thank you Justin Hurwitz, you genius) wondering how I can get my hands on Mia’s dresses, wishing I could dance, crying over the amazing ending (but no spoilers here), and picturing both Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as they collectively drop the mic on an already silent and stunned audience with their aw-worthy performances. This film is the perfect love letter to Los Angeles. This film slaps cynics across the face, and turns them into dreamers. Being a prospective filmmaker, I try to watch as many films as I possibly can, and soak in the ideas. This film cannot compare, though. It simply can’t. I cannot compare my own ideas to this, but I walked out of that theater saying, “that is why I want to make movies.” This film pours pure genius across the globe and breaths new life into cinema. It may just have slid into the category of best love story of all time. Chazelle (I just love saying his name, don’t you?) is surfing a wave of uncharted territory, and I can’t wait to see what else comes from his genius. Only thirty one years old (he wrote the screenplay for La La Land when he was only twenty six), Damien Chazelle has already directed two of my favorite movies (this and Whiplash, another stunner of it’s own right). Composer Justin Hurwitz has been his companion on both movies, and he is also an absolute genius. Maybe the best part of Chazelle’s works is the fact that he has created these wonderful films without the bloated ego that dominates many celebrated Hollywood directors thus far, and it is oh so refreshing.I hesitate to say the words, “perfect movie,” for anything, because you never know what could come along and clear the board all over again, but this is absolutely as close to it as I have ever seen. This is the. best. film I have ever seen. La La Land takes the cake as far as I’m concerned, I don’t need an oscar to prove it.

So, here’s to the ones who dream!