“Here’s to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem.”

“La La Land” is everything I dreamed it would be, and more. Not only is every frame aesthetically pleasing, but the soundtrack is also amazing.

Our world seems to have grown tired of musicals. Many dismiss these films as cheesy and unrealistic, but “La La Land” has done it. It waltzes through your mind and takes your breath away. Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, and directed by Damien Chazelle, this is a bold and shimmering triumph of music, retro glamour, and love. It’s soft but not corny, passionate but well-controlled, twinkly but not artsy-fartsy. It’s just right.

The story follows Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone), two aspiring artists in Los Angeles. Sebastian is a jazz pianist who wants to open his own club. Mia is an actress. They meet, scuffle, and fall in love. As Time magazine put it, “He is the polka dot to her moonbeam.” However, Sebastian is presented with the option of joining a jazz band led by Keith (John Legend) that tours nonstop, and Mia begins writing a play. It becomes hard for them to stay together.

The plot is sweet yet melancholy, and it is going to surprise you (wink wink).

The first thing that drew me to the movie was its stunning style. I have loved Damien Chazelle’s style ever since his Oscar-nominated “Whiplash,” and “La La Land” does not disappoint. It is laced with anamorphic shots, stunning color palettes, and a spot-on retro feeling.

Modern movie-goers may balk at a musical. There once was a time when characters breaking into song and dance wasn’t weird or corny, but that time is certainly not now. Granted, we had “Glee” and the “Pitch Perfect,”  but they didn’t create the same mood as, say, “Grease.” Luckily, Chazelle made “La La Land” classy, elegant, sparkly, and almost nostalgic. The soundtrack is full of emotions. The songs are mellow, beautiful, and anachronistically catchy.

So much of the movie is bent upon seamless musical flow and dance moves perfectly woven into the plot. When the characters dance, they do not seem out of touch. It is full of feelings and is never corny. The movie renders you perfectly content in a universe where breaking into song is nothing but cute.

“La La Land” is a mind-blowing celebration of love, art, aspiration, and desire. It deserves all the critical acclaim and attention it’s receiving. Definitely go see this daring, splashy, and tenderly mind-blowing film.