La La Land

So it's been a long while since a movie inspired me into blogging, but then we watched "La La Land" last night! What a magical, even poetic movie. 

It's not easy making a romance these days, our brains are already so cluttered with these good-looking, witty, lovable characters from so many other romances we have already seen or read. Boy-girl love story is kinda done so often, it's very challenging to keep it interesting. Very cleverly done in this movie though. It's an homage to retro-style movie romances in general, where holdings hands, dancing together and that first kiss do more than any sex scene could. And the only thing that keeps it from being cheesy is that the movie and its characters are completely aware of its excessive romance and even own it. Don't we all want to be in love with a man who says, "what's wrong with romance? You say it like it's a bad word!".... even though we know that no such man exists in the real world! Because its so outrageously blatant about not being real, about being above all a romantic homage to romances, this movie really works for me! 

That, and Ryan Gosling.

P.s. It's kind of hard to believe (but then again also easy to believe) that this movie is made by the same person who made Whiplash. So different. Or so alike. Depending on how you see it.