This Week's Movies: La La Land and Manchester By The Sea
La La Land (12A) ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Young actress Mia (Emma Stone) bumps into aspiring jazz musician Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) in a traffic jam, both immediately proclaiming how much they hate each other. Needless to say, they soon fall in love, singing, dancing and exchanging witty one-liners as they desperately try to hit the big time in their respective careers without destroying their burgeoning relationship.
Pros:
1. Every single last song is a catchy-as-all-heck belter, from opening highway danceathon Another Day Of Sun to heart-breaking piano ballad City Of Stars.
2. It’s a gorgeous, accomplished, extraordinary follow-up to Whiplash from director Damien Chazelle, bringing the golden age of classic Hollywood musicals like Singin’ In The Rain into the 21st century without being too ‘musically’. If that makes sense.
3. Boasts impressive performances from Stone and Gosling, with neither of them classically-trained singers (or dancers) before they took on the roles, supported by a fantastic cast including John Legend and JK Simmons.
Cons:
1. Kicking off with an incredibly elaborate old-fashioned top-tapping number, there’s an abrupt introduction to proceedings, so some may find the film’s tone a little difficult to get used to.
2. Yes, it’s yet another movie about movie making. Hollywood WILL eat itself, it’s only a matter of time.
3. At times it can come across as being so polished that you may fail to connect with the characters. This depends on how you charming you find Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, so if you have a violent dispersion to either of them, stay away.
Three word review: Oscars all round.
Manchester By The Sea (15) ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Reserved janitor Lee (Casey Affleck) is forced to return to his hometown after his brother dies from a heart attack, leaving him with all the responsibilities he once had, including the care of his son Patrick (Lucas Hedges) in the Massachusetts town of Manchester By The Sea.
Pros:
1. This is a slow, subtle, delicate film that refuses to be flashy, full of real characters dealing with real situations. By the end of the movie, you’ll want to spend more time with everyone involved. Like, in real life.
2. Casey Affleck finally gets a role that he really deserves, after years of supporting gigs in films like Oceans Eleven and, um, Tower Heist. You can really see his character cracking under the pressure, dealing with his past as he’s forced to confront it head on.
3. Michelle Williams, as Lee’s ex-wife, is also superb as the story behind their separation is revealed. Put it this way, you’re going to cry. Really quite a lot.
Cons:
1. Again, this is not a fast-paced film. If you’re looking for laughs, explosions or any sort of punch-the-air ‘YES!’ moments, this is not the movie for you.
2. Though he’s won a Golden Globe for his performance, there’s no denying that Casey Affleck’s acting isn’t for everyone, with some critics calling him out for, well, being annoying. This is harsh.
3. Did I mention it’s not much fun?
