Tag Archives: Damien Chazelle

La La Land (2016)

La La Land review

written by Souranath Banerjee

A Classic is born and it will make you sing and fall in love all over again!

My Ratings: 4.3/5

The original 1953 20th Century Fox logo reappears on the big la- la-land-posterscreen and makes it seem even bigger, and then the magic begins!

Yes, the resurrection of the old Hollywood charm, that feeling when the white shoes start tapping in rhythm and the dialogues metamorphose into soothing songs – the sheer magic of experiencing a musical, an odd combination of a modern classic!

And you are lost in the darkness of the theatre, well suspended on your disbeliefs, wondering in a world so full of love and dulcet melodies, absorbed in the sheer beauty of brilliantly choreographed, colourful, talking Cinema!

“How are you gonna be a revolutionary if you’re such a traditionalist? You hold onto the past, but jazz is about the future.”

Director Damien Chazelle‘s love for Jazz was pretty evident in his previous film Whiplash but this time he makes a more definite statement – a desperate effort to save Jazz!

And thus he join hands with Ryan Gosling who learns to play piano like a professional just for this film, and then Gosling’s chemistry la- la-land-poster1with Emma Stone (undoubtedly one of the best actresses at present) is just so sublime! When they dance looking at each other’s eyes – that’s a major part of the ‘magic’ in the film that I was talking about earlier!

Long song and dance sequences masterfully choreographed that takes Justin Hurwitz‘s music to another level; great camera work and colour play by Linus Sandgren and crisp editing by Tom Cross. But again along with superlative directional capabilities thanks to Damien Chazelle‘s brilliantly written love story!

Recommended only for those who adore Jazz, Musicals, Ryan GoslingEmma StoneDamien Chazelle and powerful Cinema!

P.S – Oscar winner J.K. Simmons makes a guest appearance where he seems to hate good music!

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.com.

Whiplash (2014)

My Ratings: 4.3/5.

“Nieman, you earned the part. Alternates, will you clean the blood off my drum set?”

The above dialogue sets the tune of the film so damn well.

Whiplash is a film that stretches the boundaries of all previous student-mentor relationship based dramas.

The story of Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a 19-year-old aspiring jazz drummer and Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), his brutal school music instructor.

Pumped up with such energy and passion, a young achiever ready to shed enough blood and sweat till he achieves; while on the other hand a tutor who believes in pushing his pupils to accomplish beyond what’s expected of them.

Whiplash is a gritty and uncompromising take on ambition and success from the point of views of both a trainee and the trainer.

whiplash-posterShot over a period of just 19 days, writer-director Damien Chazelle‘s Whiplash has taken the festival circuit by storm since its 2014 Sundance Film Festival premiere.

Performances are outstanding: Miles Teller (one of the most talented young actor of recent times) perfectly exhibits the young musician’s hunger for perfection and fame, while J.K. Simmons (his best ever performance) brilliantly commands the ruthless manipulative jazz instructor’s part (in search for the next Charlie Parker).

The casting director Terri Taylor deserves a mention for such a perfect casting. Justin Hurwitz must be credited for the awesome Jazz music through out the film.

Numerous awards and acclamations aside, Whiplash is a film that kind of syncs your heart with young Andrew’s drums and by the end of the film they beat together with passion.

I am not exaggerating. Watch the film and then you tell me!