- S: Some of the scenes require stretched suspension of disbelief, but these moments add to the whimsical nature of the film.
- C: Incredible use of color. Some shots are so excellent they stick with you well after the film is over. The lighting changes are almost theatrical in nature and add a great element of
style and skill expression.
- E: This film has it all. Delightful, fun, joy in the dancing and singing and brutal, tragic, melancholy in the drama and music.
- N: It's the classic boy-meets-girl story with excellent nuance and twists. It's rare that a musical has dance scenes that progress the plot in a meaningful way and aren't just flash.
- T: This film received all five possible bonus points: The opening sequence, the hill-top sequence searching for Mia's car, and the end sequence are all outrageously good.
The music alone is so captivating it often comes into my head unprompted. Ryan Gosling's and Emma Stone's performances have both a brilliant loudness and softness to them. Even John Legend feels like a meaningful cameo.
If you don't feel something watching this movie, you are a heartless bastard. This film is an annual watch for me and is one of the first films I saw that sparked my deep dive into cinema.
I've been a fan of musicals since I was very young: Singin' in the Rain and High Society are two of my favorites. This film is so good because the musical nature of it blends so well into the narrative the dance
and song scenes feel metaphorical.
Number of Watches: 5