City of Stars

My last Oscar Best Picture Nominee to watch before the big Showcase on Saturday was "La La Land".  I got free popcorn because it's Wednesday and I scored a free movie pass with my rewards points, so it was already a great evening!

• I had heard one of the themes on KUSC earlier this week, and I sort of liked it, and it made me look forward to seeing the film.
• So these voices in the opening number: NOT musical theatre belt-it-out.  This is not a good thing for me in a musical.  Maybe other people might like it, but breathy, mumbly singing is not my style.  I also didn't think the dancing in that number was all that great.  Granted, they were maneuvering between parked cars, but I just wasn't thrilled.  
• I wanted Ryan Gosling to sing out a bit more.  He sang back on the Mickey Mouse Club, right?  I also wanted him to not look down when he was dancing.  Great work on the piano, though!
• Emma Stone sounded fine, especially during her audition when she actually sang out more than in the rest of the film.  Thanks for projecting, Emma.  
• I did like the lyrics and the melodies, especially "City of Stars" (duet) and "A Lovely Night".
• Well, no wonder J.K. Simmons was in this movie.  It was directed by the same person as "Whiplash"!  
• My favorite part of this film is the chemistry between Stone and Gosling.  I've loved them together since seeing them in "Crazy, Stupid, Love".  
• I also liked seeing all of the different aspects of LA.  Well, the clean aspects.  There was, like, no dirt anywhere in this film.  And how is she walking all over the place alone on the streets at night like she's in Podunkville, USA and not feeling frightened at all?
• She just happened to have shoes in her bag that match his?  And how is NOBODY else at the Griffith Observatory?  I know, I'm trying to be realistic about a film wherein people just burst into song and then they're floating on air.  I'll stop.
• Maybe I'm just pissed off about the Casablanca-like ending.  You have all of this loveliness and then jolt me into reality, then tease me with a fantasy sequence and then bring me back to reality, and I get sad about it.  Thanks.  Can I just end the movie during the fantasy sequence?

All that said, I did enjoy the film as a whole.  I'm thinking about getting the soundtrack because I did like the music and lyrics.  I guess I just wish other people sang it, not that I would trade other people cast in the lead roles.  Yes, I'm quite torn about this movie.  Sigh.