2:08

4/4

In a widespread film industry full of sequels and CGI busts, “La La Land”, the modern musical directed by Damien Chazelle, serves as a heartfelt love letter to the history of cinema and an ode to classic filmmaking.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone shine as the main characters, giving the most sincere performances of their career. Stone stars as Mia, a hopeful actress trying to make her way in Hollywood. She falls for Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, who’s a pianist trying to save the dying art of jazz.

The film gains its soul from Stone and Gosling, but the musical sequences choreographed by Justin Hurwitz are what set it apart and make it an instant classic. There’s no denying the difficulty of creating a film, let alone a musical, that appeals to nearly every age group and demographic, but “La La Land” does just that.

One area where “La La Land” thrives where most other musicals fall is the placement of the musical numbers. At no point in the film does music distract the audience by interrupting an intriguing scene, but instead serves as a plot point to further the character development. Fans of musicals may be somewhat disappointed to find that there isn’t a musical sequence every other scene, but will still enjoy it.

At the end of the day, “La La Land” reminds us all of the power that cinema can have, and will surely be remembered as the top film of 2016.