For those who haven’t seen it, La La Land is a musical. It contains a diverse selection of musical segments that appear throughout the film. A musical number really opens the film, which was a delightful surprise. The video shows a group of random drivers delayed in LA bridge traffic who decide to get out of their cars and sing and dance.
The song “Another Day of Sun” by the La La Land Cast somewhat reflects the plot of the film, which may be discerned after listening to it. This track also captures the allure of cinema’s magic and light. It’s joyous music that sets the tone for the rest of the story, and it was just a pleasant time.
The next musical segment, “Someone in the Crowd” by Emma Stone, offers us an idea of what Mia’s (Emma Stone) figure is seeking. The amorous partnering theme of Justin Hurwitz’s “Mia and Sebastian’s Theme,” a sad piece that links the leads, comes next. These two tracks are excellent to listen to both with and without film.
Days pass in the film, with some amazing covers and finally the film’s second finest music, “Lovely Night,” which has Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone reminiscing about the night in a mockery-like manner. This track is shorter in regards to singing, but it is great music and scenes that help to set the tone for the whole movie.
“Planetarium” by Justin Hurwitz, which is piano music whilst the couple dance into the mysterious sky, and “City of Stars” by Ryan Gosling, which is a far more solemn track depicting his role fantasizing of what was to come, are two other great tracks to listen to.
The final performance to mention is Justin Hurwitz’s “Epilogue,” which is a stunning and epic mix of each and every song from the entire movie. It’s amazing how nicely the songs work together, and that in the context of this story, it appears in one of the most intriguing scenes, during a hypothetical scene of what might have been.
