There is a core group of three movies on the Oscars best picture nominee list, and by far, the best is La La Land. Produced by Marc Platt, Fred Berger, and Jordan Horowitz and written and directed by Damien Chazelle, La La Land is a story about Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a dedicated jazz musician, who are trying to become successful in a city that is know to ruin dreams and hopes, Los Angeles.

The opening scene on a busy Los Angeles highway immediately grabbed my heart, and I knew it would become a classic on its own term (it is a “musical,” but at the same time not). The first time I viewed it, the scene was not that special, but after watching it a second time, I was hooked. A cool fact is that the scene was not shot in front of a green screen, but in fact shot on a actual LA highway.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are excellent in the roles of Seb and Mia, and their love and passion for each other is amazingly persuasive. It is so well done, that it seems like they have true feelings for each other in real life. The overall story of Mia and Seb trying to make their way to the big leagues really pulls on the heartstrings. They are swimming in a pool of other aspiring actresses and musicians and you just want them to succeed.

Mia and Seb are throwbacks, but they are also part of present time. Seb is passionate and fuzzy; his car has a vintage cassette deck in the dashboard, and he lives in a old apartment with giant stacks of vinyl records and concert posters. Mia is caring and devoted; her room is filled with movie memorabilia, and she gives off a sense of happiness. They really balance each other out.

Overall, La La Land is a visual poem that gives an escape from all the stress in our lives. There is no thinking involved, you just just have to watch. The songs are catchy and the stars are lovely. To add to the level of immersion, the camera shots seem to lift you out of your seat and put you right in the shot. The final scene reviews the whole movie and fills your minds with questions. What is happening? Where is this going? How did they get here? Should we care? The very last scene of the movie answers none of those and just leaves you under a spell of enchantment. Maybe a little bit of crying, too.  

La La Land is a must watch and should win the Oscar for best picture.