Directed and written by Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) and starring Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March; Crazy, Stupid, Love.; Blue Valentine; the Big Short; The Place Beyond the Pines) and Emma Stone (Irrational Man; Birdman; The Help; Magic in the Moonlight; The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

Musical drama, 126 mins, children admitted, in English

Like The Artist by Michel Hazanavicius in 2011, La La Land is different, very different; it stands out from the run-of-the-mill dramas, thrillers and action films, and especially,sequels.

Damien Chazelle created waves with Whiplash, which he also wrote and directed, in 2014 which went on to win 3 Oscars; he is doing so again with La La Land which won big at the recent Golden Globes and has received a host of Oscar nominations too.

The film is set in Los angeles and follows Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress who works in a café and has all but given up on landing a role, eventually gets a callback, but this too is a dead end. She meets Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a musician who too is looking for his big break, playing private gigs while dreaming of owning a jazz club. Despite initially irritating each other, they end up spending more time together and start to fall in love.

Mia starts to write a one-woman play but, when she puts it on in a small Los Angeles theatre, almost nobody shows up. And Sebastian arrives too late. Distraught, and knowing she would not be able to repay the rnet of the theatre, she leaves Los Angeles and moves back home with her parents. Suddenly, though, Sebastian takes a call and everything is about to change. When success beckons, will their fragile relationship stand the test or will they go their separate ways?

A breath of fresh air in style, with superb cinematography in a wonderfully-atmospheric production. The shooting locations were superbly chosen as it appears the characters are always close-up, with the city as a backdrop to their lives. The musical score is refreshing too, and catchy, yet not over-played, with the costumes and props - just look at all those classic cars...

It shouldn't be too long until La La Land makes it way to the stage in Broadway...