When I told my musical theater obsessed teenager about this bracket, she immediately said "La La Land" - that was obviously the best movie musical. When I showed her where it was on the bracket, she was very upset: "Why do you hate me, Josh?" Harsh. 🤣
La La Land gets a bad rap because of the Oscars kerfluffle - a lot of people were so dug in on the Best Picture debate that they missed that even though Moonlight is the much better movie, that doesn't mean La La Land isn't great in its own right. The opening number, I think, is instrumental in how people misunderstood the whole movie. It seemed like people who hated it were confused about how it fit in, but it perfectly sets up the themes of the movie with a bright score and peppy dance number masking the fairly dark lyrics about being so focused on your individual dreams that you leave behind everything else in your life. It was a great mirror to the (also divisive) ending, with Mia and Sebastian choosing their own dreams over the life they could have had together. It seems like Film Twitter/TikTok have reclaimed this one a bit recently, but I've always been a huge fan.
Also, the La La Land producer giving his BP acceptance speech EVEN WHILE KNOWING THEY ACTUALLY LOST remains the funniest thing to ever happen at the Oscars.
I do have some issues with La La Land (I hate the conceit that it stops being a musical when they’re having problems in their relationship - it makes this whole section feel so bland to me.) But overall, the film is really delightful and charming and would have a better reputation had it not become film twitter’s villain that award season. It definitely got k we hated just because it was in competition with Moonlight.
Agreed and I also think Ryan Gosling was not a great casting choice. I like Ryan Gosling! But think La La Land would be remembered more fondly if it had a somewhat less aloof male lead performance (as well as - could have been a more diverse casting choice for the jazz musician).
I love The Sparks, but Phantom of the Paradise gets my vote because it is so wild and brilliant. How can anyone vote against Paul Williams? He's both songwriter & star of this glam comedy nightmare. "Somebody get a fire extinguisher" in this clip is up there with "Somebody call a goddamn paramedic" in RoboCop *chef's kiss*
it has to be pointed out that the video you pulled for "Can You Picture That" is from Muppets Mayhem and not The Muppet Movie and while I quite enjoy the show and the movie will win anyways I can't help but feel a clip of the original movie version makes a stronger argument
The Babylon hive confuses me. Why would I want to watch a less entertaining Singin’ in the Rain remake made by someone who has clearly never been invited to a party before? Not a good time at all.
To the people voting for Dear Evan Hansen: who hurt you?
When I told my musical theater obsessed teenager about this bracket, she immediately said "La La Land" - that was obviously the best movie musical. When I showed her where it was on the bracket, she was very upset: "Why do you hate me, Josh?" Harsh. 🤣
I hate no one! (Well, scratch that, there's *one* person I hate, but that's the guy who was president from 2016 to 2020.)
Anyway...you never know, La La Land might surprise us in round two.
La La Land gets a bad rap because of the Oscars kerfluffle - a lot of people were so dug in on the Best Picture debate that they missed that even though Moonlight is the much better movie, that doesn't mean La La Land isn't great in its own right. The opening number, I think, is instrumental in how people misunderstood the whole movie. It seemed like people who hated it were confused about how it fit in, but it perfectly sets up the themes of the movie with a bright score and peppy dance number masking the fairly dark lyrics about being so focused on your individual dreams that you leave behind everything else in your life. It was a great mirror to the (also divisive) ending, with Mia and Sebastian choosing their own dreams over the life they could have had together. It seems like Film Twitter/TikTok have reclaimed this one a bit recently, but I've always been a huge fan.
Also, the La La Land producer giving his BP acceptance speech EVEN WHILE KNOWING THEY ACTUALLY LOST remains the funniest thing to ever happen at the Oscars.
I do have some issues with La La Land (I hate the conceit that it stops being a musical when they’re having problems in their relationship - it makes this whole section feel so bland to me.) But overall, the film is really delightful and charming and would have a better reputation had it not become film twitter’s villain that award season. It definitely got k we hated just because it was in competition with Moonlight.
Agreed and I also think Ryan Gosling was not a great casting choice. I like Ryan Gosling! But think La La Land would be remembered more fondly if it had a somewhat less aloof male lead performance (as well as - could have been a more diverse casting choice for the jazz musician).
I might have voted for La La Land if the cast of this otherwise pretty good musical could, um, sing.
I love The Sparks, but Phantom of the Paradise gets my vote because it is so wild and brilliant. How can anyone vote against Paul Williams? He's both songwriter & star of this glam comedy nightmare. "Somebody get a fire extinguisher" in this clip is up there with "Somebody call a goddamn paramedic" in RoboCop *chef's kiss*
it has to be pointed out that the video you pulled for "Can You Picture That" is from Muppets Mayhem and not The Muppet Movie and while I quite enjoy the show and the movie will win anyways I can't help but feel a clip of the original movie version makes a stronger argument
I played Lazer Wolf as a kid. Timed it perfectly because the movie was re-released that year.
The Babylon hive confuses me. Why would I want to watch a less entertaining Singin’ in the Rain remake made by someone who has clearly never been invited to a party before? Not a good time at all.
Your description of Babylon is overly generous! (Boy, did I loathe that film.) But yes, generally agreed.
Ack! I'm crazy about La La Land, but how on earth am I supposed to vote against Gene Kelly??
Remember how he treated Debbie Reynolds!