La La Land dreams of a future for musicals

Like any good Hollywood musical, the creative types are initially at odds before falling head first into a romance. Photo: GSC Movies

Breaking into song to express emotions too powerful for spoken words doesn’t resonate the way it did in the days of Gene Kelly and Bing Crosby.

A big green Hulk can thrash alien invaders all over the New York City skyline to the pleasure of millions, but a man busting out an impeccably choreographed dance number to a sweet melody is something audiences just can’t fathom anymore. For that reason, Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, a contemporary ode to the heyday of the Hollywood movie musical, will likely win or lose its audience by the end of its rousing, if not borderline campy opening number.