Magnificent and bold pops of color that catch your eye in every scene. Faint hums that quickly explode into extravagant pieces of music. Dark rooms where dark chairs and dark brown drinks lay while a lady in red moves to the beat. La La Land was not just a movie or just a musical — it had the power to connect, it fulfilled all five senses, making me want even more senses for it to explore, all while telling a beautifully thought-out story.

La La Land takes you on a walk through the brilliant mind of director Damien Chazelle, who has also directed Whiplash and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Chazelle’s style of abstract storytelling is similar to Quentin Tarantino’s unorthodox approach in his movies Hateful Eight and Pulp Fiction. Of course La La Land is without all the morbid details found in Tarantino’s repertoire — if you’re one for a little more gore 10 Cloverfield Lane is one I’m sure you’d appreciate.

La La Land, released Dec. 25 has already broken the record for Golden Globes won for one movie with 7 awards. The movie follows the unconventional pair Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling). The two seem misplaced as they are both old soles in present-day Los Angeles. They almost look as if they have vintage filters over only them throughout the movie, also adding to the feeling that they are made for each other. Getting off on the wrong foot, these two soon look past their first few encounters and grow fond of each other. Mia is an aspiring actress who is quickly realizing that she is not the only young redheaded actress in Los Angeles. She is turned down role after role, and with each rejection her passion continues to fade. Sebastian on the other hand is a struggling jazz pianist whose passion is the only thing he holds onto. As Mia grows closer to Sebastian, his passion inspires her to do things she never would have tried before, including writing her own one-woman show. Throughout La La Land there is a constant pattern of either Mia or Sebastian losing hope in their dream, only to be picked back up by the other. They both aim for the stars, but lose themselves and each other along the way, showing that in life happy endings are bittersweet.

La La Land was truly breathtaking. This picture takes you on a walk, an experience that one can not accurately convey through words. Writing this feels like I’m attempting to tell a “you would have to have been there” joke, but I’m going to try anyways because La La Land truly deserves it. I only hope that one day I can create something as powerful as this movie.

La La Land fully embodies the word “art” in its finest form. I believe art is not a term to be thrown around. It is when a piece not only gets someone to feel something, but it also inspires them to create something of their own. These rare pieces remind me that humans were gifted the gift of creativity, and it is great to see people not abuse this gift.

La La Land also makes me appreciate the excitement that took place in the ‘50s. When color TV was first invented it seemed as if filmmakers couldn’t get enough of it. Everything was vibrant. Now it seems we are taking for granted our ability to see color on a screen and filmmakers no longer use color to their advantage. The abundant use of color is what makes La La Land so refreshing.

Being a musical, it is expected that the director uses music and sounds to make the viewer feel the way they want, but Chazelle went above and beyond, exceeding any expectations I could have had. Not only was music used as a tool to influence emotion, silence was also put to use to to create a feeling of awkwardness or discomfort especially at times of change or realization. Chazelle created his very own La La Land letting us observe as it unfolds before our eyes.

Even if you are not a fan of musicals or you would much rather see a goofy comedy or maybe just not waste your time or money at all, I strongly suggest you forget all your instincts and watch it anyway. La La Land will shock you and hopefully open your eyes to an innocent beauty still in the world that is often forgotten, a beauty for the fools who dream.