John Legend gave a soulful performance of two Best Song nominees from La La Land. at the 2017 Oscars, “City of Stars” and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream).” Legend executive produced and appeared in La La Land, while Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone respectively, sang the versions that appear in the film.
Legend performed on a shifting stage modeled…
La La Land garnered a record-tying 14 Academy Award nominations this year — it’s now neck-and-neck with Titanic and All About Eve for receiving the most Oscar nominations in a given year. More
With the “Arrival” of the 89th annual Academy Awards, you’re probably asking a number of important questions. More
Ryan Gosling has been a very handsome, very welcome award season presence this year thanks to his beautiful performance in La La Land. More
Los Angeles (AFP) – All eyes will be on Hollywood Tuesday as the list of nominees for this year’s Oscars is unveiled with critical darlings “La La Land,” “Moonlight” and “Manchester by the Sea” set to fare well. More
Inside the Ultimate Power Lunch
Hollywood’s biggest stars, studio chiefs and network presidents “do lunch” together once a year without their entourage of agents, managers, lawyers or publicists, in a nearly complete media blackout. More
“It feels really nostalgic to me,” frets a self-conscious Mia (Emma Stone) in “La La Land,” after reading her one-woman play to her boyfriend, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling). “Do you think people are going to like it?” More
Movie musicals have never really gone away, but it’s been a while since one has caused a stir quite like La La Land, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling More
FILE – This image released by Roadside Attractions and Amazon Studios shows Lucas Hedges, right, and Casey Affleck in a scene from “Manchester By The Sea.” More
Oscar’s never been much of a song-and-dance man. Consider his treatment of 1952’s Singin‘ in the Rain, widely considered the best movie musical of all time (it ranks No. 1 on the AFI list of the greatest movie musicals). Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s toe-tapper scored just two nominations — a supporting actress mention for screechy-voiced star Jean Hagen and another for music scoring — and won neither.
Consider, too, how often the Motion Picture Academy overlooked Hollywood’s top musical performers. During the course of his career, Kelly got just one best actor nom, for 1945’s Anchors Aweigh, and, as compensation, a 1952 honorary Oscar recognizing his choreographic work. Similarly, Fred Astaire was ignored until he was given an honorary Oscar in 1950 and then, late in life, a supporting actor nom for his appearance in the 1974 disaster pic The Towering Inferno. Ginger Rogers got no Oscar noms for dancing backward and in heels — instead, she won an Oscar only when she played it straight in 1940’s Kitty Foyle. And most of Judy Garland’s musical work earned little applause — although she won a special juvenile Oscar after starring in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, her next nom didn’t come until 1954’s A Star Is Born, which was as much soul-searing drama as it was light-hearted musical.
So why has Oscar so often given musicals and musical performers such short shrift? Possibly because they make it look too easy. Or maybe because they look as if they simply are having too much fun.
Enter La La Land, which Lionsgate opens in exclusive engagements Dec. 9. Damien Chazelle’s homage to old-fashioned boy-meets-girl Hollywood musicals, a pastel-hued $30 million romance starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, is already a hit on the festival circuit, picking up the audience award in Toronto and charming critics (it has a 96 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes). And before any Academy voters dismiss it as a mere trifle, no matter how winning,…