La La Land, Liar Liar & Groundhog Day: Three Reviews In One

La La Land (2016)

(Posted on 15th September, 2018)

An expertly shot film with great songwriting and visual flair, let down by an occasionally predictable story.

Chazelle's (roughly) fourth love letter to music and his second directly focused on jazz, La La Land is impressively captivating with Technicolor-saturated shots, Pasek and Paul's catchy well-crafted lyrics and Justin Hurwitz's equally compelling musical score. Although the plot in general can be, on occasion, cliched and formulaic (albeit, perhaps as an attempt to recreate the musicals of old), it doesn't stop La La Land from tap-dancing into the Movie Musical Hall of Fame.

8/10 (Somewhat leaning towards a 7, or maybe even towards a 9)

I've also made a video review of this movie. Click here to watch it.

 

Liar Liar (1997) 

(Posted on 15th September, 2018)

A sweet but generic comedy, that wouldn't nearly be as special without Jim Carrey.

Although I can't say I'm a mega-fan of Jim Carrey's form of comedy, he was completely perfect for the role as Fletcher Reede, the arrogant lawyer who is as wholly strange as he is truly loving of his son. This love really is the heart of the film (no pun intended), but without Jim Carrey's over-the-top face-pulling performances, Liar Liar would be relatively unspecial - a so-so plot, bland cinematography, an unmemorable score and more cheese than the dairy section of a supermarket. Although, depending on who you are, that cheesiness could be one of the film's more endearing qualities.

7/10 (And without Jim Carrey, it would be around a 5 or 6)

 

Groundhog Day (1993)

(Posted on 15th September, 2018)

An exciting fantasy comedy wrapped in a romance, that pushes its 'time loop' concept to the maximum creative potential.

[WARNING: SPOILERS] 

As I watched Groundhog Day, over time, just like Phil does with Punxsutawney in this movie, I began to fall in love with it.

Firstly, Bill Murray is, of course, great in his role as the narcissistic deadpan Phil - but the film allows Murray to expand upon that archetypal character. The film joyfully toys with his evolution over the film from this passive-aggressive, depressed weatherman to a kind-hearted man who, through his ambiguous amount of time in the Groundhog Day loop, learns to appreciate the smaller things in life or rather, the smaller towns and the intricacies of their citizens. And this time loop brilliantly facilitates this transformation. Phil goes from paranoia to joyriding to suicide to eventual acceptance of his situation, becoming a better person for the people of Punxsutawney.

Secondly, Harold Ramis' role as director and main screenplay writer means the time loop concept is pushed to its absolute breaking point. In contrast, in 'Back To The Future', the concept of time travel is explored, but it feels like it could have been pushed a bit further. But Groundhog Day finely examines and cherry picks from the whole spectrum of "What would you do if you essentially had infinite time to play with (or more accurately, to get trapped in)?"

There's also a surprisingly sweet love story between Phil and his producer Rita that, despite him technically only knowing her for less than a day, he comes to understand her intimately and acutely.

Lastly, there is a surprising amount of clever symbolism and shot composition. For example, the opening shot of the same cumulus clouds rolling past in shot after shot foreshadows both Phil's job as a weatherman and the time loop that is to come. Or how about the "snow shovel man" who we see in the background of a shot where Phil is making a phone call only for him to come in and whack Phil in the head with said shovel? The film is littered with many of these cunningly well-placed visual gags as well as a vast array of sharp witted verbal jokes.

To put it simply, Harold Ramis' assured direction and pure imaginative talent makes Groundhog Day an exemplary example of how to make a superbly engaging film out of a deceptively simple idea - through compelling character development, unmatched creativity, quick wit and carefully crafted visuals.

10/10