#these are the holy trinity of bollywood movies

[pocketedxoxo]

what is my new year's resolution, you ask?

trying to manifest a chammak challo lifestyle, and dhoom machale my way through life, tbh. gonna go off to manali and meet the love of my life and reunite years later. also have plans to go on a cross country trip to find my best friend. not to forget venturing to spain with old friends to live an adventure

[medusasbush]

read in february 2023

articles (ones behind a paywall are linked through webpage archive):

I'm Intersex. Here's How I Have Sex.

What Is a Nepotism Baby Anyway? (reminded me of the hollywood inbreeding 101 portion of Carrie FIsher's Wishful Drinking)

Your Stuff is Actually Worse Now: How the cult of consumerism ushered in an era of badly made products.

If You Think Tacos Aren't Healthy, We Have News for You

Deeper into Movies: What Have I Been Watching

How Dolly Parton became a secular American saint

Springtime for the Confederacy

Comedy movies rarely make it to theaters today. Here’s why.

A Short Guide to Living More Pointlessly

Another Side of Rupert Grint

What Is a Narcissist?

Videos of Police Brutality Against Black People Are a Futile Spectacle in White America

Trump proposes genocidal national ban on transgender existence if he wins 2024

The super-kinkeepers (& kinkeeping matrix)

The soothing, slightly sinister world of productivity hacks

We're Already Living in the Metaverse

Doc Filmmakers Reckon with the Industry's Murky Ethics

The Band That Best Captures the Sound of the ’70s

The Number One's: Blondie's Rapture

Meat Loaf Owned the Power Ballad

Dating apps have created a culture of entitlement

America's Dangerous Obsession with Innocence

The War on Bollywood

Restoring the Sex and Rage to Jane Austen

Modern Porn Education Is Totally Unprepared for Modern Porn

Parents Need to Talk to Their Kids About Porn

The Porn Crisis That Isn't

Why Porn Has Gotten So Rough

Memoria and the Limitations of Ebert’s Empathy Machine

Is it Possible for a Fanboy to Be a Good Critic?

The people weeding out first dates with a questionnaire

The Anxious Style of American Parenting

Big commitments loosely held

The Junkification of Amazon

The Relentlessness of Modern Parenting

From Tokyo to Paris, Parents Tell Americans to Chill

I guess this turned into a love letter

'Lord' of racism?

The Man Behind the Myth: Should We Question the Hero’s Journey?

AMC is about to make paying for theater seats more like booking an airline ticket

The mounting, undeniable Me Too backlash

Lucky girl syndrome and the endless rebranding of “The Secret”

Stuck in 2020, pretending it’s 2014

No Sex for You: Life in the metaverse will be tacky, prudish, and dull

Sarah's Day in the Life

The Last of Us: Perspectives from an epidemiologist and a plant scientist

Marriage Is Not a Replacement For the Social Safety Net

Gwen Stefani, Ariana Grande, Madonna: The Holy Trinity of Famous Italian American Culture Vultures

How Christopher Columbus Became an Italian-American Icon

Everyone Is Grotesque and No One Is Turned On

Madonna's Face is Not Subversive

The NYT Op-Ed I Just Took A Kill Fee For.

The Whale does all but "giving a voice" to fat people

I Tried Jane Fonda’s ‘80s Workout Tapes To See How They Hold Up.

De-Influencing De-Influencing

TikTok’s De-Influencers Tell You What Not to Buy

The Curious Tale of the Midsize Queen

The Tragedy of Woke Shakespeare

books

the names up on the harp: irish myth and legend by P.J. Lynch, Marie Heaney (reread)

bitten: dark erotic stories by susie bright (started)

[theysaywhatasadsight]

OM SHANTI OM JAB WE MET AND PIKU YES YES UR SO RIGHT HOLY TRINITY OF BESTEST MOVIES

Bollywood cinema really peaked with them

[abe-khajur]

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol being casted as Rahul and Anjali in different movies is just the Bollywood version of fanfiction AUs for our favorite book, anime, show OTP....

It's like, "I will take these two characters and make them fall in love in multiple different alternate universe, just because I can"

And everyone shipped it. SRK and Kajol were the OG OTP and then came Deepika and Ranveer.

Even though I have been averse to Bollywood for a while now with all the dirt, my 5-15 year old heart loved it.

PS I know she was Simran in DDLG, we could have had the Holy Trinity if only she were Anjali in that.

[tarnished-butsogrand]

Zayn, Tan France, Hasan Minhaj aka the holy Muslim trinity 🤪 seriously I love some desi Muslim representation!

The holy Muslim trinity-love that!

The level of talent is truly exceptional.

Zayn with his voice- those high notes, those desi riffs- this girl is in love! 🥺❤️I am so glad he can express his desi side through his art now. I heard he was going to sing for a Bollywood movie, but that never happened. Fingers crossed, though. 🤞 And him in desi attire- that white silk kurta with that golden chain- kill me already! Not far behind is the one he chose to wear for Elle India. 😍

And the fact that his favourite Bollywood movie is Devdas and he likes Shah Rukh Khan- stop me, because I can't! 😭❤️ Last but not the least, remember his tweet about the Pakistani cricket team? Could he be more desi if he tried?

Coming to Tan France, what should I talk about? I mean, being an openly gay Muslim man wasn't enough for him, he had to have impeccable style? Like hello? I wish I had Netflix so I could watch every episode of Queer Eye- and get some styling tips from him 'cause he is freakin' amazing! His tasteful salt pepper hair and his French tuck- love him so much!

As for Hasan Minhaj- I love some intelligent humour (I hope I said it right)! It's a crime that we won't have another season of Patriot Act (Emmy winning, if I am not wrong) because my broke self used to watch all of the episodes on YouTube. He took up so many important issues (including the Indian Elections- which, what a watch!) And presented the facts so clearly and eloquently- all the while regaling us with his beautiful sense of humour. I realised during his interview with Justin Trudeau how exceptional he was- didn't back down from asking the tough questions (watching Justin squirm was interesting) and still maintained an air of joviality.

Also, Hasan standing up for himself (and by extension, all brown people) and not stopping until Ellen said his name right? King!

Tan and Hasan have already collaborated, I guess! Here's hoping we can see all these three wonderful, talented Muslim men together and maybe they can share their experiences with us? That would be such an excellent watch!

[dissecting-bollywood]

Bollywood & Biopics

DISSECT DEEPER #004

From Mary Kom to The Legend of Bhagat Singh, biopics have always been a quintessential part of Bollywood. Almost always guaranteeing a big box-office number, these movies attract the public eyes to untold stories. The actors playing the pivotal roles gain stardom for their capability and the directors gain certification of a good director from the public. Over the years, there have been many masterpieces in this genre (like Chak De! India and Shahid) and some... well... not masterpieces (like Azhar and Haseena Parkar) but regardless, they gain a fair amount of media coverage and love from the audiences. However, I’ve recently noticed a large number of biopics going on production (mostly the ones on the picture before but other ones include 83, Prithviraj, an unnamed Saina Nehwal movie, and Gunjan Saxena) and I just cannot help but ask; why are there so many biopics under production now? What started the trend and why is it still so prevalent? 

Looking At The Numbers

Firstly, let’s look at things from a producer’s standpoint: to both earn money and provide an unforgettable movie-going experience, they need to invest in a project that has previously proved its engagement with audiences. Other than the holy trinity of genres I call RAD (romance, action, drama), a very prevalent and successful genre is a biopic. Take the last decade as an example; it started out with the promising Dirty Picture and  Paan Singh Tomar. After a row of impressive biopics back-to-back, Dangal hit the theatres in 2016 and became the highest-grossing Bollywood (Hindi) movie ever with a whopping ₹2,024 crores worldwide. This groundbreaking movie signifies the marketability of a biopic and how much it attracts the public. Even more so, in later years other movies like Sanju and Padmaavat have gained a considerable amount of revenue, further backing up this argument. So long story short, over the last decade, biopics have continuously proven that they are highly marketable and can gain a lot of money. Like, a lot.

Gaining Credibility

Other than the numbers, another thing biopics are known for is giving actors acting credibility (and by credibility I mean the gaining respect an actor gets from critics, audiences, and other individuals in the industry, not from the money the movie gains). An actor who exactly embodies what I am trying to convey is Rajkummar Rao. After his debut in Love, Sex Aur Dhoka, his later roles were either supporting characters in successes or main characters in flops. Although many critics praised his performance in these movies, he was still unable to gain respect as a leading man in Bollywood. That was until Shahid rolled around the corner. The movie was about a Muslim lawyer named Shahid Azmi and although it was a flop, Rao was immensely praised for his performance. He later received the Filmfare Award for Best Actor and National Award for Best Actor along with Suraj Venjaramoodu. After that, Rao was finally regarded as a serious actor and delivered other memorable performances in movies like Queen, Bareily Ki Barfi, and Newton. It’s not just the actors who gain credibility from biopics; the directors do too. Meghna Gulzar is a prime example of that. Before she made the critically acclaimed Talvar about the 2008 Noida double murder case, she made movies like Filhaal..., Just Married, and Dus Kahanniyan. According to the IMDB ratings, the movies weren’t that great, having an average of 5.6/10. But when you look at the IMDB rating of Talvar (8.2/10), it’s almost hard to believe it is from the same director.

Endorsing That Guy

Another sad and unfortunate reason as to why biopics are popular nowadays (albeit quite small) is because of endorsing or enlightening a famous figure’s public image. A few I can think of off the top of my head are PM Narendra Modi, Azhar, and Sanju. In all of these cases, the creative decision is to focus on other aspects of the person’s life, like in Azhar, the creators focused on the cricketer’s personal life rather than the match-fixing scandal which banned him from the ICC and BCCI for life. Another trend I see is them bending certain facts of their history to make them appear helpless. To avoid being political, in Sanju it was shown that Dutt first started using drugs on the set of his first movie Rocky with the fictional character of Zubin when in reality, he started using them in high school with his friends. Although a few of these alterations can be easily looked over, it falters the delivery of the movie's final message and not to mention distracts the audience members from the otherwise engaging aspects of the movie. It just feels like the movie has a hidden agenda, which pulls us out of the movie immediately.

Outro

In my opinion, biopic movies are a blessing from whatever is above. It shows us how there are hidden gems amongst the generally depressing world and how inspiration can be found anywhere. The delivery of their message is also much more effective than that of a fictional story because it is marketed to be real. However, sometimes overdoing it can lose the magic behind a biopic and the formula of the story soon becomes stale and overdone. I do think Bollywood is heading that way with their next row of biopics, but I’m still excited to watch many of these movies. Hopefully, these movies will prove me wrong and the formula isn’t stale and dry. Also, let me know what you guys think of biopics. Do you generally like most of them or do you think there are way too many to keep track of? Thank you so much for making it this far into the post. Wash your hands and practice social distancing :)

[salmankhanholics]

★ Why Salman Khan Is Unstoppable!

28 JUNE 2018  GIRIDHAR JHA

Salman Khan is running no race, he’s riding high on pure stardom. Content be damned.

#Law and order under the Modi government has gone for a toss. I put two tickets of Race 3 in my car. Some idiots broke the window and left two more.

A surfeit of tweets—some hilarious, others acerbic—has swamped social media of late, cocking a snook at Salman Khan’s latest outing, Race 3, as ‘the biggest bore of the decade’ and ‘a sure-shot cure for the insomniacs’. This year’s much-vaunted Eid release has been mauled just as savagely by film critics, a few of them trashing it as simply insufferable.

Worse still, the film has made it to the IMDb list of ‘lowest-rated movies’ where it shares the dubious distinction with the likes of  Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007), The Legend of Drona (2008), Tees Maar Khan (2010), Himmatwala (2013), Humshakals (2014) and Kya Kool Hain Hum 3(2016)—all unmitigated disasters of our times.

In fact, some of Salman’s die-hard followers appear to be so disappointed with this movie that they have, for once, asked him not to take them for granted. ““Bhai,, don’t do films like Race 3,” a distraught fan tweeted in anguish after seeing the film. “It is not up to your standard.”

Under the best of circumstances, such reactions ought to have set off the alarm bells for a lesser star, but not the reigning monarch of B-town. Far from it, Bhai, as Salman is affectionately called, is having the last chuckle—he’s laughing out loud all the way to the bank. Remo D’Souza’s directorial venture has already crossed a commercial milestone, having notched up more than Rs 160 crore in India and Rs 250 crore worl­dwide in just about ten days. Quite an achievement for a film pilloried for its tacky plot, sloppy direction and deadpan acting!

But then, in an industry where stars are made and maimed every Friday, nothing matters more than what a movie ultimately earns at the ticket window. Race 3 may have been dismissed as a veritable affront to the aesthetic sense and sensibility by many a connoisseur of good cinema, but its box-­office figures have only underlined the enduring mass appeal of the 52-year-old warhorse, who remains a darling of the dress circle regardless of his receding hairline and protracted court cases.

But why is a star with unexceptional histrionic prowess still so popular with the masses? What are the factors that have sustained him as an alchemist at the cash counters? Ali Abbas Zafar, director of two of Salman’s recent blockbusters, Sultan (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), puts it conclusively: “It is very important for a superstar to connect, communicate and maintain a relationship with his audiences through his films. I think the audiences see absolute honesty in the way he leads his personal life, as also in the way he portrays his roles,” Zafar tells Outlook. “It invariably touches a chord with the audiences who flock to the theatres to watch his films over and over again. It’s a factor that simply cannot be defined.”

Zafar, now at the helm of Salman’s next, Bharat, believes every movie has its own journey and destiny as far as commercial success is concerned. “We cannot measure it against the superstardom of an actor. While making a movie, nobody knows whether it will click or not,” he says. “It is something indescribable.”

The young auteur thinks that he is fortunate to have worked with as big a superstar as Salman at the outset of his career. “As a director, it is absolutely essential to highlight the USP of a big star in the best possible way,” he says. “You have to develop the character in sync with the superstardom.”

Zafar avers that the audiences are disappointed only when they find a star’s stardom putting his character in the shade. “But if the character and the stardom complement each other, as they did in Sultan, Tiger Zinda Hai and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), then it creates pure magic,” he states.

Noted scriptwriter Rajat Arora considers Salman’s loyal fan base to be the biggest factor behind his success.  “What is remarkable is that people from all age groups, from kids to elderly people, like him. In fact, the release of his movie is a celebration of sorts of the star, idolised by his legions of followers.”

Arora, who scripted the Salman blo­ckbuster Kick (2014), says that is why nine of his movies have done business of more than Rs 100 crore while four others crossed the Rs 200-300-crore mark. “He has really worked hard over the years to maintain his stardom. He simply gives to his audiences what they really like to see.”

Figures, of course, don’t lie. Salman has had an unparalleled run in the past decade or so. Since Dabangg (2010), his 13 consecutive movies have minted more than Rs 100 crore, a figure considered to be the benchmark for a Bollywood blockbuster. Only a couple of them, such as Jai Ho (2014) and Tubelight (2017), are considered flops. But that is because of their high production costs; otherwise they too made it to the elite 100 crore club effortlessly.

Curiously, all this has happened des­pite Salman’s apparently cavalier attitude towards his career. At a time when his illustrious contemporaries—Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan, the other two of the holy tinsel town trinity—are constantly striving for content-driven cinema, commensurate with their expertise and experience, the youngest of the three 1965-born Khans functions within his own world, relying more on his popularity than the script of his movie. More often than not, he takes up a project purely for emotional reasons and shows no qualms in helping out his family members and friends in bolstering their careers. From Sonakshi Sinha in Dabangg to Athiya Shetty and Suraj Pancholi in Hero (2015), many star kids owe their launches to him. As for Race 3, he has gone a step further, as its ent­ire cast, save Anil Kapoor, app­ears to be piggybacking on his charisma. High on his success, Salman seems to care too little for the criticism that he turns a movie into an extended family enterprise these days.

Critics, however, believe that the Midas touch may not last for long. “He’s not serious about picking good subjects. I thought Salman had turned a new leaf with Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan but Race 3 demolished my hopes,” rues film writer Deepak Dua. “The film has too many non-actors who are in it primarily because of their close ties with him.”

Dua says Salman probably knows his range as an actor and that’s why he restricts himself to his comfort zone of masala entertainers, unlike Sha­h­rukh and Aamir. “Let alone Aamir, even Shahrukh has been trying to do things differently since the days of Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani(2000) and Asoka (2001),” he says. “It’s an altogether different matter that he has not been successful in that.”

Dua fears that Salman, at this juncture of his career, may end up committing the same blunder as yesteryear star Dhar­mendra. “Dha­r­mendra did many eminently forgettable act­ion flicks like Bag­­havat (1982) and Hukumat (1987),” he says. “I am afraid Salman is veering tow­ards the same rut, playing a he-man over and over again. Race 3 is yet another pointer to that, ” he adds.

Race 3’s success, Dua points out, is the outcome of a number of factors. “The film benefited from the brand name of the Race franchise, besides Salman’s superstardom,” he says. “Also, it was released on Eid, an occasion when even his really bad movies have done well. But it has to be borne in mind that the success of a bad movie like Race 3 will only spawn films of similar or worse quality.”

The audiences see absolute honesty in the way he leads his real and reel lives,” says Sultan director Ali Abbas Zafar.

Trade pundits, however, see the success of Race 3, in spite of the trenchant criticism, as yet ano­t­her confirmation of the saleability of Brand Salman. “Jaako raakhe Salman, maar sake naa critics (No critic can harm a Salman project,)” says veteran film trade expert Atul Mohan, twisting a popular adage used by the actor in Race 3.

Mohan, the editor of Complete Cinema, further says that Salman has never been serious about film scripts and yet he has been consistently delivering what the audiences like. “Without the audience’s support, it would not have been possible for Race 3 to earn Rs 160 crore in the first ten days of its release,” he elaborates.

Mohan even goes to the extent of saying that the criticism against and the potshots at Race 3 on social media are part of a ‘sinister campaign’ by a few people who are acting with vested interests. “When somebody becomes popular, certain people try to bring him down,” he says. “In the case of Race 3, social media was used by many as a tool to harm the prospects of Salman’s movie. But people are still flocking to theatres, despite all the trolling.”

That probably sums up the prolonged magic that Salman has cast on the audiences in recent years. Even though most of his movies are bereft of the nous of an Aamir-starrer or the purpose of a Shahrukh project, he remains the ultimate talisman at the box office—somebody who wears his X-factor like  armour and lives by what his character says in the film Kick; “Dil mein aata hoon, samajh mein nahin (I come into the heart,  not the mind.)”

[brightsuntravel123]

2 capital cities in the South Pacific

Fly into to either Suva, the capital of Fiji, and the largest city in the South Pacific, or Papeete, the bustling capital of Tahiti, and experience cities with stunning historical architecture and busy markets before heading out to the surrounding islands. Contact Brightsun Travel about our cheap tickets to South Pacific Islands all year round, taking you into the heart of all the region has to offer.  

Suva, Fiji

Religious Architecture In Suva you can visit important Hindu Temples, like Mariamma Temple, as well as peaceful churches and cathedrals, like the Holy Trinity Cathedral or the Roman Catholic Cathedral, an important landmark in Suva.

Food & Nightlife In Suva you catch a Bollywood movie in a central cinema, sample traditional Fijian cuisine, and sip sake at one of the best Japanese restaurants in the country, all in one night.

Markets In Suva you’ll find an array of markets, including the Suva Municipal Market, selling local handicrafts from around the island - perfect for those all-important take home souvenirs.

Parks & Gardens In Suva you can relax in the Thursten Gardens, or take a leisurely stroll along the city’s beautiful esplanade. Or visit the Colo-i-Suva Forest Park and trek 6.5 kilometres of walking trails past waterfalls, swimming holes and creeks.

Papeete, Tahiti

Markets You could start your tour of Papeete by exploring its bustling central markets, like the vast Marché de Papeete, where you will find Tahitian pearls, sarongs and fresh fish on sale.

Historical Beaches From Papeete you could take a tour of famous stopping off points used by Captain Cook in his voyage of the region in the 1700s, like Pointe Vénus and Matavai Bay, the site of Cook’s observatory, and a popular beach spot.

Museums In Papeete, the Musée de la Perle is a museum devoted to pearl cultivation in the region, whilst the Musée de Tahiti et des Îles, set on the coast 15 kilometres outside the city, explains the culture and geography of Tahiti.

4x4 Tours Hire a 4x4 and head into Tahiti’s stunning interior, and you will discover mountains, rainforests and bays that offer some of the best surfing spots in the region, plus incredible hiking opportunities.

Flights & Hotels Brightsun Travel can organize cheap tickets to South Pacific Islands, as well as hotel and holiday packages, all across the region. One of our favourite destinations is the Le Meridien Tahiti, a short shuttle ride from Papeete, offering a stunning island location, with overwater bungalows, plus snorkelling, kayaking and hand-gliding adventures across the island.

[illtakefiction]

LA LA Land Review

“I wish I had sunglasses,” I thought as I sat in the dark theater as the credits rolled.  “I need to put them on as I step out of the dark theater and into the bright sunlight.”  “Also, I feel my soul needs a vacation.” 

Spoiler Time....

Spoilers:

Now let’s go back to the beginning. CINEMASCOPE! Love it. Love the seasonal theme.  Whomever came up with the idea for the text deserves all the awards! ALL THE AWARDS!  I am in...to... that text.  I love that it starts out with boy meets girl and they don’t like each other but they connect over the song and dance. Just like classic Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers films.  

As for the song and dance:  There are some great musical group dance numbers (bright like Bollywood but in Hollywood) and beautiful dance dreamy sequences (reminiscent of old Hollywood musicals).  There’s a tad bit of tap dancing, THANK YOU JESUS the Son.  Beautiful waltzy stuff, THANK YOU GOD, the Father.  Now, there aren’t a lot of full out musical numbers for our leads which makes you feel a bit underwhelmed (falling short of the holy trinity) with them and not knowing their full musical ability. Their songs together and even apart are like pieces of the puzzle.  They start a song but never really finish it.  There’s lots of music and dancing but little of all three at the same time like we are accustomed to in musicals. Emma Stone does get to belt it out in a beautiful moving song at an audition which takes her character full circle.  Ryan Gosling never gets his big song opportunity.  His singing moments focus on his relationship to the piano.  He sings bits of a song interwoven throughout the film which have a culminating full circle heart felt moment.  Perhaps Stone and Gosling aren’t the world’s best singers but their voices are interesting, filled with the emotion needed for their character’s arcs, and hey, Rogers and Astaire and Crosby weren’t the world’s best singers either. I mean, there’s only one Judy Garland and she wasn’t in the best musicals.

Now, if the movie had been publicized differently I think any feelings of being underwhelmed could’ve been mitigated.  This is probably the first modern musical taking place in a modern time.  THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR THE GENRE. It’s not a musical taking place in 1822 or 1933, it’s taking place in the PRESENT! It’s more like here’s two characters connected through music and life can sometimes be a beautiful musical.  (I got sad in the middle of movie when I realized after I left the theater I wouldn’t meet a man and start singing and waltzing the night away as the sunset.) Whereas, the classic musicals were often, let’s stop em dead with this number.   I hope this will lead to a revival of the musical.  Instead of one musical every two or three years there will be a musical every year! You get a musical and you get a musical and.............

The final act! Oh, the final act! This is where my soul’s much needed vacation stems from.  There was a fate in the classical musical of the past.  Everything worked out.  But alas, in this modern age, what fate!  This modern age we live in is all about reality.  We bad mouth fairy tails for giving us unrealistic expectations and make movie after movie showing the gritty details of life.  And this musical is a reflection of it’s time: we make our own fate in this world based on the choices we make and things don’’t always turn out like we want.  

When dreams got pushed further down the road and time was spent apart our musically connected lovers lost the music.  For real, there wasn’t much music or singing or dancing.  The symbolism.  They go back to the spot where they first sang and danced but it is not beautiful in the daylight.  But our characters help each other find their way back..........to trying again.... to their dreams....even if it’s not together.  

We are taken five years into the future.  When we realized our girl, a big time actress-her dreams came true- was married to someone else the lady behind me in the theater muttered, “Na-uh.”  I mentally concurred. But then they wander into a jazz club.  It’s Gosling’s club, he gave it the name she suggested. Stone and Gosling’s eyes meet.  We are taken on a beautiful journey as we dance our way back to the past.  What would’ve happened if he hadn’t brushed by her in that bar when she wanted to compliment him on his piano skills............we are then taken on that trajectory.........he doesn’t take the modern jazz gig........people applaud her show...........they go to Paris..........they have little babies dressed as old jazz musicians.......It is beautiful and they are happy.  They wander into a jazz club.  Is this a new reality and the hard times weren’t real?  No, it is not Gosling’s club.  He never fulfilled his dreams and neither did she. Happy but without their dreams and if you never fulfill your dreams you will eventually remember and your happiness will be no more.  I think that is the message of the movie.  Stone leaves the club with her husband but turns back to meet Gosling’s eyes again.  They smile.  They will always love each other, for what they meant to each other on their journey.  But their dreams took them down separate paths and they will find their happiness and make their own happiness in this realistic world we live in.......where they live out their dreams and made their own fate.  

To conclude, go see this beautiful movie.  It’s so BEAUTIFUL! And a modern musical in a modern time!  Also, the lighting, oh Holy Ghost, the lighting.  ALL THE AWARDS TO THE LIGHTING PEOPLE! We still made the holy trinity!

P.S. LA should’ve paid them to make this movie.  This movie makes you want to go to there and do some major tourist LA LA Land tour which I’m sure will exist soon.

And I don’t about you but if I ever feel the need to compliment a man on his jazz piano playing I will find a way to do it.  GOD AS MY WITNESS I WILL COMPLIMENT HIM.  I want babies dressed as old jazz musicians.  That is my dream, not song and dance.