This is one of my more controversial views, a position so conservative some might call it retrograde, but in light of this past week’s events I'm feeling emboldened to revel in it: I thought La La Land was great. (What, did you think I was going to go full Tom Araya on you?) The music is only pretty good, the story hinges on some convoluted plot contrivances ("Does Emma Stone's character not understand how touring works?"), and there are all kinds of social critiques you could validly express about the film -- and yet I went home feeling almost paralyzingly wistful, tantalized by its vivid depiction of wild romance and depressed by what it says about this generation's priority of personal achievement above committed loving partnership. If we're judging movies by their lingering impact on your thought life, this one was infinitely better than the sum of its parts.