10 Best Romantic Musical Movies Like La La Land

Critics and moviegoers alike were shocked when Damien Chazelle’s third full-length movie, “La La Land,” came out in 2016. Even though Chazelle had never directed a popular musical before, he did an amazing job on what is now thought of as a gem in the genre.

“La La Land” is about two young artists in Los Angeles who are both vying for their big break: Emma Stone plays Mia, a hopeful actor, and Ryan Gosling plays Sebastian, a jazz pianist. Their first meeting makes them dislike each other, but Mia and Sebastian fall in love and support each other as they work towards their goals. When they talk to each other about success, they each give each other advice that makes them unhappy with the path they’ve taken. The ending of “La La Land” is a surprise, and it’s a sad ending: what are the characters ready to give up to reach their artistic peak and follow their dreams? Even though neither Stone nor Gosling is known for their singing or dancing, they put on great shows thanks to their great chemistry and energy.

“La La Land” makes you miss old-fashioned musicals and the Golden Age of films in every way, from the music to the dances to the costumes. Chazelle doesn’t hold back when he says he loves the genre, and the movie is full of nods to old movies like La La Land and Rebel Without a Cause, and many more. Even though “La La Land” is very current, it has that special quality that most great musicals have: Don’t take it too seriously. It has all the love fun and joy you’d expect from a movie where characters break out in song and dance when they’re feeling sad. So, here are 10 movies like La La Land you will enjoy.

The Top 10 Movies Like La La Land To Watch:

Singin’ in the Rain

“Singin’ in the Rain” is the first show that comes to mind when you think of old musicals. A lot of people think that the 1952 movie with Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor is the best example of what movie musicals are all about. The movie also gave Damien Chazelle and the rest of the group a lot of ideas for “La La Land.”

“Singin’ in the Rain” is about Don Lockwood (Kelly), a silent movie star who has to make the big step to “talkies.” Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), who plays his regular co-star, has a terrible raspy voice and a strong Brooklyn accent. As a plan, Don and his best friend Cosmo (O’Connor) have the studio hire a new singer and talker named Kathy Selden (Reynolds). As Don and Kathy work together, they fall in love, and Cosmo is always there for them.

The movie has lots of catchy songs and dance scenes with great choreography. The two songs that made “Singin’ in the Rain” popular are the title song, which features Kelly dancing and singing with an umbrella in the rain (with the famous swing around a lamp post), and the happy theme “Good Morning.”

The Artist

This movie, which won Best Picture, is a love letter to an old genre that didn’t seem to belong in modern movies. “The Artist,” a black-and-white silent movie, looked like it was doomed to fail. The story of a silent film star’s fight to stay relevant as “talkies” take over was a compelling one, even though critics and viewers thought it would not work. There are some cleverly mixed sound and spoken conversation scenes in the movie, but the charismatic acts and the lively music by Ludovic Bource tell most of the story. “The Artist,” like “La La Land,” shows that music and feelings are stronger than words, especially in a visual form like film.

Whiplash

You’ll love “Whiplash,” the movie before “La La Land,” if you liked how “La La Land” was handled with its emotional use of music and Sebastian’s strong love for jazz. The movie deals with similar issues as “La La Land” does in its search for artistic perfection: how far are we ready to go to reach these goals and be successful? Love turns into mania in “Whiplash,” and training turns into abuse.

Andrew, played by Miles Teller, is 19 years old and is learning music at a famous school. He wants to become a big band jazz drummer. Frank Fletcher, played by J.K. Simmons, is the cruel band leader. The kids in his band are pushed to reach their best potential because he is a perfectionist. Andrew has a lot of potential, so Fletcher pushes him in practice until Andrew’s hands bleed. Fletcher is willing to do anything to get Andrew to the top of his artistic game, even if it means yelling insults at him in front of the other students. As shocking as it is, “Whiplash” shows how a music genius is made through practice, not just natural ability, and what can go wrong when you try to be perfect.

Also Read: 10 Passionate Movies Like Lie With Me – With Intense Chemistry

Los Angeles Plays Itself

This video essay is a great choice if you want to see a movie that really shows what Los Angeles is like. Los Angeles has been portrayed in films over the years, and “Los Angeles Plays Itself” looks at those films. There is a lot of interesting information about Los Angeles and film history in Thom Andersen’s documentary. The most important thing that Andersen does is look at how Los Angeles can be a subject, a character, and a scene. In “La La Land,” Los Angeles seems like a real, alive place. We’re sure that if Andersen ever wrote another book after “Los Angeles Plays Itself,” he would have something to say about how Damien Chazelle shows the city.

The Band Wagon

“The Band Waggon” is the opposite of “Singin’ in the Rain.” Also thought to be one of the best musicals, “The Band Waggon” is a romantic, slightly sad look at the drama behind the scenes on Broadway. It stars the famous Fred Astaire. This movie also gave Chazelle ideas for “La La Land,” especially the routines of the first scene where Mia and Sebastian dance and sing.

In “The Band Waggon,” Fred Astaire plays Tony Hunter, an older musical theatre and movie star who is trying to get back into the spotlight after a few years away. He is chosen to play Faust in a new version of the story, and Cyd Charisse, who plays the lead role of Gaby Gerard, is cast to play him opposite. Right away, there is friction between the two: Gaby thinks musicals are beneath her, but her more experienced co-star scares her, and Tony isn’t sure of his own skills when he sees such a young, skilled dancer. In the end, their love for their work brings them together.

“The Band Waggon” gives us a great look into how things work. The show is very true to life from that time and shows all the hard work that went into making shows through the love view of a musical.

The Band Wagon

Get ready, because Fred Astaire might show up again on this list. Astaire plays Tony Hunter in “The Band Waggon.” Hunter is an experienced actor who wants to change his luck with his work. Tony has a fight with Gabrielle Gerard, played by Cyd Charisse, when he gets a part in a Broadway show. A cute courtship develops between these two, even though things get off to a bad start, similar to Mia and Sebastian’s relationship. It shouldn’t be a surprise that “La La Land” takes some visual cues from “The Band Wagon.” One example is the dance scene set against the beautiful city of Los Angeles. Both of these love stories are so happy that they will make you say, “That’s entertainment.”

Rebel Without a Cause

In a very direct reference, Mia and Sebastian are on a date to see “Rebel Without a Cause” at the Rialto Theatre. When the movie starts to burn in the middle, they go to the Griffith Observatory, which they had just seen in a scene from the James Dean movie. The next scene at the Observatory, where they can be seen dancing in the dome, is one that will stay with you forever. People who have seen “Rebel Without a Cause” know how important that place is: it’s the centre of the movie and where important scenes take place.

Rebel Without a Cause is one of only three films with James Dean as the lead actor. It’s about three troublesome teens, Jim (Dean), Plato (Sal Mineo), and Judy (Natalie Wood), who all have tough problems at home. After being jailed and meeting Plato and Judy at the police station, Jim makes friends with Plato and falls in love with Judy. Unfortunately, Judy is already dating Buzz (Corey Allen), the boss of a group of bad kids. Buzz starts a fight with a knife and then a race by a cliff, which leads to trouble. Buzz is stuck in his car when something goes wrong, and he dies as it falls into the water. Then, Jim, Judy, and Plato are stuck together as an awkward trio as they try to deal with what happened. Buzz’s old gang wants payback, and each of their personal problems start to get worse.

All That Jazz

Jazz is a big part of “La La Land.” This 1979 movie is also mostly about jazz, as its name suggests. Both films use the same type of music, but that’s not all they have in common. Also, “All That Jazz” mixes pure dream with harsh truth. A director and dancer in the story overdoses on drugs, drink, sex, and work. Even though “All That Jazz” has dark themes, it often feels like a dream. People who see the movie will feel like they’re flying one minute and then be brought back to earth the next. This movie speaks to artists all over the world, whether it makes you feel happy or sad.

West Side Story

The “West Side Story” is the story’s grandchild from the famous Shakespeare play “Romeo and Juliet,” and it was also a big influence on Chazelle’s “La La Land.” “West Side Story” is a famous Broadway play that was made into a movie in 1961. It is known for its beautiful dances and powerful music.

Violence breaks out between the white Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks in New York’s Upper West Side neighbourhood. “West Side Story” is about Maria (Natalie Wood), a young Puerto Rican woman whose brother Bernardo (George Chakiris) is the leader of the Sharks. Her brother’s best friend is set to marry her, but she falls in love with Tony (Richard Beymer) at a dance where both gangs are present. Here’s the catch: Tony is close with Riff, the Jets’ boss (Russ Tamblyn). Gangs are pitted against each other in the story of the star-crossed lovers, and sad deaths happen. Even though the dialogue isn’t the most original and the songs aren’t the most exciting, “West Side Story” is still a famous show with great dance moves.

Top Hat

Damien Chazelle, the director, says that Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling “feel like the closest thing we have right now to an old Hollywood couple.” When films were at their best, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were the perfect pair. Many people think that “Top Hat,” in which Astaire’s character Jerry tries to date Rogers’ character Dale, is their best movie together. Without the right stars, it’s clear that neither “La La Land” nor “Top Hat” would have worked. Good thing that the lovers in both of these films have obvious chemistry that makes the screen sparkle. Chazelle showed several films to his cast and crew, including ‘Top Hat’, which got everyone in the mood to dance together.

Conclusion:

La La Land is more than just a movie; it’s a journey that you’ll never forget. The films on this list all have their own special ways of reflecting its magic, whether it’s through moving music, dreamy visuals, or stories about love and desire. If you watch these great films, you might find your next favorite.

Also Read: 15 Thriller Movies Like Gone Girl with Unpredictable Endings