At first, I did not know what “La La Land” was and I definitely didn’t feel the need to see a movie that included, what I thought to be, the same old plot of a boy and a girl meeting and falling in love. Although Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were my selling factors, I was not counting down the days for the release of this movie. Still, my brother made me see it and after the first minute of the movie, I immediately knew how wrong I had been about my previous remarks because “La La Land” is one of the best movies I have ever seen.

Perhaps it’s the old movie feel that “La La Land” creates in a time when movies have evolved to be the same typical romantic comedy that makes this movie so exceptional. Or rather, maybe it’s the cast, acting and exciting dance numbers that everyone randomly breaks into. Whether you enjoy theater, love stories, music or comedy, “La La Land” is the perfect movie for you.

“La La Land” portrays the lives of two young aspiring individuals: Mia, played by Emma Stone and Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling. Mia strives to be an actress in Los Angeles and has tried countless auditions, only to be disappointed. Sebastian has an appreciation for jazz in a time when it is mostly forgotten. He longs to make a restaurant that will play jazz, not common by social norms. The two have several encounters before they actually meet and eventually start dating.

Filmed in Los Angeles, “La La Land” works to show a typical life of anyone with a dream and the brutal reality that life isn’t easy. Both characters have a passion for their job but can’t seem to get paid to do it. Director Damien Chazelle wrote “La La Land” in 2010, unable to find any studio that would fund his creation. Chazelle wouldn’t settle for changes to his masterpiece, so he waited until Summit Entertainment got on board, nearly four years later. Chazelle himself is like the characters of “La La Land,” trying to make his dream come true and staying true to what he wants.

The praise for the film goes beyond Chazelle’s imagination and far beyond my individual opinion. The Academy critics say that it is one of the best films of 2016. It took over the 74th Golden Globe Awards, winning everything it was nominated for. In addition to this, it was nominated for 14 categories at the 89th Academy Awards, which is a record tied with Titanic from 1997. It took home 5 awards that night, including best actress and best director. It is clear that everyone is amazed at this movie — critics and audiences alike.

“La La Land” uses music, dances and comedy to point out the struggles of life but also to not let hardship take over the characters. This movie allows the audience to see their own problems on the screen and relate to the characters in a real and also funny way.

But don’t just take my word for it, make sure you see “La La Land” for yourself so you can understand why everyone loves it so much. You’ll probably see me there, I think I need to see it a third time.