It’s the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.



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With the holiday hustle and bustle descending, it’s nice to know that you can always catch a break at the theatre.


If you’ve got kids, the animated feature Storks is a solid choice, but I’m instead going to take some time to talk about two other very good openers hitting the screen - La La Land and Captain Fantastic.


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Mike Laidman


Welcome to another edition of Film Focus. I’m Mike Laidman.


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La La Land (2016, Damien Chazelle)
A jazz pianist falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles.


La La Land is a breath of fresh air, a movie that gives life to a struggling genre - the musical drama. It tells the story of Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, it’s an original musical about everyday life that explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.


With solid direction, a wonderful script, heart, and powerful performances by leads Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land plays more like an old-school Hollywood musical than a modern-day flick. The cinematography, choreography, and original tunes make this one to see on the biggest screen you can find.


There really isn’t anything negative to say about it, and even those who aren’t that predisposed to singing and dancing will have to work pretty hard not to succumb to La La Land’s charms - mainly its feel-good love story, tinged with just the right amount of bittersweetness to keep you grounded.


Chances are this one will disappear from theatres pretty quickly, so make sure to check it out this weekend.




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Captain Fantastic (2016, Matt Ross)
A father raises his six kids in the Pacific Northwest.


Also opening this week is another stunner in the form of Captain Fantastic.


Deep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, isolated from society, a devoted father dedicates his life to transforming his six young children into extraordinary adults. But when a tragedy strikes the family, they are forced to leave this self-created paradise and begin a journey into the outside world that challenges his idea of what it means to be a parent and brings into question everything he's taught them.


If you really start to look at this one closely, you’ll find that it doesn’t hold up in some areas - fleshed-out characters, resolutions, etc. But this is small fare. What matters here are the questions asked about parenting, what is right, what is wrong, and the (often) humorous answers given.


A remarkable tale about a remarkable family, there’s really no reason either of this week’s movies should be missed.