The fools who dream

Have you ever had a book hangover? You know, where you devour a most excellent novel (or series), and then suddenly, it’s over, and you don’t know how to deal with the loss?

I am so there right now. Except the cause of my hangover isn’t a book this time, but a movie.

This movie:

I saw it in the local theater last week with Miss Tadpole and had the best time. Now that our satellite provider no longer carries the CW, our biweekly Reign dates have come to an end (sadly, streaming isn’t an option) and I’ve been missing the girl time.

But the reason for the hangover is the soundtrack, which I ran out and bought a couple of days after seeing the movie. I’ve been listening to it ever since, and not just for the fabulously jazzy instrumental tunes (although they’re awesome). I love the stories the songs tell, and how much emotion is packed into them – hope, fear, longing, love. I love pretty much every song on the soundtrack, but my two favorites, hands down, are the duet of “City of Stars” and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)”.

I love the pictures they paint, the feeling they evoke with a few simple words. Every time I listen to “Audition,” I get chills. Maybe it’s because I relate so much to the idea of the crazy, foolish dreamer. Maybe it’s because I’ve always believed that with enough hard work, even the wildest dreams can come true, and this movie reinforces that idea. Maybe it’s because Emma Stone is immensely talented and her performance of that song is so intense.

I don’t know. What I do know is that I want the stories I write to be as evocative and moving for others as these songs have been for me. I’ve got my work cut out for me, but that’s okay. There’s no pleasure without pain, right? And writing is nothing if not a perfect combination of pleasure and pain.

So here’s to the fools who dream.

Have you seen La La Land? Did you love it? Hate it? Let’s discuss! 🙂