La La Land

Damien Chazelle is an acclaimed and fascinating director with a filmography spanning multiple genres, from musical to epic Hollywood drama.

[best movies of the decade](https://screenrant.com/best-movies-decade-2010s-list/) in large part due to Gosling and Stone's enthralling chemistry, but Chazelle tackles wide-ranging themes in what remains his most complete project to date. The evident commentary on the state of the movie industry is well-placed, with an ending that defies conventions, particularly for a Damien Chazelle movie. Chazelle's directorial prowess sparkled with the glitzy and [detailed romantic musical La La Land](https://screenrant.com/la-la-land-movie-ending-explained/#la-la-land-ending-detail-highlights-the-importance-of-seb-amp-mia-39-s-relationship) in 2016 before he pivoted to helm [First Man](https://screenrant.com/tag/first-man/), the 2018 historical drama. Conversely, La La Land succeeds due to the near sole focus on its two wonderfully charismatic leads in Gosling and Stone. The emotional beats feel earned, but the effort can come across as pretentious, with Chazelle and Hurwitz shoehorning in near-identical Babylon is an overly ambitious attempt to capture fanfare and debauchery that is largely devoid of clear direction and, instead, favors showcasing a filmmaker's flare and personal tastes. Although he was turned down, he received feedback that the musical heart of the film was promising. Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, and particularly Diego Calva do the best with what they are given, but the film ultimately falters as a classic example of style over substance. His latest historical drama, [Babylon](https://screenrant.com/tag/babylon/), is an interesting addition to Damien Chazelle's catalog, a filmography that warrants ranking. The dialogue is sparse, with the story unfolding similarly to La La Land. [Whiplash](https://screenrant.com/tag/whiplash/), Chazelle's breakout project starring Miles Teller and J.K. Audiences can pick up on distant conversations in the kitchen, the idle chatter of pedestrians milling about the Boston streets, and even the camera rolling to boot.