By Joules Dellinger
I’m not sure how it happened, but I didn’t finally get the chance to watch The Greatest Showman until recently. And now I’m KICKING myself… because it instantly became one of my favorites. The songs! The dancing! Wolverine singing and dancing! There is just so much to love.
So, for fun, I decided to put together a list of my six absolute favorite movie musicals:
The Greatest Showman (2017)
Synopsis: Behind "The Greatest Show on Earth" was one of history's greatest showmen, P.T. Barnum. This musical biopic centers on Barnum's creation of the three-ring circus and his relationship with Swedish songbird Jenny Lind.
My thoughts: Oh my gosh, do I love the song and dance numbers in this movie. I immediately downloaded the soundtrack and I’ve been freaking out fellow commuters by singing along at the top of my lungs on a regular basis!
Rent (2005)
Synopsis: Chris Columbus's faithful adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical set in New York's East Village boasts a slew of stars from the show's original Broadway cast, including Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, and Jesse L. Martin. Based on Puccini's opera "La Boheme," the story follows a group of scrappy bohemians who face true love, broken hearts, drug addiction, and AIDS – and paying rent to high-powered oppressors.
My thoughts: I was really lucky to have seen Rent on Broadway when it first came out, and remember sobbing in the theater. The movie is not the same as watching a Broadway show, of course, but much of the cast is consistent and it is still quite wonderful!
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Synopsis: There's no place like home for young Dorothy (Judy Garland), who's been swept away from her farm in Kansas to a wonderland of munchkins, flying monkeys, and different-colored horses. She must follow the Yellow Brick Road to the all-knowing Wizard of Oz to find her way home. Along the way, she meets the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), who help her fend off the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).
My thoughts: The Wizard of Oz is a classic for a reason! I remember when the movie was shown on television once a year and we’d all crowd around the TV. Now, it’s nice to rent the DVD from DVD Netflix every so often to sing along and relive the story all over again.
The Last Five Years (2015)
Synopsis: Telling their story through song, novelist Jamie and his actress wife Cathy retrace the blossoming and decay of their five-year romance from opposite ends of the timeline and meeting in the middle – with Jamie's marriage proposal.
My thoughts: I love this movie and I hate this movie. But mostly, I love it. You know that the couple is going to fail, but you find yourself rooting for them anyways. And it’s heartbreaking. The acting is great, the music is wonderful. Rent it. Just do it. But grab some tissues first.
Chicago (2002)
Synopsis: Roxie hungers for stardom but ends up in the slammer, where superstar Velma is doing time for shooting her cheating husband. When Velma's lawyer makes Roxie a tabloid sensation, he sets up a musical catfight between the all-too-willing rivals.
My thoughts: Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones just KILLED this movie with their awesomeness! I recently re-watched this movie and it was just as amazing as it was when I saw it in 2002. If you haven’t seen it yet, add it to your queue ASAP.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Synopsis: A naïve young poet (Ewan McGregor) falls in love with a cabaret star (Nicole Kidman), and their ill-fated romance serves as a convenient peg on which to hang a dazzling array of songs, from snatches of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music" to Madonna's "Like a Virgin." But the real star is director Baz Luhrmann, who came up with this infectious concoction that won two Oscars for art direction and costume design, as well as six other nods.
My thoughts: I remember when this movie first came out in 2001. I was totally overwhelmed at the almost-familiar music, the crazy visuals, and the absolutely amazing actors. The love story sucks me in time and time again, and I actually just made myself a note to do a re-watch soon!
Joules Dellinger has been blogging since 2011 at Pocketful of Joules on everything from fashion, travel, parenting, thrifting and lots of lots of silliness.
She likes movies where the women kick butt and the men are goofy (and shirtless). She doesn’t care which Kardashian is pregnant and thinks Beyoncé is overrated. Follow her on Twitter at @JoulesDellinger or on Instagram at @PocketfulofJoules.