10 Greatest Ever Musical Movies
Movies whose praises ought to be sung...
Musicals and Hollywood glitz and glam go hand in hand. Whether its romance, tragedy, comedy or even horror you're after, there are plenty of adaptations and original movie musicals that have you covered. In a cinematic marketplace as the one we have these days, the movie musical is making a comeback that's more than welcome.
There's nothing quite like having a character tear themselves open with pure emotion by bursting into song, or seeing your leads fall in love with a smooth dance routine. Much like a tense underscore ramps up the tension in a heist movie, the movie musical uses its song and dance numbers (albeit in a slightly less subtle way) to motivate every part of the plot and inject emotion at every point.
With such a broad range of genres covered, some people are bound to be disappointed by a list of movie musicals, but you have to get the balance of must-see classics alongside more exciting, newer developments coming out of this musical movie renaissance we seem to be in!
10. The Greatest Showman
If you're used to your Hugh Jackman performances exclusively sporting adamantium claws, you might be surprised to know that he made his start in musical theatre. This is possibly what makes The Greatest Showman as entertaining as it is: you can tell that Jackman's passion has shone through.
The Greatest Showman does exactly what its inspiration, P. T. Barnum, tried to do: put on a show that would dazzle and attract audiences far and wide, even at the expense of either quality or treatment of his employees. Visually speaking, Showman oozes style, delivering vivid colour palettes, lively numbers and lavish costumes.
Some critics argued that the plot felt shallow, but that kind of feels like they're missing the point. The Greatest Showman tries to do exactly what Barnum himself would've done: focus on the performance. Jackman shines at the helm, and most of his cast of social outcasts gets their moment in the spotlight, and some of the key moments of Barnum's life are tenderly explored.
Looking for complexity in The Greatest Showman misses the point of the movie. If you sign up for spectacle and let yourself drink everything in, you're going to have a whale of a time.