Musical: 48

Dreamgirls (2006) is an American musical drama film written and directed by Bill Condon, and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. It is adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name. The story follows car salesman Curtis Taylor Jr., who in 1962 Detroit meets a promising Black girl group called ‘The Dreamettes’ at an R&B amateur talent show. The trio, consisting of lead singer Effie White, and backup singers Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson, catches his eye. Impressed with their talent, Curtis presents himself as their new manager and hires them to sing ...

Happy Feet (2006), an animated comedy directed, produced and written by George Miller, tells the story of emperor penguins and their unique ‘heartsongs’ used to attract a mate. When Norma Jean falls for Memphis, they become mates and lay an egg which Memphis cares for while Norma Jean goes to fish with the other females. During the harsh winter, Memphis accidentally drops the egg but thankfully it hatches into Mumble, who is unable to sing but can tap dance. Despite this difference, Mumble is captivated by Gloria, known as the most talented penguin in her age group. One day, Mumble encounters hostile skua ...

Corpse Bride (2005) is a stop-motion animated musical fantasy film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by John August, Caroline Thompson, and Pamela Pettler. It is based on characters created by Burton and Carlos Grangel. Set in an unnamed Victorian era town, the story follows the arranged marriage preparations of Victor Van Dort, son of nouveau riche fish merchants, and ...

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) is a whimsical musical movie, directed by Tim Burton and written by John August. It is based on Roald Dahl’s beloved novel of the same name from 1964. The story follows Charlie Bucket, a kind and affectionate young boy living in poverty with his family near the famous Wonka Factory. Willy Wonka, the eccentric owner of the company, has closed his factory to outsiders for years due to issues with industrial espionage. As a result, all of his employees, including Charlie’s ...

The film adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s beloved children’s book, The Polar Express (2004), was directed by Robert Zemeckis and co-written by William Broyles Jr. On Christmas Eve, a passenger train called the Polar Express stops outside a young boy’s house. Feeling doubtful about Santa Claus, the boy boards the train after being invited by the conductor. He meets two other children on board – a spirited girl and a know-it-all boy. The conductor then stops to pick up another boy named Billy, who ...

Boundin’ (2003) is an American computer-animated short film that was screened in theaters prior to the feature-length superhero flick, The Incredibles. It tells the tale of a lamb whose confidence is shattered after being sheared, through music and narration by Pixar animator Bud Luckey. Notably, this was also the first Pixar short to feature vocal performances with words, such as Bobby McFerrin’s acapella piece for Knick Knack. Previously, only music and sound effects were used in their films. In the American ...

The American musical crime comedy film, The Singing Detective (2003), was directed by Keith Gordon and is loosely based on the BBC serial of the same name. Protagonist Dan Dark, a detective novelist, finds himself hospitalized as a result of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. During his stay, he experiences occasional hallucinations, where doctors and nurses are transformed into characters in musical numbers. Despite their efforts to assist him, Dark’s anger and bitterness towards everyone cause him to dismiss their help. In an effort to uncover the root of his issues, Dark is sent to psychiatrist Dr. Gibbon. The ...

Moulin Rouge! (2001) is a jukebox musical romantic drama film helmed by Baz Luhrmann. Set in 1900 Paris, the story follows Christian, a young writer mourning the loss of his beloved. He takes to his typewriter to pen their love story. In the Montmartre district, he joins the Bohemian movement and meets Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and his troupe who are working on a play called Spectacular Spectacular. With Christian’s help, they finish the play and head to the Moulin Rouge in hopes that Satine, the star performer and courtesan, will be impressed by Christian’s talents and convince Harold Zidler, the proprietor ...

Joseph: King of Dreams(2000) is an American direct-to-video animated biblical musical drama film. The only one of its kind to be produced by DreamWorks Animation. Joseph, the youngest of Jacob’s eleven sons, was considered a ‘miracle child’ due to his mother Rachel’s supposed infertility. He becomes conceited from his father’s special treatment, much to the resentment of his older half-brothers who long for acceptance. After having a dream about wolves attacking their flock, Joseph’s second dream depicts his brothers bowing down to him. Upon sharing this with them, they conspire against him – led by Judah – and sell him ...

The animated musical drama film, The Prince of Egypt (1998), was created by DreamWorks Animation and released by DreamWorks Pictures. In the land of Ancient Egypt, the Hebrew people who were enslaved prayed to their God for deliverance. Pharaoh Seti feared that the growing numbers of Hebrews could lead to rebellion, so he commanded a mass infanticide of all newborn Hebrew boys. Yocheved, along with her two children Miriam and Aaron, quickly made their way to the Nile River. There, she placed her newborn son in a basket on the water while singing him a final lullaby. As the basket floated towards Seti’s palace, Miriam followed and watched as her brother was ...

James and the Giant Peach (1996) is a musical fantasy animated film, based on Roald Dahl’s novel of the same name, and directed by Henry Selick. In the summer of 1948, James Henry Trotter, an English orphan, lives with his cruel aunts Spiker and Sponge after his parents were devoured by a flying rhinoceros on his birthday. One day, while saving a spider from his aunts’ wrath, James receives enchanted ‘crocodile tongues’ from a mysterious stranger. These magical objects have the ability to make anything they touch grow to enormous proportions. But ...

Everyone Says I Love You (1996) is a musical film created by Woody Allen. Djuna Berlin, also known as D.J., acts as the narrator for the stories within the lavish and inclusive Park Avenue household she resides in. This home was formed through the union of her mother, the ever-dedicated activist Steffi, and Bob Dandridge, a lawyer. The only current issue in this household is Scott Dandridge, Bob’s son from his previous marriage, who has taken on conservative views. Steffi and Bob’s two children together, teenage Lane and Laura Dandridge, are inseparable but may run into conflict as they both have feelings ...

The American stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), directed by Henry Selick and produced and conceived by Tim Burton, takes place in Halloween Town. This world is home to a variety of monsters and creatures related to the holiday (‘This is Halloween’). Jack Skellington, known as the ‘Pumpkin King’, leads the town’s annual Halloween festivities. However, Jack has grown tired of the same routine and longs for something different (‘Jack’s Lament’). While exploring in the woods ...

Walt Disney Pictures released the American historical musical drama film, Newsies (1992). It was directed by choreographer Kenny Ortega and is set in New York City in 1899. The story follows a group of struggling newspaper sellers, known as ‘newsies’, who are trying to make ends meet by selling copies of the New York World on the streets (‘Carrying the Banner’). When two brothers named David and Les join the group, their intelligence and charm catch the attention of their leader, Jack ‘Cowboy’ Kelly. Jack takes them under his wing and begins to admire their work ethic as they sell ...

Cry-Baby (1990), a film by John Waters, takes place in Baltimore in the year 1954. The protagonist, Wade ‘Cry-Baby’ Walker, is known for his ability to produce a solitary tear. He leads a group of rebellious individuals known as the ‘drapes’, which includes his sister Pepper, tough girl Mona ‘Hatchet-Face’ Malnorowski and her devoted boyfriend Milton Hackett, and sexually mature Wanda Woodward. Allison Vernon-Williams, a wealthy girl tired of conforming to societal norms, falls for Cry-Baby after they meet at a talent show at her grandmother’s Charm School. Despite her initial ...

Babes in Toyland (1986) is an American Christmas musical film directed by Clive Donner. Lisa Piper, an eleven year old girl from Cincinnati, Ohio, has had to mature quickly due to her father’s passing. With no time for toys and refusing to be treated like a child, Lisa instead takes care of her family. Her older sister Mary also works hard, but faces trouble at the toy store where she is regularly harassed by the owner. When a blizzard hits on Christmas Eve and everyone leaves work early, Mary’s boyfriend Jack offers to drive them all home. Unfortunately, the snowy roads lead to an accident that sends Lisa ...

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982) is a British silent crime film directed by Walter West. Set in 1846, Todd and Anthony Hope arrive in London to be greeted only by a crazed beggar woman. As they sail into the city, Todd reveals that he has been there before, but not in quite some time. He makes his way to his old stomping grounds on Fleet Street, where he discovers Mrs. Nellie Lovett’s pie shop. Mrs. Lovett claims to make the worst meat pies in London due to the high cost of meat. The upstairs of her building has remained empty since its previous tenant, barber Benjamin Barker, was falsely ...

One from the Heart (1982), a musical romantic drama film, was both written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The plot unfolds on Independence Day in Las Vegas where Hank, a mechanic, and Frannie, a travel agent, end their five-year relationship. Hank’s lack of consideration for Frannie’s desire for adventure and thrill causes their split. Both individuals end up spending the night with their envisioned partners – Hank with Leila, a circus performer, and Frannie with Ray, a waiter masquerading as a singer and pianist. Following their separate nights apart, Hank experiences an emotional breakdown and ...

Scooby-Doo Goes Hollywood (1979) is an animated special featuring the beloved cast of Hanna-Barbera’s Saturday-morning show, Scooby Doo. The gang has gained immense popularity thanks to their successful crime-solving adventures and now have their own TV series in Hollywood, California. One fateful day, during a chase with ‘The Crabby Creature of Creepy Crag’, Scooby and Shaggy find themselves launched into a catapult. Tired of their repetitive routine, they decide to pursue fame as real movie stars. They pitch their pilot film titled How Scooby Won the West to the network’s president, C.J., where Sheriff Scooby and Deputy Shaggy face ...

All That Jazz (1979) is a musical drama film directed by Bob Fosse. It follows Joe Gideon, an ambitious theater director and choreographer, as he tries to balance staging his latest Broadway musical, NY/LA, and editing a Hollywood film he has directed called The Stand-Up. Despite being an alcoholic and a driven workaholic who chain-smokes cigarettes, Joe also has a reputation for being a womanizer who constantly flirts and engages in sexual encounters with different women. His morning routine involves playing Vivaldi while taking Visine, Alka-Seltzer, and Dexedrine before looking himself in the mirror and saying, ...