Want to enjoy a film with a great story and memorable songs? These movie musicals might just be what you’re looking for.
It’s easy to think of the musical as a genre of a bygone age, and every so often, you’ll hear someone say, “The movie musical is dead.” And yet, almost nearly as often, you’ll hear someone else say, “The movie musical is back.” Here are some of the best musical movies that have kept a song in our hearts as of late.
The Color Purple
Alice Walker’s 1982 novel The Color Purple, about an African American girl living in rural Georgia in the 1900s, captured the imagination of readers. While it immediately drew controversy for its frank portrayal of violence and sexuality upon release, it also moved many viewers with its tender and intimate moments. The book was adapted into a 1985 movie directed by Steven Spielberg, and then into a stage musical that opened on Broadway in 2005.
The 2023 movie is an adaptation of the stage musical, starring Fantasia Barrino as Celie — the American Idol alum reprises the role that she first played in the Broadway production. She is joined by an all-star cast, including Taraji P Henson as jazz singer Shug, Danielle Brooks as Celie’s daughter-in-law Sofia, Colman Domingo as Celie’s abusive husband Mister, and Corey Hawkins as Harpo, Mister’s son from an earlier relationship. The ensemble also includes musical artists H.E.R., Halle Bailey, and Jon Batiste, as well as veteran actors David Alan Grier and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. With its powerhouse performances and soulful tunes, The Color Purple breathes new life into a beloved story.
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Torn apart from her sister Nettie and her children, Celie faces many hardships in her life. Celie ultimately finds strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.
View DetailsElvis
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Elvis Presley’s star shone bright and burnt out quickly. In his 42 years on Earth, he left an outsized impact on pop culture. Beneath the kitschy exterior lies a gifted musician, a troubled soul, and a controversial figure — all aspects of the icon that are captured in this namesake biopic.
Baz Luhrmann, the Australian director behind Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Australia, and The Great Gatsby, imbues this dazzling, kaleidoscopic film with his signature maximalist style. And he has found the consummate showman to front this bright, colourful — and, at times, outlandish — movie. Austin Butler plays Elvis in a star-making performance, wholly embodying the character’s swagger and flamboyance. The movie follows Elvis from his childhood in Mississippi and Tennessee when he was inspired by the music of Beale Street, to his teen heartthrob era and his waning days as a Vegas entertainer.
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Elvis's story is seen through the lens of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager. The film delves into the complex dynamic between the two spanning over 20 years.
View DetailsRocketman
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A common criticism of biopics, especially musical biopics, is that artistic license will invariably be taken, and so these movies can never be treated as reliable accounts of their subjects’ lives. Rocketman circumvents these criticisms by leaning entirely into the artistic license. This Elton John biopic strives not to be an objective recount of his life and career, but a fantasia, and was made with John’s involvement. The fantasy element means Rocketman is not tied down to a strict timeline, allowing songs that were written later to appear earlier in the story for dramatic effect. Despite the surrealist tones of the film, Taron Egerton, who plays John, and Jamie Bell, who co-stars as John’s long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin, put in honest, vulnerable performances that keep the film feeling grounded.
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The film follows the fantastical journey of transformation from shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into international superstar Elton John.
View DetailsWest Side Story
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Originally staged in 1957, West Side Story is a landmark American musical. Conceived by director and choreographer Jerome Robbins with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, this riff on Romeo and Juliet set in ’50s New York is an enduring theatrical classic. The show was adapted into a film in 1961 by directors Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, and that movie’s legacy, including winning Best Picture at the Oscars, made it seem like no other filmmaker would touch the material — but then again, Steven Spielberg isn’t just any other filmmaker. Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation, starring Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, and Ariana DeBose (who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role), highlights the ever-relevant themes of co-existence and tumultuous young love that were present in West Side Story from the start. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 movie, also appears in this film.
Bohemian Rhapsody
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Freddie Mercury and Queen made a seismic impact on the world of pop music with their infectious, operatic — and sometimes theatrical — hits. Mercury, who died at 45, is often hailed as one of the greatest pop vocalists ever, and it was only a matter of time before he became the subject of a biopic.
Bohemian Rhapsody had a rocky journey to the big screen. The project was announced in 2010 with Sacha Baron Cohen set to star; he later disagreed with the Queen band members about the direction the film would take and was replaced by Rami Malek. Then, director Bryan Singer was fired during principal photography and replaced by Dexter Fletcher, who would also go on to direct Rocketman. Despite its difficult production, Bohemian Rhapsody went on to become a bona fide hit on its release in 2018, winning four Oscars, including Best Actor for Malek. Earning US$910 million at the global box office, it currently holds the title of the highest-grossing musical biopic ever made.
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It's been over 25 years since the death of lead singer and flamboyant front man Freddie Mercury, yet the music lives on.
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