Harsh times are happening in the world, which makes it hard to find positivity in one’s daily life. A reliable form of escapism to feel better and find joy in the little things is through film, particularly musicals.
Musicals are iconic for their memorable songs, large-scale dance numbers, and lovable characters. They range from preppy and fun, like Grease, to dark and haunting, like Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. They bring laughter, joy, and memories to audiences of all ages. Ranging from the 1970s to the 2020s, enjoy these five movie musicals of a variety that anyone would like, even those who don’t care for musicals.
Grease (1978)
First in the list is the classic bad boy/good girl love story wrapped in the iconic musical film, Grease. The film is based on the stage musical that was first performed in 1971 in Chicago, Illinois. Its first production on Broadway occurred the following year, and it ran for 3,388 performances before finishing in 1980. In the film, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John star as Danny Zuko and Sandy Olson, who are polar opposites from one another. They meet the summer before senior year and fall in love, despite knowing they must part when summer ends. However, Sandy ends up transferring to Danny’s high school unbeknownst to each other, and they are elated to meet again. That joy is cut short when Sandy sees the nonchalant jerk persona Danny puts on in front of his friends.
In an effort to make amends, Danny attempts to change his bad-boy ways and win Sandy back. At the same time, Sandy tries to shed some of her goody-two-shoe ways to fit in with Danny. As their love blossoms, they each realize all they want is each other, no matter what they’re like. Brimming with 50s culture and its trademark catchy songs and dance numbers, this musical will have viewers singing along the whole way through.
This film is available to watch on Paramount+.
Hairspray (2007)
Next is the equally lovable Hairspray, a film based on the Tony-Award winning 2002 stage musical. The musical itself is based on the 1988 film of the same name by John Waters and was first performed in Seattle, Washington, before heading to Broadway. The musical ran until 2009 and had 2,642 performances. The film centers on Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size high schooler living in 1960s Baltimore, Maryland, who dreams of singing and dancing on The Corny Collins Show. One day, she receives an opportunity to land a spot on the show. Despite her being an outcast due to her appearance and lack of popularity, Tracy wows the host with her moves and earns a spot on the show.
Tracy becomes a local celebrity overnight and starts to befriend her African American classmates who are sidelined in the show. Among this, she begins to spend more time with her crush and the leading male on the show, Link. When it’s revealed that the show is canceling its African American segment, Tracy and her friends take to the streets to protest. Although there are people against the cause, Tracy presses on and learns how to harness her inner strength. Led by memorable characters, music, and a stellar cast, Hairspray will have audiences dancing along as Tracy takes on the world.
This film is available for rent on Amazon Prime.
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Travel to the Greek islands with the movie musical Mamma Mia! This film is based on the musical that was performed at London’s West End in 1999 and featured the greatest hits from the famous international pop group ABBA. The musical currently has productions in the West End, where it is the fifth longest-running show in its history, and the ninth longest-running show in Broadway history. The film begins with Sophie Sheridan, a young bride who has tracked down three of her mother’s past lovers in hopes of finding her father so that he can walk her down the aisle. She secretly invites all three men to her wedding at the fictional Greek island Kalokairi.
On the island, Sophie’s mother, Donna, is a hotel owner preparing for her daughter’s wedding. While guests arrive and the men appear, Sophie initially plans to spend time with each of them and figures she’ll be able to find out which one is her father through that. However, Donna eventually discovers that her past flings have returned and is distressed by them. Sophie then realizes she can’t figure out who her real father is, and ultimately has a heart-to-heart with her mother about the whole ordeal. Fueled by the joy of ABBA and the wonderful scenery, this musical will leave viewers with a pep in their step and a smile on their faces.
It’s available to watch on Starz.
Wonka (2023)
Add some sweet treats to the movie viewing with Wonka, a prequel to the beloved book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Inspired by the novel by Roald Dahl, Wonka intertwines musical elements similar to the two previous film adaptations into a delightful and candy-filled origin story. Timothée Chalamet shines as Willy Wonka, a young and hopeful chocolatier hoping to start his own chocolate shop in Europe. Unfortunately, he’s immediately met with pushback from rival businessmen and a lack of funds.
Needing a place to stay, Willy stays at a boarding house nearby. The innkeeper soon tricks him into signing a document that racks up his bill, leaving him no choice but to pay off his debt in her launderette. Willy meets the other workers, including a young girl named Noodle. He befriends her, and she begins teaching him how to read since he couldn’t tell what the document actually was. As he becomes friends with the other workers, they begin hatching a plan to escape the boarding house and help Willy establish his chocolate shop. Showcasing wonderful visuals and endearing songs, Wonka is a modern movie musical sure to brighten one’s day.
It’s available to watch on HBO Max.
Shrek the Musical (2013)
Rounding out the lineup is Shrek the Musical, the only film that is of the stage production. The musical is based on the 2001 film and performed on Broadway from 2008-2010. Meet Shrek, a big green ogre who is feared by locals and likes it that way. He lives contentedly in his swamp, except one day, various fairytale characters set up camp around his house. They claim that Lord Farquaad kicked them out of their homes and sent them here. Shrek then decides that he will go talk to the Lord to get their houses back so that they’ll leave him alone.
Journeying with Shrek is Donkey, a talkative donkey who immediately befriends Shrek, much to Shrek’s dismay. When they arrive at Lord Farquaad’s castle, he makes a deal with Shrek that if he rescues this princess from a tower, he will remove the people from his swamp. Shrek begrudgingly agrees, and he and Donkey go to rescue the princess. When they rescue Princess Fiona, she and Shrek do not like each other at first. However, sparks surprisingly fly between them, and they each have to decide what they really want. Fused with zany, on-theme songs and gorgeous dance numbers and costumes, Shrek the Musical adds even more love to its existing film franchise.
It’s available to rent on Amazon Prime.
The happiness in musicals
Musicals are a wonderful genre that gives light and joy to audiences of all kinds. They are even more wonderful in film form, which allows them to reach larger audiences. They offer people a brief moment to relax and sing along to happy endings. The world feels very heavy right now, and it’s important not to lose hope and positivity. Movie musicals help grant viewers the chance to keep up the joy and not fall into despair from the world around them.
