It comes as no surprise that the new movie Wicked is one of the most anticipated movie of the year, and following Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s numerous fashionable premieres, Wicked has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a staggering score of 91% from the critics and 99% from the audience. So if you’re excited to take another trip down the yellow brick road with Wicked, maybe these other movie musicals will put you in the mood.
All of my picks are available on the best streaming services and have stood the test of time, becoming classics among not just fans of musicals, but movie buffs in general. With a few personal favorites of mine from The Wizard of Oz (1939) to more recent entries like A Star is Born (2018) making the list, I’m confident that these will go down very well if you’re musical-obsessed.
At the moment, streaming services are really pulling through with the amount of movie musicals available, with Netflix, Max and Disney Plus being the standouts. But if musicals aren’t for you, then dear not, as we have plenty of recommendations for the best Netflix movies and best Max movies to keep you entertained.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
RT score: 98%
Age rating: G
Length: 101 minutes
Director: Victor Fleming
Where to stream: Max (US)
It only seems appropriate to include The Wizard of Oz when its predecessor musical Wicked is flying high on Rotten Tomatoes right now. Plus, I’m a little biased as The Wizard of Oz sits in my Letterboxd top four list.
A beautiful technicolor masterpiece, The Wizard of Oz stars Judy Garland as Dorothy whose Kansas farm house gets swept away in a cyclone landing her in Oz. Determined to find her way home, she’s sent down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard, the leader of Oz, to send her back home. Along the way, she meets the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), Tinman (Jack Haley), and Lion (Bert Lahr) who accompany her on her quest back home, but there’s one thing standing in their way; the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).
Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
RT score: 100%
Age rating: G
Length: 102 minutes
Directors: Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly
Where to stream: Max (US)
In my humble opinion, Singin’ in the Rain is the movie musical to end all musicals simply because of its memorable soundtrack, lively choreography, and how much Gene Kelly’s rain dancing scene has been referenced.
Set in the late 1920s at the time where movies made the switch from silent to the talkies, two silent movie stars Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) have their musical turned into a movie. Unbeknown to Lina, Don hires chorus girl Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) to dub Lina’s singing and talking.
Mary Poppins (1964)
RT score: 97%
Age rating: G
Length: 140 minutes
Director: Robert Stevenson
Where to stream: Disney Plus (US, UK, & AU)
Without a doubt, Mary Poppins is my favorite live-action Disney movie, and it’s not just because Julie Andrews is the grandmother I never had. And if you enjoy this movie musical classic, I’d recommend watching Saving Mr. Banks (2013), which chronicles the making of Mary Poppins starring Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks as Walt Disney.
Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber) are the children of the well-respected Mr and Mrs Banks, who are in the process of hiring a new nanny. When Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) turns up, the children embark on a series of magical adventures, some of which are accompanied by singing chimney sweep and street performer Bert (Dick Van Dyke).
A Star is Born (2018)
RT score: 90%
Age rating: R
Length: 115 minutes
Director: Bradley Cooper
Where to stream: Max (US)
Of all the versions of A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper’s movie is one of the most emotionally striking. It showed not only how talented an actress Lady Gaga is, but enhanced her status as a music icon with its original score.
Musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) meets Ally (Gaga), an aspiring singer and songwriter who’s coming to terms with the possibility that he dreams of making big will never come true. When the two meet, Jackson thrusts her into the spotlight, forming a special bond that blossoms into romance. As Ally’s career takes off and she achieves the level of fame she’s always dreamed, Jackson’s growing mental health problems and alcoholism puts strains on their relationship.
West Side Story (2021)
RT score: 91%
Age rating: PG-13
Length: 156 minutes
Director: Steven Spielberg
Where to stream: Disney Plus (US, UK & AU)
I could’ve included the original 1961 version of the movie starring Natalie Wood, but Spielberg’s 21st century interpretation is equal parts action blockbuster, and powerful musical.
Inspired by the tale of Romeo and Juliet two rival gangs in 1957 New York City, the Jets and the Sharks, have tension that goes back generations. But when a romance sparks between Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler), the already tense rivalry spirals into chaos. Madly in love, the two continue to embrace their romance, but their rival gangs battle it out to gain control of the streets.
Matilda: The Musical (2022)
RT score: 93%
Age rating: PG
Length: 117 minutes
Director: Matthew Warchus
Where to stream: Netflix (US, UK & AU)
As a big fan of the original movie with Danny Devito, I was sceptical when it came to watching the musical adaptation. But it certainly doesn’t fall flat, and I was proved wrong.
Young girl Matilda is blessed with a bold imagination and great intellect, but is unfortunate to have two absent-minded parents who constantly neglect her. When she enrolls at a new school, she has a run-in with the headmistress Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson), a cruel teacher who hates the sight of children. In her spiritual journey, Matilda develops telekinetic powers, which she uses to advantage to rid the school of its mean dictator.
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