Bop to the Top Ten Musicals of the 21st Century So Far

Theatre kids and cinephiles rejoice as performances by Meryl Streep, Eddie Redmayne, and Jennifer Hudson grace screens in the best movie musicals of the 21st century.

Written by Beril Saygin

The past two decades have reintroduced and revitalized the movie musical. With both silver screen adaptations of Broadway classics and new original films, recent releases in the movie industry have garnered significant popularity and attention from film and theatre fans alike. The merits of a movie musical must be judged differently from typical film and theatre productions. Elements of both genres contribute to creating a great movie musical including casting, cinematography, choreography, lyrics, and vocals. So, here’s a list to shine a spotlight on the top ten movie musicals of the decade.

10. “High School Musical” (2006)

Photo courtesy of Salty Pictures and First Street Films

Iconic Songs: “Breaking Free,” “We’re All in This Together,” “Get’cha Head in the Game,” “Bop to the Top”

Featuring a very fresh-faced Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens), “High School Musical” oozes nostalgia from every line, “spontaneous” dance break, and glittery sequin top. The saccharine duets between Troy and Gabriella and epic Wildcat school spirit set the bar way too high for high school. Troy and Gabriella’s romance is complemented by iconic siblings Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and Ryan (Lucas Gabriel), whose sass and lust for the spotlight make them the duo you love to hate. The soundtrack is everything that viewers wish high school was, as well as everything that the 2000s were: loud, peppy, and unapologetically bedazzled. “High School Musical” shaped a generation, with the admirable teamwork and dedication demonstrated by the Wildcats and by Troy and Gabriela set to a score of pure nostalgia. Despite its cloyingly sweet romance, copious autotune, and at-times cringe-worthy choreography, “High School Musical” is the first exposure Gen Z had to musical theatre, occupying a special place in their hearts. Everything that makes it bad or cheesy, then, simply amplifies its sentimental and nostalgic value.

9. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2001)

Iconic Songs: “Angry Inch,” “Wig in a Box,” “Sugar Daddy”

After debuting off-Broadway in 1997, “Hedwig” already had a dedicated cult following by the 2001 film’s release. Starring and directed by John Cameron Mitchell, who also wrote and starred in the original musical, “Hedwig” is perhaps the most direct stage-to-screen translation of any on this list, as the film generally holds true to the Broadway original. The film and musical both center around Hedwig’s search for stardom and romance after a botched gender confirmation operation that leaves her with the titular “angry inch.” The seamless adaptation to film allowed its established theatre fanbase a chance to experience the story in an entirely new manner and movie lovers to join Hedwig’s cult following. The film has a similar flavor, gritty sexuality, and grungy tone to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” or as Mitchell described it, a “post-punk neo-glam rock musical.” This niche genre that the genderqueer singer occupies shines through songs with jaunty ebullience (including an animated and sing-along sequence), and darker, more metal-inspired tracks (like “Angry Inch”). “Hedwig” recreates an authentic, electrifying Broadway performance on screen.

8. “Enchanted” (2007)

Iconic Songs: “True Love’s Kiss,” “That’s How You Know”

Two words: casting perfection. Amy Adams’ performance as Giselle in “Enchanted” launched her into stardom, and for good reason. She plays the perfect Disney princess come-to-life, embodying sweetness, grace, and a songbird-like voice. Patrick Dempsey’s performance as Robert is the perfect, discontented, and slightly pessimistic complement to Giselle’s endless joy and naïveté. And James Marsden’s Prince Edward perfectly portrays the air-headed, one-dimensional Disney prince. To back the cast, the time-tested star power of Broadway and Disney veterans composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz makes “Enchanted” a delicious live action/animation blend of magic, comedy, and music. The soundtrack is full of corny lyrics, and the film features plenty of spontaneous dance breaks in which the entire city of New York magically performs Broadway-level choreography, but the conflicting worlds that Giselle and Robert inhabit and represent ground “Enchanted” in self-awareness. The film’s music brings an element of magic to the grim corporate New York City scene, allowing viewers to see reality and fantasy literally and symbolically side by side.

7. “Into the Woods” (2014)

Iconic Songs: “Into the Woods,” “Agony,” “Last Midnight”

Musically, “Into the Woods” is an excellent stage-to-screen translation, featuring an expansive, rich soundtrack much more akin to a full Broadway cast album than a movie musical. However, it cuts out much of the gore and dark twists of the stage version, making it accessible to theatre lovers and moviegoers alike. As one of the most contemporary films on this list, it features some of the most stunning visual elements, including fantastical costuming and special effects, which are highlighted during Meryl Streep’s transformation from the old hag to the young, beautiful Witch. In addition to eye-catching visuals, “Into the Woods” retains much of Sondheim’s notoriously complex original Broadway score. His compositions are always impressive when performed well, so all the film adaptation needed was an all-star cast, which it delivers: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Huttlestone, and Emily Blunt, just to name a few. Not only does the cast have stellar acting chops, they handle Sondheim’s score skillfully, making “Into the Woods” the box office hit it is

6. “Sweeney Todd” (2007)

Iconic Songs: “The Worst Pies in London,” “A Little Priest,” “By the Sea”

Unlike “Hedwig” and “Into the Woods,” Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd” strays from the Broadway original. A deliciously dark rendition of the more comedic stage version, “Sweeney Todd” brings together the director and a very hollow-cheeked duo of Johnny Depp and Helena Bohnam Carter, who contrast with Jane Wisener’s lovely, lilting Johanna. To underscore the harsh, monochrome palette, the film’s soundtrack features Depp and Carter, neither of whom have particularly good voices. But it doesn’t matter; their raw, imperfect voices add to the overall lack of beauty in the film’s visually lackluster scenes. Flashes of bright crimson and musical crescendos cut the grayness as the murderous barber claims his victims. Burton’s signature style brings out the creepy, the gory, and the unsettling to produce a thoroughly artful film adaptation of “Sweeney Todd.”

5. “La La Land” (2016)

Iconic Songs: “Another Day of Sun,” “A Lovely Night,” “City of Stars,” “The Fools Who Dream”

One of the most earth-shattering releases of the last decade, “La La Land” is the only film in this list without a stage counterpart. Save for the modern technology and vernacular, “La La Land” could easily be set in Hollywood’s Golden Age. Ryan Gosling’s suave Sebastian and Emma Stone’s cheekily independent Mia dance their way through the trials and tribulations of trying to make it in today’s cut-throat entertainment industry. Much of the film seems to take place halfway between Mia’s dreamscape and the reality she desperately wants to escape. “Someone in the Crowd” expresses the bright-eyed eagerness that young hopefuls like her possess, but by “The Fools Who Dream,” the film takes a much more somber — although not entirely despairing — tone, reminding us to appreciate all of life’s moments. While Mia and Sebastian stumble through an initial phase of playful enmity, their romance blossoms through both symbolic and literal choreography traversing the La La Land dreamscape. Through jazz instrumentals and John Legend’s vocals that harken a glamorous old Hollywood, romantic choreography, and stunning visuals, “La La Land” reminds us of the importance of holding onto our dreams in the face of reality, no matter how ugly it may be.

4. “Mamma Mia!” (2008)

Iconic Songs: All of them

Despite harsh critical reception, “Mamma Mia!” unites Meryl Streep with another all-star cast in a film that is pure, no-strings-attached fun. Where else would you find Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and Stellan Skarsgard costumed in boot-cut, skin-tight, neon polyester? It may not have much substance, but it has a whole lot of ABBA. This 1970s Swedish group consisted of two married couples and took the world by storm as one of the best selling pop groups of all time. However, their popularity was a double-edged sword that resulted in the dissolution of both marriages. Regardless of its merits as a film, “Mamma Mia!” and its 2018 sequel produced about a dozen karaoke classics and turned Gen Z into ABBA fanatics. There is undeniably something wonderfully therapeutic about putting on a one-woman musical and dancing around your house to “Lay All Your Love on Me.”

3. “Dreamgirls” (2006)

Iconic Songs: “And I Am Telling You, I’m Not Going,” “Dreamgirls,” “Move”

After (somehow) losing “American Idol,” Jennifer Hudson established herself as a singing and acting powerhouse through her Oscar-winning performance as Effie White in “Dreamgirls.” Hudson is joined by forces of nature Beyoncé and Anika Noni Rose to bring the immense power of Broadway to the screen. They deliver the poignancy of the civil rights movement through strength and moxie, with a soundtrack featuring ballads, rock, blues, and funk. From beginning to end, the music of “Dreamgirls” is pedal to the metal. Although the musical’s creators deny it, the story of The Dreams and the real-life Motown all-girl supergroup The Supremes are very similar. Personal details aside, the fictional all-girl R&B group shares the sublime, emotional, full-bodied voices of the Supremes in ensemble pieces like “One Night Only” and in Jennifer Hudson’s power ballads “I Am Changing” and “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” In addition to being a fantastic movie, “Dreamgirls” is a celebration of the Black artists who refused to sacrifice their roots and culture in order to “make it big,” despite significant discrimination and systemic racism.

2. “Moulin Rouge!” (2001)

Photo courtesy of Bazmark Films and 20th Century Studios

Iconic Songs: “Lady Marmalade,” “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” “Come What May”

Baz Luhrman’s creative genius is at its finest in the blend of light, sound, and color that is “Moulin Rouge!” Twirling skirts, absinthe fairies, and a star-crossed romance between Nicole Kidman’s Satine and Ewan McGregor’s Christian take viewers on an intoxicated ride through the turn of the 19th century in Bohemian Paris. Viewers can sink their teeth into every single romanticized aspect of the film, as if they were experiencing it from the first row of a Broadway theater. The soundtrack is as unique as Baz Luhrman’s sets, costumes, and concept, as it features not only the actors, but popular singers like David Bowie, Christina Aguilera, and Bono. “Moulin Rouge” is a musical and visual feast, earning it the number two spot on this list.

1. “Chicago” (2002)

Iconic Songs: “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” “Razzle Dazzle”

“Chicago” is everything a movie and a musical should be: eye-catching, sexy, and full of murderous women. The first notes of the overture feature a whining saxophone, squeaking out a memorable jazz melody as if it’s just waking up from a nap. Eventually, the sax picks up as the rest of the band joins in, signaling the beginning of a two-hour celebration of jazz and Catherine Zeta-Jones. At just eleven tracks in its accompanying album, “Chicago” has the shortest soundtrack of any film on this list, but no song is too boring to listen to in full. Though short, “Chicago” has banger after banger, and the sleek, flashy costuming of the film makes it an auditory and visual stunner. At times, the film adaptation seems like it could be a recording of a Broadway show. In scenes like “Cell Block Tango,” “Chicago” pays homage to its theatrical roots: much of the choreography is done on stage, and the actors use long sheets of red fabric to represent the blood from the murders. Jones’ face is starkly lit with a spotlight that contrasts her black costume, crimson lipstick, and red backlighting, a scene that could have come directly from the Broadway stage. “Chicago” uniquely combines stage and movie magic, earning it the title of “Best Movie Musical of the 21st Century So Far.”

Honorable Mention: “Les Misérables" (2012)

“Les Misérables” is undeniably a musical masterpiece. But while Anne Hathaway’s performance as Fantine is heart-breaking, Eddie Redmayne and Les Amis are valorant, and Samantha Barks absolutely owns “On My Own” — but the film isn’t perfect. Its raw emotion and talent are overwhelming, but at nearly three hours long, it is not accessible to those who aren’t already interested in theatre. To make things worse, Russel Crowe’s performance as Javert (one of the greatest musical characters ever written) is tragically one-dimensional, and much of the nuanced relationship between him and Hugh Jackman’s Valjean is lost to Crowe’s inability to carry a tune.

Of course, this list cannot be comprehensive nor exhaustive. Movie musicals don’t have to be excellent, Oscar-worthy productions to be worth watching — it’s often enough for them to just be fun. Regardless of its merits, a good movie musical leaves viewers humming a catchy tune or dancing along to an energizing group number. With the stellar films the 21st century has brought so far, the future of movie musicals is hopefully a long and fruitful one.

Afterglow ATXMarch 22, 2021musicals, musical theatre, listicle