5. Hairspray (2007)

Based on the 1988 Broadway musical, Hairspray has a fantastic story and a great deal of songs. Hairspray is about teenager Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blondski) in the 1960s trying to make it big in Baltimore. Though she is judged for her weight, she does not give up on her dreams and becomes the biggest star, and the biggest convict, in Baltimore.

With talented actors such as Zac Efron, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, and John Travolta, the movie was bound to be a hit with the fantastic cast. It was comedic and romantic, and it played a different twist on events in the years of segregation and desegregation. Songs in the movie include Good Morning Baltimore, Welcome to the 60s, and You Can’t Stop the Beat will get in your head and you will sing it loud and proud. The whole musical is catchy and you will want to watch it again. Whether you like the movie or not though, you will admit that John Travolta did play a very convincing woman.

4. Newsies (1992)

Newsies is a musical that will make you feel as if you need to get up and do something rather than sit down and be lazy. This movie is based off of the famous Newsboys Strike of 1899, where a large group of boys in New York City fought the high price of buying the newspapers that they sold. This specific story follows the fictional character of Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) who leads the paper boys into a strike against one of the largest newspapers in NYC, the New York World owned by Joseph Pulitzer. These boys fight to get their rights as US Citizens and, in hope, lower the prices of the newspapers that they buy.

This movie was one of Christian Bale’s first movies, and it was a success nonetheless. The dancers in this movie are extremely talented, and they are only small boys with less experience as most dancers would have. Newsies was such a hit that, starting in 2011, they made a Broadway production that was based on the movie. The songs are also very well put together as well, with songs such as Carrying The Banner and The World Will Know, it just makes you want to dance along with them.

3. West Side Story (1961)

West Side Story is a popular twist on Shakespeare’s Tragedy Romeo and Juliet about rival gangs in New York, the Jets and the Sharks. Maria (Natalie Wood) is part of the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang that just moved to the city. She is bound to marry Chino, the head of the gang, though she does not show much interest in him. She then meets Tony (Richard Beymer), a Shark gang member, at a dance and immediately falls in love with him. As the two face several problems throughout the relationship, it is a movie that is heartfelt and interesting. The ending is not the same as Romeo and Juliet either, so it is definitely worth the watch.

West Side Story is a very riveting and eventful musical-movie. It takes place in the 1950s setting, with frilly dresses and nice haridos. Though it is an older movie, it makes it even better, as it feels as if you are in the scene itself. The acting is incredible though the actors and actresses are not very familiar. Maria, I Feel Pretty, and America have gotten praise from around the world in both Broadway and West End productions. The movie won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress at the 1962 Academy Awards. This movie is always one of my favorites, and it isn’t just for girls because it is a musical.

2. The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

The Phantom of the Opera is the longest running musical on Broadway, and the movie is based off on one of the most beloved musicals of all time. The movie takes place in Paris in 1870, and is about a young woman named Christine Daae (Emmy Rossum), who gains the lead role in an opera from only being a dancer. She has been taught to sing by the ‘Angel of Music’ as she views him. She finds out that her tutor is the Phantom of the Opera (Gerard Butler), who certainly is real though most people think he is not. The Phantom lives in solitude and has been in love with Christine since he first met her. She is then reunited by her childhood friend Raoul (Patrick Wilson), as he is now the owner of the opera house. He quickly falls in love with her as well, and will try to protect her at all cost. Christine is torn between these two men; one who lives in solitude and has never had a love, and one who will protect her and give her the life she has always wanted.

In this romantic tale of darkness and obsession, The Phantom of the Opera is a fantastic movie.The mysterious Phantom and the sweet Raoul will leave watchers torn on who she has to choose and who she does choose. In this movie, the singing is great, with different songs that are intense and others warmhearted. The story is one that is nothing you have ever seen before, as it tells a dark tale that is different from other love triangles and more intense. It will make you smile and frown, and it might even make you cry. Songs in this musical include: Think of Me, Music of the Night, All I Ask of You, and Past the Point of No Return, which are songs that will make you watch the movie intensely. Also, just because it is named Phantom of the Opera, it is not opera music. If you want to see crashing chandeliers, a fallen corpse in the middle of an opera, and a sword fight, then I would definitely suggest that you watch Phantom of the Opera.

1. Les Misérables

Les Misérables is probably the most riveting stories of all time in both the musical and the movie. Taking place in nineteenth century France, It follows the journey of a man by the name of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), who just got out of twenty years of prison for stealing a loaf of bread though he has a life of parole. He transforms himself eight years later into the mayor of a town, renaming himself Monsieur Madeleine , though he is still wanted for breaking his parole. Javert (Russell Crowe) is the one who is trying to find the mysterious Jean Valjean and speculates that is it indeed Monsieur Madeleine, though he does not confess it. Act 2 is a story of compassion that a mother, Fantine (Anne Hathaway), will do anything it takes to keep her child safe while Jean Valjean is confronting Javert. In Act 3, you find that a group of boys, known as the ABC Cafe and lead by a man named Enjolras (Aaron Tveit), is trying to throw a revolution against the French government. While this is going on, a friend of Enjolras and a rich boy by the name of Marius (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), the daughter of Fantine and now being in the care of Jean Valjean. This movie is one that will make you cry and laugh at the same time, and the story itself is a beautiful one.

This movie, based off of the 1986 Broadway Production, is compelling and amazing in any sort of way. The live singing and one of the best cast ever produced by a movie will leave you awed by the end, though your face might be tear-stricken. It is number one on the best Musical-Movie list because you feel as if you can relate to a character in the movie or feel as if you could be that character. You will feel pain and sadness of the life of Jean Valjean, and you will laugh with the characters of Helen Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. Because of this wonderful tale, when you watch it, you will need to give it its full attention because you might get lost easily. This movie is definitely worth the two and a half hours, and if you do not feel the need to watch it because it is too long, then you are missing out. This movie was nominated for Best Picture at the 2012 Golden Globes and it won the title of Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Motion Picture in a Comedy or Musical. The songs are so beautiful and that are sung with passion include I Dreamed a Dream, Master of the House, On My Own, and Red and Black. This movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen rather than just a single musical, and it will always have a place in my heart. It left me in shock and in tears, as I could not stop talking about it for days. There was so much going on and it was laid out beautifully.