There’s something truly magical about musical theatre, and it’s even more magical when these musical works are transformed into movies, making the spectacle of stage performances widely accessible. Musical movies aren’t a novel concept. There have been hundreds over the years, including greats like Cabaret, Grease, The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz, with new features constantly being added to the roster.

There are also instances where musical movies, like Disney’s Frozen, turn into stage musicals following their box office success. This has happened with a lot of great works, including Beetlejuice, Heathers, and Mean Girls.

The musical movie genre is a great one because it offers something for everyone. There’s drama, romance, comedy and even a little action, and it’s all embellished with singing and dancing. It’s a unique viewing experience and truly fun for the whole family. The genre is such a success that there are new musical movies in production all the time, like the upcoming Wicked movie starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. It’s also recently been revealed that the sequel to Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, may be a musical.

While gearing up for some of the exciting, upcoming musical releases, here are six of the best musical movies released in recent years.

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6 The Greatest Showman (2017)

     TSG Entertainment

Released in 2017, The Greatest Showman is a biographical musical about the famous entertainer P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) and his creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus attraction. Alongside Jackman, The Greatest Showman sports a talented cast including Zac Efron (High School Musical), Zendaya (Euphoria), Michelle Williams (Shutter Island), Rachel Ferguson (The Girl on the Train) and Broadway star Keala Settle. The Greatest Showman grossed $435 million worldwide and was praised for its dazzling visuals, performances, and original music.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

The Greatest Showman also saw success off the big screen in the form of music streams. Most notably, “Rewrite the Stars,” sung by Efron and Zendaya, and “This is Me,” sung by Settle, became the standout tracks from the movie. “This is Me” was nominated for several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2018. Though it didn’t win, it still remains popular among musical fans and those who loved the movie. If you’re looking for a larger than life, romantic watch, The Greatest Showman is a perfect choice.

5 Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

     Universal Pictures

Dear Evan Hansen premiered last year and is based on the 2015 stage musical of the same name. Directed by Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Dear Evan Hansen is — in a nutshell — a coming-of-age movie musical about an isolated, anxiety-ridden high schooler who is seeking a sense of belonging and understanding, sending him on a journey of self-discovery. Ben Platt (Pitch Perfect) plays Evan Hansen, which is a reprisal of his role from the stage performance of the show.

Dear Evan Hansen features a beautiful and poignant track list, with songs like “Waving Through a Window” and is a heartwarming movie for everyone, especially teens and young adults, who may find they can directly relate to the concept and characters. Admittedly, Dear Evan Hansen is one of those movie musicals that aren’t as good as the original source material. The movie received generally negative reviews from critics, but was well-received among general audience members and has maintained a certain level of popularity despite its negative critiques.

4 La La Land (2016)

     Lionsgate

La La Land is romantic, joyful, and full of Old Hollywood energy. It’s about a jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an aspiring actress (Emma Stone), who meet and fall in love while they’re pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. Full of swinging jazz, upbeat rhythms, and incredible dancing, La La Land is energetic and just explodes with life. The budding romance between Gosling and Stone’s characters is dreamy and captivating, and both their performances are over-the-top in a way that only works in musicals — making it such a fun watch.

At the 74th Annual Golden Globes, La La Land was nominated in seven categories including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Best Director (Damien Chazelle) and Best Original Song for “City of Stars.” La La Land won in all seven categories it was nominated for, setting a record for most Golden Globes won by a single film. It’s been out since 2016, but if you haven’t checked out La La Land yet, it’s guaranteed to make you smile and tap your foot uncontrollably to the sweeping melodies of the soundtrack.

3 In the Heights (2021)

     Warner Bros. Pictures

This musical drama is based on the stage performance of the same name by Quiara Alegria Hudes and Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton). Released in 2021, In the Heights is about the community in the predominantly Dominican Washington Heights neighborhood in New York City. The movie follows members of the community as they work to pursue their dreams for a better life.

In the Heights is a vibrant celebration of culture, community, love, and perseverance. It captures the beauty and vitality of a neighborhood full of unique heritage and brings its characters stories to life through the use of rhythmic, catchy songs. This is a great example of adapting a stage performance into a movie the right way. The movie version of In the Heights still captures all the necessary essence of the stage version and simultaneously breathes new life into the musical movie genre.

2 West Side Story (2021)

     20th Century Studios

Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s timeless musical, West Side Story, was originally released in 1961. It tells the story of the Jets, a group of white men, and the Sharks, a group of Puerto Ricans — two gangs constantly at odds with each other in New York City. The story focuses on Tony and Maria, two star-crossed lovers from each rival gang, who end up falling in love, despite their friends and family’s disapproval. Steven Spielberg directed a remake of the film last year, which has received rave reviews.

West Side Story is complete with stunning dance routines and iconic songs that have become crucial parts of musical theatre history. The remake of this Romeo and Juliet-inspired work is just as good as the original, and in some cases you may even say it’s better. For one, Spielberg’s version aimed to repair the portrayal of the Puerto Rican community that the original movie tarnished. Also, the cinematography in the 2021 movie is showstopping and truly beautiful to watch. The re-imagined West Side Story is a total knockout and fans of the original will have no problem coming to love it, which is really the true indicator of a successful remake.

1 Tick, Tick…Boom! (2021)

     Netflix

Released last year on Netflix, Tick, Tick…Boom! is a biographical musical based on Jonathan Larson’s (Rent) stage musical of the same name. The story is about his journey of writing a musical that will make it in the theatre industry, while simultaneously balancing love, friendship, and daily life as an aspiring composer. Tick, Tick…Boom! was Lin Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut and features Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man) in the lead role, which also won him his first Golden Globe.

Tick, Tick..Boom! is a tear-jerking, raw look at the creative process. While at times it’s gut-wrenching and sad, it’s also vibrant and beautiful, in a way serving as a tribute to Larson’s work. Tick, Tick…Boom! was wildly well-received and its accessibility on Netflix added to its success. Tick, Tick…Boom! was released at a time when movie musicals were seemingly popping up around every corner, but it stands out as one of the best. It grips you from start to finish and is really a masterclass in artful storytelling.