The Top Ten Movie Musicals of the Decade

The Top Ten Movie Musicals of the Decade

By Rebecca Bush

1. Chicago


Director: Rob Marshall


Staring: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere


Summery: Two murderesses on death row, Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, fight for stardom and fame which is their only escape from execution. As the two enter the limelight they not only struggle for the attention of the press, but also for the affection of their debonair lawyer, Billy Flynn.


2. The Phantom of the Opera


Director: Joel Schumacher


Staring: Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson


Summery: Set in a famous Paris Opera House, Christine, a young dancer, is vocally couched by a mysterious voice know as the Phantom, helping her to achieve stardom on the stage. However, once the Phantom feels threatened by the romantic competition of Raoul, things start to go terribly wrong at the opera house.


3. Sweeney Todd


Director: Tim Burton


Staring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman


Summery: After being wrongly accused and sent to jail for many years, Todd returns to Fleet Street to seek revenge on his accuser. He reestablishes his barber shop, and with the help of Mrs. Lovett, he starts to slowly kill off anyone who has done him or his family any wrong.


4. Dream Girls


Director: Bill Condon


Staring: Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson


Summery: The film tells the story of three African American pop singers in the 1950’s, and shows the different boundaries they helped to break in the music industry. As it continues, the film reveals the trouble within the group and everything they had to go through once they became famous.


5. Moulin Rouge


Director: Baz Luhrmann


Staring: Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman


Summery: Set at the famous Moulin Rouge nightclub, the film tells the story of Satine, a singer, and writer Christian. Socially, the two should never end up together but thru lies and betrayal Satine and Christian’s romance blossoms, while encountering many problems along the way.


6. RENT


Director: Chris Columbus


Staring: Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Jesse L. Martin, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Idina Menzel, Tracie Thoms, Taye Diggs


Summery: Based off of the Tony Award wining musical, the movie tells of a group of friends in the east side of New York City. It shows them progress through life, and reveals their struggle with friendships, relationships, family, and AIDS.


7. Mamma Mia


Director: Phyllida Lloyd


Staring: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Dominic Cooper, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski


Summery: As Sophie prepares for her wedding she realizes that there is only one thing missing in her life, her father. The movie tells the musical tale of Sophie, her mother, and her three possible fathers, when they are thrown together for the first time.


8. Hairspray


Director: Adam Shankman


Staring: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, James Marsden, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney


Summery: The film portrays a young curvy girl named Tracy Turnblad, as she tries to break the stereotypes and barrios of the 50’s by trying out for a television dancing show.


9. Across the Universe


Director: Julie Taymor


Staring: Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess


Summery: This film takes an abundance of Beatle’s songs and sets in the setting of the Vietnam War. It tells the story of two “star crossed lovers,” Lucy and Jude, and of their trials and tribulations in order to be with each other despite war, family, friends, and education.


10. The Producers


Director: Susan Stroman


Staring: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman


Summery: After being humiliated after having another flop on Broadway, Max and Leo decide to produce the world’s worst show in order to make a quick profit. Even though it is considered musical, it turns into a slapstick comedy, including everything from a singing Hitler to a Swedish lead who can barley speek English.