My 10 Favorite Movie Musicals

With the recent film release of the hugely successful Broadway musical "Wicked" (a musical I did NOT like), I thought I'd share a list of my 10 Favorite Movie Musicals.

My list features musicals from the 1970s onward because, in reality, most great movie musicals were released between the late 1930s and the 1950s (with a few legendary ones in the 1960s).

Incredible films like "Singin' In the Rain," "A Hard Day's Night," "Mary Poppins," "My Fair Lady," "Funny Face," "On the Town," "Guys and Dolls," any of Busby Berkeley, Vincente Minnelli, and the Marx Brothers movies, and don't EVEN get me started on the sheer exquisiteness of "An American in Paris" (just to name a handful) rightly appear on pretty much everyone's list of the "Best Musicals of All Time."

And so, while I absolutely adore these legendary works, I genuinely love the ones listed below for their unique contributions to the genre as well.

And yes, every single movie on this list is 5,000 times better than "Wicked."

Top 10 Favorite Modern Movie Musicals (1970s to Present)

1) ALL THAT JAZZ (1979)

Bob Fosse's autobiographical masterpiece is absolutely my favorite musical of all time. It's one of the most notable films ever made, and it has what might be the best opening 10 minutes in film history and what might be the best closing 10 minutes in film history. Everything in between is magnificent and perfect. By the way, the clip above contains those final 10 minutes. Strap in because it does NOT get any better than this.

2) SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER, UNCUT (1999)

Yeah, this movie is genius and my second favorite musical of all time. Trey Parker is one of the greatest writers, satirists, lyricists, and creators of comedy on earth... Matt Stone is a guy who hangs out with him and does funny voices. The team (pretty much Parker, that is) would go on to create "The Book of Mormon," which is the best stage musical of the past 40 years, easily, and you can see all of that greatness in the hilarious and brilliant film version of the TV series. The clip above is not only a hilarious satire of a Broadway ballad, it is also a straight-up GREAT fucking Broadway ballad...sung by Satan.

3) LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986)

Frank Oz's masterful film version of the musical based on the Roger Corman low-budget horror film from 1960 is as good as movie musicals get. A wildly inventive story, a great cast, fabulous staging, and over-the-top theatrics make this movie incredibly special. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman put together some of the best songs in musical history, resulting in flawless entertainment. This clip is actually my favorite song and favorite musical number from ANY musical. Yeah, this is the best song ever from a musical.

4) LA LA LAND (2016)

A film that people love to hate, and those people are dumb. Damien Chazelle's magnificent modern tribute to classic movie musicals like "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" and "The Young Girls of Rochefort" is an unapologetic old-fashioned melodrama loaded with great music, incredible performances and a tone of cynical sadness that grounds it in the modern era. Exhilarating, funny, and ultimately unbelievably heartbreaking, this is a work of monumental skill and vision, and yeah, it should have won the Best Picture Oscar over "Moonlight," as Faye Dunaway announced. The clip here is the jaw-dropping and extraordinary opening sequence that still makes me weep every single time I watch it.

5) ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (2007)

Wildly inventive, incredibly risky, and very divisive, this fabulous tribute to The Beatles and their music is one of the most criminally underrated and unfairly maligned movies ever made. Julie Taymor's wonderfully imaginative direction and interpretations of the Beatles' songs are breathtaking. A must-see if you're a fan of the boys from Liverpool and a must-see if you're just a fan of bold, distinctive filmmaking of the highest order. The clip included here features multiple Salma Hayeks in sexy nurse uniforms... you're welcome.

6) SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2007)

Tim Burton's marvelous film version of one of my favorite Sondheim musicals of all time (and one of my favorite musicals in general) is gorgeous to look at and lovely to listen to. It's got all the cool shit that makes Burton's movies so cool, and much more. I adore every frame of this movie, even if some of the cast's voices aren't particularly strong (ahem, Johnny Depp). It's worth seeing if only for the late great Alan Rickman's outstanding work as Judge Turpin. The clip posted here is from my favorite number in the movie, which features Depp and Rickman with Sondheim at his finest.

7) ROCKETMAN (2019)

This wonderful, fantastical, and stylized biopic of Elton John is loaded with incredible music from the early days of John and collaborator Bernie Taupin's career, and it is a genuinely compelling story. Dexter Fletcher's full-on, old-fashioned musical extravaganza is one of the boldest works of the past 10 years. It features a singularly remarkable performance by Taron Egerton as Elton John. It was also a welcome palate cleanser after sitting through the pitiful, evil, lying garbage that was "Bohemian Rhapsody," a work that spat on the life of Freddie Mercury and loaded the screen with massive untruths and lousy musical reenactments. "Rocketman" took a more fantastical approach, got the approval of the film's subject, and ended up being a remarkable piece of work. Also, Bryce Dallas Howard has never, ever been better.

8) HAIR (1979)

Milos Forman's film version of the 1968 Broadway musical is not without its detractors and controversy, mainly because of the changes made from the stage to the screen. I am a huge fan of Foreman's version and love the changes. I also love the cast, casual style, and wonderful sense of humor throughout. It packs a huge emotional wallop in the final moments and leaves me in tears every time I watch it. The cast, led by a fantastic Treat Williams, shines magnificently.

9) WEST SIDE STORY (2021)

Yes, the Steven Spielberg version of the Leonard Bernstein, David Newman musical is far superior to the Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins 1961 version. I had been waiting for Spielberg to make a musical for 42 years since I first saw the Jitterbug Contest sequence from "1941," and this film did not disappoint. It's a truly great musical and movie—one of Spielberg's best.

10) CABARET (1972)

I was hesitant to put two Fosse films on this list, but ultimately, this film HAD to be included. "Cabaret" is a significant film because it came out after the musical film genre had seemingly run its course with so many overloaded, overwrought, overproduced, loud, and just plain bad musicals from the late 1960s. Fosse's movie was a jolt of much-needed electricity to a tired genre and a film of remarkable power, originality, and substance. Of course, the music and the Kander and Ebb songs are amazing.

OTHER IMPORTANT MODERN MUSICALS THAT MUST BE MENTIONED:

"PINK FLOYD: THE WALL" (1982)

"WONKA" (2023)

"TOMMY" (1975)

"ONE FROM THE HEART" (1981)

"THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS" (1993)

and, of course...."THE BLUES BROTHERS" (1980)

What are some of your favorite Movie Musicals?? Let me know by leaving a message at (773) 417-6948 or email me at nick@nickdigilio.com. Happy Holidays!

Thanks for reading, and please SUBSCRIBE to my weekly NEWSLETTER!

And consider joining me on Patreon as a paid subscriber to help keep this thing going.

Thanks again!

Top 10 Bad Santas in Movies

In honor of the terrible new movie "Red One," in which J.K. Simmons plays a buff Santa Claus who has to be rescued from kidnappers, I put together a list of movies that feature some very unusual and, in some cases, some very scary Santas.

Some are popular, some are familiar, some are weird, and some you haven't heard of. But I guarantee this: you do NOT want any of these Santas climbing down your chimney in the middle of the night.

As insane as some of these Santas are, and as crazy as these movies seem…they are all real movies. I'm not kidding.

By the way, despite the title of this blog post, I have not included Billy Bob Thornton's "Bad Santa" because I hate that movie.

So here is a list of some of my favorite "Bad Santas." Each entry will have a very brief explanation and a clip of the badness of each Santa. They are in no particular order; there is only one Bad Santa after another and some great examples of their true awfulness/weirdness.

And...I LOVE them all!

DAN AYKROYD in "Trading Places"

In this classic comedy, Dan Aykroyd plays a successful businessman whose life was completely destroyed by a bet between two rich old guys. So he puts on a ratty Santa Suit, gets drunk, and does what many people do during the holidays, attempts suicide.

ROBERT BRIAN WILSON in "Silent Night Deadly Night"

This notorious slasher film from 1984 caused so much controversy that it was initially pulled from the theaters but eventually became a cult classic and spawned 4 sequels. A disturbed loon who, as a child, witnessed his parents being murdered by a guy in a red hat dressed up like Santa and murdered a bunch of people. It's awesome trash.

BILL RAYMOND in "The Ref"

"The Ref" is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. It's a dark, brilliantly funny look at dysfunction, marital strife, blackmail, arguing, drinking, kidnapping—you know, all the fun holiday stuff. The movie features an amazing cast, a brilliant script, smart social commentary, and a once-beloved neighborhood Santa who has reached his breaking point and is letting everyone know about it. My favorite part of this clip is the steam rising from the bushes.

JOHN CALL in "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"

This legendary piece of cinema became a must-see cult classic after the guys on Mystery Science Theater 3000 took it apart. In it, this weird-ass Santa is kidnapped by Martians (much like the new movie Red One) and must be saved. Oh yeah, an 8-year-old Pia Zadora is also featured in this madness.

HULK HOGAN in "Santa With Muscles"

So, Hulk Hogan stars as a rich jagoff who bangs his head while wearing a Santa Suit, wakes up, and thinks he's Santa. He then fights the villain, played by a very sad-looking Ed Begley Jr. Look for a young Mila Kunis in this thing, which also features Garrett Morris and Clint Howard, because, of course, Clint Howard is in it.

BONUS VIDEO: Here is The Hulkster, as a heel (bad guy), in the ring on a 1996 episode of WCW's Monday Nitro, talking about the incredible success of the movie. His comments are just a wee bit exaggerated.

RICKEY SMILEY in "Friday After Next"

In the third movie of the popular "Friday" franchise, the hilarious stand-up comedian Rickey Smiley plays a Santa who breaks into Ice Cube's house on Christmas Eve. The result is a scene that makes me laugh my ass off. Shockingly, I've never been high while watching it.

BILL GOLDBERG in "Santa's Slay"

I just recently discovered this one, and boy, am I glad that I did. Pro-Wrestler Bill Goldberg stars in this black comedy/slasher movie as a demon who loses a bet and has to spread Christmas cheer for over a millennium. When the bet is up, he goes nuts and begins a rampage of murder and mayhem. For some reason, Robert Culp, Dave Thomas, Chris Kattan, and Fran Drescher are all in this 2005 craziness.

JOSE ELIAS MORENO in "Santa Claus" (AKA: "Santa Claus Vs. The Devil")

This Mexican cult classic from 1959 is a real doozy. It tells the tale of a demon who is sent to earth to make children behave badly to trap Santa, who lives in outer space. Lucifer makes several appearances, Merlin the Magician shows up, and magical dust and spooky flowers play a part in a movie that can best be described as an acid trip on celluloid. Moreno was a classic Mexican character actor who appeared in more than 180 movies, but this one might be his crowning achievement.

KNUT OSA GREGER in "Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale"

This Finnish import is actually one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. It is a wildly imaginative fantasy/action/horror/comedy hybrid that features a monstrous, evil Santa who has been unearthed after being buried in ice for years. He is NOT the Santa we all know and love—he's much, much cooler.

BRANDON MAGGART in "Christmas Evil"

I can't even begin to describe just how special and batshit crazy everything about this 1980 slasher movie is.

I'll just say this: It is John Waters's all-time favorite Christmas movie, it has the same plot as "Silent Night Deadly Night," it is perversely funny, and it stars Fiona Apple's dad as the insane, murderous Santa. If you've never seen this movie, remedy that situation immediately. Gonzo, wild, sleazy, and often brilliant, this movie is a true treasure, and Maggart's performance is absolutely legendary.

Who are your favorite Santas?? Let me know by leaving a message at (773) 417-6948 or email me at nick@nickdigilio.com. Happy Holidays!

Thanks for reading, and please SUBSCRIBE to my weekly NEWSLETTER!

And consider joining me on Patreon as a paid subscriber to help keep this thing going.

Thanks again!

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: 11-22-24

I like my Film Critic pants, but they're on briefly this week because there are only three films to review, and none are worth seeing. So buckle up! It's time for some capsule (short) movie reviews for the week of Friday, November 22, 2024.

1) GLADIATOR II

Taken at the Press Screening, just few minutes before Ridley Scott's latest waste of celluloid stunk up the room.

If you know me at all, then you know that I think Ridley Scott is, without question, the most overrated filmmaker in cinema history. I admit that it is extremely admirable that at almost 87 years of age, Scott has continued to work steadily since the 1970s. It is also pretty amazing that his latest, "Gladiator II," is his 29th feature film.

The main problem is that in all those years of steady work, the majority of his movies have been crap. He has spent almost 50 years making terrible movies and getting praised for them.

In my opinion, Scott has only directed two great films ("Alien" and "Blade Runner") and a few deeply flawed but passable movies: "Thelma and Louise," "GI Jane," "Matchstick Men," and "The Martian." The rest are either not worth seeing or are among the worst movies I have ever seen.

Ridley Scott is a hack of biblical proportions, and Gladiator II is a prime example of the half-assed, lazy, uninspired, and inept filmmaking he dumps into theaters every year. Of course, it will be nominated for multiple awards and praised by most critics.

Yeah, I have passed on the Ridley Scott Kool-Aid for decades, and I'm not gonna start with this dreck.

Briefly, this sequel that nobody wanted takes place in Imperial-era Rome, a generation after the events of the original (and awful) first film. The main character is Lucius (an uncomfortable Paul Mescal), a distant relative of the first film's hero, Maximus (maybe??), who survives a battle with the Romans that has left his wife dead and him an enslaved person.

Lucius is purchased by former slave, now slave trader, Macrinus (a shamelessly hammy Denzel Washington) to be used as a gladiator in battles that will help Macrinus climb up the ladder of Roman hierarchy and seize power from the two bratty, brother co-emperors (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, both awful).

Lucius just wants revenge and is focused on punishing and killing the Roman General who killed his wife (a wasted Pedro Pascal), bringing down the emperors, and settling his mother's issues with Lucilla (a bored Connie Nielsen).

So, it's pretty much a carbon copy of the original film, with the terrible screenplay by longtime Scott collaborator David Scarpa, going through the superficial, boring dramatic motions while Scott loads the thing with lots of blood, clanging armor, helmet smashing, decapitations, elaborate battle sequences, and Colosseum fights filled with mayhem.

That all sounds cool, right? Wrong.

While this terrible sequel gives us Scott's expected inept execution and staging of the action scenes (they are truly awful), we are also gifted with some of the most poorly designed and laughable CGI in the history of big-budget filmmaking.

The gladiators battle against giant fake-looking CGI Rhinos, a bunch of poorly animated rabid, deformed baboons, and video-game-resembling sharks—yes, sharks. They flood the Colosseum with water and let them loose. I am not kidding. These ridiculous creatures look like they came straight from a particularly strong LSD-fueled night of programming over at Adult Swim.

When the screen isn't filled with the absurdly bloody antics of the arena, it's dominated by boring, half-assed, and recycled drama from the first film (which in turn was boring, half-assed, and recycled drama from dozens of other, better films).

The cast is stacked with incredibly gifted actors who are either terribly miscast (Pascal), completely wasted (Mescal), or just plain awful, which is the case with Washington, who, in this movie, gives what is easily the worst performance of his career, and I'm including "Carbon Copy."

Denzel's performance consists of purposely wacky line readings, generously complex sleeve-work and robe pulling, and character-breaking laughter that he throws in hoping that you'll remember how great he was in "Training Day." Clearly, he read the shitty script, realized what he had gotten himself into, and went directly to fun-town... and I bet he gets a fucking Oscar nomination for this nonsense.

Like so many other Scott projects, this is a sad, desperate attempt to bring grand, epic filmmaking to the screen, made by a man who has no idea how to do it using either new or old technology.

Ridley Scott is a terrible filmmaker, and "Gladiator II" is a terrible film. - ⭐️

2) NICKEL BOYS

Based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this film chronicles the strong friendship between two young African American men who navigate the harrowing trials of reform school together in Florida.

The events in the movie are based on things that happened at a historic reform school in Florida called the Dozier School for Boys, which was notorious for the abusive treatment of students.

Despite solid performances by Ethan Herrise and Brandon Wilson in the lead roles and a passionate message, I was surprisingly underwhelmed by the film. 

I found the subjective point-of-view camera and storytelling style distracting, inconsistent, and pompous.

This gimmicky trope completely took away from my being emotionally invested in the characters and events of the film, which are clearly important and powerful. I was detached and didn't care, and it had everything to do with the confused way the film was made. - ⭐️⭐️

3) WICKED

Hey! Did you guys know that a film version of the Broadway musical Wicked is coming out?!?!? I hadn't heard anything about it—what a surprise!

OK, here's the deal right up front: I hate "The Wizard of Oz."

Always have, always will.

It's an annoying, stiff, poorly made example of the type of conveyor belt product that MGM was regularly churning out in the 30s. It's only considered beloved because it was annually jammed down our collective throats throughout our childhoods, and it was something we felt we HAD to watch and love.

Now, Walter Murch's brilliant "Return to Oz," starring Fairuza Balk as Dorothy, well, that's a different story....I LOVE that movie.

Unfortunately, this film is not at all connected to that 1985 much-maligned masterpiece. It is a direct prequel to the 1939 film version of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful World of Oz."

Now that I've got that out of the way, I also actively dislike the stage version of the musical "Wicked." I didn't care about the story, wasn't really impressed with the staging, and found the songs and score unremarkable and profoundly dull. So, yeah... this movie was clearly not made for me.

I will not waste space going into the plot, describing the characters, or recounting the complications of the myths. You've already seen the show, know all about it, and are ready to see the movie. Whatever I say here is pretty meaningless.

At its core, this new film is as bland and uninteresting as the stage version (I mean, the songs are still the same - bad), only worse because it is roughly twice as long as the Broadway musical. This is just PART ONE (?!?) of what will ultimately be a 6-hour film of a story that could be told effectively in about 90 minutes.

It's bloated and so loaded with special effects-laden filler, unnecessary characters, and subplots that even the biggest fans might wonder why it had to be stretched out this way.

The visuals are sumptuous, and the production design, costumes, and art direction are all top-notch because... they better be. But the wildly inconsistent director Jon M. Chu proves here that he will forever be the director of "Step Up 3D" and "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," which are both more competently made than "Wicked."

The cast is easily the best part of this whole thing, with terrific performances from the co-leads Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and outstanding supporting work from Jonathan Bailey, Kristin Chenoweth, and Michelle Yeoh. Fun appearances by Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, and Marissa Bode add some life, but it is a fantastic Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard who steals the show and single-handedly keeps things interesting.

I'm pretty sure that nothing I wrote here will change anyone's mind about this movie, and I'm pretty sure that I will be in the minority with my thoughts about it, but so be it. I didn't like it, sorry, I don't care.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I will watch an institutionalized Dorothy Gale (played by the magnificent Fairuza Balk) receive some much-needed shock treatment in the first ten minutes of the finest film trip to the land of Oz ever. "Return to Oz" will happily take my mind off of "Wicked," which, despite the impressive technical achievements, just ain't for me, and I am fine with that. - ⭐️⭐️

Thanks for reading, and please SUBSCRIBE to my weekly NEWSLETTER!

And consider joining me on Patreon as a paid subscriber to help keep this thing going.

Thanks again!