The Big Picture · Review · Top Five
June 11, 2021/ 85 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
A review of Jon M. Chu's In the Heights, then Sean and Amanda each count down their top 10 movie musicals of all time.
21 films across 3 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
In the Heightsin theaters and on HBO Max
Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical. Both call it a mixed bag that's transcendent when the big numbers hit — '96,000,' 'Paciencia y Fe,' 'Carnaval del Barrio' — and sags whenever it settles into the Nina-and-Benny subplot. Anthony Ramos is the star-making find; Olga Merediz is their Oscar-question-mark.
Amanda's Top 10 Movie Musicalsbest to worst
No. 1 for both hosts. Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds; she calls 'Make 'Em Laugh' and 'Good Morning' the ten best minutes of filmmaking there are.
Robert Wise's filming of the Jerome Robbins choreography — her pick for the high standard of movie-musical dance on screen. Her one deliberate repeat: also her director on Sound of Music.
Formative childhood viewing — she wanted to be a Von Trapp kid. Still stands up for 'Climb Every Mountain' two hours in.
Bob Fosse and Liza Minnelli. Her pick for how camera and choreography move together — a chair, a leg, a hip thrust.
Watched at six, wore a poodle skirt for Halloween. 'Terrible lessons for women, pretty campy movie,' but the songs and set pieces hold up.
Backstage showbiz satire with a full-cast cameo dance number when they pitch the show.
Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, Kay Thompson dancing around Paris. Her only Astaire pick and only Hepburn pick.
Ann-Margret's electric debut. A satire of TV-manufactured teen idolatry that she thinks is sharper than what gets made for teens today.
The movie where Vincente Minnelli met Judy Garland, who debuts 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' here.
Her only pick made after 2000. Baz Luhrmann's jukebox spectacle, built around the 'Roxanne' tango and the 'Elephant Love Medley.'
Sean's Top 10 Movie Musicalsbest to worst
No. 1 for both hosts. He bought the VHS at a Disneyland gift shop at age 11 without having seen it, then watched it that night in the hotel room.
Bob Fosse's self-lacerating memoir-as-musical — the flip side of Cabaret, his other Fosse pick, this time turning the camera on himself.
The movie that made him fall in love with movies, on repeat in his house from age zero to ten. Amanda knew he'd put it on his list, so she left it off hers.
Jacques Demy's sung-through romance — his only sung-through and only foreign-language pick. He calls it the biggest single influence on La La Land's color and design.
His one animated pick. Danny Elfman wrote the songs; Henry Selick directed; Tim Burton produced.
His self-described rule-breaker. Robert Altman had the cast write and perform their own songs against a political-convention backdrop.
John Cameron Mitchell's genderqueer East German rock singer, told almost entirely as on-stage performance, made outside the major-studio system.
Howard Ashman's man-eating-plant musical, directed by Frank Oz. The plant is voiced by the Four Tops' Levi Stubbs.
Judy Garland and James Mason, directed by George Cukor. A late swap onto his list.
His least-known pick. Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly's post-Singin'-in-the-Rain follow-up, about three war buddies reuniting a decade later; a Cyd Charisse boxing-ring number is the showstopper.
Also mentioned raised along the way
In the Heights talk HamiltonCrazy Rich Asianstick, tick... BOOM!
The 2021 musical wave West Side StoryDear Evan HansenEverybody's Talking About JamieRespect
Music biopics Bohemian RhapsodyRocketmanDreamgirlsRayWalk the Line
Golden-age musicals discussed, not picked Funny GirlOklahoma!Seven Brides for Seven BrothersBrigadoonWhite ChristmasThe Glenn Miller StoryThere's No Business Like Show BusinessCarmen JonesMy Fair LadyAn American in ParisYankee Doodle Dandy
Black-led musicals cited The WizSchool DazeSparkleThe Five Heartbeats
Considered and cut AnnieRentTop HatShall We DancePurple RainThat Thing You Do!Across the UniverseMamma Mia!Rock of AgesThe Great Muppet CaperThe Muppet MovieThe Muppet Christmas CarolBeauty and the BeastAladdinThe Lion KingA Hard Day's Night
John Cameron Mitchell's other films ShortbusRabbit HoleHow to Talk to Girls at Parties
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV GirlsFosse/Verdon
Ads Boar's Head