I am jumping to a completely different genre now. I should blame my mother for bringing musical theatre into our lives. She did influence us kids with music. We would take family trips often. Now, not so many. During our trips, we would listen to music. Since it was her car, the music was her choice. Each trip we took, we listen to the same Cd’s. The Monkees, Kenny Rogers, John Denver, and Camelot. For Mr. Rogers, we declared the CD (or cassette back then) the title of “20 hour tape”. It was his twenty greatest hits but it seem to last forever. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why it was name that. Figured I would explain it to you still. Those family trips were the greatest. You pile six kids in a van and crank us the music. The van was a Mazda MPV. Since my mother likes to read my blog, I better state the color. It was not grey. It was not just “silver”. It was a color called, “winning silver”. She liked to correct us if we called it different.

The list below is based on musical films. I hope you enjoy it. I would reccomand to those not into this kind of music, give it a try. You’d be surprised how amazing it truely is.

TOP TEN MUSICAL FILMS

10. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

By far, my favorite Disney movie. Best music? No. Great music? Yes.  I was taking French class the year it came out. I thinks that’s why I love it more than anything. I had a connection with it. My sister likes “Beauty and the Beast”. My moms favorite movie is, “Robin Hood”. I feel bad for Disney. Since CGI became the new way for animation, you don’t see many hand drawn, classic looking Disney movies anymore. I am aware they are doing “The Princess and the Frog”. I plan on seeing it. My favorite song in this movie has to be, “Hell Fire.” Frollo is pinning after the gypsy girl. I think I have some obsession with gypsies. If they make my list again, I will seek help.

Best songs in the movie.

09. Bedknob and Broomsticks

Another Disney movie to make the list. Can I take it back and say this my all time favorite Disney movie? The “substitutionary locomotion” song is my favorite part. The soccer game was memorable. Then the whole ending! OMG! A Disney movie has an all out war. Fantastic! I really need to get to watching this again.

08. Mary Poppins

Cheese and Crackers! Another Disney movie. They did put out some good movies. Do I switch titles and make this a Top Ten Disney Films?

I always love when people make these “recut” trailers for movies. Do I wish this was a real movie? Yes!

I know a man with a wooden leg named Smith. What’s the name of his other leg?

So many songs to list..

• Step In Time
• Let’s Go Fly A Kite
• Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
• Chim Chim Cheree
• A Spoonful of Sugar
• The Penguin Dance Number
• Love To Laugh
• Jolly Holiday

07. The Music Man

Finally. A non Disney movie. Con man, Harold Hill comes to town with an offer. He offers uniforms and to train the boys marching band then skip town with the good people’s money. But nothing ever goes as planned in movies. He catches the eye of the librarian, Marian. The movie was redone with Matthew Broderick. I haven’t watched it, so I cannot give you my opinion on it.

06. Fiddler On The Roof

ah…the Jewish people. Nothing makes your miserable life better than a little a song and dance. I remember watching this movie in grade school. I enjoyed watching this more than watching the crapfest people call, “Grease”. My hatred for “Grease” started in grade school. Every time it rained or there wasn’t anything to study for, we (the students) were given the opportunity to relax and enjoy a movie. What did everyone pick? Yep. They picked that horrible movie. I watched Midway and enjoyed that more. When I come across “Grease” on TV or someone brings it up, a little piece of me dies. “Fiddler on the Roof” is a classic. Topol dancing about, clucking like a chicken, I never saw Travolta doing that. His dream is a great number too. All around, great music. If that ever comes to town and plays somewhere, I’ll see it. I always say that. I never go though. Mazel Tov!

05. South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut

Stop. Don’t judge me. It may not be a classified as a musical but it has numbers, singing, and dancing. So if I was to be technical, it is a musical. A great one in my opinion. South Park is a funny show. The movie still makes me laugh. Kyle, Eric, Stan, and Kenny plan on seeing the new “Terrence and Phillip” movie. After seeing it, they learn some naughty words. Kyle’s mom then blames the country of Canadia. How many movies can you say have Satan and Saddam in a love affair? You have to give the movie credit. It even got nominated for an Oscar with it’s musical number, “Blame Canada.” Best R rated animated movie ever.

“sweet…”

04. Newsies

Ha. Disney again. A bunch of newsies dance around trying to save their jobs. Bill Pullman, Max Casella (Doogie Howser MD), and Christian Bale star in this 1992 flick. Can you believe that Bruce Wayne, Batman himself sings and dances? Kind of wish they put down Crutchy. I never liked him. He got on my nerves. Since I mentioned Max Casella, this leads me to my number 3 movie on my list. Strange how my top ten almost works like “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” “South Park” was co-written by, Trey Parker. There is an actor with the same name in Newsies. Coincidence?

03. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

Maybe not a movie but still makes my list. It stars the ever fantastic, Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia, Day, and Nathan Fillion. NPH of what TV show? That’s right! Doogie Howser MD. And who starred in that? Max Casella! Six Degrees for the win! Dr. Horrible’s is a love/world domination story. NPH is Billy aka Dr. Horrible. He wants to join the Evil League of Evil. He needs to commit a crime. His first attempt not only fails, but gets the woman of his dreams, Penny,  to meet up with his arch nemesis, Captain Hammer. The video was available at the Dr. Horrible website to watch but has been taken down. You can purchase the music on Itunes or visit amazon to purchase the movie.

02. Chicago

Who would have thought that Richard Gere could sing? Two girls, one act. Sounds kind of dirty if you ask me. But Roxie Hart wants to be famous. What’s the only way to be famous? Kill someone. Get the best lawyer and the rest is front page news. The movie has a great cast, great music, and an all around fun feel to it. I’ve never seen it on stage but if the musical itself is anything like this, then I need to buy my ticket ASAP. Funny story about this movie. My friend and I were watching this movie and waiting for a pizza. When the pizza came, the pizza man said to me, “I love this movie. Good choice.”

And now…the number one Musical Film of my choice is……

01. Oliver!

I just love this movie. Nothing to explain here. It’s just a great movie with great music.

The top ten list thing is harder than I thought. So many movies and so many genres. Trying to figure out what genre a movie will fall in, is going to be the hardest part. I plan on doing, “Top Ten Comedies” next. Keep a look out for that one. I am sure I’ll miss many movies. Picking just 10 will be a job in itself.