Musicals
As soon as sound was introduced to the movies, the movie musical was born. The musical was one of the most popular movie entertainments from the 1930s through to the 50s, before falling out of favour at the end of the 60s for audiences now being weened on Vietnam, race riots, political assassinations, flower power and psychedelia. The musical still continued onwards, albeit in a different form, with various efforts such as "Cabaret", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Grease", "Hair", "All That Jazz" and "The Blues Brothers" appearing over the next decade. More recently, "Moulin Rouge" and particularly "Chicago" hark back to the glory days of the musical.
Right: Liza Minnelli does "Cabaret"
Two Sons of Francisco (2005)
6.9/10
Director: Breno Silvera
Starring: Dira Paes, Angelo Antonio, Marcio Kieling
The incredible true story of Brazil's leading country music duo. Starting out a very long way from stardom, their father was not the first to pressure... Read more
Romance and Cigarettes (2005)
Director: John Turturro
Starring: James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Mary-Louise Parke...
Writer/director John Turturro sets his ambitious musical in Queens, New York, where the marriage of working-class couple Nick Murder (James Gandolfini... Read more
Four Last Songs (2005)
6.2/10
Director: Francesca Joseph
Starring: Stanley Tucci, Rhys Ifans, Hugh Bonneville, Jena Malone, Jessica Stevenson, Karl...
Chronically dissatisfied musician and ex-pat, Larry (Stanley Tucci), is living on a beautiful Mediterranean island, where he makes a living playing pi... Read more
Rent (2005)
7/10
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Jesse L Martin, Wilson Jermaine Hered...
This film adaptation of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning Broadway musical stars many of the original stage cast, and follows the lives of seven fri... Read more
The Producers (2005)
6.4/10
Director: Susan Stroman
Starring: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell, Eileen Essell, David...
Nathan Lane hams it up as Max Bialystock, a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer whose accountant Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick who, with Lane, starred i... Read more
Walk the Line (2005)
7.9/10
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick, Dallas Rob...
Joaquin Phoenix channels the late, great Johnny Cash in this no-holds-barred biopic of the Man in Black. Bookended by the famous Folsom Prison concer... Read more
Busby Berkeley (2005)
7.6/10
One man. One camera. Unlimited magic. From numerous Warner Bros films of the 1930s come 21 complete musical numbers that established forever the geniu... Read more
Elvis by the Presleys (2005)
8.2/10
Starring: Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley
"Elvis by the Presleys" is the most revealing and poignant video portrait we will ever see of the artist as husband, father and friend. As never befor... Read more
Willie Nelson and Friends: Angels & Outlaws (2004)
Starring: Al Green, Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Richards, Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, T...
The new live album from Willie's Network Special features Willie performing with some of his closest friends and biggest legends making music today in... Read more
Showbands (2004)
7.1/10
Director: Ian Fitzgibbon
Starring: Liam Cunningham, Kerry Katona, Tina Kellegher, Hugh O'Conor
This four-part made for television drama, steeped in the music, atmosphere and nostalgia of the showband era, is an endearing tale of bar cleaner Deni... Read more