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"
Les Miserables (Jackman) ( Blu-ray ) (2012)
7.4/10
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anne Hatha...
A musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel about a recently-released prisoner named Jean Valjean struggling to survive during the French revo... Read more
Les Miserables (Jackman) (2012)
7.4/10
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anne Hatha...
A musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel about a recently-released prisoner named Jean Valjean struggling to survive during the French revo... Read more
Pitch Perfect (2012)
7.2/10
Director: Jason Moore
Starring: Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Ben Plat...
Arriving at her new college, Beca (Anna Kendrick) finds herself not right for any clique but somehow is muscled into one that she never would have pic... Read more
The Sapphires (2012)
7.1/10
Director: Wayne Blair
Starring: Deborah Mailman, Chris O'Dowd, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell
1968. Four young women from a remote Aboriginal mission, sisters Gail, Julie and Cynthia, together with their cousin Kay, are discovered by Dave, a do... Read more
The Sapphires ( Blu-ray ) (2012)
7.1/10
Director: Wayne Blair
Starring: Deborah Mailman, Chris O'Dowd, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell
1968. Four young women from a remote Aboriginal mission, sisters Gail, Julie and Cynthia, together with their cousin Kay, are discovered by Dave, a do... Read more
Rock of Ages (2012)
5.9/10
Director: Adam Shankman
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Tom Cruise, Paul Giamatti, Malin Akerman, Ru...
From choreographer-turned-director Adam Shankman (A Walk to Remember, Hairspray) comes the story of small town girl Sherrie and city boy Drew, who mee... Read more
Beloved (2011)
6.2/10
Director: Christophe Honore
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Paul Schneider, Ludivine Sagnier, Louis Garrel, Milos Forman,...
In 1964 Paris, Madeleine (Ludivine Sagnier), a shoe salesgirl and part-time prostitute, falls in love with Jaromil, a Czech doctor she has picked up.... Read more
Hunky Dory (2011)
6.2/10
Director: Marc Evans
Starring: Minnie Driver, Robert Pugh, Haydn Gwynne
It's the long hot British summer of 1976 and Viv (Minnie Driver) has left London, and her thespian aspirations, to work as a drama teacher in the loca... Read more
Happy Feet Two (2011)
5.9/10
Director: George Miller
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Brad Pitt, Elijah Wood, Hank Azaria, Hugo Weaving, Magda Szuba...
Toe-tapping follow-up to the animated hit returns to the Antarctic, where penguin protagonist Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) has grown up to be a dad.... Read more
The Muppets (2011)
7.1/10
Director: James Bobin
Starring: Chris Cooper, Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones
With the famed puppet troupe's heyday behind them, it's up to young Muppet Walter, his human brother Gary (Jason Segel, who also co-wrote), and Gary's... Read more