Bo Burnham’s “Inside” comically depicts life during quarantine, capturing raw emotions while poking fun. PHOTO CREDIT: netflix.com
Possibly as a response to 2020 and the misery that COVID-19 brought to all of us, 2021 was a surprisingly musical year for movies.
In terms of both films offered solely on streaming services as well as theater-exclusive experiences, I found myself watching a new movie musical every few months. I also noticed, once I put every movie musical I had seen into this list, 2021 was also a good year for quality as well as quantity in movie musicals.
But the important question remains: Which movie musical is the best? Which is the worst? What falls in between and why? That is what I am here to answer.
6. “Dear Evan Hansen”
Everything that can be said about Ben Platt’s doughy and distracting face has already been said, so I’ll leave that aspect of this film alone. Because, honestly, that is the least of the film’s issues as far as I am concerned. What I find far more egregious is just how dull this movie is.
The one thing a successful movie musical should have is a raw, infectious energy that permeates through the screen and into your body whenever a musical sequence is taking place. This movie, despite having 11 songs, has one fun musical number that is only fun until you actually think about how creepy it actually is. I like some of the songs, and I take a sadistic sort of pleasure in seeing so many talented actors wasting their time on a script like this, but “Dear Evan Hansen” is undoubtedly the worst movie musical I saw in 2021. 3/10
5. “Encanto”
Possibly the film I have the least to say about, but by no means a bad one. Obviously, the animation is gorgeous, and the smaller-scale story was a nice change of pace. However, it may be a personal thing, but “Encanto” never really spoke to me on any unique level. It is a fine, decently written-movie that will most likely work for many people, but it was a rather forgettable experience for me. I also found the music to be a little unmemorable, aside from a few songs that really drilled their way into my subconscious. Lin-Manuel Miranda is certainly a talented songwriter, and that is also evident in the next film on this list. 6/10
4. “In The Heights”
This is definitely a movie I wish I had seen in theaters since watching it on my cruddy computer and trying to keep the glare from the sun from blasting onto the screen might not have been the best way to experience this film for the first time.
“In The Heights” certainly checks off all of the boxes in terms of the musical aspect of a movie musical, the “96,000” sequence in the pool being one of my favorite musical sequences of all time, and the songs are all catchy if a bit similar in certain ways. But it falls a little short on the movie aspect of the movie musical. I assume there is more to this story on Broadway, but the film itself never brings the drama I think it could have benefited from. It feels like it is trying too hard to be upbeat, but the upbeat nature works very well most of the time. 7/10
3. “West Side Story”
In contrast to “In The Heights,” “West Side Story” blends the drama needed for a movie with the exuberance needed for a musical and creates a remake that, surprisingly, is not awful. Each musical sequence seems to tell its own miniature story, and the cinematography all around is fantastic. This movie is a technical marvel brought to life by someone who certainly knows a thing or two about crafting an effective film. Throw in a near-perfect cast and uniquely memorable songs, and you have a musical that, while it starts to drag a bit during the final half-hour, is nothing short of delightful. 8/10
2. “Tick, Tick…BOOM!”
Where Encanto failed to speak to me on any deep level, “Tick, Tick…BOOM” did the polar opposite, showcasing one of the most effective and emotionally accurate portrayals of the highs and lows that creating a piece of art can do to someone. Andrew Garfield is superb, and Lin-Manuel Miranda does a surprisingly good job as director. This also boasts one of my favorite film soundtracks of all time and includes too many unique musical sequences to count. This movie should be seen by everyone, especially if you are an artist. 9/10
1. “Bo Burnham: Inside”
“Inside” is a masterful piece of content. It is one of the most impressive pieces of art ever made, it is unrivaled in its impact on people and its inspiration for creative expression. It is funny, it is sad and it brings with it a tornado of emotions you are not prepared to feel but not afraid to feel when the time comes. It is a meditation on content creation, living in our technology-fueled age, getting older, dealing with anxiety and depression, taking accountability for your actions and having to fight against both the outside and inside forces that make you who you are.
The fact that it was written, shot, edited, composed and directed by one person, in addition to the fantastic music and lyrics, takes it from an impressive piece of media to one of the most important and vulnerable works ever made. Absolute perfection. And yes, “The Inside Outtakes” is also a flawless piece of content. 10/10
As someone who sees the value in stage performance but can never get around to seeing shows in person, movie musicals have become a very special and personal genre to me, both as someone who strives to create and as someone who enjoys the craft of filmmaking. Most of the films on this list speak to one, if not both, of those passions, as all musicals should do.