Posts Tagged ‘Ewan McGregor’

With “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” setting a box office record opening for a musical with $42 million last weekend, it doesn’t look like movie musicals are dead.

The all-time best movie musicals like “The Sound of Music,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Grease,” and “West Side Story,” thrived in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s; but, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any movies worth singing about lately. Read on for the best movie musicals to be made within the last decade.

5. Sweeney Todd (2007) Sure most musicals are uplifting, but Sweeney Todd does not lack in musical quality. Based on the Broadway musical, Tim Burton’s dark drama set in Victorian England about a murderous barber out to revenge the man who exiled him and stole away his wife and daughter boasts soaring, melodramatic songs sung by Johnny Depp whose singing is as good as his acting.

4. Walk the Line (2005) Not only does this biography of Johnny Cash tell a moving story, it has the music to match it. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon – as Johnny and June Cash – not only portray the country duo to a hilt; they perfectly capture their singing styles. All together this makes great storytelling and a great soundtrack. Witherspoon won an Oscar for Best Actress.

3. Once (2006) This low-budget film starring real life performers, rather than professional actors, wasn’t a hit at the box office, but the Academy noticed it. Earlier this year, Markéta Irglová and Glen Hansard were awarded with Best Song with the titular “Once.” It’s a simple film that tells the love story of two characters who aren’t even given names through the songs they write, rehearse and record in the course of a week.

2. Moulin Rouge! (2001) Unlike “Once,” this movie musical is stylish, glitzy, and over-the-top, which is what makes it so much fun. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor play star-crossed lovers in 1899 Paris. Kidman is Satine, a prostitute at the underworld night club (the titular Moulin Rouge) and McGregor is the idealistic, romantic poet who sings beautifully heartbreaking songs to his beloved Satine in a film reminiscent of “Romeo & Juliet.”

1. Chicago (2002) One of a handful of movie musicals to win Best Picture, “Chicago” boasts an all-star cast of Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, John C. Reilly and Queen Latifah; spectacular, jazzy songs and dance numbers, and an intricate, tantalizing story of love and murder set in 1920s Chicago. Zeta-Jones won Best Supporting Actress.

Here are 10 movies that aren’t even out yet, but are already creating that infamous buzz.

1. Watchmen – The next in line of comic books adapted to film series, Watchmen was “all the rage” at Comic Con.  Set in 1985, but in an alternative USA, this graphic novel series is supposed to take apart what is normally thought of when it comes to superheroes.  Set to release March 6, 2009.

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – I recently wrapped up reading the 6th book in J.K. Rowling’s series and it was terrific.  A lot of the energy surrounding this episode of H.P. is that it takes a darker look into the enemy’s youth as well as saying some goodbyes.  Set to release November 21, 2008.

3. W – An unconventional look at life through our 43rd President’s eyes. To be released while the real George W. Bush is still in office, it’s the “will it make fun of the President or support him” question that has people talking. Directed by Oliver Stone and starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Thandie Newton, Ellen Burstyn, Richard Dreyfuss and James Cromwell.   This is gonna be one hot topic of a film. Set to release October 29, 2008.

4. Angels & Demons – The book before “The Da Vinci Code”, Dan Brown’s Vatican City novel is hitting theaters soon.  No one is forgetting the controversies of “The Da Vinci Code” and this edition possess more challenges because it actually takes place in Vatican City as well as on the grounds itself.  Tom Hanks, Ron Howard and Ewan McGregor team up to bring us another mystery. Set to Release May 15, 2009.

5. Twilight – If you haven’t heard of the novels by Stephanie Meyer yet then you officially live under a rock. The teenage vampire saga is receiving a lot of attention from not only the MTV crowd, but the VH1-ers as well. The series, made up of 4 books, has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for over 40 weeks.  Set to release December 12, 2008.

6. Eagle Eye – Shia LaBeouf is a guy suddenly thrown into a deadly version of a scavenger hunt by some mysterious woman on the phone watching every move he and Michelle Monaghan make.  And I have a sneaking feeling there will be a twist no one is expecting.  Set to release September 26, 2008.

7. Terminator Salvation – As if Christian Bale doesn’t have enough on his plate, people are already talking about his next movie where he plays the boy the Terminator was sent to save.  Set to release May 22, 2009.

8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Adding on to the X-Men series, but in a different way, is the story of Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman.  Set to release May 1, 2009.

9. Tropic Thunder – Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. are the reasons why audiences will fall out of their seats for this movie. Also starring Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, Tobey Maguire, Mickey Rooney, Nick Nolte and Bill Hader.  Set to release August 15, 2008.

10. Australia – People are talking about the chemistry and steamy love scenes between two native Australians, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman (looks like he’s going to have a busy year!) in a war film about their homeland.  Set to release November 14, 2008.