Musicals have been tap dancing their way into moviegoers' hearts since the invention of cinema sound itself. No other genre of film can celebrate the magic of the movies quite like the musicals. It allows audiences to free themselves from reality and enter the world of dreams, as the screen melts into a fantasy of song and dance, while characters are given the opportunity to belt out all their hidden desires. Hollywood has a long obsession with the music industry, and these wonderful films, both classic and recent, capture the audience with their rhythm.

Here are some of the best musicals you can binge watch to experience that exotic, musical, upbeat entertainment. 

1) Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

A celebration of love, laughter, family and friendship, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is exactly what the world needs right now. It is an ultimate feel good musical movie, that revolves around a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her real father, by sneaking a peek in her mother’s old diaries and boyfriends. Not to forget the crazy amount of ABBA songs! Could we get any more classic with this movie and the stellar cast including Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried?

2) La La Land

La La Land tells the story of an aspiring actress and a jazz musician who fall in love while yearning to make it in Hollywood. From its big opening scene, where a giant cast of extras turn the hell that has gridlocked LA traffic into an all-singing, all-dancing musical event, the whole movie is pure joy. Everyone loved the pretty backgrounds, dazzling score, and sizzling chemistry between leads Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Additionally, the film helped breathe new life into the classic Hollywood musical.

3) The Wizard of Oz

As iconic musicals go,The Wizard of Oznearly takes the cake. First, there’s the stunning transformation as the film shifts from monochrome to dazzling technicolor, a feature which likely seemed as magical to 1939 audiences as transporting over the rainbow. Then there’s Judy Garland, clad in those sparkling ruby slippers and singing one of cinema’s most famous songs with a voice that could set the coldest hearts ablaze. The Wizard of Oz has it all, from a truly terrifying Wicked Witch to a lovable ragtag team of misfit creatures who travel the yellow brick road singing along with Dorothy in her quest to get back home. The film’s enduring charm is its ability to help us see that what we seek is often already inside of us, but we sometimes need a nudge to tease it out.

4) Coco

Best Pixar movie? Arguably! Best Pixar musical moment? Undoubtedly. With a fantastical visual imagination and one of the more vivid and risible villains in 21st-century animation, this whirlwind tour through the Land of the Dead is as thrilling as it is heartbreaking. The best part of the movie was the Oscar-winning ‘Remember Me’, which in its final, devastating form was sung by a teary-eyed boy to his kindly old great grandmother. That scene was an instant crying fit in the best possible way.

5) Bohemian Rhapsody

The legacy of English rock band Queen was brought to life through this 2018 drama.It follows lead singer Freddie Mercury as he rises from a misfit to a rock 'n' roll legend. The film ends with a reenactment of the historic Live Aid benefit concert, in which Queen performed one of the most memorable acts of all time. With passionate music, a brilliant, Oscar-winning performance from lead actor Rami Malek, and a brisk pace, Bohemian Rhapsody quickly became a fan favorite. You'll laugh, cry and become completely obsessed with Queen all over again with the film.

Collated by Verus Ferreira