The marrying together of theatre and music has been around for ages and has now made its way into cinema. Most commonly, stage musicals are brought to the big screen in order to bring the piece to a wider audience and take advantage of movie magic that is not available to a live production. Meaning, this genre is not reserved for the theatre enthusiasts alone. Two movies that have proven that are The Greatest Showman and Mamma Mia!.

 The Greatest Showman was released December 8, 2017 and has already brought in a whopping $194.7 million. The movie is based on the life of true showman P.T. Barnum as he builds a show with rejected members of society. This along with trying to be a good husband, appease the high-brow audiences, and not fall into debt. The movie uses upbeat numbers with high energy dances to hold the audience’s attention, making the audience members feel like they are simultaneously a performer and an audience member. The debate with any musical is if the music adds to or takes away from the overall story, but with the opening number having well over twenty million streams on Spotify, audiences agree the music is what pulls the story together.

 Despite reviews of flying colors from audience members, critics are less obsessed. Many criticize that the movie overall feels artificial and is overly discombobulated. In my personal opinion, the movie is artificial, but on purpose. The overarching theme is Barnum’s ability to bend perception and truth into something entertaining and borderline magical, and the movie does the same by being larger than life. Seniors Alex Butler and Isabella Colucci were both happily surprised after viewing the film. As to why audience member gave such raving reviews while critics did not, Alex said, “I think it was popular among audiences because of the spectacular soundtrack and famous performers.” Isabella added, “The movie is more relatable to younger audiences in their prime years of finding themselves and their place; most movies don’t reflect that feeling of wanting to get out and find someplace just for them.”

 Another beloved movie musical, Mamma Mia!, has been a fan favorite since its stage premiere in 1999. However, the movie adaptation in 2008 did not disappoint the show’s long time followers by bringing in stars such as Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth. The movie follows Sophie, a bride-to-be in a stunning greek island setting as she searches for her father before her wedding day. The story brings to mind the words “happy accident” as the characters are all delightfully flawed and relatable and the ending leaves you content. The setting is what escalates this movie to a magical experience for audiences, with scenes taking place around incredible beaches and blue waters. To audience member’s delight, Universal Pictures has announced that Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again will be released July 20, 2018. The first trailer has already sparked widespread attention as audiences eagerly wait for the much anticipated sequel, following Sophie further exploring her mother’s past as she deals with her pregnancy. So make sure to check out these great films, just remember you are a dancing queen, so it is okay if you end up dancing along!