Musicals embody cinema's potential to construct reality-bending tale worlds. The greatest transcend artifice and combine songs to communicate character feeling and develop a plot line. 

Musicals have unlimited potential, but success requires skill. We have compiled a list of some of our favorite musical-movies. 

Pitch Perfect

The debut of a cappella group, The Barden Bellas in Jason Moore's most witty and crowd-pleasing comedy. The all-girls singing group takes some of the best female-pop songs and transforms them into competition winning performances. The film's youthful and genuinely gifted ensemble includes Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Adam DeVine.

Moana

Disney Studio’s musical adventure picture is about a Polynesian girl who, with the help of a demigod, sets out to save her island from  a plague. With breathtaking 3D landscapes and catch earworms, the tale will drift you away into an action-packed voyage encountering monsters and other seemingly impossible obstacles. After a watch, the songs will surely take up a lot of space in your head.

Singin' in the Rain

The MGM musical spectacular directed by Stanley Donen is widely considered the finest of its genre. This romantic comedy is set in the entertainment industry at the time of the revolutionary introduction of sound films and stars like Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, and Jean Hagen. The storyline, written by Adolph Green and Betty Comden, is one of the wittiest and most quotable in film history, and the dancing scenes still astound audiences today for their nuance and physicality.

The Lion King

This Africa-set rough rendition of Hamlet was one of the most financially successful films of the '90s. The "live-action" version got mixed reviews (Uncanny Valley alert!) but still remains the highest-grossing animated picture ever. With all the best and most catchy tunes, which have carried young audiences into adulthood, The Lion King is sure to entertain and inspire viewers of all ages.