Almost twenty years after director James Mangold gave us the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line," he's returned to the space with a look at Bob Dylan's transition from acoustic to electric.

As much as the music will dazzle Dylan fans, it's the acting that's the highlight. Timothée Chalamet delivers one of the best performances burgeoning career, getting Dylan's voice and mannerisms down perfectly. — Jason Guerrasio

Sebastian Stan gives one of two standout performances this year in "A Different Man." The surreal, twisty psychological thriller follows Stan as Edward, an introverted, struggling actor with neurofibromatosis (a disorder causing facial differences) who is cured through an experimental procedure. Reinventing himself as "Guy" doesn't quite give him the dream life he'd hoped for, though.

The darkly comic film from writer-director Aaron Schimberg also features great supporting performances from Renate Reinsve (who had her breakthrough in 2021's "The Worst Person in the World") and Adam Pearson as Oswald, a confident and charismatic man who also has neurofibromatosis. — Caralynn Matassa

For this latest trek back into the sci-fi world of "Alien," director Fede Álvarez takes full advantage of the IP by weaving a story that touches on the original movie and the world of "Prometheus." The result is a thrill ride that will satisfy fans of the franchise and scare the hell out of the newbies who have never seen an "Alien" movie. — JG

Sean Baker made a name for himself as one of the most acclaimed independent filmmakers, and for good reason. He excels at slice-of-life movies (2017's "The Florida Project" and 2021's criminally underrated "Red Rocket") that spotlight marginalized communities.

His latest, "Anora," centers on the titular sex worker played by "Scream 5" standout Mikey Madison. The film landed the Palme d'Or, the Cannes Film Festival's highest honor, thanks to Madison's subtly powerful performance and Baker's propulsive script. — CM

It shouldn't come as a shock that the most polarizing movie of the year was one about Donald Trump's rise to power as a New York City real estate tycoon.

But take away your political views and opinions on Trump (which, I know, is hard), and this movie from director Ali Abbasi is a fascinating exploration of how those with power and influence move through the world.

And then there are the performances by Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as Trump's fixer and mentor Roy Cohn, both of which should be recognized during award season. — JG

Nicole Kidman gives one of the best and boldest performances of her decadeslong career in "Babygirl." The erotic thriller, written and directed by "Bodies Bodies Bodies" filmmaker Halina Reijn, puts the female gaze on a distinctly male, often-problematic genre, tackling female sexuality, gender, and power dynamics as Kidman's Romy Mathis, a high-powered CEO, pursues a secret affair with her intern (Harris Dickinson). — CM

I wasn't expecting a "Beverly Hills Cop" sequel made on Netflix to give me some of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments this year, but that's exactly what happened.

Director Mark Molloy certainly understood the assignment: lean in to what made the first two movies so beloved (let's not talk about the third one).

Focusing on Eddie Murphy's jokes, big action sequences, and that memorable soundtrack, the fourth movie in the franchise became one of the surprise delights at the movies this year. — JG

One of the boldest epics made in some time, this three-and-a-half-hour drama shot on VistaVision is an exquisite exploration of one immigrant's drive for the American Dream in post-World War II America.

Directed and co-written by Brady Corbet ("Vox Lux"), "The Brutalist" follows fictional character László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-born Jew who survives the Holocaust and emigrates to the US in the late 1940s. Over three decades, Tóth, a talented architect, struggles to make a living and get his wife (Felicity Jones) to the States. Then a wealthy man (Guy Pearce) changes his life.

With masterful production design, photography, score, and performances, this is a movie that will stay with you long after you've seen it. — JG

Zendaya dazzles in Luca Guadagnino's sporty, steamy drama.

As a former tennis great thrust into a love triangle with two other players, her now-husband Art (Mike Faist) and her ex-boyfriend Patrick (Josh O'Connor), Zendaya delivers one of the most layered performances of her career as she navigates love, lust, and mind games. — JG

Alex Garland's latest showcases a United States that has been ravaged by civil unrest.

Kirsten Dunst is magnificent as a hardened war journalist in an existential crisis who travels from New York City to Washington, D.C. to cover the story. The war scenes are brutal and devastating, but that's the point. — JG

Ralph Fiennes leads a drama filled with Shakespearian-level mystery, backstabbing, and intrigue as the Cardinal-Dean in charge of the papal conclave. In the process, he finds himself investigating scandals and secrets as the choices narrow for who will become the next pope.

Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini are also outstanding in supporting roles. — JG

After a bevy of delays that included Fox being bought by Disney, COVID, and the strikes by the writers and actors in Hollywood, we finally got the third "Deadpool" movie. And it was worth the wait.

From the brawls with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), the endless Disney IP jokes, and a fight with countless Deadpools, the movie is the rare payoff for fans of superhero movies in the post-"Endgame" era of the MCU. — JG

Denis Villeneuve's continuation of his adaptation of Frank Herbert's beloved sci-fi novel takes us back to Arrakis, where Paul (Timothée Chalamet) goes from the hunted to the hunter as he teams with the Fremen to fight his enemies and becomes a Messiah in the process.

Like the first movie, the visuals are stunning, but the sequel also features more Zendaya as Paul's love interest, heightening the stakes by the end. — JG

Though "The Fall Guy" underperformed at the box office, David Leitch's love letter to stunt performers is one of the most enjoyable movie-watching experiences of the year.

A big reason for that is the performances from Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, whose chemistry as they navigate an on-and-off relationship while coping with movie-making madness is off the charts. — JG

George Miller's latest trek into the Wasteland may not be as jaw-dropping as his magnum opus "Mad Max: Fury Road," but the auteur of action still dazzles with breathtaking shots of desolate sandy vistas and ultra-violent car chases.

The major highlight is Anya Taylor-Joy as Imperator Furiosa (originally played by Charlize Theron in "Fury Road"). With very little dialogue, Taylor-Joy must use facial expressions and a multitude of stunts to convey her character's origin story and complex emotional arc. It's well worth the ride. — JG

Twenty-four years after the Oscar-winning original, Ridley Scott returns to the Coliseum with a new star (Paul Mescal) and bigger fights. The result is an enjoyable mix of blockbuster thrills and nostalgic callbacks to the first movie.

But what sets "Gladiator II" apart is Denzel Washington, whose devilish, scenery-chewing performance as a gladiator owner with plans of getting his hooks into the Roman Senate elevates the movie whenever he's on the screen. — JG

The song "We Are The World" brought together the greatest musicians in pop and rock, but the story of how it came together makes the song even more remarkable.

This Netflix documentary from Bao Nguyen features never-before-seen footage and candid interviews recounting a single evening in Los Angeles that would become a defining moment for pop culture in the 1980s.

The documentary is replete with fascinating details about how the song and its ensuing celebrity spectacle came to be. From seeing how Michael Jackson created the hook to watching musicians like Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis give it their all recording long into the night, "The Greatest Night in Pop" is a must-see for anyone who lived through or loved the '80s music scene. — JG

On a surface level, Pansy Deacon, the lead character of "Hard Truths," isn't someone you'd root for. She's a deeply depressed, angry middle-aged British woman who takes her fury out on anyone and everyone around her, from fellow shoppers at the supermarket to her own browbeaten husband and adult son.

The film starts out almost comically, as Pansy finds every imaginable reason to rant and rave at everything from babies with pockets (what do babies need pockets for anyway?) to the salesperson attempting to help her buy a couch. Marianne Jean-Baptiste infuses Pansy with so much heart and deep-seated pain that you can't help but feel for her, even as you're horrified by her behavior.

Writer-director Mike Leigh's unique filmmaking process (he and his cast start off without a script and collaboratively develop the characters) results in one of the most stunning performances of the year. — CM

Hollywood is still trying to perfect this generation's high school movie. "Incoming" gets pretty close.

Following a group of friends who are the only freshmen invited to a party thrown by a senior, this raunchy comedy uses staples from the high school genre and mixes them with today's culture to concoct a hilarious movie. — JG

After a lot of confusion and frustration within the walls of Pixar over its COVID-era release strategy, the beloved animation house is having a much-deserved big-screen resurgence thanks to "Inside Out 2."

In the sequel to the Oscar-winning 2015 original, we catch up with Riley's key emotions like Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) right when Riley hits puberty. And just like that, new emotions like Anxiety (Maya Hawke) and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) show up wanting to be in control of Riley's feelings.

The movie is a funny and emotionally charged journey that highlights those impressionable years when we can no longer lean on our parents to make the right choices; it's now on us. — JG

Beyond having the most brilliant marketing campaign of the year, "Longlegs" is also genuinely freaky.

Osgood Perkins channels "Silence of the Lambs," mixed with devil worship and possessed dolls for good measure, for a crazy genre mashup: a police procedural horror movie. Maika Monroe gives an understated performance as traumatized FBI agent Lee Harker, who's investigating a series of murder-suicides that all point back to one mysterious figure: Longlegs.

The eventual reveal of what's going on — and the physical reveal of Nicolas Cage's Longlegs, a noteworthy entry in the actor's list of batshit roles — is disturbing and memorable. — CM

Pamela Anderson gives a career best performance as an aging Las Vegas showgirl who must come to terms with losing her job when her revue abruptly closes.

Anderson holds nothing back as she plays a character who still is intoxicated by the glitz and glamour of the strip of yesteryear but comes to the harsh realization that show business has nothing left for a woman her age.

Ironically, after decades in the limelight, this is the role that is finally getting Anderson the recognition for her acting that she deserves. — JG

Originally planned as a TV series, Disney made the right move by turning this instead into a feature-length sequel to the beloved 2016 original.

This time, Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) must defeat an evil God who controls an island so that all islands across the sea can be reconnected.

The higher stakes, new characters, and catchy songs make the movie a worthwhile continuation of a story audiences couldn't wait to return to. — JG

Some viewers criticized RaMell Ross's bold decision to shoot "Nickel Boys," an adaptation of Colson Whitehead's 2019 novel, in a first-person point-of-view, where we see through the eyes of the character speaking. To that, I politely say: You're wrong, sorry.

The immersive filming style works perfectly to put the audience right in the mix as Elwood and Turner, two Black boys sent to a reform school called the Nickel Academy (based on an actual school in Florida), struggle to survive amid the racist institution's many often deadly abuses.

Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson give a pair of breakout performances as Elwood and Turner, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is devastating as Hattie, Elwood's devoted grandmother. It's a tough watch, but a worthy one. — CM

Looking back on the work of Robert Eggers, his obsession with telling stories set long ago has led up to this: an adaptation of the iconic gothic vampire tale.

With exquisite production design, makeup, and effects to transform Bill Skarsgård into the creature of the night, and a tour-de-force performance by Lily-Rose Depp as a woman overcome by a spell that fills her with desire and fear, this is Eggers' masterwork. — JG

Yep, both of Luca Guadagnino's 2024 releases made this list. "Queer" is a very different film from "Challengers" in many ways, but both cement Guadagnino as a filmmaker with an innate understanding of desire and a master at evoking it onscreen.

Based on William S. Burroughs' 1985 novella, the movie follows William Lee, a gay American expat living in 1950s Mexico City, who becomes obsessively infatuated with the much younger Eugene Allerton. Daniel Craig's no-holds-barred performance as Lee, a stand-in for Burroughs himself, establishes him as one of the most talented and versatile working actors today. It's also gorgeously shot, courtesy of Guadagnino's go-to cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom. — CM

There's always one Netflix movie that comes out of the blue every year and grabs attention. This year, it was "Rebel Ridge."

Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier ("Blue Ruin"), this impressive action movie gives a jolt to the genre with its gritty take. It's also a showcase for Aaron Pierre, who is on his way to big-screen stardom (he also voiced the title character in Disney's end-of-year release, "Mufasa.") — JG

JT Mollner's thriller "Strange Darling" flew under the radar this year, but boy, is it a trip.

The story is told in a destabilizing nonlinear format; it's a clever narrative trick to make you think the movie is something it's not. Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are knockouts as the two leads, keeping viewers transfixed and with our hearts in our throats. It's also beautifully shot by Giovanni Ribisi (yes, the actor) in his feature debut as a cinematographer. — CM

"The Substance" is not for the faint of heart. French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat established herself as a genius of phantasmagoria with her debut feature, 2017's "Revenge," but she takes things up several notches in her follow-up.

The satirical feminist body-horror movie is completely insane, in the best way. It's a disgusting, disturbing, and extremely real fable of female self-hatred that goes off the rails (complimentary) like few movies I've seen before.

Demi Moore grounds it all as Elisabeth Sparkle, a washed-up middle-aged celebrity who's driven to try the mysterious drug dubbed The Substance after being fired from her aerobics show on her 50th birthday. Margaret Qualley is positively demonic as Elisabeth's younger and more perfect self Sue, the product of that black market serum fated to be Elisabeth's downfall. — CM

This summer, we learned that if you mix Glen Powell and tornadoes, you've got yourself a hit.

This sequel to the 1996 hit "Twister" features more GGI-fueled storms and chemistry so hot between Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones that audiences were bummed they didn't kiss at the end — everything you need from a hit summer blockbuster. — JG

I was prepared to be a hater heading into "Wicked." After all, how could someone successfully adapt one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time? After being blown away by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's performances, I'll gladly admit I was wrong.

As the movie's seemingly endless press tour has demonstrated, Erivo and Grande have incredible chemistry as Elphaba and Glinda, two witches who were once best friends before their paths diverged. Erivo is devastating as the lost, deeply lonely but resolute Elphaba, while Grande imbues so many layers into her performance as Glinda. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience with a showstopping finale, even if it's not the most technically impressive film on this list. — CM

Based on Peter Brown's popular books, "The Wild Robot" weaves one of the most emotional yarns of the year. The movie tells the story of Roz (Lupita Nyong'o), a robot who washes up on a deserted island and learns the ways of the wildlife that inhabits it, leading to her becoming the guardian of an orphaned gosling.

Beautiful to look at, with animation that has a watercolor quality, it's the uplifting story that elevates this movie from an impressive fantasy tale to a work that will be cherished by audiences for years to come. — JG

1. "The Wild Robot"
2. "The Apprentice"
3. "The Brutalist"
4. "The Substance"
5. "Conclave"

1. "The Substance"
2. "Hard Truths"
3. "Queer"
4. "Anora"
5. "Nickel Boys"

Goldblum has been in dozens of films since making his film debut in 1974's "Death Wish" as Freak #1. Not all of them can be instant classics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

"Zambezia," also known as "Adventures in Zambezia," is an animated film that stars Jeremy Suarez as a young peregrine falcon who discovers he lives near a bustling bird city called Zambezia. Goldblum voices a bearded vulture named Ajax.

"In the end, the cast proves to be too big, the storyline too muddled and I was dismayed by the thought that the Disney/Dreamworks style is so ubiquitous that an animation created by a small production house in Cape Town is trying so hard and so slavishly to copy the Hollywood product," wrote Sandra Hall of The Sydney Morning Herald.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 22%

"Man of the Year" is a comedy starring Robin Williams. He plays the host of a satirical news show, à la "The Daily Show," who decides to run for president after a petition gains traction online. Goldblum plays a sinister executive at the computer company that runs the voting machines.

"Cynicism or stupidity? It's hard to say which has the run of this idiotic satire in which Robin Williams plays a talk-show host who runs for president on a ticket of cleaning up politics," wrote The Guardian's Cath Clarke.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

Goldblum stars as Hatch, a husband and father who almost dies in a car crash. At the same time as his near-death, a serial killer attempts to kill himself and the two become connected, with each gaining the ability to see through the other one's eyes.

"It helps, in a movie like this, if the actors are first-rate. Goldblum and [Christine Lahti] transform scenes that in other hands might have simply been laughable," wrote Roger Ebert.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr. star in this horror-comedy, which follows two tabloid reporters who travel to Transylvania to prove that Frankenstein's monster exists. Hijinks ensue.

"The anti-'Young Frankenstein,' 'Transylvania 6-5000' might be the worst horror-comedy ever made," wrote Film Frenzy's Matt Brunson.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

"Beyond Therapy" is a film based on the 1981 play of the same name. It stars Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty as two single New Yorkers who, at the behest of their respective therapists, put personal ads in the paper to find significant others. They meet and sparks fly.

"There's no special logic at work. The performances are good, but the film has been assembled without an overriding sense of humor and style," wrote The New York Times' Vincent Canby.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

Goldblum plays a mob enforcer who's simultaneously dating two sisters, Rita (Ellen Barkin) and Grace (Diane Lane). To make matters worse, Grace is also the ex-girlfriend of his boss, Vic (Richard Dreyfuss), who's currently in jail. When Vic gets out, all hell breaks loose.

Roger Ebert called this "the first movie I have seen that does not improve on the sight of a blank screen viewed for the same length of time."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Goldblum and Cyndi Lauper star as two psychics who are hired by a treasure hunter to help him find El Dorado, the lost city of gold, in Ecuador.

"'Vibes' stumbles and fumbles and misfires sure-fire one-liners and zany situations; it ends up being both a confused and confusing jumble of half-witted comedy and ridiculous drama," wrote Cathy Burke for UPI.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

"Holy Man" is a comedy starring Eddie Murphy as a messiah-like figure only known as G, who is hired to host a show on a home-shopping channel and becomes hugely successful, much to the delight of network employees Ricky (Goldblum) and Kate (Kelly Preston).

"It's a miracle, really: 'Holy Man' diminishes the strengths of everyone and everything it has going for it. Goldblum's manically funny aggression? Sedated. Preston's interestingly hard-edged sexuality? Blunted," wrote Lisa Schwarzbaum for Entertainment Weekly.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

"Mortdecai" is a comedy starring Johnny Depp as the titular character, an art thief, swindler, and all-around general conman. When he's hired to help the police track down a stolen painting, he meets Milton Krampf (Goldblum), a potential buyer.

"Every time Depp gave a phlegmy little stammer and jauntily uttered lines like, 'I say, old bean,' I wanted to bop him on the same with a rotten tangerine," wrote David Edelstein for Vulture.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

What makes "Perfume," a film about the fashion industry, interesting is that the dialogue was 100% improvised by the stars. It's split into three storylines; Goldblum's part stars Leslie Mann as a designer who is leaving a small fashion house for a huge brand — one that, it just so happens, her latest hook-up Jamie (Goldblum) works at as a talent scout.

"Another attempt to nail the fashion industry, 'Perfume' is more coherent and serious-minded than Robert Altman's mess 'Ready to Wear,' but remains a less alluring creation," wrote Variety's Todd McCarthy.

Goldblum has appeared in some of the highest-grossing franchises in history, including "Jurassic Park," "Independence Day," and the MCU. He's also been nominated for Independent Spirit and Emmy Awards, and he's appeared in multiple best picture nominees.

Here's what critics have ruled his best films.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

"Nashville" is director Robert Altman's sprawling magnum opus. It follows multiple characters across Nashville in the five-day period leading up to a campaign fundraiser for a long shot presidential candidate.

Goldblum has a completely silent role; he's credited as "Tricycle Man" and is the connector of the disparate plots in the film.

Writing for The Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington called it "Altman's great kaleidoscopic ensemble comedy-drama about a frenzied few days in country music's capital, with an unlikely, quirky, explosive crowd of musicians, hangers-on and politicos all converging on a fateful concert crossroads."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan star as a married couple, Nick and Meg, on vacation in Paris. Both are dissatisfied with their marriage, careers, and financial status. Goldblum plays Morgan, an old friend of Nick's who has become a successful writer.

"By its ambiguous yet hopeful end, we're at one with Nick and Meg: Sometimes, you just have to dance. Somehow, you go on," wrote Moira Macdonald for The Seattle Times.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

"Isle of Dogs" is Goldblum's first collaboration with director Wes Anderson on this list (but not the last). In this stop-motion film, the mayor of the Japanese city Megasaki has ordered the deportation of all dogs in the city to the nearby Trash Island to quarantine them after an outbreak of canine flu. Goldblum voices one of the dogs, Duke, a Siberian husky.

"It's gorgeous — filled with so many bits of visual whimsy and imaginative detail that it would take several viewings to fully catch them all. And it's idiosyncratic and witty and dark," wrote Max Weiss for Baltimore Magazine.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Goldblum's performance as the mathematician and chaos theory expert Ian Malcolm in "Jurassic Park" is one of his most beloved, most quoted, and most memed.

As we all know, the scientists behind Jurassic Park, a theme park filled with dangerous dinosaurs, were so preoccupied with whether they could bring dinos back to life, that they didn't stop to think if they should.

"The effects have barely aged and the joy is timeless. Take a child who's never seen it and watch their imagination expand before your eyes," wrote Olly Richards for Empire.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

The second of Goldblum's collaborations with Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," is a story within a story.

Most of the action takes place at the hotel in the mid-1900s, where a lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori), and a hotel concierge, Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), team up to keep a priceless painting in the proper hands after its owner, Madame D. (Tilda Swinton), dies.

Goldblum plays Vilmos Kovacs, the Grand Budapest's lawyer and the executor of Madame D.'s estate.

Jason Bailey of Flavorwire wrote, "Just plain fun, full of the filmmaker's signature flourishes and curlicues, worked out with skill and finesse."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

A remake of the 1956 film (and the second adaptation of the 1955 novel), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a sci-fi and horror classic. It focuses on two health inspectors, Matthew (Donald Sutherland) and Elizabeth (Brooke Adams), who discover that an alien race has come to Earth and is secretly replacing humans with emotionless doubles.

Goldblum plays Matthew and Elizabeth's friend, Jack, who believes them.

"'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' is more sheer fun than any movie I've seen since 'Carrie' and 'Jaws' and maybe parts of 'The Spy Who Loved Me,'" wrote Pauline Kael for The New Yorker.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

David Cronenberg's horror classic stars Goldbum as Seth Brundle, a scientist who accidentally becomes entangled with a fly and slowly transforms into a human-fly hybrid.

Time's Richard Corliss called "The Fly" "a gross-your-eyes-out horror movie that is also the year's most poignant romance."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Goldblum steals the show as The Grandmaster, the ruler of a trash planet called Sakaar, in "Thor: Ragnarok." Thor (Chris Hemsworth) encounters The Grandmaster after he accidentally crash-lands on Sakaar. He is then forced to participate in a gladiator-esque battle against the Hulk to amuse The Grandmaster and Sakaar's inhabitants.

"Perfectly acceptable as an action movie but inspired as a comedy — which is probably where the 'Thor' franchise should have been aiming from the start," wrote The Atlantic's Christopher Orr.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

"Between the Lines" follows the various staff writers at The Back Bay Mainline, an alternative newspaper in Boston, as they prepare to potentially be taken over by a huge parent company. Goldblum plays Max, the Mainline's music critic.

"'Between the Lines' is barely about a newspaper at all, more about a bunch of youngish people whose energies are running out, as American counterculture itself had run their course, with the '80s and its hard-nosed principles about to kick in," wrote Jonathan Romney for Film Comment.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Goldblum's best film is Woody Allen's 1977 rom-com classic "Annie Hall," which every romantic comedy that came after it owes a significant debt. Goldblum has a tiny part in this film as an attendee of a Christmas party who "forgets his mantra."

"'Annie Hall' is bracingly adventuresome and unexpectedly successful, with laughs as satisfying as those in any of Allen's other movies and a whole new staying power," wrote Janet Maslin for Newsweek.

The movie musical has always been a huge part of Hollywood, but in recent years, it's been a bit of a rough road. A movie musical hasn't won best picture at the Academy Awards in over 20 years, since "Chicago" in 2003.

Thankfully, "Wicked" seems to be turning the tide, earning rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

Including "Wicked," here are 15 of the best musicals-turned-movies.

People have been trying to make a film adaptation of "Wicked" happen since at least 2010, Deadline reported. The musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2003, is the fourth-longest-running musical in Broadway history.

While it's certainly been a long wait, it was worth it. "Wicked Part One" is a faithful adaptation of the musical's first act. Every song you love is there, lovingly recreated and performed by actors Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and more.

The scope of the musical has been leveled up using practical sets, hundreds of dancers, and well-placed CGI.

Any fan of "Wicked" should be pleased by this film — and don't be shocked if it ends up picking up a few Oscar nominations.

Next up: "Wicked Part Two," out November 21, 2025.

Based on the 1975 stage musical about two murderous women directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, "Chicago" remains an important, beloved, and most importantly, meme-able film.

"They both reached for the gun" was inescapable on TikTok this year, 22 years after the film's release.

"Chicago" onstage is a relatively bare-bones production — the set is all black and brought to life with dancers. The film adaptation completely changes this, bringing all the iconic locations like the Cook County Jail, the courthouse, and numerous jazz clubs to roaring life.

Performances by Catherine Zeta-Jones (who won an Oscar for best supporting actress), Renée Zellweger (nominated for best actress), Richard Gere, John C. Reilly (nominated for best supporting actor), and Queen Latifah (nominated for best supporting actress) all helped make this movie the awards and box-office juggernaut it became.

In total, it won five Oscars from 13 nominations (including best picture) and grossed over $300 million worldwide.

"Cabaret" — another Bob Fosse musical — was a contender for best picture of 1972 at the Oscars.

It didn't win, but it did take home eight statues, including best director for Fosse, best actress for Liza Minnelli, and best supporting actor for Joel Grey.

"Cabaret," which is based on a 1966 musical, has themes that still resonate today. The plot focuses on the events in and surrounding the Kit Kat Klub, a cabaret nightclub in Berlin in the late 1920s. As Nazi fascism begins its rise to power outside the walls, performers and guests can pretend that everything will be OK inside the Kit Kat Klub.

The movie makes significant changes from the musical, excluding whole plots and characters, but it doesn't detract from its power. The most significant change is the addition of the song "Maybe This Time," sung by Minnelli as Kit Kat performer Sally Bowles. The song has become an iconic theater staple and has even been added to every subsequent revival of the show.

"Dreamgirls" is based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name, which in turn is loosely based on the rise of Diana Ross and the Supremes in the '60s and '70s.

The music is what makes this movie worthy of a watch, with stellar performances by Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé (as Ross), Eddie Murphy (who was nominated for an Oscar), Anika Noni Rose, and, most of all, Jennifer Hudson.

Hudson, who made her acting debut and won an Academy Award for this film, is, to put it lightly, electric. Just watch her performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and try to find any flaws.

The first movie adaptation of the 1957 musical "West Side Story" is not without its faults. Natalie Wood, a white actor, was cast to play Maria, who is Puerto Rican — and she didn't even sing her own songs, she was dubbed over by Marni Nixon. In fact, most of the actors are dubbed over in at least one song.

But the film in its entirety is still breathtaking. Its music (written by Stephen Sondheim), choreography, set design, performances, and cinematography still hold up 63 years later.

And that's all without mentioning the legendary Rita Moreno, who became the first Latina to win an Academy Award for her performance as Anita, a young woman who wants to accept New York City as her new home, but finds it nearly impossible.

"West Side Story" won best picture at the 1962 Academy Awards.

If you can overlook the problematic elements of its time, this film is worth the watch.

The 2021 remake of "West Side Story" may be even better than its predecessor. First of all, the casting of actual Puerto Rican actors cannot be overstated — thank you, Steven Spielberg, for introducing mainstream audiences to Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose.

(DeBose won an Oscar for playing Anita — Anita is only the first character in history to be portrayed in multiple Oscar-winning performances.)

Second, almost everyone in this film has a beautiful voice and fills up the screen — again, thank you, Spielberg, for casting Mike Faist.

This film is not without its controversies either: Ansel Elgort was accused of sexual misconduct in 2020, a year before its release, which he denied.

Still, it's been rightly hailed as one of the best movie musicals of all time and was nominated for best picture at the 2022 Oscars.

At this point, the film adaptation of "Grease" is more famous than the 1972 stage musical due to the iconic performances of John Travolta, Olivia-Newton, Jeff Conaway, and Stockard Channing.

Plus, the movie cuts out all of the original musical's subpar songs and adds bangers like "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease," and "You're the One That I Want."

"Grease" was so beloved at the time of its release that the soundtrack was the No. 2 bestselling album of the year, according to Billboard.

"The Music Man" is very faithful to its source material: the 1957 stage musical. In fact, the film was directed by Morton DaCosta, who also directed the stage production, which is why it was so similar.

Songs like "76 Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble," "The Wells Fargo Wagon," and "Shipoopi" are classics of the stage for a reason, so seeing them on the big screen on a huge scale is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

Moviegoers agreed — it was the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1962, according to The Numbers, and was nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards.

"Little Shop of Horrors" is an interesting case — it's based on the Off-Broadway musical from 1982, which is turn based on a non-musical film from 1960 titled "The Little Shop of Horrors."

In a cinematic world so filled with CGI, it's satisfying to see the giant puppet of Audrey II (a carnivorous flytrap-esque plant with a taste for humans) interacting with stars Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene.

Director Frank Oz has the absurd tone of this story down perfectly, and the songs by Broadway legends Howard Ashman and Alan Menken hold up today.

"Les Mis," as it's known by fans, is a musical of epic proportions, spanning decades in 19th-century France. It's based on the 1980 musical of the same name, which has been running in London since 1985. That makes it the longest-running musical in West End history.

This movie has some critics, especially regarding the vocal performance of Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert.

It was a smash success at the box office, grossing $442 million worldwide, and nominated for eight Academy Awards, including a win for Anne Hathaway as Fantine.

Seven years after the musical premiered in 1964, a film adaptation of "Fiddler on the Roof" debuted in cinemas and instantly became one of the most beloved movie musicals ever. According to The Numbers, it was the No. 2 film at the box office that year.

Even though this isn't the most universal story — a group of Russian Jews living in a small village in 1902 as they deal with pogroms — the themes of family, growing up, falling in love, religion, and intolerance are still applicable today.

"Hairspray" stars John Travolta, Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, Elijah Kelley, James Marsden, Brittany Snow, Christopher Walken, and Nikki Blonsky in the film adaptation of the 2002 musical (which itself was based on n 1988 comedy).

This film is camp at the highest level, and the songs are earworms 17 years later.

It was nominated for three Golden Globes for best comedy/musical, best actress (for Blonsky), and best supporting actor (for Travolta).

"Wicked" isn't the first musical that Jon M. Chu has directed — in 2021, he directed the cinematic adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's first musical, "In the Heights."

While the film was a box-office disappointment (though its release during the pandemic wasn't ideal), this movie was a hit with critics and the people who actually saw it, with a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences.

"In the Heights" was a way for more people to see themselves represented in musicals in a non-tragic way — the other most famous musical about Latinos is "West Side Story" which, while great, is fundamentally a tragedy. "In the Heights" is a joyful experience to watch, with love and care for its characters shining out of every frame.

"Funny Girl" introduced us to Barbra Streisand. Enough said.

Not really, but "Funny Girl's" lasting legacy is, of course, its star. When it premiered on Broadway in 1964, it made Streisand a star of the theater. And four years later, when she reprised the role of comedienne Fanny Brice on the big screen, she won her first Academy Award.

Hey, Mr. Arnstein, indeed.

Even though Marlon Brando can't really sing, the 1955 adaptation of the 1950 musical is delightful.

The other three stars (Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine, and most importantly, Frank Sinatra) more than make up for Brando's lack of talent, and he's so charismatic that we don't mind much anyway.

The viewing public in 1955 agreed. According to Variety, "Guys and Dolls" was the highest-grossing movie of the year.

Not every movie musical gracefully transfers the magic of live theater to the big screen.

The main problem with "Cats," based on the 1981 musical, is that it's horrifying to look at. Watching people dressed up as cats onstage makes sense, but trying to actually turn actors into cats onscreen using "digital fur technology" sends viewers headlong into the Uncanny Valley.

The plot of "Cats" is barely comprehensible in the musical, but when transferred to a film, it's even worse. We'd only recommend watching "Cats" if you're in the mood for a laugh.

There's a lot to be said about the marketing of the "Mean Girls" musical movie. Specifically, it wasn't marketed as a musical, leaving people to think that a studio was (unnecessarily) remaking the 2004 film.

Instead, this is a movie adaptation of the 2017 musical, which itself is based on the 2004 version.

Frankly, the music in this isn't all that good. Reneé Rapp, of course, is wonderful as Regina George, but the rest of the cast is largely forgettable, and the production changes made from stage to screen upset some fans.

This is the first movie musical on this list to star James Corden, though it won't be the last. "Into the Woods," perhaps Stephen Sondheim's most well-known musical after "West Side Story," originally premiered on Broadway in 1987.

The original cast was recorded and that performance is available to stream, which we'd highly recommend instead of this adaptation.

The biggest issue, again, is that the actors simply don't have the vocal chops. Corden, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Billy Magnussen, and Johnny Depp are all decently talented singers, but Sondheim's music is notoriously difficult for even the most skilled singers.

It was a rough day to be Ben Platt, the titular Evan Hansen, when the trailer for this film dropped on the internet. Jokes were flying about his age (he was 28 playing a 17-year-old), his wig, and the content of the movie, which has been relatively controversial since the musical premiered in 2015.

Platt's performance onstage was critically acclaimed and earned him a Tony Award, but the histrionics that worked well onstage didn't translate to the silver screen, which usually requires a more subtle touch.

The film ended up bombing, grossing $19 million against a $27 million budget.

"Phantom of the Opera" remains the longest-running musical of all time, and was on Broadway from 1988 to 2023.

That means it has generations of fans who are attached to the musical and might have high expectations for a film adaptation.

Unfortunately, the Joel Schumacher-directed adaptation was a bit of a let-down. Some people felt the main problem was that Gerard Butler, who plays the Phantom, was just too handsome for the role.

"Rock of Ages," based on the 2005 musical of the same name, was first and foremost a box-office bomb. It grossed just shy of $60 million, making it one of the biggest bombs of star Tom Cruise's career.

Speaking of Cruise, people seemed to take the biggest issue with his performance. "Rock of Ages" is a jukebox musical consisting of '80s hits, which requires a huge vocal range. Cruise, talented though he may be, does not have the vocal talent needed.

"The Prom" is the second musical adaption to star James Corden on this list, though his role in this one is more controversial. "The Prom" is based on the 2018 musical of the same name. It's the story of a lesbian teenager in middle America who defies her school's PTA by wanting to bring a female date to prom.

In the film, Corden plays a flamboyant, stereotypical gay character, which is problematic in and of itself — but the fact that Corden himself is straight adds another complicated layer.

As Business Insider's Frank Olito pointed out, LGBTQ teens can "experience disillusionment and confusion" when seeing straight actors play queer characters, and noted that there were plenty of gay actors who could've played the role.

Redditor Yoyti described the issues with "Carousel," the adaptation of the 1945 musical about a romance between an amusement-park barker and a mill worker, perfectly. "It's bad in an insidious way," they wrote, adding that "the changes made to the script, and the direction, turn it entirely on its head and turn a subtle and heartbreaking musical into the horribly problematic thing."

Writer Mark Robinson also wrote that "the stage magic had to be drained to create a film that was of reasonable length."

The 1975 musical is about a group of chorus dancers who are trying everything they can to secure a dancing job before injuries or aging prevents them from dancing again.

As one of the stars from the musical, Kelly Bishop, later said, director Richard Attenborough seemed to misunderstand this.

"It was appalling when director Richard Attenborough went on a talk show and said 'This is a story about kids trying to break into show business.' I almost tossed my TV out the window; I mean what an idiot! It's about veteran dancers looking for one last job before it's too late for them to dance anymore. No wonder the film sucked," she said.

The film adaptation of a story about hippies in Vietnam War-era New York City makes many changes to the 1968 musical of the same name, much to the chagrin of its creators, Gerome Ragni and James Rado.

According to the book "The Age of Hair: Evolution and Impact of Broadway's First Rock Musical," the creators don't even consider it a real adaptation.

"Any resemblance between the 1979 film and the original Biltmore version, other than some of the songs, the names of the characters, and a common title, eludes us," they said.