The Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket - Round One, Day Eight

Wilkommen!

Good day, friends, and welcome to yet another day when I encourage and exhort you to vote in the daily set of matchups in the first round of the Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket. We once again have a wide range of musicals from which to vote today, as well as me laying down the law on one particularly well-liked film. (How hot of a take is it anymore? Well, you’ll tell me.)

Let’s get into it!

(6) Cabaret vs. (59) Newsies: When I saw Alan Menken perform live earlier this spring, he touched upon the vast success of the stage version of Newsies compared to its flop status as a film. (I will note that he sounded just a mite bitter!) And while I get the irony of this specific film’s arc in popular culture — and keep in mind that I was a kid when it opened and become a touchstone for many folks around my age — I just…it’s not a good movie. Cabaret is not my favorite Fosse film, but it should easily win here.

Cabaret

Newsies

(27) Chicago vs. (38) That’s Entertainment: Have I mentioned before that we, as a society, should rise up and stop Rob Marshall from directing a movie ever again? Because we should. And yes, Virginia, that means I have been banging this drum since Marshall’s first theatrically released film Chicago. Yes, I know it won Best Picture. Yes, I know it was very well-liked. No, I don’t care. I think it’s a poorly directed film with some very exuberant performances, and it does not get my vote here. That’s Entertainment is a very gaudy clip show, but the clips are great. Chicago is not.

How do you vote?

Chicago

That’s Entertainment

(11) This is Spinal Tap vs. (54) White Christmas: Nothing against der Bingle, but you see, This is Spinal Tap goes up to 11. What else is there to say?

This is Spinal Tap

White Christmas

(22) The Blues Brothers vs. (43) Sing Street: I will freely acknowledge that I have not seen Sing Street. I know that a few of you — if not many of you — will want to shout at me in the comments section that I should see it, or that I should have pitted it against something else. But alas. Here we are. I’ve only seen The Blues Brothers, so yes, it gets my vote.

Now fight for that street! Or sing for it! Or sing…on it? I don’t know. Vote!

The Blues Brothers

Sing Street