The Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket - Round Four, Day One
Movin' right along.
My friends, the day has arrived. We’ve made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket! I know there’s been some blood, sweat, and tears to have gotten us all here, and some of your favorites may well have lost out a key vote by this point. But we’re left with 16 musicals ranging from animated classics to modern takes to everything in between.
As a brief reminder, if you’re not yet a paid subscriber, you’re missing out on my weekly posts on Disney films as a whole. Yesterday, I wrote about my choice for the saddest Disney film ever, Dumbo, though perhaps not entirely for the reasons you think.
The Disney Canon: Dumbo
When I kickstarted this series back in July by talking about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (naturally), I framed it by connecting Disney’s animated films to the emotional concepts at the heart of the Pixar film Inside Out. Just as that film presents the human mind as being governed by a handful of key emotions, sometimes on their own or sometimes as a blend, I argued that many of Disney’s animated films are anchored by emotions in the same way. Fear is at the heart of many of the most iconic moments of Disney’s Golden Age, from the journey into darkness that Snow White takes through the forests outside of the Evil Queen’s castle to Pinocchio’s trip to Pleasure Island and its descent into body horror. There is plenty of Joy and Disgust and Anger, too. But then there is Sadness.
Now, one thing I want to note before we dive into today’s matches — and remember, now that we’re down to 16, it’s just two matchups per day. My family will be taking a few days off over the coming weekend/fall break to head to Disneyland (of course), so after this round wraps up on Friday, the 6th, the bracket will be taking a weeklong break. The Elite Eight will start up again on Friday, the 13th. (Oooooohhhh.)
Enough housekeeping. Time for the votes!
(1) Singin’ in the Rain vs. (24) tick, tick…boom!: I liked tick, tick…boom! just fine, in spite of being hell for anyone who loves grammar and proper punctuation. But Singin’ in the Rain is my favorite film of all time. This is not a hard choice.
Singin’ in the Rain
Tick, tick…boom!
(4) The Muppet Movie vs. (5) Moulin Rouge!: This is a little harder of a choice. (And if The Muppet Movie makes it to the Elite Eight…well, hoo boy, next round will be a toughie, won’t it?) I will go with The Muppet Movie here, but I do want to acknowledge that Moulin Rouge! is a fun, exuberant musical and I like it very much. It’s just…it’s just not the Muppets.
How do you vote?
The Muppet Movie
Moulin Rouge!
Today's choices are easy, and you are correct for both of them.
Wonderful run for tick, tick... BOOM, and no shame in going out here.