We all love music and movies, but for some reason, musicals remain underrated. Sure, some of them are awful, and they’re all pretty hard to believe, but some of them are fantastic. Bursting out into song might seem silly, but doesn’t it also look a little fun? Of course, in real life most of our impromptu songs would be off-key and full of filler lyrics. In any case, check out this week’s picks — our favorite musicals.
“Singin’ in the Rain,” recommended by Rebecca Sedlak@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/@@
This light and fun 1952 musical depicts Hollywood stars transitioning from silent to talkie films of the 1920s. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly)@@see above@@ is a silent-film star with humble roots who has made it big in Hollywood by starring in countless films with his leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). But the 1927 release of “The Jazz Singer” — the first talking picture — changes the game in Hollywood as the public clamors for talkies. The studio wants to transition Don and Lina into the new technology, but Lina’s squeaky voice and shallow character provide ample roadblocks. This musical features songs like “Make ’Em Laugh,” “Good Morning” and, of course, “Singin’ in the Rain,”@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/soundtrack@@ as well as tap dancing and a modern dance sequence called “Broadway Melody.”@@http://www.musicroom.com/Song/92370/make-em-laugh/@@ Add in Don’s goofy musical friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor), and a budding romance with chorus girl Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds),@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/fullcredits#cast@@ and soon you’ll be singing in the rain, too.

“Reefer Madness,” recommended by Kelly Ardis@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404364/@@
Think your parents’, teachers’ and Drug Abuse Resistance Education officers’ warnings about marijuana were bad? Try living in the 1930s, when people thought just one toke would turn you into a dangerous, raving lunatic and lead you down a path that would take you straight to the slammer. “Reefer Madness” is a musical parody of the 1936 propaganda film@@http://relegalize.info/library/reefer-madness.shtml@@ “Tell Your Children,” with taglines like “Women cry for it — men die for it!”@@http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/cannabis–hemp/reefer-madness-1938—full-film.html@@ and “Drug-crazed abandon!”@@http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/841885/the_james_clayton_column_abandon_limitless_drug_crazed_abandon.html@@ The musical first opened in 1998, but a film version was released on Showtime in 2005.@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404364/@@ It follows Jimmy Harper (Christian Campbell), a good kid whose life takes a horrible turn when he tries marijuana at a “dance lesson,”  where he wants to learn how to dance well enough to impress Mary Lane (Kristen Bell). The cast also includes Ana Gasteyer, Neve Campbell and Steven Weber.@@see previous @@ Alan Cumming as the lecturer striking fear into parents everywhere is hilarious. Some choice songs are “Reefer Madness,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Listen to Jesus, Jimmy” and “Little Mary Sunshine.”@@www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7763952@@

“Cannibal! The Musical,”@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115819/@@ recommended by Ben Kendall
“Cannibal! The Musical” was produced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of “South Park” fame and is one of my favorite musicals of all time. Of course, I couldn’t pick “Rocky Horror Picture Show” since, I mean, it’s a given. But here, you have a musical about a lost mining expedition getting trapped in the mountains and having to resort to cannibalism to stay alive. This is where Stone and Parker really shine, in taking something foul and nearly off-limits to most people and making it funny. When the characters begin to freeze in the snowy peaks, one of them tries to cheer the rest up with the song “Let’s Build a Snowman,”@@http://lyrics.astraweb.com/display/532/cannibal_the_musical..musical_ost..lets_build_a_snowman.html@@ and it is one of the most priceless parts of the film. Parker actually has a degree in music and most of the songs in all of the “South Park” episodes and “Cannibal!” were composed by him. Low-budget and yet it works, this is one of the best musicals ever, or … well, it’s certainly one of my favorites, anyway.

“Grease,” recommended by Amanda Barker
Musicals can get really annoying, but throw in John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John,@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077631/@@ a great storyline, a popular era in time, awesome character and great costumes, and you’ve got yourself a masterpiece like “Grease.” It is the perfect way to become immersed in the past through music, dancing and, well, “Grease Lightning.” The soundtrack is undoubtedly one of the reasons for the musical’s popularity, with several of the songs reaching pop-hit status. I mean, who doesn’t love “You’re the One that I Want,” “Grease Lightning” and “Summer Nights”?@@http://www.stlyrics.com/g/grease.htm@@ The exuberance of youth lies at the core of “Grease” and is mostly demonstrated through a cast of adults who successfully pass themselves off as high schoolers. The film basically brings back imaginary memories of what it was like to hang in the schoolyard, race T-Birds, take a date to a drive-in movie and attend a ’50s prom.