The holiday season brings out the music in us all. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the movie musicals that make us feel oh so festive during the holidays.
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00:00 "Gee, they're both wild. Nicest Christmas present anybody ever had."
00:02 "Well, they deserve it."
00:03 Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:05 And today, we're counting down our picks for the movie musicals that make us feel oh-so-festive during the holidays.
00:10 We won't be covering some of our favorite TV specials here because we're keeping this list big-screen focused.
00:16 "I am here to tell the story."
00:18 "And I am here for the food."
00:19 Number 10, "Spirited".
00:23 What makes a holiday classic?
00:25 Usually, the secret recipe is time, nostalgia, and endless TV reruns.
00:29 "We're bringing back Christmas."
00:31 "And that means the fine scent of a real authentic treat."
00:35 "They're literally eating out of his hand."
00:38 "Spirited" is a modern take on the classic "A Christmas Carol" cautionary tale.
00:42 In a spin on the usual story, the ghost of Christmas present, played by the hilarious Will Ferrell,
00:47 seeks his own redemption by helping the Scrooge-like Clint, played by Ryan Reynolds.
00:51 "Hey, I'm haunting you."
00:53 "You can't just run away from me when I'm haunting you, hello?"
00:57 Acting as both a satire and homage to the original story,
01:00 what follows is a gut-busting but effective musical about kindness and change.
01:04 If that's not your thing, it also doesn't skimp on the risque humor.
01:08 "What?" "Doc!"
01:08 "No, it's Charles Dickens, it's a fun thing." "Yes, thank you, but none of this is real."
01:12 "Oh, there's a baby."
01:14 "Madam, I am so sorry."
01:18 "He should be."
01:19 Number 9, "Anna and the Apocalypse".
01:21 [Music]
01:33 Adolescent angst, family strife, and Christmas decorations take on new and deadly meaning
01:38 for a group of teenagers when a zombie plague breaks out.
01:41 And they sing through it all, because, after all, the show must go on.
01:45 [Music]
01:52 "Anna and the Apocalypse" is a rare, instant classic because it dares to give us something different.
01:57 After all, the quirky and innovative festival hit found a way to bring together the coming-of-age,
02:02 zombie apocalypse, and Christmas musical comedy genres.
02:05 How many flicks do you know who can say they've done that?
02:08 Full of horror and teen movie influences, it's certainly an atypical holiday movie,
02:13 but one that deserves more love.
02:14 [Music]
02:28 Number 8, "The Polar Express".
02:30 "Well, you coming?"
02:32 [Music]
02:35 "Where?"
02:35 "Why, to the North Pole, of course!"
02:38 Robert Zemeckis' misunderstood fantasy musical takes a lot of flack for its distinctive animation style.
02:43 But it's a fun and spirited modern classic of the season.
02:46 Indeed, despite what some have said, it's a delightful and surprisingly touching movie.
02:51 [Music]
03:04 Based on a children's book, "The Polar Express" is a whimsical story following a young boy who has lost the Christmas spirit.
03:09 He and several children board a magic train en route to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus.
03:14 Featuring the vocal stylings of unlikely musical lead Tom Hanks,
03:17 the movie doesn't have many original songs, but they're all certainly memorable.
03:22 [Music]
03:29 Number 7, "Scrooge".
03:31 Stuffed with some of the greatest British actors of the time,
03:34 this 1970 musical boasts impressive set designs and charming performances.
03:39 Led by Albert Finney as Scrooge and Alec Guinness as the ethereal Jacob Marley,
03:43 the movie leans into the wildness as much as it does the emotion of the original story.
03:47 "See the phantoms filling the sky around you?
03:52 They astound you, I can tell."
03:57 Although it was made at a time when movie musicals were going out of style,
04:01 it charmed contemporary audiences and critics alike.
04:04 "Scrooge" was nominated for four Oscars, scoring two citations for its music.
04:09 It's undoubtedly a fun time capsule of the era and remains a truly enjoyable watch.
04:14 [Music]
04:20 Number 6, "Frozen".
04:21 "I don't care what they're going to say,
04:28 let the storm rage on.
04:32 The cold never bothered me anyway."
04:35 Disney not only gave us one of its all-time greatest songs with "Let It Go",
04:39 they also gave us a new annual holiday must-watch.
04:42 This bona fide box office mega hit cast aside the standard prince and princess love story
04:46 for something deeper and closer to home, the bond between sisters.
04:50 "You sacrificed yourself for me?
04:54 I love you."
04:57 "An act of true love, well thought of, frozen heart."
05:01 The princesses Elsa and Anna make for an iconic duo,
05:04 and their friends, including the endlessly merchandisable Olaf,
05:08 are also incredible additions to the Disney pantheon.
05:11 While "Frozen" technically doesn't take place on any specific holiday,
05:15 there are snowmen, reindeer and family themes.
05:18 If that's not a holiday movie, what is?
05:20 "Some people are worth melting for."
05:22 [Music]
05:27 "You're just maybe not right this second."
05:29 Number 5 - The Sound of Music
05:31 Here's another pick that just feels like a holiday movie,
05:34 even though it's not technically about a particular one.
05:37 "I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne. Yes?"
05:42 "No."
05:46 In this adaptation of a Broadway hit,
05:48 Julie Andrews plays governess to the singing von Trapp children.
05:51 After hours of feel-good musical cheer, courtesy of the indomitable Rogers and Hammerstein,
05:56 it's kind of hard not to be filled with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
05:59 "You brought music back into the house? I'd forgotten."
06:05 The 1965 epic usually sees a resurgence,
06:08 both on TV and in theater sing-along versions, every year around the holidays.
06:12 Songs like "My Favorite Things" have even become unofficial anthems for the season.
06:17 "Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,
06:20 snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes,
06:23 silver white winters that melt into springs,
06:27 these are a few of my favorite things."
06:30 Number 4 - The Muppet Christmas Carol
06:33 There are a lot of fantastic things about this movie.
06:36 The absolute best one might be the genius of casting Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge
06:40 opposite the other characters, who are mainly played by Muppets.
06:44 "Brightly shone the moon that night, though, uh..."
06:51 "What do you want?" "Uh, the penny for this song, governor."
06:57 Completely outnumbered by his often whimsical and clownish co-stars,
07:00 he staunchly refuses to join the merriment and be a silly goose.
07:04 He's playing this character completely straight.
07:06 Of course, that's what's so brilliant about it.
07:09 "Please, Jacob, Robert, don't criticize me."
07:13 "You always criticize me." "We were always heckling you."
07:16 "It's good to be heckling again." "It's good to be doing anything again."
07:21 Caine's Scrooge completely fails the vibe check, which is exactly what Scrooge would do.
07:25 Plus, the songs are fantastic and the humor is on point.
07:29 If you talk to anyone born in the 90s,
07:32 they might just tell you that this is their favorite version of the classic story.
07:35 "With a loving guarantee, that even if we part, I'll hold you close in a thankful heart."
07:44 Number 3 - Meet Me in St. Louis
07:46 "Once again, as in olden days, happy golden days of yore."
08:00 This Judy Garland-led musical follows a St. Louis family, the Smiths,
08:04 through different seasons over the span of a year.
08:06 Winter finds the Smiths facing what they initially think will be their last Christmas in their hometown,
08:11 and Garland's character introduces what soon became a classic to comfort her sister.
08:15 "Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light."
08:27 If there is a somewhat haunting quality to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,"
08:31 it's probably because so much uncertainty is hanging over them at this point in the story.
08:35 The movie and its songs have lived on as standouts of the old Hollywood musical,
08:39 and it continues to be an admirable entry in the holiday canon.
08:43 "Oh, Papa, you've given us the nicest Christmas present anybody could ask for."
08:50 Number 2 - The Nightmare Before Christmas
08:52 "You know, I think this Christmas thing is not as tricky as it seems, and why should they have all the fun?"
08:58 "It should belong to anyone, not anyone in fact, but me, why I could make a Christmas tree!"
09:03 It's commonly considered a part of the Tim Burton universe,
09:06 and yes, he is partly responsible for the story and co-production of this stop-motion marvel.
09:10 However, director Henry Selick was the hand behind this twisted and brooding musical
09:14 about a Halloween-themed town that suddenly becomes aware of Christmas.
09:18 "What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere. What's this? There's white things in the air. What's this?"
09:24 Using gothic-style imagery, the movie captivated audiences of the 1990s
09:29 and managed to become a staple of the season.
09:31 Despite its darkness, it still gets across a pretty solid holiday message.
09:35 Plus, the soundtrack by Danny Elfman features songs like "This is Halloween" and "Sally's Song"
09:41 that are as integral to the season as any traditional Christmas carol for many.
09:45 "For it is plain, as anyone can see, we're simply meant to be."
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10:14 Number 1 - White Christmas
10:33 If you want some good old-fashioned straightforward holiday cheer,
10:36 it's hard to beat this Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen and Rosemary Clooney vehicle.
10:41 White Christmas is an old Hollywood musical about two song and dance teams who join forces to try and save a failing inn.
10:47 "I know it sounds crazy, Al, but you're working for crazy people. Now get this straight.
10:51 I want the whole show up here in three days. Yeah, the whole show.
10:54 Set, costumes and all the cast you can round up."
10:57 Featuring songs by American master Irving Berlin, the film reintroduced its title song to the masses
11:03 and features several great numbers.
11:05 Not just that, White Christmas really fills the holiday movie bingo card.
11:09 Fireside romance, showbiz antics and a sprinkling of nostalgia come together to create a lasting time capsule,
11:16 fitting for a comfy watch on a cold winter's night.
11:19 "Snow, snow. It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow."
11:27 Did our list make you feel festive? Leave a present for us in the comments.
11:31 "You can't leave empty-handed. You gotta have something. It's gonna be a merry, merry Christmas indeed."
11:37 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
11:40 And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
11:45 [music]