Now, I am not a fan of musicals—people randomly bursting into song in the middle of a film is distracting and, well, just plain silly. HOWEVER, there are some musicals that even I, myself can [gasp] enjoy.  If I can, you can too, so swallow your pride and check them out:

• SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT

  Yeah, it’s a CARTOON. Yeah, it’s about a bunch of obnoxious, politically incorrect foul-mouthed brats. Which is why it’s SO GREAT.  I mean, really--SATAN singing a homosexual love ballad to SADDAM HUSSEIN! You can’t get better than that! One of the songs was, if you recall, actually nominated for an ACADEMY AWARD. No kidding. It didn’t win, but still…

• CABARET

  At least the songs are performed ON STAGE (where they belong!). This film is fabulous. That “money money….” song gets me up and dancin’. You go, Liza!!! Go ‘on girl!

• THE WIZARD OF OZ

  Don’t deny the soft spot this movie has in your very own heart. Remember when, in the old days, it was only shown on  television ONCE A YEAR? You waited for it…America STOPPED and watched The Wizard of Oz together.

• WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

  If you try to pretend that you never hummed a little ‘oompa loompa’ or ‘I want it now…” when no one else was around, I won’t believe you.

• GREASE

  …is the Word.

• A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

  Who ever thought that Danny Elfman from the band Oingo Boingo would go quite so far? I mean, is there ANY soundtrack he doesn’t do? This is some of his better stuff (and the theme to The Simpsons). Clay-mation is creepy and cool.

• JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

  Yeah, I’m a sucker for singing clay-mation, what can I say. Is it just me, or is that spider H.O.T?

• SOUND OF MUSIC

  Don’t say a word—not one single, solitary word against Julie Andrews. YOU try carrying a tune while you’re being persecuted by NAZI’S, then we’ll talk.

• BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER “Once More With Feeling” episode

  Yeah, I’m cheating ‘cuz it’s a television program and not a movie, so kill me.  When I heard they were doing a musical episode, I was ANNOYED. “It’ll be stupid,” I thought. WRONG-O. It was one of the best episodes ever. (See, what happened was: this demon put a curse on the town causing folks to burst into song at random until they…well, BURST!)

• XANADU

  This movie is  horrifically bad, but roller skating muses seducing men while singing to E.L.O. tunes is worth the watch.