The 12 best musical movies to watch on Netflix

Netflix description: "Zany Willy Wonka causes a stir when he announces that golden tickets hidden within his candy bars will admit holders into his secret confectionary."

Why you should watch it: With cheery, well-known songs like "Pure Imagination," eccentric wit, and a bizarre, sometimes frightening fantastical world, "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" is a children's film that will capture the imaginations of the entire family.

Gene Wilder is particularly memorable as the titular Willy Wonka, with an unhinged yet utterly confident gleam in his eye that suggests the story's impeccable blend of escapism and sinister moral lessons.

Netflix description: "The Lonely Island honors notorious baseball stars Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire in this visual rap album set in the Bash Brothers' 1980s heyday."

Why you should watch it: The musical comedy trio "The Lonely Island" has been creating hilariously absurdist pop parodies for years, and "The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience" is no exception.

Clocking in at an easily watchable 30 minutes, the "visual album" also manages to fit in cameos from celebrities like Jenny Slate and Maya Rudolph, and an especially catchy song about IHOP.

Netflix description: "Sisters Gail, Cynthia, and Julie have talent, but their career takes off when promoter Dave convinces them to tour for U.S. troops in Vietnam."

Why you should watch it: While the overall plot of "The Sapphires" isn't hard to predict, the movie's joyous soul performances and explorations of the main singers' real-life fight to perform in a music industry that was often hostile to women of color (specifically Australian indigenous women) set it apart from other similar feel-good musicals.

Netflix description: "In New Orleans during the Jazz Age, a beautiful girl named Tiana has a fateful encounter with a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again."

Why you should watch it: Disney takes a classic fairytale and drops it into a lively New Orleans setting in "The Princess and the Frog," with a comfortingly old school Disney animation style sure to appeal to those fond of Disney Renaissance movies like "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid."

Anika Noni Rose makes for one of the studio's most compelling princesses yet as the ambitious Tiana, and the film's music (which was composed by Disney legend Randy Newman) draws from its jazz-age roots, making for a bluesy soundtrack that's bound to get stuck in your head — in the best way.

Netflix description: "During a storm that wrecks his ship, super-strong sailor Popeye washes ashore and winds up rooming at the Oyl household, where he meets Olive."

Why you should watch it: Director Robert Altman transforms the two-dimensional world of the "Popeye" comic strip into a vivid, wacky musical boosted by great comedic turns from Robin Williams and "The Shining" star Shelley Duvall as Popeye and Olive Oyl.

Songs with titles like "I Yam What I Yam" and "He's Large" may sound silly (and they are!), but the movie's ensemble cast is so dedicated to embodying the animated goofiness of their iconic roles that they fit seamlessly into the movie's fun, dreamlike setting.

Netflix description: "Once a rising star on Broadway, Nick is now the perennially pestered production manager for a new musical dedicated to rock music's one-hit wonders."

Why you should watch it: With its blend of familiar pop-rock songs (think "Livin' La Vida Loca" and "Rock Me Amadeus") and juicy backstage Broadway drama, "Opening Night" manages to appeal to both casual music fans and theater aficionados alike.

Plus, in case you were wondering what *NSYNC member J.C. Chasez has been up to, he stars in the film as himself, with an over-the-top presence that makes for one of the most enjoyable "dramatized version of themselves" performances in years.

Netflix description: "In 1930s London, Michael Banks and his three children get some help turning their topsy-turvy world around when his magical childhood nanny reappears."

Why you should watch it: Fans of the original "Mary Poppins" will find lots to love in this sequel, as the titular nanny (now played by Emily Blunt) returns to help out an adult Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), who desperately needs a bit of magic in his life again.

"Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda also appears in the film, adding his signature blend of show tunes and rap to its whimsical soundtrack.

"Mary Poppins Returns" finds ways to innovate great elements of the 1964 film (such as the paintings come to life, or the visit to an eccentric relative with a silly supernatural ability), as Blunt seamlessly makes the leading role her own.

Netflix description: "Just as he's about to be married, Victor is sucked into the underworld by a Corpse Bride who desires him for herself in this Tim Burton tale."

Why you should watch it: The whimsically macabre stop-motion animation and eerie musical numbers that made director Tim Burton's other film "The Nightmare Before Christmas" such a success are on full display here.

This time, though, we follow an unlikely love triangle that forms between a man, his bride, and the corpse bride who wishes to make him her own — all resulting in a cozily gloomy underworld romance.

Netflix description: "Quirky inventor Caractacus Potts and his family travel in their magical flying car to Vulgaria, a kingdom strangely devoid of children."

Why you should watch it: "Mary Poppins" star Dick Van Dyke shines in this madcap adventure, which features a mix of fantastical setpieces, quirky characters, silly dance numbers, and heartfelt ballads designed to appeal to children and parents alike.

Netflix description: "In 1950s Chicago, bar owner Leonard Chess launches a record label, signing future musical icons whose turbulent lives clash with their careers."

Why you should watch it: "Cadillac Records" arguably features Beyoncé's best acting performance, as she portrays real-life singer Etta James.

Since the movie follows the man who signed American music legends like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Chuck Berry, it's infused with soul-stirring blues tunes and an incisive look at the lives of many influential black artists of the time.

Netflix description: "After leaving Iowa with stars in her eyes, Ali arrives at a Los Angeles burlesque lounge with dreams of taking the stage with her soaring voice."

Why you should watch it: Starring A-list singers like Cher and Christina Aguilera, "Burlesque" is a delightfully campy and surprisingly feel-good musical with no shortage of gorgeous costumes and burlesque club romance.

Netflix description: "A single mother in London's Camden Town hears music when she meets a handsome stranger with a past. But she's not sure she's ready to open her heart."

Why you should watch it: Lead actress Michaele Coel gives a stunning performance here that's miles away from her starring role on the Netflix comedy "Chewing Gum." Her chemistry with costar Arinzé Kene elevates the film's modern London setting, making it an alluring, pastel-colored world filled with both soul music and showtunes.