This article is part of Greenlight — The Latch’s commitment to the Australian film industry. For more content in this series, click here.
There’s something so magical about a great musical movie. Whether it’s a biopic of a famous singer’s life, like ARETHA, a musical adapted from the stage, like Chicago, or a film about someone who wants to make it as a singer, like CODA, they have the power that just makes you want to sing when leaving the cinema.
Lucky for us, there’s a new film called Falling for Figaro coming out soon that we can’t wait to see.
Starring Australian actress Danielle Macdonald, who you may remember from 2017’s Patti Cake$, as well as the one and ONLY Joanna Lumley, aka Ab Fab’s Patsy Stone, Falling for Figaro is a romantic comedy about Millie (Macdonald), a brilliant young fund manager who leaves her unfulfilling job and long-term boyfriend to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer in the Scottish Highlands.
Lumley plays Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop, a fearsome singing teacher who believes that only with a broken heart can you really learn how to sing. While preparing her two students, Max and Millie, for the same competition, Meghan manipulates their love lives to get the best performance out of them.
To celebrate the release of Falling for Figaro, we’ve compiled a list of six other films that make us want to head to karaoke and live out our own dreams of being a singer. Sure, we may be singing less opera and more “Teenage Dirtbag”, but whatever!
Bohemian Rhapsody
Directed by: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton and Gwilym Lee
Synopsis: The story of the legendary British rock band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury, leading up to their famous performance at Live Aid (1985).
Trailer:
Where to watch: Watch Bohemian Rhapsody on Netflix
Dreamgirls
Directed by: Bill Condon
Starring: Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy
Synopsis: A trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.
Trailer:
Where to watch: Watch Dreamgirls on Paramount+
Respect
Directed by: Liesl Tommy
Starring: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans
Synopsis: Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, RESPECT is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.
Trailer:
Where to watch: Rent RESPECT on YouTube
Rocketman
Directed by: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden
Synopsis: A musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years.
Trailer:
Where to watch: Rent Rocketman on Apple TV
A Star Is Born
Directed by: Bradley Cooper
Starring: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott
Synopsis: A musician helps a young singer find fame as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral.
Trailer:
Where to watch: Watch A Star Is Born on BINGE
Walk the Line
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin
Synopsis: A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash’s life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
Trailer:
Where to watch: Watch Walk the Line on Disney+
Falling for Figaro is in select HOYTS cinemas now. Want to win free tickets? We’re giving away double passes! Check out all the information below:
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