The 5 Movie Musicals I Will Watch Over and Over Happily.

A close friend of mine recently asked me what items I would bring if I was to be stranded on a desert island. In the top 10 was a portable media player with movie musicals on it. It's no secret to those who know me that I have a strange affinity for movie musicals. Whether they're from the dawn of the movie era, or simple indie films, I love them for reasons even I don't understand.

However, there comes a time when I just cannot watch a movie again. Certain movies are impossible to watch over and over. Whether it's for the emotional drain it causes, or simply the length of time, I can't watch movies like The King & I repeatedly. But, there are 5 that I can and will watch for days at a time. Here, in no particular order:

1. Across The Universe

Across the Universe is based entirely on the music of the Beatles. It's definitely got some dark, dreary moments, but overall, it's a sunny, gorgeous musical about life in the '60s.

2. Were The World Mine

I sing music from this movie at basically every moment of my life. My bird's name is Timmy, so he is constantly serenaded with "Oh Timothy." The movie basically revolves around a gay boy's homophobic school putting on a production of "A Midsummer's Night Dream," and his accidental transformation of the town. It's just pure silly, happy, musical fun.

3. Hairspray

I think every girl wants to be a little bit like Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 remake of "Hairspray," the sassy, self-confident, and totally awesome star of the movie. With pure camp cheesiness, a classic soundtrack, and actual substance, this is one of those great movies, no matter the time.

4. Spiceworld

This is my gratuitous Spice Girls post. I love them. They are awesome. My childhood revolved around them. I watch this movie at any opportunity, and I have it on all of my computers, plus 2 DVD copies, and a VHS. I have no shame about this. In fact, after I finish writing this blog, I will probably go watch it.

5. Top Hat

I still remember the first time I saw this movie, I was young and terribly uninterested in the old black & white movie my aunt wanted me to watch. But, I watched, and I was entranced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in this classic film. I still love it to this day.

There's something special about these musicals, if only for their ability to make me smile like a fool every time I watch them. And for that, I salute them.

Soundtracks?

It's commonly known in the movie world that music can make or break a movie. A low-key, artsy film will not benefit from a flashy Top 40 soundtrack. But, a movie that could come off as too ploying can be changed into a quaint and loveable film with the perfect soundtrack.

For the majority of my life, I never even knew there was such a thing as a soundtrack in movies. Raised on a diet of movie musicals and Lifetime movies, my perception of music in movies was that it was either background music, or the star. Now, I've come to realize that a great song can be more than just filler, it can be a supporting character that pushes the scene to greatness.

My favorite popular examples of a great soundtrack are Juno and (500) Days of Summer. Juno, with her laid-back attitude and carefully-constructed vocabulary, could easily come off as a character with the wrong elements in place. But, the homemade feel of the soundtrack, largely due to Kimya Dawson's great songs, give an air of credibility and depth to Juno's character. In (500), the soundtrack is integral to the plot, with the main characters bonding over The Smiths and karaoke nights. Carla Bruni is played from car stereos, and a fantasy song-and dance routine takes place mid-movie.

It's easy to ruin a movie. In fact, it's almost guaranteed that a movie will have some strange flaw in it. But, sometimes, all that's needed is the perfect song to fix the moment.

Review: Hellogoodbye - Would It Kill You?

There is nothing I love more than when bands grow up. With their second album, Hellogoodbye has done just that. In 2006, Hellogoodbye were signed to Drive Through Records, and bright-eyed, they released their first album, "Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!," an auto-tuned, synth pop opus.

I was 14 at the time, and I immediately fell in love with the dorky band and upbeat songs. For two years, that CD was one of my favorites. And then, just as quickly as I had fallen in love, I fell out. I was sick of power pop, auto-tune, and cheesy lyrics. I was 16! Practically an adult! I couldn't be seen listening to this childish music! Hellogoodbye and I parted our ways.

But the split was not to last, as they released a three song EP, the Ukelele Recordings, with two new songs, and one Buddy Holly cover. Along with the EP, they announced a show at the Stone Pony, one of my favorite hangouts, with PlayRadioPlay, one of my favorite bands of the moment. The love affair was back on. So, excluding a few Hellogoodbye-deprived weeks, that band and I have grown up together. With their new release, "Would It Kill You?," the band has grown into a pure indie pop sound. In the past four years, the band has gone through a total lineup change, with Forrest, the lead singer, as the only original member left. And, Forrest got married to his longtime girlfriend.

That shows in all of the songs, the majority of which are about his wife in some capacity. The CD spills forth songs that, to me, sound like sitting on a beach in California in winter watching a meteor shower and then the sunrise. The opening song, "Finding Something To Do" is a fast-paced song about figuring out something to do when you've spent so much time with a person, and knowing you'll be spending the rest of your lives together. "When We First Met" is retrospective and just a very pretty song. "You Sleep Alone" is probably the most similar to their early works, which makes sense as it was the first written on the CD. An angry sing-along song, it's slowly becoming one of the most played on my iPod. My favorite song currently is "Coppertone," which was primarily written by the guitarist, and is this gorgeous song about doubt and love. Finally, the title song, "Would It Kill You?" explains the sound of the album better than any other explanation. A love song, but more to his art, Forrest asks himself if it would kill him just to let it all work out instead of obsessing and tweaking.

To be honest, this is one of my favorite albums of the year. There's no low point. It's just a special piece of music, and I know I won't be ashamed to listen to it in two years.

November!

November always seems to be such a great month for music. Winter tours begin, and tons of CDs are unleashed to the masses. This month, I'm really excited about a few things. On the ninth, Hellogoodbye's second album, "Would It Kill You?" is finally being released. So far, it has recieved high praise, and is toted as being a possibility for the best release of the year.

On the eighth, if my sources are correct, OK Go will be premiering a music video for "Last Leaf." The video will involve lasers, bread, animation, Samsung cameras, and other magical elements. This has not been officially announced, though, so it might be put off for a while. Speaking of OK Go, they recently released "Of The Blue Colour of the Sky: Extra Nice Edition," and it has a ton of really cool extras on it.

The twenty-second brings the much-anticipated fourth album from New Jersey natives My Chemical Romance. "Danger Days: True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys" departs from the last album's melancholy feel to a more futuristic, pop sound.

I also recently stumbled upon the Raveonettes, a Danish band that I've really been enjoying lately. Hopefully, this November will live up to my expectations.