Across The Universe was a 2007 romantic drama/jukebox musical film directed by Julie Taymor, and featured starring roles from Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, and Joe Anderson, with cameo appearances from Bono, Salma Hayek, Eddie Izzard, and Joe Cocker, among others. The movie follows a loose plot involving romance blossoming during the height of protests against the war in Vietnam, set against a musical backdrop of Beatles songs. Critics were unimpressed by Across The Universe's razor-thin plot, but offered heavy praise to its visual sequences and performances, and it would become a major commercial success.

On a new episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott welcome Malorie Savran to the podcast to attempt to make sense of Across The Universe. Join them through numerous psychedelic wonderlands of questionable point, extremely unsubtle Fab Four references shoehorned into an already unimpressive story, and watch Lilz get really REALLY sick of Beatles tributes.

...with Lilz and Scott!

Yesterday was a 2019 musical romantic comedy film, directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later) and written by Richard Curtis. (Love Actually, Four Weddings And A Funeral, Bridget Jones' Diary) The film stars Himesh Patel as a struggling musician who suddenly finds himself in a world where famed English pop group The Beatles never existed, and the subsequent success he finds in plagiarizing the material as his own. It also featured performances from Lily James, Joel Fry, Kate McKinnon, and pop artist Ed Sheeran in a notably self-parodying role. Against a backdrop of covers of Beatles songs, Yesterday was a commercial hit, and a modest critical success.

On a new episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott welcome Boston musician Jon Sasor onto the program to review Yesterday. Join them as Scott comes to grips with alternate realities, Lilz posits the existence of a Bermuda Triangle of bus accidents, and Jon thoroughly loses his mind in the illogical deluge of the film's setting.

...with Lilz and Scott!

Bugsy Malone was a 1976 musical gangster film written and directed by Alan Parker, who would later go on to direct acclaimed films like Mississippi Burning, Midnight Express, and The Commitments. Parker presented a setting at the height of the gangland 1920s, following the titular Bugsy Malone, a con man and swindler caught up in a war between two rival gangs. The twist of the film however, came from a cast consisting entirely of young children; it featured a young Scott Baio and Jodie Foster in starring roles, and a soundtrack written and performed by Paul Williams. (Who oddly overdubbed the singing voice of most of the male characters.) The film was a baffling critical success, especially in the UK, where it is a beloved piece of cinema that won multiple BAFTA awards.

On this episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott welcome back previous guest Christopher Brown to dissect Bugsy Malone, a thoroughly perplexing piece of film that has plagued Scott for over 30 years. Join them as they give Alan Parker the business for some thoroughly creepy behavior, remain confused over the usage of guns that shoot pies instead of bullets, and come up with a brand new can't-fail pilot project.

...with Lilz and Scott!

Phantom Of The Paradise was a 1974 rock musical/horror comedy, one of the earliest cinematic works of Brian De Palma. It featured a story loosely adapted from European works of literature such as The Picture of Dorian Gray, Faust, and most notably The Phantom Of The Opera, more than a decade before Andrew Lloyd Webber would get his hands on the property. The story of music industry excess and revenge featured a cast of William Finley, Jessica Harper, Gerrit Graham, and Paul Williams, who also composed and performed the majority of the soundtrack. Though the film was considered a critical and commercial flop upon release, it would develop a strong cult following, and has been re-evaluated in the ensuing years as an underrated camp gem.

On a new episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott welcome back return guest Jenna Sokalski for a viewing of Phantom Of The Paradise, a film that Jenna considered to be formative to her cinematic tastes. Join the trio for a wild and confusing romp of a musical, dripping with sweat and cocaine, featuring himbo punk rockers, metal teeth, and the raw, unfettered, bestial sexual energy of Paul Williams.

...with Lilz & Scott!

The Muppet Christmas Carol was a 1992 musical Christmas film produced by the Jim Henson Workshop, the directorial debut of Brian Henson, and the 4th overall Muppet franchise film; the first since the deaths of creator Jim Henson and principal player Richard Hunt. The film sought to re-tell the classic Charles Dickens story with a cast of Muppets characters standing in for characters from the original, as well as an appearance by human actor Michael Caine as the main character Ebenezer Scrooge. The film was a modest success critically and financially upon release, but it has gone down in history among cult audiences as a particularly strong adaptation of the Dickens story, as well as a new classic of Christmas cinema.

On a new episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott are joined by their partners Susan Kim (Returning from the Love Never Dies episode) and Hayleigh Kurland for a special holiday edition of the program. Join them for a nostalgic viewing of The Muppet Christmas Carol, as Scott reminisces about the worst movie-goer he's ever seen, Susan and Hayleigh gush over the detail in the costume design, and Lilz makes a lot of 90s references.

...with Lilz & Scott!

Tick, Tick...Boom! was a 2021 musical drama which depicted the life of composer and lyricist Jonathan Larson. It marked the directorial debut of Lin-Manuel Miranda, and is adapted from the stage musical/one-man show of the same name. Starring Andrew Garfield, Robin de Jesús, and Alexandra Shipp, it depicted the trials and tribulations of Larson, fast approaching his 30th birthday, and in the midst of a mid-life crisis as he attempts to prepare for a workshop for his original musical production. The film was released to Netflix to widespread critical acclaim, and multiple award nominations.

On a new episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott give Tick, Tick...Boom! a watch, and take in the intricate details of a playwright who many believe fundamentally changed the face of theater in his short time on Earth. Join them as Scott reminisces about college theater bureaucracy, and Lilz questions Larson's bonafidese as a writer of "rock" musicals.

...with Lilz & Scott!

Frank was a 2014 black comedy directed by Lenny Abrahamson, which followed the journey of an aspiring singer-songwriter struggling with his own mediocrity and inability to write good songs, who soon finds himself among a experimental rock band that he hopes to break into America. The film starred Domnhall Gleeson, Maggie Gylenhaal, Scoot McNairy, and Michael Fassbender as the titular character; the eccentric frontman and musical genius of the Soronprfbs, who wears a papier-mache mask over his head at all times.

On a new episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott dig into Frank, which technically wasn't a musical, but was peppered with original experimental, psychedelic songs, and remains a mutual favorite of the two hosts. Join them as Lilz waxes nostalgic on her experiences as a local musician, Scott rolls his eyes at hipsters, and the two of them marvel at the storied career of Michael Fassbender putting things on his head.

...with Lilz & Scott!

Singin' In The Rain was a 1952 musical romantic comedy directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. Starring Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, and Jean Hagen, the film follows a lightly satirical take on late 1920s Hollywood, depicting the story of famed silent film actors caught up in the transition to talking pictures. Though only a modest hit upon its release, it's been praised by modern critics as one of the greatest comedic films of all time, and possibly the greatest movie musical ever made.

On a new episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott take in the cinematic splendor of Singin' In The Rain, accompanied by actor, voice-over artist, and musical fan Lara Fox. Join them as they pick apart the impossible choreography, the behind-the-scenes drama, and plan for Scott to jump out of a cake.

...with Lilz & Scott!

Reefer Madness was a 1936 propaganda film intended to be a morality tale to keep children away from drug usage. In it, the film professed to expose a seedy underbelly of marijuana usage, depicting scenes of hallucination, sexual assault, murder, and descent into insanity. Though presenting itself as educational, over the years it gained new life as an unintentional satire for its campy production style and over-the-top acting. In 1998, the film would be adapted into a satirical production of musical theater, marking performances in Los Angeles, Off-Broadway, and St. Louis before being adapted to film by Showtime in 2005.

On this episode of Hell Is A Musical Lilz and Scott welcome the delightful duo of Ashleigh and Maggie of music history podcast Rock Candy, to discuss the movie musical adaptation of Reefer Madness. Join them for rousing discussions of Alan Cumming puns, Pizza Hut, 90s sitcom Wings, and a whole lot of Ana Gasteyer being awesome.

...with Lilz and Scott!

Mamma Mia! was a 2008 movie adaptation of the musical of the same name directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Utilizing the works of Swedish pop group ABBA as a soundtrack, Mamma Mia! tells a comedic story of infidelity and misunderstanding as a young girl invites three men suspected of being her father to come see her on the eve of her wedding night. The film adaptation featured Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård in starring roles, and was a major box office success, albeit one with mixed critical reception.

On this episode of Hell Is A Musical, Scott welcomes back return guest David Allen Prescott to review Mamma Mia!, while Lilz finds herself trapped in an impenetrable prison of negativity and mediocrity. Join Scott and David as they discuss the finer points of jukebox musicals, while Lilz slowly descends into the maw of the abyss.

...with Lilz and Scott!