Sort of inspired by the Singin' in the Rain discussion here. For the purposes of this thread, we are discussing both stage and film musicals.
In general, I don't like them. I especially don't like the musicals most numbers bring the plot to a screeching halt in order to squeeze in a song or dance number. I don't really care about dancing and while I like singing ok, I don't care to waste 5 minutes watching a song and dance number that is just there to show off the talents of the actor / songwriter / choreographer. But a few of my favorite movies are musicals and they are always the ones that use the numbers to either forward the plot or for character development.
Bad Musical: Singin' in the Rain. You just woke up and you are standing in the kitchen and you just want to sing about what a pretty day it is? Fuck you.
Good Musical: 1776. Every song (except the one where Blythe Danner Jefferson sings about what a good lay Mr Jefferson is, and that is the weakest number in the whole show) forwards the plot. Who will write the Declaration? Let's decide with a song! How are the Northern colonies equally guilty in the slave trade as the Southern colonies? What does Mr. Adams, the protagonist, want? The songs are there to answer these pertinent questions. And there are long strecthes of the movie that are dialogue only.
What about you guys? Do you like musicals in general? What do you like and dislike, and what do you think are some good and bad examples of the genre?