In the past year, it has felt as though there have been enough movies about music from the 20th century to last a lifetime. If you are anything like I was, wanting to understand the hype behind many of these critically acclaimed films but lacking the time to see all of them, fear not. With hit tracks from icons like Queen, The Beatles, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen stuck in my head, I have ranked the movies “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Yesterday,” “Rocketman” and “Blinded by the Light” to help you have the best cinematic experience.

Bohemian Rhapsody: 1st Place

As the multiple Oscar awards back in February suggest, this film depicting the life of Queen’s lead singer, Freddie Mercury, is of the highest caliber. It almost feels unfair to compare “Bohemian Rhapsody” to the other movies, perhaps with the exception of “Rocketman.” Its impeccable portrayals of actual performers and meticulous detail transported me to the era of 70’s rock and roll. Initially, the quick pace of the storyline was dissatisfying to me, but I quickly adjusted to the rapidly changing scenes after realizing that they reflected Queen’s abrupt rise to stardom. Throughout the movie, I felt like I was experiencing the same excitement and turmoil as the characters, which impressed me because I didn’t feel this way about the other movies. If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t let its popularity dissuade you from seeing it. Not only will it educate you about the tumultuous life of Freddie Mercury, but it will take you feel like you have entered another world while doing so.

Rocketman: 2nd Place

Like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Rocketman” is a biopic and portrays the life of possibly your parents’ favorite singer, Elton John. Hitting theaters several months after “Bohemian Rhapsody,” I expected “Rocketman” to be a subpar imitation and was surprised when all of the sex, drugs and rock and roll of Elton John’s life was displayed in the form of a musical. However, despite the undeniable musical talent of the actors, I found myself rolling my eyes each time the characters broke out into song for the more serious moments of Elton John’s life because it seemed inappropriate. “Rocketman” is ranked second because rather than remaining precise to Elton John’s life, it struck me as too fantastical with its theatrical attributes. 

Yesterday: 3rd Place

“Yesterday” is a quirky drama about how a struggling musician wakes up from getting hit by a bus to a world that has never heard of The Beatles. I appreciated how the movie seemed to effortlessly include elements of humor and romance into the plot and found the uniqueness of the story intriguing. In spite of this, I was irritated by the unnecessary appearances from celebrities in the film including Ed Sheeran, James Corden and Kate McKinnon because it distracted from the plot. Overall, this movie is entertaining but definitely isn’t a must-see, giving it a rank of third place.

Blinded by the Light: 4th place

Based on the story of a Pakistani teenager growing up in England in the 1980s, “Blinded by the Light” is about how a 16-year-old named Javed is inspired by Bruce Springsteen’s music to fight racism and pursue writing. Although this film had an uplifting and original underlying message, there were many clichés that undermined the substance of the story. Some moments in the film were so predictable, like when Javed recited Springsteen lyrics to a group of racist bullies, that I found myself cringing for a significant portion of the movie. Due to how this movie failed to follow through on its potential, it is ranked fourth.