Grease 2 may have ruined the rock musical for you, but Spike Lee's film version of Passing Strange should renew your faith in the genre; it captures nuances in the performances you would never get sitting in the front row, and believe us, you want the nuances. Mark Stewart's (aka Stew), rock 'n roll fest is pure musical-theatre, but he manages to weave a sophisticated identity crisis into the plot that questions race, class, and the grander existential quandary of just what the hell are we doing with our lives anyway? It makes for a blissful bash of punk, gospel, and yes, showtunes, that will have you pulling out the hankies by the closing number. 

For more on Passing Strange and our interview with director Spike Lee, head over to Flavorwire.