Tag Archives: Musical

11.21.25
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Wicked: For Good

Wicked: For Good‘s rushed pacing feels like quite a whiplash from the slow burn of the first film that allowed its story to breathe much more, but it’s still a big, loud, and rewarding musical experience. The events are moving at such a fast pace that if you think about it too much, it starts to fall apart. The cinematography and editing don’t get that same patience that made the execution in the first movie so beautiful. The first act of For Good does feel a bit like its embracing the spectacle more than the soul, and if Part I felt more like its stage musical adaptation roots, this movie is the big fantasy action blockbuster. That said, it rises up to the challenge with truly great visual effects and breathtaking production design. The musical numbers are no less impressive, and the film’s heart is strong, and the chemistry between its two leads is electric.

Cynthia Erivo is again astounding and contributes to some of the film’s most awe-inspiring moments, while Ariana Grande is even better than she was in the first film. Glinda’s selfishness isn’t justified, but her softness and journey towards goodness make her so interesting to watch, even if it’s more thanks to Grande’s performance than where the script takes her. Jonathan Bailey also shines in one of the film’s most complex portrayals. There are some true show-stoppers in the soundtrack thanks to magnificent work from Erivo, Grande, and Jeff Goldblum. The music, vocals, and sets come together for some incredible musical moments that culminate the film’s emotion in great catharsis. It also very much enriches the story of the original Wizard of Oz in many creative and unexpected ways.

Wicked: For Good isn’t as subtle or as earth-shattering for the musical film genre as its predecessor, but the direction is still so lively and the spectacle is so, well, spectacular, that it’s an exciting and rewarding experience for film and theater fans alike. Together with the first film, it not only reignites but expands on and gives new life to a cultural moment like no other, and a trip to Oz that you have to see on a big screen.

11.30.24
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Wicked

Wicked tells the story of Oz in a new light, as we meet Elphaba and Glinda in their early years of sorcery, who eventually become the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch, respectively.

Few stage-to-musical adaptations in recent memory capture the excitement of being there with the actors on a production filled with song and dance like this one. Despite its title, Wicked is one big burst of joy, led by the spectacular Cynthia Erivo, who makes the material, and the mere art of musical theater itself, feel like they were made for her. Erivo’s enchanting voice is moving and never quite lets go of the audience, rather you’ll be begging for more of her songs. Ariana Grande plays into type well as Galdina, who starts of as quite the narcissist, but the characterizations of both her and Elphaba soon become more complicated in a way that feels genuine and touching. Michelle Yeoh is also wonderful, and Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum are delightful. But it’s not one element that makes the movie works: it’s the beautiful costumes and sets, put together with the music and story, brought to life by these talents. The songs might have not worked without the incredible musical numbers and dance sequences, but Jon M. Chu steps up to the responsibility of bringing out the best of this bombastic fantasy tale. It also deeply humanizes an infamous movie villain in a way that feels natural and oddly grounded, with themes that may connect with audiences.

As this is only the first part of the two-film adaptation of the musical, the pace dives deep into unexpected subplots, and though this approach threatens to deem the split unnecessary, it ends up fleshing out its world in a rewarding way, making the runtime worth it, and leaving audiences with much anticipation for the next film. Wicked is a cinematic experience with exciting musical numbers, an incredible leading performance from Erivo, and mesmerizing execution that’s a must for both fans and non-fans. It’s hard to believe there’s so much more to come, though where you’re left here in Elphaba and Glinda’s journey is still an astounding and gratifying moment.

12.01.23
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Wish

In the Kingdom of Rosas, King Magnifico safeguards the people’s wishes with the promise to grant them one day. But when young Asha wishes upon a star for her community to have better, what she didn’t expect was for the star to answer back.

Disney experiments with the 2D coloring of 3D characters that films like the Spider-Verse have popularized, which can’t seem to make up for the film’s derivative story. Though the animation is vivid in colorful in the scenes that are night-set or creatively lit, most of the scenes set during the day feel like they lack lighting or any sort of flare besides the gimmick. Ariana DeBose’s performance is full of joy and her singing is spectacular, though that shouldn’t come as a surprise. The character of Asha has nothing to really distinguish herself from other Disney heroines like Rapunzel and Mirabel, and the concept of her wishes and motives feel rather underdeveloped. Chris Pine does great as well, but his villain’s descent from charismatic leader to power-hungry wizard feels unearned. None of the supporting characters are quite memorable, and a few of the songs do stand out, including “This Wish”, “At All Costs”, and “This is the Thanks I Get”. But both the middle and end portions, particularly the talking animals and forgettable action, greatly suffer from this lack of an interesting ensemble and heart that made the characters in Frozen, Moana or Encanto resonate. It’s certainly enough to keep the children entertained and singing along, but is also too generic to earn a place among the ranks of other films from the studio that have solidified themselves in Disney’s legacy.

07.13.19
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Yesterday

Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, until a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, after which Jack wakes up to discover that nobody except him can remember The Beatles. Soon Jack makes a life-altering decision that sends him to fame as he starts taking credit for the band’s forgotten songs.

Yesterday is a movie with a fantastically original premise, compared to the same recycled formulas in a lot of genres. Though it does sometimes get stuck in mediocre rom-com tropes, like a cheesy romance in the second act that doesn’t know where it’s going until the very end, this movie takes advantage of its genius idea and makes for a fun, humorous, and interesting two hours. Himesh Patel is not only fun and charming but also sings really well and was well-cast — he hasn’t been in much before but may soon make a name for himself after his starring role here — and also entertaining are Lily James as his best friend, and Ed Sheeran as himself — the singer who helps Jack skyrocket to stardom. However, one character I found to be annoying was his manager played by Kate McKinnon, whose comedic turns I usually enjoy on Saturday Night Live, but here her character was simply irritating and unlikable. It’s no surprise the music is so enjoyable — they chose the best band to make this movie about, and as a huge Beatles fan myself, it’s great to hear them all through the film, and luckily they cast a great actor who can sing as well. There’s also plenty of humorous moments I didn’t expect and the jokes almost always land. Like I said, the second half does lose a little bit of steam but once you see where it all ends up, you get to take in some of the themes the movie is going for. There’s also another sweet theme about how the most iconic of pop culture is what touches people’s hearts and should be kept alive. As one character says, “A world without the Beatles is a world infinitely worse.” So I have to applaud director Danny Boyle and writer Richard Curits for creating one of the most original films of the year that sometimes doesn’t avoid genre tropes but the fresh plotline makes for some truly great moments, and there’s also plenty of excellent musical moments as well. When everything that’s out has to do with killer toys, superheroes, and animated animals, why not try something new for a change and support this one-of-a-kind film I bet you won’t regret seeing in theaters.

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