Wicked

I so wanted to hate it. I didn't like the decision to split the musical into two films. I didn't like the casting. I HATED the trailer, where it made the film look like it was baked with plastic, glossy CGI, or even worse Gen-AI. And I was wrong. Erivo and Grande are stellar. The co-stars aren't who I'd have picked, but they're quite excellent themselves. (Particularly the folks playing Bok and Nessa.) It's a glorious, beautiful, and joyful film in many ways. When Elphaba finally soars, my heart soared as well and I found myself tearing up. I also appreciated how it gives a nod to the much, much darker book, especially with the propaganda posters and effigy in the opening, and the various references to Oz's takeover. (Like when the stone edifice falls off the side of the school building revealing the animals beneath.) My only complaint is, as with any two or three-parter, lots of the filler is garbage. This is especially true of the Dancing Through Life number, which becomes unbearably long and significantly less magical because of the added content. Still, highly recommended. 8/10 Stars.