jasonmilesinc

If you're a fan of the musical and The Wizard of Oz then you'll love this adaptation. Artistically, musically, technically- I love what Chu has done here. It's big, and needs to be seen on the biggest screen you can find. No one could have played either Elphaba or Glinda more perfectly than Cindy Erivo and Ariana Grande- no one. The creators of these roles, Chenowith and Menzel, made inspired cameos in the Emerald City scene but they seemed comical compared to what Cindy and Ariana did with these characters. (Yes I saw them on Broadway.) Cindy is 100% an Oscar nod, maybe not Ariana but both brought not just pitch perfect voices, but a sweetness and heart that will tear anyone up. The eyes, the expressions, just beautifully performed and shot. The supporting cast is good, perhaps Michelle Yeoh is miscast and Jeff Goldblum needs to ham it up more. But Jonathan Bailey is a scene stealer. The ending is so visually stunning that the whole audience gasped at how incredible the flying and floating Elphaba looked- dark green and black with a massive drifting cape as she turned to the dark side with a Vaderlike intensity that will make you Defy Gravity as well. That image of her floating and spewing her rightful pain and anger at the Emerald City will be seen on film reels for eternity. Just outstanding in every way. Bring on Part 2!

I loved this film. It has a tight thrilling John Singleton/Spike Lee vibe and it was an absolute treat to see Ray Liotta one more time. Liotta is at his maniacal best playing more criminal than father. The backdrop of the LA Riots brought back many memories. There are hundreds of stories from the streets in those days and this could be one of them. A heist film with racial undertones that grips the audience from the first frame. Just sit back and enjoy the action and ignore the bizarre pretentious critics that probably aren't old enough or didn't live in LA. Tyrese Gibson carries this film though and he's at the top of his game. He's evolving as an actor and I guarantee you directors are going to notice. See this movie.

I make a point to see every movie and usually I'll write a positive review. Not this time. This movie failed in every way a movie can fail- from sound to zero plot to lazy non-writing to forced acting. Easily the worst I've seen since Power of the Dog but this is in the bottom five in my 45 year cinematic history. Why? No story. We don't know anything- thats called lazy writing. We see journalists scrambling to cover skirmishes across America. We don't know who is what and what is how. Thus you won't care about anyone or anything. If this is a parody of bad student films then it missed. The audience was laughing. What a complete disaster. Unnecessary forced violence and bizarre pacing. Awful. Really.