🚨Warning 🚨: seeing Wicked in a packed theater will cause you to sing “Defying Gravity” nonstop on the way home.
Here’s what’s in this special newsletter:
Concession Stand Scorecard: Wicked
Pod Drop: Eric & Josh had a plan and completely ignored it
This week’s movie - “Wicked”
Letterboxd Description:
Everyone deserves the chance to fly.
Elphaba, an ostracized but defiant girl born with green skin, and Galinda, a privileged aristocrat born popular, become extremely unlikely friends in the magical Land of Oz. As the two girls struggle with their opposing personalities, their friendship is tested as both begin to fulfil their destinies as Glinda the Good and The Wicked Witch of the West.
Best Watched With
Friends who can stay in key while hitting the high note.
End credit thoughts
This is an adaptation of a Broadway musical (that was adapted from a novel), which is important context just in case you didn't know this is a musical. So if you're still reading this, prepare yourself for a musical executed at the highest level. Yes, the singing, dancing and visuals are great, but there’s also a story that brings everything together for deep impact.
Being transported to The Land of Oz requires help from visual effects, and director Jon M. Chu executes the look well. The makeup and costume departments deserve their flowers. Elphaba's green skin could have easily had a cheap gimmicky look, but it worked to enhance her character. Everything from Glindas (vast) wardrobe to the clothes of the citizens of Emerald City felt immersive and authentic.
When you adapt one of the most successful and beloved Broadway musicals ever, you need to have a stacked cast that can deliver the goods. Mr. Chu understood that and made sure there wasn’t a slouch in the entire ensemble. Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda) don't just own every musical number, they are delightful in every scene. Grande's over-the-top-try-hard Glinda is charming and hilarious, and surprised us with some of the most moving moments in the film. And is Jeff Goldblum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) even capable of giving a poor performance?
Many musical adaptations have relied on a superstar cast and the coattails of the musical in absence of a compelling story, but Wicked is exactly what you want in a musical. A story that takes you out of your everyday and into an alternative world with relatable characters in relatable tensions that makes us feel and give meaning to the lives and worlds we return to after the end credits roll. World-class singing, fun dance numbers with excellent choreography, and characters we really care about.
Half of our group had either seen the Broadway play or read the book, and the other half had no previous knowledge of the Wicked world, and everyone enjoyed the movie. It was a packed theater and the energy was buzzing. There wasn't any top-of-the-lungs singing, but there was rapturous applause after a few of the songs. This is what movie theaters are for; find a packed showing and see this one on the big screen.
Watch the trailer here
Small Plots, Big Tangents: Back to Yappin
🎧 Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube
Eric and Josh are back to yappin’.
In this episode, Eric and Josh set out to discuss The Penguin limited series streaming on MAX and Dune: Prophecy, also streaming on MAX. Instead, they went on every side quest possible and discussed everything from Spooky Season recapping to Eric writing speeches to $37 smoothies to small plot movies.
The episode also touches on the joys and emotional weight of movies like 'Perfect Days' and 'A Real Pain,' alongside the influence of actors turned directors like Jesse Eisenberg. They end up discussing The Penguin and Dune: Prophecy. For like 5 minutes. Too Long; Didn’t Listen: Watch The Penguin right now. Dune: Prophecy, the is jury is out. New episodes on Sundays. Tune in with us.
00:00 Popcorn Problems and Smoothie Stories
02:33 Spooky Season Recap
05:04 Horror Movie Highlights
13:37 Small Plot Movies
29:02 Directors Who Started Late
34:42 Reflecting on Success and Authenticity
35:00 Extra Eric
42:24 Public Speaking
49:37 Critiquing Movies with Empathy
54:15 Dune Prophecy
01:01:20 Upcoming Movie Releases and Final Thoughts
Tune in next week for | Moana 2
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DEFYING GRAVITY gave me chills, tears and the largest grin🥹