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Oz the Great and Powerful
I went off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!
It is hard to create a prequel to something as iconic as the Wizard of Oz. Despite the low budget and cheesy animation, the original still remains a classic. So Disney had quite a task before them. Although the film is flawed, it is a fun and enjoyable prequel to the beloved film.
The star cast is stellar. James Franco is a lovable scoundrel as the conniving trickster Oz. He carries on the role with style and panache. Michelle Williams is ideally suited for the role of Glinda. Rachel Weisz is brilliant as a wicked witch. Her acting and expressions are awesome. But the revelation in this film is Mila Kunis. She pulls of a stunner and proves that she is not just a pretty face.
Of course the best part of the film is the animation and special effects. Disney did a great job with 3D. This is the kind of film that comes alive with 3D technology. And to be honest, I actually enjoyed the classic old school 35 mm black and white scenes in 3D. I think they need to make a 35 mm black and white 3d film. The transition from black and white to color was stunningly done.
The script is a bit slow and jarred, but flows well. There are many references to the original Oz film, so keep an eye and ear out. There is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor like China Town and the sequences with China girl. There is also the statutory quick blink and miss Wisconsin reference, two if you count the "moo".
Overall a fun film.
8/10
PS: I had a hard time keeping my Wicked fanaticism in check. It is so hard to forget about Glinda and Elphaba.
We are Wisconsin
It is a documentary and politics as usual, so it may not be everyone's cup of tea. It is free to stream Mar 7 to 11, so I watched it this weekend. I was part of the protests and spent many weekends at the capital. So watching this was a surreal re-experience of history I had been part of. I think the documentary is very well done. It captures the time line, the spirit of the people, and the key issues behind the Wisconsin uprising.
As a liberal, this touches my bleeding blue heart and makes it bleed more blue. It also makes me realize why I love Mad Town so much and won't budge.
As a pragmatic, they don't flesh out the facts and issues as well as they could have. They gloss over many details. They don't build the relevance and explain perspectives. Conservatives will find it hard to buy and swallow - because it doesn't try to appeal to them.
7/10
Watch it if you're interested in US politics, liberal issues and WI.
I went off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!
It is hard to create a prequel to something as iconic as the Wizard of Oz. Despite the low budget and cheesy animation, the original still remains a classic. So Disney had quite a task before them. Although the film is flawed, it is a fun and enjoyable prequel to the beloved film.
The star cast is stellar. James Franco is a lovable scoundrel as the conniving trickster Oz. He carries on the role with style and panache. Michelle Williams is ideally suited for the role of Glinda. Rachel Weisz is brilliant as a wicked witch. Her acting and expressions are awesome. But the revelation in this film is Mila Kunis. She pulls of a stunner and proves that she is not just a pretty face.
Of course the best part of the film is the animation and special effects. Disney did a great job with 3D. This is the kind of film that comes alive with 3D technology. And to be honest, I actually enjoyed the classic old school 35 mm black and white scenes in 3D. I think they need to make a 35 mm black and white 3d film. The transition from black and white to color was stunningly done.
The script is a bit slow and jarred, but flows well. There are many references to the original Oz film, so keep an eye and ear out. There is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor like China Town and the sequences with China girl. There is also the statutory quick blink and miss Wisconsin reference, two if you count the "moo".
Overall a fun film.
8/10
PS: I had a hard time keeping my Wicked fanaticism in check. It is so hard to forget about Glinda and Elphaba.
We are Wisconsin
It is a documentary and politics as usual, so it may not be everyone's cup of tea. It is free to stream Mar 7 to 11, so I watched it this weekend. I was part of the protests and spent many weekends at the capital. So watching this was a surreal re-experience of history I had been part of. I think the documentary is very well done. It captures the time line, the spirit of the people, and the key issues behind the Wisconsin uprising.
As a liberal, this touches my bleeding blue heart and makes it bleed more blue. It also makes me realize why I love Mad Town so much and won't budge.
As a pragmatic, they don't flesh out the facts and issues as well as they could have. They gloss over many details. They don't build the relevance and explain perspectives. Conservatives will find it hard to buy and swallow - because it doesn't try to appeal to them.
7/10
Watch it if you're interested in US politics, liberal issues and WI.
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