Wicked

Author(s): Al
Location: NY

“Wicked"

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron
Written by Michael Chabon and Winnie Holzman
Cinematography by Phillippe Rousselot
Edited by Alfonso Cuaron
Costumes by Susan Hilferty
Score by James Newton Howard

Principal Cast:

Elphaba: Idina Menzel
Glinda Upland: Kristen Chenoweth
The Wizard: Robin Williams
Fiyero: Adam Pascal
Madame Morrible: Shirley MacLaine
Nessarose: Katharine McPhee
Boq: Hunter Foster
Dr. Dillamond: Alan Rickman

Tagline: "So much happened before Dorothy dropped in”

Synopsis: It all begins one night in Oz, when the wife of Munchkinland's governor has a tryst with a mysterious stranger who gives her a "green elixir" to drink. The child of this affair is born with green skin and named Elphaba. When the governor's wife is pregnant again, he makes her take special drugs to ensure the next baby won't turn out green, but the drugs make Elphaba's new sister Nessarose a paraplegic and kill her mother in childbirth. The governor blames Elphaba for the rest of her childhood, and sends Nessarose to Shiz University, a sorcery school. Elphaba is sent along only to care for Nessa as she has done all her life, but extraordinary magical powers are found inside her by her lecherous headmistress Madame Morrible, who hints to Elphaba that her powers could bring her to the very top; the Wizard of Oz. Elphaba has a huge desire to work alongside the Wizard, believing he will see her for who she truly is beyond her skin.

Elphaba's roommate is Glinda Upland, the snooty head of the popular clique. She and her friends reject and ridicule Elphaba. One day, a new student arrives: Fiyero, a rebellious prince who takes a liking to Glinda. Glinda urges Boq, a nerdy Munchkin who is smitten with her, to invite Nessarose to the dance in order to keep him away from her. Nessarose quickly falls in love with Boq. At the dance, Glinda finds out that Elphaba has insisted that she be included in Morrible's sorcery seminar, and the two become best friends. Things seem to be going Elphaba's way until one day in history class, Dr. Dillamond, an Animal (a talking, anthropomorphic animal) is taken away by police, screaming that they "aren't being told the whole story" about the systematic racism the Animals are experiencing. Elphaba and Fiyero bond over caring for a lion cub they rescue from their sadistic new teacher, and she realizes that Fiyero is actually quite sensitive. They begin to develop feelings for each other. Finally, the day comes for Elphaba to meet the Wizard. She and Glinda go to the Emerald City, where The Wizard tests Elphaba's magic. Elphaba realizes that he has no real powers and is just using her. She also finds out that the Wizard is the one who has been organizing the repression of the Animals. She leaves on a levitating broomstick, as Glinda chooses to stay behind and let the Wizard make her dreams come true.

A few years later, Glinda, Morrible, and Fiyero all are government officials, and Glinda and Fiyero, who is no longer as carefree as he used to be, become engaged. Rumors continue to fly about Elphaba, who the government has labeled the "Wicked Witch of the West" in an effort to pacify her anti-Wizard message. Nessarose has taken her father's throne, become a cold-hearted tyrant, "The Wicked Witch of the East" and enslaved Boq. Will Glinda find the strength to do what is right? Will Elphaba defeat the Wizard? Will these two friends ever see each other again? In this witty, potent adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, we learn that so much happened in Oz…before Dorothy ever dropped in.

What the press would say:

We all know the classic story of The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy flies in on a tornado, goes to see the Wizard, bla bla bla. But in 1995, the creative mind of Gregory Maguire gave us "Wicked", a book which suggested that there was a lot more to the story than we thought. Then in 2003, the hit book was transformed into a hit Broadway musical that still sells out theaters to this day. And now, from film to spin-off book to musical and now to film, the story of "Wicked" has come full circle. Under the direction of Alfonso Cuaron, the movie isn't just a fantastic spectacle-it's a wonderfully acted story about love, friendship, transcendence, prejudice…and even politics. You see, Robin Williams' hilariously flamboyant and malicious figurehead The Wizard of Oz is, at times, a dead ringer for our own President. The prejudice towards the Animals is terrifying but also mirrors racism in our world, and the friendship that blooms between Elphaba and Glinda is real, touching, and funny, all thanks to a magnificent screenplay by Michael Chabon and the musical's original writer, Winnie Holzman. Cuaron has had some experience with special effects in the past (see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), he also shows his ability to bring out the human side in anyone and anything, while still keeping a suspenseful plot going.

Though the show was eye-popping, there were always some aspects that we knew would have been much cooler with the technical trickery of the movies. Elphaba's show-stopping "Defying Gravity" is so much more potent when she's actually flying, and same with the flying monkeys. Alan Rickman's anthropomorphic goat head is surprisingly realistic. Rickman actually gives a credible and sympathetic performance behind his mostly computer-generated face, which is a real challenge. Speaking of performances, there's a plethora of great ones in this movie. In addition to the great comic performance by Robin Williams (who knew he had those pipes) we also have a deliciously evil performance by Shirley MacLaine (also featuring great pipes) and a fun performance by Adam Pascal (from "Rent") as the idealistic Fiyero-and the love interest of both girls. Katharine McPhee, of "American Idol" fame, is also extraordinary as Elphaba's spoiled sister, Nessarose. Her naïve, but later on cold and calculating performance is one of the best debuts I've seen in a very, very long time.

But now we're on to the absolute stars of this movie, Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. Menzel plays Elphaba, the heart and soul of the movie. Her performance is heart-rending and her singing is magnificent. It's easy to see why she won a Tony, for this role shows magnificent range and a quiet dignity not seen in many actresses these days. I'm hoping this great performance can take her all the way to the Oscars. Then, there's Kristen Chenoweth, put in the Supporting category so both girls have a shot. Her dippy, snooty Glinda in the first half is hilarious and musical comedy acting at it's best, but in the second act, her talent really comes through. As Glinda begins to question the life she's chosen and the two people closest to her betray her, we see the true side of Glinda. Chenoweth is especially moving in the song "Thank Goodness", as despite her misfortune, she tells the citizens of Oz "I couldn't be happier" and then proceeds to reflect on the choices she's made in tears. I wouldn't at all be surprised if these two ladies brought home 2 golden boys on Oscar night…and I'd be absolutely thrilled, as I'm sure most of the film and Broadway world would.

All in all, "Wicked" is a special-effects extravaganza, but also a masterfully directed and acted human story with great songs. I'd definitely say that it's one of the best movie musicals ever, and it may even orchestrate the long-awaited comeback of the movie musical (that "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls" were supposed to deliver) with its blockbuster nature. This film is so good, it's "defying gravity"! And I made it through the whole review with only one song-title pun.

Best Picture
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Best Adapted Screenplay: Michael Chabon and Winnie Holzman
Best Actress: Idina Menzel
Best Supporting Actress: Kristen Chenoweth
Best Supporting Actress: Katharine McPhee
Best Supporting Actor: Robin Williams
Best Cinematography: Phillipe Rousselot
Best Film Editing: Alfonso Cuaron
Best Makeup
Best Visual Effects
Best Art Direction
Best Costumes: Susan Hilferty
Best Original Score: James Newton Howard
Best Original Song(s): "As Night Falls"-Kristen Chenoweth, "Powerful"-Robin Williams, "Talent"-Shirley MacLaine, Kristen Chenoweth, and Idina Menzel