Tag: Wicked

Again, Again! Films I have Re-Watched in 2024

Hi Readers,

After using the app Letterboxd, I started adding up the films I have re-watched this year so I have had this post in the back of my mind to discuss. There are a wide range of genres listed here and many of these films I have not watched for years and wanted to revisit. There are a few, of course, such as Mamma Mia! that I watch at least once a year and Wicked which I re-watched again after a couple of weeks in the cinema as I loved it so much.

2012 (2009)

This film falls into my favourite sub-genre of film: natural disaster films. This one certainly is a disaster with practically the whole world ending and our heroes racing to find an escape. Through connections, John Cusack’s character discovers arcs designed to survive the extinction level events and with his family and ex-wife’s new partner, they journey to survive. It’s a race against time across America and the world as a whole. The group meet various characters along the way, both friends and foes.

I last watched this film a few years ago and enjoyed it at the time but there’s something about 2000s visual effects and plot lines that is so different to the films of the 2020s. The family themselves are likeable and even the characters that you are supposed to dislike, have redeemable qualities. The film itself is a wider commentary on the uber-rich in the US and further afield. Should only those who can afford it, deserve to survive?

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

This was my first re-watch since seeing it at the cinema and it was on a projector so felt similar to the big cinema experience. I enjoyed the film as much as the first time but knowing what happens did take a little of the drama and jeopardy away. Still a fun film and I enjoyed the makeover of the genre to make it more up to date in terms of attitudes but also the technology and visual spectacle.

Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? (2023)

This film is such a cosy watch and the dilemmas of the teenage protagonists feel very relatable despite the film being set in the 1970s. I first saw this film at an outdoor cinema so watching it at home was a different experience. I think this is a film that I could revisit every year or so as on the whole, its very re-watchable with a great cast and nostalgic themes in terms of the period setting and also reminding you of how it feels to be a pre-teen and all the issues that one worries about.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

I wanted to re-watch after hearing about the sequel (the musical on the West End is now playing too) and I loved the fashion and characters but of course, some of the dialogue and attitudes towards dieting culture are outdated.

I’ve seen people comment that Nate is the real villain of the story because he doesn’t like that Andy is more successful than him but I think the societal pressure on women to be high-flying career women while juggling a long-term relationship, motherhood, friendships and quality time with yourself is the real enemy.

Nate was very supportive of Andy but he thought her industry was not as important as his and therefore never saw her career as more important than their relationship or events with their friends. Andy began to see the importance of her industry and enjoyed working in the exciting, evolving world of fashion in NYC even if it was not her true passion.

Miranda was a stern character but to be successful as a woman even in a female-focused industry required more of her attention than she was prepared to give her husband. He also did not appreciate the benefits that her career and lifestyle in fashion offered.

It will be interesting to see how the magazine industry will be presented in the sequel with Emily being in a powerful role and Miranda’s legacy fading into an increasingly digital world.

Life (2017)

I watched most of this film on a plane years ago when it was new and I might have finished it at some point but this year was when I properly sat down and watched it all. I enjoyed it but I think it wasn’t anything too dissimilar to other space jeopardy films. The humour and alien foe added something but what I think made it enjoyable was the cast. Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal had good on-screen chemistry while Rebecca Ferguson and the other actors provided more of the dramatic acting. During press, Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal got along really well and that came through on screen. I would like to see them in a film together again.

I don’t think I would watch this one again but I am glad I was able to sit down and watch it all through.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

This was originally going to be an honourable mention but of course I ended up re-watching it as I tend to do every year. My family have seen it many times since it originally came out. We like the music of ABBA and the cast and story work really well together. The summer setting gives it a great warm feeling and brings some sun to the winter. I love all the songs and while there are a lot of older themes in the film, it doesn’t feel too intense or adult and everyone can enjoy it. I do also like the second film but nothing beats the original. I have heard a third film is in the works so it will be interesting to see how they do that film, especially as interest in ABBA has had a resurgence with their hologram show in London.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

I re-watched this film so myself and my family could go and see the new one in cinemas. I saw the first in the cinema and enjoyed it. I have not actually seen the original Ghostbusters films so it was interesting to see it rebooted for a new generation. The cast were good and of course the visual effects and plot were updated so watching the originals may not be as impressive as they were in the 1980s. I liked the inclusion of a female Ghostbuster and that the girl character was the nerd and the older brother was trying to be popular as it is often the other way around.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)

I actually watched this over a couple of days simply because it is very long. I saw it first at the cinema and it was a great experience and I wanted to re-watch when it became available on streaming. There were some extra songs that were not included in the cinema release and it was cool to be able to relive the concert in my own living room. This tour has been widely talked about and I hope that a new version is released including the Tortured Poets Department section of the show. I did not get to see the concert in person but the quality and camera angles of the filmed version were so good that I think I would be disappointed in person especially if I had to sit far away.

Bros (2022)

I first saw this film at the BFI Film Festival and I enjoyed it but the story was a little more complex than the average rom-com with Billy Eichner wanting to make it more authentic to the gay experience. Watching it again helped to put it together in my head and I tried to focus more on the humour and the characters than the plot and the on and off nature of the relationship. The film is the first adult gay rom-com to have the big studio backing and it is surprising that it took so long. They did sanitise it a little to appeal to wider audiences but there were plenty of gay experiences and references shown if a little exaggerated. I liked that the lead characters were gay in real life as it gave more reality to the story.

Wicked (2024)

Of course this film has been talked about widely since it came out with many audience members going to see it multiple times. I am included in this and I wanted to see it again as I loved the film and the scenes and songs. It will definitely be great to re-watch once it hits streaming but the spectacle of the film is really felt on the big screen. The second time, I knew the plot so I tried to focus more on the backgrounds and the little details but there is so much visually and aurally to take in, I think it would take a few more re-watches to fully appreciate everything. This film has set a new boundary of what can be achieved in the industry and I am excited to see what arrives next to try and compete with this film. The second film has been announced as coming out in November 2025 and I am eager to see what happens next and how it is presented.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Wicked: Long Awaited Adaptation makes Magical Silver Screen Debut

Hi Readers,

Anyone who is into musical theatre will have heard of or even seen the musical of Wicked on the stage either on the West End where it currently plays at the Apollo Victoria Theatre or its runs on Broadway and regional theatres around the world.

It tells an untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West when she was just Elphaba and Galinda who becomes the Good Witch of the North. We see the two start as enemies and slowly become friends at Shiz University, long before Dorothy and Toto landed in Oz. The novel that the musical was based on was published by Gregory Maguire in 1995 and based on the original Wonderful Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 film.

The film adaptation of Wicked has been in the works since 2012 and was finally released by Universal in November this year. Actors Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have made headlines for their stunning performances, live vocals and sweet friendship. They have been a part of a few viral moments in the press such as Ariana holding onto Cynthia’s nail and a reporter asking them about ‘holding space for Defying Gravity’, the song at the end of the film.

The film has just received 4 Golden Globe nominations including for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in their roles.

Wicked (2024)

As a musical fan myself, I was very excited to finally see Wicked brought to life on screen. I went to see the film twice with different people as I felt a need to watch it again and take in the spectacle. The production design, visual effects, costumes, props, acting and singing were all outstanding and really put other films to shame with the quality and imagination that went into the creation.

I particularly loved the inclusion of visual effects in the promo of the film with the Visual Effects Supervisor, Pablo Helman and other department members being included in interviews as well as blue screens being visible in promo released for the film. There was a lot of practical and special effects which are to be commended. As someone who has worked on visual effects it was great to see it mentioned when many other films try to hide their use of CGI or VFX.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were perfectly cast for their roles and embodied Elphaba and Galinda with all their mannerisms and tone. Galinda had a great amount of snark and humour as well as being snooty and well-liked. Elphaba was quiet but stood up for the animals and her sister. She takes pride in her talents but feels Galinda and Fiyero are over the top. I love that Elphaba comes from the initials of the author: LFB ( El-ph-buh).

There were so many references to the Wizard of Oz film such as Galinda giving Elphaba her iconic black witch’s hat and cloak. Nessarose wears special silver shoes. The iconic ruby red slippers that Dorothy wears are silver in the original books and Galinda has some red slippers in her closet. When in the Emerald City with the Wizard, Galinda (now Glinda) suggests the Brick Road should be yellow as it is in the Wizard of Oz. We see Glinda visit the Munchkins at the beginning which is actually after the events of the Wizard of Oz film when the Witch has melted.

The songs were a highlight of the film and both Ariana and Cynthia sang live. All of the songs were really amazing with elaborate dance routines and montages and a host of background artists. My favourite songs include: What is This Feeling? where Galinda and Elphaba sing about their loathing for each other after being put in the same room at Shiz; The Wizard and I: Elphaba’s big solo number where she hopes that her life will turn around when meeting the Wizard and of course the finale number, Defying Gravity where Elphaba sings about becoming her true self and not letting anything hold her back anymore featuring Glinda trying to persuade her to stay and prove her innocence.

I am excited to hear the songs in Wicked: Part Two. I have seen the full play on the West End but I don’t remember the songs or much of the story. Hopefully, it will be as magical as the first film.

The ensemble cast all did a great job rounding out the film and I am glad to see people from musical theatre backgrounds get a chance such as Ethan Slater and having wheelchair users play Nessarose both as a child and as the older version was a win for disabled actors. Nessarose becomes the Wicked Witch of the East so I am interested to see how she turns ‘wicked’ as her character is sweet and caring in the first film.

Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero is a character I look forward to seeing more of in the sequel. He has strong charisma and in the film manages to have chemistry with basically every character regardless of gender which was great to see even in a PG as being not just heterosexual shouldn’t be something relegated to more adult themed films.

Overall, I loved the film of Wicked and seeing it on the big screen was a great way to watch it. Next year, hopefully they will be showing double bills with the sequel as it would be great to watch them back to back especially as they were shot in succession. Until then, I will be listening to the soundtrack.

Happy Watching,

Robyn