Wicked: Part 1 Review

I saw Wicked: Part 1 on November 23, 2024! I have always been fascinated by the world of Oz. My mother was the one who introduced me and my brothers to this incredible world with the 1939 MGM Classic, and I never lost my fondness for it and anything Oz related. When I found out there was a musical called Wicked coming out on Broadway, I was excited as it was going to be based on the incredible book by Gregory Maguire, which is a favorite of mine. My favorite character of all time is the Wicked Witch of the West, and, naturally, much like the book, this musical was going to focus on her side of the story, and how misunderstood she's always been. I remember the first time seeing it enamored with the creative storytelling and perspective that created an even more immersive world to enjoy. There is so much narrative storytelling throughout along with one of the best musical soundtracks you'll find. This movie adaptation was adept at bringing the book and the stage to the screen in such a spectacular manner that allowed the audience to feel everything. Jon M. Chu did a remarkable job capturing every nook and cranny of what makes this such a special piece of pop culture. Oz is a world that bonds generations both young and old, and I think Chu's presentation of this remarkable musical really builds that to a crescendo throughout here.

Essentially, much like the musical, Wicked is split into two acts, or parts. Act 1 is covered in this installment, and we look at the backstory of Elphaba, growing up being ostracized by everybody around her simply because of what she looked like. Nobody bothered to learn about the great person she is underneath. I think Cynthia Erivo is superb as Elphaba! She captured the vulnerability, clever wit, and underlying confidence inside her so brilliantly. She nailed the mood and tone of each moment of her movements and dialogue. The green tone used blended so well on screen with the rest of Chu's interpretation of Oz, as well as the darker wardrobe choices. Her black dress and boots have a subtle hint of dark purple in them, which said a lot. It says that while she is put in a figurative bubble by everybody around her, causing her to appear as the black sheep so to speak, there is a light beaming within her that will fuel her to greatness. Erivo conveys that emotional pain and anguish into each lyric of her songs. Her voice was exceptional as it matched so well with the initial composition of the notes. Her ability to bring that emotion to Elphaba on the big screen was astounding to witness. Elphaba is the heart of Oz, and everything considered bad about it is thrust upon her, but the audience knows the truth, and she will fight to protect Oz, her friends, and her family. She might be wicked, but she's certainly not evil! 

Green looks great, but it looks even better when it's paired with pink. Yes, Elphaba is the main focus of the story, but it wouldn't be complete without Galinda/Glinda. Her bubbly, vibrant personality is such a great contrast to Elphaba. Her bright, pink attire is beautiful, and apropos for Glinda's sunny disposition. I thought Ariana Grande was magnificent as Glinda. She was such an exceptional casting choice for this role. I've been a big fan of her ever since she was Cat Valentine on Victorious, and I always thought if they ever made a Wicked movie, she'd be great in the role, and here we are, and she completely took the ball and ran with it. She conveyed everything about what and who Glinda in such vivid detail, while also adding more likability to her as well throughout the movie. Her apparent love for everything about Wicked was felt in everything she did. Grande was highly entertaining in every scene she was in, whether it was the delivery of her dialogue, or her physical comedy moments. Her hair flip was legitimately funny, and it was all about the timing in all of it whether she's bond with Elphaba, flirting with Fiyero, or just being the social butterfly she is.

There are so many incredible scenes in Act 1, but I think the scene that had me feeling the most emotionally was the Ozdust Ball. In the stage musical, the scene is very good, but I think the movie added so much to it. Elphaba dancing by herself being mocked and ridiculed by those around her, only for Glinda to join her and match her Dancing Through Life movements forming an unbreakable bond hit me. There was something so beautiful about it. Erivo's tears and Grande's eyes and genuine smile sold the whole scene so well. Chu's direction captured everything that this musical truly is about at it's core through this scene. It's a movie about friendship and acceptance above all else, and everything came together in this moment. The Defying Gravity finale was brilliant as well. Defying Gravity is one of my all time favorite songs, and everything this song means even beyond Oz is presented in such brilliant detail through each lyric. 

Along with the performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the movie boasts great supporting performances from Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Marissa Bode as NessaRose, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, brilliant set designs of Shiz University and the Emerald City, beautiful colorful tulip landscapes, practical effects and sets that added a more personal element to the story, excellent make-up, costumes, fun cameos from Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, and of course the incredible soundtrack. Everything about this movie delivered, and is a great example of why Wicked is so beloved! 

Geek Girl Review

Normally, I use this blog to discuss movies, but sometimes there are television shows that I enjoy so much that I feel they warrant a formal review, and such is the case with Geek Girl! For a while, Netflix had been suggesting this title for me for quite some time, and given that I am a fan of several movies and shows from this genre, I decided to check it out. Geek Girl is easily the most refreshing entry into the genre in years, and a show where I found each episode to perfectly connect the overall story arc, while also demonstrating astute character development, and overall excitement. The story follows the adventures of our self professed "geek", Harriet Manners as she traverses between her "normal" life at Hollyridge Secondary School and her sudden thrust into stardom as a model in the glamorous, yet intense world of fashion predominantly set in my favorite city, London. 

For a story like this to work, your protagonist needs to be likable and has your audience rooting for them. From the first frame of Episode 1 to the last frame of Episode 10, Emily Carey's performance as Harriet Manners presents a character that is quirky, awkward, hilarious, intelligent and lovable. It's a phenomenal performance, and one of the better female performances I've seen in a while. I really love this character, and Emily's performance is the biggest reason why. She's so much fun in this role. We watch her grow from her timidity into a courageous spirit that was always brimming inside her. She deals with unfair judgment all around her at school and in her new surroundings. Even with negative energy directed at her, the show has such an incredible, positive vibe to it. It becomes a very feel good story that has you shedding happy tears by the end. Emily commands the direction of the story, and in the process becomes a five star general creating something unique that begs for more stories from this character. I am a Harriet Manners fan! She absolutely rocks! She's easy to like! She has her haters like the envious Poppy, the former model trying to hold on to relevance in Jude Paignton and the ghastly trio of Lexi and the Olives, but she is able to turn the tables on all of them and show everybody how amazing Harriet Manners truly is! 

There are great supporting characters in this show as well such as Nick Park, who is an extremely likable male character 100% of the time, and that's impressive as usually that isn't the case with most movies or shows, but he's legitimately a good guy. He treats Harriet right, has a great moral conscience and has a mindset that connects to Harriet naturally. The chemistry between Emily Carey and Liam Woodrum is excellent. It feels natural between them. There's a little spark there. Harriet's smitten with Nick, but Nick's definitely smitten with her. What's great about the romantic subplot is that there's such an innocence to it. The scenes between them whether it's at a picnic, a museum or a photoshoot are so cute. The chemistry jumps off the screen between the actors and the characters at the same time creating that magical symbiosis that movies and television shows strive for. They nail it at every turn, and it's one of the best aspects of the show. 

Other great characters such as Harriet's best friend, Nat, and her parents Richard and Annabell add to the story of who Harriet is at her core. I love how much Harriet treasures her relationship with Nat. She is more like a sister to her. The importance of the heart necklace symbolizes so much about not only their friendship, but the trajectory of Harriet's journey. Her connection to her father Richard is great. He is still young at heart and likes to have fun, whereas Annabell keeps everybody grounded. At the same time showing her ability to open up and let loose once in a while was great to see as the family dynamic grows stronger over the course of the show. On the other side of the story, you knew there would be fun fashion characters, and one of the biggest show stealers is Emmanuel Imani's Wilbur. He is so flamboyant and charismatic at every turn. He genuinely takes care of Harriet and tries to protect her from the toxicity that can definitely flow from fame, and more importantly never falters on his belief in her. I also thought Sandra Yi Sencindiver's Yuji Lee was incredible. The aura around her character is impressive, and her performance is enigmatic, demonstrating a true authenticity of the designers in the industry. The importance of her character helps the fashion side of the story to develop further. Both sides of the story are crafted brilliantly converging into a satisfying conclusion. 

The fashion aspects of this show are astounding. The clothes, the hair, the make-up, the set designs, as well as the overall theatricality of it all are magnificent. I'd just like to point out along with Emily Carey's other incredible attributes she provides for Harriet, it must be stated that she is absolutely gorgeous. She has such a natural beautiful look, an effervescence about her that allows her to really deliver in the fashion scenes. I love her scenes at the perfume shoot, especially, but she just makes each of these scenes her own, and she looks amazing through all of it. She pops off the screen and proves that she can do this and balance it all. She's a gorgeous geek, and we're all here for it!  Also, she never loses track of who she is. She remains the grounded, lovable girl we meet at the beginning of the show. She has a support system that keeps her marching on, even when she wants to retreat herself. She finds that fire inside her and shows the world that Harriet Manners indeed matters! 

Helmed by an excellent lead performance by Emily Carey, Geek Girl adds a jolt to the romantic comedy genre that is sorely needed. It's a story filled with self-discovery, fashionistas and future paleontologists. Harriet Manners is finding out more about herself on a daily basis, much like all of us are. While her story is fantastical, it's also grounded in a way to help us all realize we're all capable of more. Harriet Manners is the protagonist romantic comedies have been looking for. I am looking forward to more adventures from this character and this world, because it's such a feel good story that has you invested in every step of the journey, and that's something not easily attained in this age of television. GO HARRIET MANNERS!