My Movie Reviews: Oz the Great and Powerful

Oscar "Oz" Diggs (James Franco) and Theodora (Mila Kunis) in Oz the Great and Powerful

Oz the Great and Powerful is a fantasy adventure film directed by Sam Raimi, produced by Joe Roth, and written by David Lindsay-Abaire and Mitchell Kapner.

The film is based on the Oz Series by american author L. Frank Baum and stands as an indirect prequel to the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. It was released on March 8th, 2013.

THE CAST

James Franco as "Oz" Oscar Diggs

Mila Kunis as Theodora / The Wicked Witch of the West

Rachel Weisz as Evanora / The Wicked Witch of the East

Michelle Williams as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South / Annie from Kansas

Zach Braff as Finley / Frank from Kansas

Joey King as China Girl / Wheel-chair bound girl from Kansas

Tony Cox as Knuck

Bill Cobbs as Master Tinker

Abigail Spencer as May from Kansas

Bruce Campbell as A Winkie Guard

SYNOPSIS

Oscar Diggs is a womanizing con artist and magician who travels with a Midwest circus, but he is soon swept away by a tornado that takes him to the Land of Oz. Once there, Oscar is assumed to be the Great Wizard the people have been waiting for, who is to save them from the ways of the Wicked Witch. Oscar knows he isn't the true Wizard, but with the help of Glinda the Good Witch, Finley, China Girl, and the people of Oz, Oscar finds the great man inside of himself in this prequel to the timeless L. Frank Baum series.

TRAILER

MY THOUGHTS

Yes, I know I late, thanks for reminding me (;-D JK). Anyway... wow, that's really all I can say for this one. I have always been a fan of The Wizard of Oz, and if I had to pick a movie I'd like to see before I die, The Wizard of Oz would definitely take the hat. I have been knowing that Disney had planned on doing this film since about 2011, and I was probably one of the first to be extremely excited when the first promotional poster surface online in 2012, see here. Besides that, I have always wanted to do my own adaption to the story myself, so if any other existed, I had to see.

I went on premiere night with a friend who was really a fan of the 1939 MGM film, but she too was very excited about the film (mostly because of James Franco, but anyway). I was slightly nervous that I wouldn't like, since I had seen reviews on the film that weren't very favorable. But I went into it excited and enthusiastic anyway. And I must say, I was impressed. The way they connected and linked things together was almost similar to the way that Gregory Maguire did in his Wicked series. SPOILERS: My favorite scene would have to be when Theodora bit the green apple that killed her heart ache and turned her into the Wicked Witch of the West. It was so powerful, and kind of creepy at the same time. SPOILERS END. Despite that, I wished the film would have explored other traditional aspects of the series, but I guess that's why there may be a sequel? 

The film was a great way to explore the Land of Oz prior to Dorothy's Arrival, and it kept me going all the way through. And the score... hats off to Danny Elfman again for his amazing talent in capturing a scene through music. Oz the Great and Powerful is a GREAT family film and is a nice addition to those die-hards who are Wizard of Oz fanatics (by the way, pun was intended).

That being said, Oz the Great and Powerful gets: ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 Stars

"I don't wanna be a good man, I wanna be a great one!"

My Movie Reviews: Beautiful Creatures

Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich) and Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert) in Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures is a romantic fantasy starring Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert and it is based on the novel Beautiful Creatures of the Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. 

The film was produced by Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Erwin Stoff, David Valdes, and Molly Mickler Smith while the screenplay was writted and directed by Richard Gravenese. It was released February 14th, 2013.

THE CAST

Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan Lawson Wate

Alice Englert as Lena Duchannes

Jeremy Irons as Macon Ravenwood

Viola Davis as Amma

Emmy Rossum as Ridley Duchannes

Thomas Mann as Link

Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lincoln/Sarafine

Margo Martindale as Aunt Del

Eileen Atkins as Emmaline Duchannes (Gramma)

Zoey Deutch as Emily Asher

Kyle Gallner as Larkin Ravenwood

Pruitt Taylor Vince as Mr. Lee

SYNOPSIS

Ethan Wate has been wanting to leave Gatlin, the small southern town he calls home. But when Lena Duchannes, a relative of the town's founding family known as the Ravenwoods, moves into town to live with her uncle, Macon Ravenwood, that changes. He continues to pursue her, feeling a connection with her only to realize that she and her family are Casters, a form of magical beings. The two fall in love with each other and fight to stay together, despite her family's displeasure. But before the fall too deep, she informs him that on her sixteenth birthday, she will be claimed by the light or the dark, due to a curse that has been with the female Casters for centuries. Will she be claimed for the dark or will their love for each other break the curse?

TRAILER

MY THOUGHTS

Wow. Just... wow. Let me start off by saying that I wish it wouldn't have come out on Valentines Day (I absolutely hate the holiday; couples are just too much for me). Besides that, Beautiful Creatures was amazing. I went to see it late on Thursday evening, expecting the theater to be packed for premiere night. To my surprise, I was the first one there and as the movie was starting, the theater wasn't even full. 

Once again, I meant to read the first book completely before the film came out (same thing I tried to do before the first The Hunger Games came out), and a failed yet again; I got close to the end, but still, I wanted to finish it first. I had heard several complaints about the cast choices and minor changes that were made to characters, but the film and the book can't be exactly the same, I think it may have something to do with copyright. The only thing I wish would have been more like the book was Ridley. She did so much more in the book to me, and the lollipop thing was tight.

While watching the film, it almost seemed nostalgic for a moment as I thought about Twilight (2008) when it first came out. Then I realized, that it wasn't like that at all, the acting was SO much better. The way things were connecting throughout the film keep the suspense up and kept my eye glued to the screen the whole time. I was extremely impressed with how the actors and actresses portrayed their characters also, the chemistry and those accents were amazing. I think Emmy Rossum was my favorite (although her screen time was limited). 

SPOILERS: There were I few things that I didn't get. In one of them, Ridley randomly had blonde hair once while showing Link how to magically make a bullet appear in his palm. OK. Cause that was necessary. My favorite scenes were between the dinner table scene when Lena expels Ridley from the dining area, when Ethan and Lena see the curse play itself out in the theater, and when Ethan feels the spell that Lena cast on him to forget about her break and the end and he cries her name. But I decided that above all of them, I had two favorite scenes. The first was when Ridley arrives in Gatlin and seductively introduces herself to Ethan and Link, and the second was Lena and Sarafine's "heart to heart" when Lena's claiming is halted and she goes half light and half dark. SPOILERS END.

The Score was done by my new favorite band, Thenewno2, and I must say, it's F-ing awesome! Despite what the critics and fans are saying so far, I loved Beautiful Creatures, and I look forward the future follow up installments.

I give Beautiful Creatures: ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 Stars

"Which one of you lucky boys is Ethan Wate?"

My Movie Reviews of 2013

Hey Bloggers!!!

I know I've been absent for almost a year now, but I'm coming back! I have been working hard on four novels that I plan to release this year so keep your eyes open ;)

Anyway, I am going back to doing movie reviews again on a regular basis. I know there were several movies I was supposed to do reviews for and I didn't. But to be honest, 2012 was a very stressful year for me. This year its a new year and a new me, I'm not backing down anymore, and I'm not making promises I can't keep. So get ready, 'cause this year is mine, lol.

Below are some movies that I have checked out that interest me and that I will be doing reviews on this year. And as always, if you see a film that interests you and its not on my list, hit me up in a message or in the comment section and I will definitely accommodate you ;)

Here are the films that have definitely got my interest:

Beautiful Creatures

Oz the Great and Powerful

NOTE: All films on list are subject to change without notice :)

Happy New year everyone and may it be extremely awesome for all!