So yesterday me and my family went and saw the new movie “Oz The Great and Powerful“. We’ve been waiting for this movie for a year. I remember the first time Rob and I saw the previews for it probably over a year ago, sitting there waiting for our movie to start when on the big screen comes visions of Oz, (a place I’ve always secretly wanted to go to). The colors were stunning, the story looked amazing. I remember thinking I really hoped they didn’t mess up the story line too much, because frankly the original Wizard of Oz is a sheer performance of perfection to me. Everything about the original movie is well, perfect. The story pulls you in, the characters get into your heart and you just sit spell bound through the entire movie. At least the first time you see it I should say. I guess you need to be a little older too to appreciate it too. The young’uns today have been spoiled by all the amazing special effects and don’t realize just how far advanced The Wizard of Oz truly was. Now granted I’m not old enough to remember it coming out in the theaters, but I am old enough to remember waiting all year for the once a year showing on TV! The family all gathered around the boob tube and spent a couple of hours being amazed all over again. I’m telling you all this for a reason so just stick with me here.
Now I’m not going to spoil the movie plot for you, and if any of you have seen the original then you know none of the witches die in this one because 2 of them do in the Original and since this is a prequel to it then yeah.. they can’t die.. So no big spoiler there. All I’m going to say about the story line is I was very impressed that they really did a great job sticking with the original story line. It explains to you where Oscar (the Wizard) comes from and how he gets to Oz. It ties in how the witches were there and how Theodora turns completely evil and why water kills her. It explains why they become so afraid of the Wizard himself. It truly is a very well written story and I feel it did justice to the original. I was glad to see that it stuck to the story and didn’t try to re-write it to something totally different and unrecognizable. The colors were truly amazing (something that just truly sucks me in everytime.. I can’t pass up Nemo when it’s on because of the colors), the backgrounds are amazing. I loved the emerald and ruby flowers, just beautiful. As much as I like the little china doll in it she was kinda of not needed. I mean it’s one of those things that no where in the original are there people made of china. Still, it was cute and it was cute when the sign pointed to China Town and when they get there it’s totally not what your thinking. So even though she wasn’t needed, she was a nice addition. Oh.. I forgot to tell you this story also explains why the lion is cowardly and how the scarecrow is around. Not how the scarecrow come’s to life or anything, but how he is around.
Finley and China Girl are in almost every scene in this movie
A little bit of info for you if your going to see it, the girl who does the voice for China Girl is also in the movie! She plays the girl in the wheelchair in the beginning asking Oscar to make her walk. He tells her he can’t.. but later on… 🙂 I’ll let you see.
I think that frankly James Franco over played the part a bit, Mila Kunis (whom I love) didn’t quite hit the mark either. Rachel Wiesz and Michelle Williams were perfect fits. I was disappointed in the witches costumes. The dresses were not flattering and what the hell is up with this hat..
That whole outfit kinda made me think, wtf ! I means shes’ got on skin tight black leather pants, spiked heeled black leather boots, a white shirt and then this jacket and outrageously over-sized hat. I gotta say I liked her better after her transformation!
Overall I was left with a feeling of sadness after the movie ended. Sad because it didn’t live up to the hype they made over it and honestly the hype I built up in myself. This is why I try very hard to never hype up movies in my own mind. I’m always left disappointed. I will give this movie 5 stars in the background and imagining for it. I will give it 4 stars on the story line. Sadly a 3 on costumes (even the people of the Emerald City didn’t look like they should). It is a good movie, and one I will buy to add to my collection but I think it was just lacking something. Some pizzazz or something.
The Wizard of Oz as pictured in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Shanpagne's World 