Wicked

Unless you’ve lived under a rock since 2006, you’ve heard of the musical Wicked, the origin story of Elphaba/The Wicked Witch of the West. Well for those under that rock, you learn she and Glinda didn’t just go to school together but were friends. That friendship is tested after a meeting with the Wizard of Oz and the rest as they say, is history. The Broadway legend Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba and very blonde Ariana Grande plays Glinda. The director, Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In The Heights), decided to split the production into two movies. This movie is the first act and the second will come out in November 2025. So we have a year-long intermission! Antony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) plays the main love interest Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh the main teacher of sorcery, and Jeff Goldblum is the Wizard.

Well, there’s very little I could say that will do it justice. This was a wonderful movie. I’ve seen the musical and listened to the songs but it’s another thing to see it in a colorful and dynamic way. Grande rose to the occasion and proved she could sing, dance and act. Erivo was an excellent choice for this role and her chemistry with Grande is remarkable. There are apparently discrepancies between the Broadway version and this but none of it bothered me and I personally like it when there’s a fresh take on a classic. It’s a little less than three hours so be ready to sit but it’s worth it. I was mentally prepared to be surrounded by musical theater kids who would treat it like a singalong but was pleasantly surprised that no one did and I could hear the movie. This would be a great pick for the family this holiday season!

Rating: 5/5