Directed by: Sam Raimi
Written by: Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire
Rating:4.5/5 Unicorns
Now that the Oscar Season has passed it is time to return back to basics. I am still catching up on films that came out last year but I still found time to watch the first blockbuster of the year. Oz the Great and Powerful tells the tale of Oscar Diggs( James Franco) a small time circus magician who gets transported to the magical Land of Oz. He meets up with Theodora(Mila Kunis) who is convinced he is the great wizard destined to save Oz. In order to fulfill the prophecy he must kill the wicked witch.
In no means is Oz the Great and Powerful a great movie. It is not a film that inspired me or blew my mind; however, I absolutely loved it. I thoroughly enjoyed the cinematography, visual effects and art direction in this film. It was just an absolutely beautiful treat for the eyes. I loved how the film began in black and white and only became in color once Oscar entered Oz. Once again Danny Elfman did a fantastic job on the film's score. I also have to mention that Mariah Carey sings the theme song for the film entitled Almost Home. It really embodies the feel of the film. Unfortunately, you do not hear the song until the very end of the end credits. In terms of pacing, I thought the film had a great pace. There were no sections I felt dragged on or were too short. It was fun to see the origins of the characters we loved in The Wizard of Oz.
I thought the casting was on point. I thought James Franco did a great job at portraying Oscar and his transformation to the Wizard of Oz. On a superficial note he really is a good looking guy. Rachel Weisz was incredible as Evanora and Michelle Williams was breathtaking as Glinda the Good. I thought Mila Kunis did a good job as well. I felt her character arc was actually quite sad. The movie was really funny mostly because of Finley( voiced by Zach Braff) the flying monkey. Overall, Oz the Great and Powerful was a fun and sweet treat. It gets my seal of approval.
