Wicked: For Good

"For a while there, I thought you changed."

"I have changed."

Elphaba Throbb (Erivo) is notorious throughout Oz.  Her green skin stands out and she is publicly labeled the Wicked Witch of the West.  After learning the truth about the Wizard of Oz (Goldblum), she vows to end the lies.  However, that task is made harder by the propaganda spread by the Wizard's Press Secretary, Madame Morrible (Yeoh).  She is hunted by the Wizard's guards and flying monkeys, and feared by everyone else.

Meanwhile, the Wizard and Madame Morrible maneuver behind the scenes to separate Elphaba from her friends.  Glinda Upland (Grande) works for the Wizard and is popular, known as Glinda the Good.  Her beau Fiyero (Bailey) is now the Captain of the Gale Force and tasked to find Elphaba.  Her sister, Nessarose (Bode), is the new Governor of Munchkinland, after the death of their father.  And friend Boq (Slater) continues to pine for Glinda, while working for Nessa.  As the stakes build, who will win in the battle for the good of Oz?

This is part 2 (based on Act 2 of the Broadway musical) of Wicked (2024).  The musical is based on the 1995 novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire.  It also overlaps with "The Wizard of Oz."

The Good:

Cynthia Erivo.  The cast is great, but Erivo stands out.  She has an incredible voice and presence.  Ariana Grande-Butera is also good, with a little more depth than the first film (but still funny).  Erivo and Grande-Butera have great chemistry and their fight in Munchkinland is hilarious.

The rest of the cast is great.  Jeff Goldblum is a good choice for the Wizard, just charming enough... but also not fully trustworthy.  I wish Marissa Bode's Nessarose was fleshed out more... same with Ethan Slater's Boq.  The actors are good, but the characters don't have much to do - they each get 1 song.  Michelle Yeoh is great, as always.

The Bad:

The camera in some scenes (for example, the spinning in "Wonderful", some of the flying scenes, etc). The staging of the song "For Good".

Other Comments:

-This film is definitely darker than the first one, but it still delivers an emotional punch.  There is laughter, there is heartbreak, there could be tears... and it all works.  I enjoyed the film.

-I expect the film will receive at least one Oscar nomination - acting nomination(s), the costumes are great, etc.

-Composer Stephen Schwartz (who wrote the music for the Broadway musical) wrote 2 new songs for this film: "No Place Like Home" for Elphaba and "The Girl in the Bubble" for Glinda.

-I am disappointed that this film did not have as many cameos from the stage show Wicked. Kerry Ellis was Elphaba in both the West End and Broadway versions of the show. I also wish that the rest of the original cast had cameos in this film (Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth appeared in the first film): Norbert Leo Butz (Fiyero), Michelle Federer (Nessa), Christopher Fitzgerald (Boq), and Joel Grey (Wizard). Carole Shelley (Madame Morrible) died in 2018.

-Due to the popularity of both films, there is talking of additional films - related to other characters or potential sequels.

Wicked: For Good (2025) 137 minutes

Rating: PG for action/violence, some suggestive material and thematic material. 

Director: Jon M. Chu

Starring: Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp

Ariana Grande-Butera as Glinda Upland

Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar

Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp

Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman

Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible

Peter Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamond

Bowen Yang as Pfannee

Bronwyn James as ShenShen

Sharon D. Clarke as the voice of Dulcibear

Colman Domingo as the voice of Brrr the Cowardly Lion

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

"This job requires stealth. Look at you."

"I'm trying to save the world, which, for the record, will be my fourth time. 'Cause I'm really good at it."

A deadly supervirus, called Snowflake, has the potential to end the world.  MI6 is assigned to secure the virus, but are ambushed by cyberterrorist Brixton Lore (Elba), who is a former MI6 agent.  Agent Hattie Shaw (Kirby) injects the virus into herself and goes on the run.  Brixton frames Hattie for the death of her team.

The CIA is concerned about the missing virus and call in ex-DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and Hattie's ex-MI6 agent brother Deckard Shaw (Statham) to find Hattie.  Both prefer to work on their own, but reluctantly team-up.  Their partnership is cemented when Brixton attacks and frames them as well, through his techno-terrorist employer Eteon.

Eteon uses the global news media to limit their movements.  However, Hobbs and Shaw call on thief Margarita (Gonzalez) to help them with a heist.  They also track down the creator of Snowflake virus, Professor Andreiko (Marsan).  But Brixton is hot on their trail.  With nowhere else to turn, they turn to family.  Can Hobbs, Shaw, and Hattie remove the virus, stop Brixton, and save the world?

This is a spin-off of the Fast and Furious franchise.  Dwayne Johnson's Luke Hobbs was introduced in Fast Five and also appeared in the next 3 films.  Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw first appeared in a cameo in Fast & Furious 6.  Both characters appeared in Furious 7 and Fate of the Furious.  Due to their chemistry in Fate of the Furious, Universal Studios decided to make a sequel.

The Good:

The film is best when Johnson and Statham are together, especially when they are fighting.  Helen Mirren is hilarious as Deckard and Hattie's mother (she previous appeared in the 8th Fast & Furious film).  Vanessa Kirby is a welcome addition to the team, and has believable chemistry with both leads.

The film doesn't take itself too seriously - the action is over-the-top, but in the best way.

The Bad:

I like Idris Elba, but I don't love his character here.  And Eteon could be a better, shady organization.

Other Comments:

-While this film is part of the Fast and Furious franchise, it feels very different from the other films.

-Cameos by Ryan Reynolds as CIA Agent Locke and Kevin Hart as Air Marshall Dinkley.

-There are plans for a sequel, or at least a second film with Johnson as Hobbs (since he is no longer part of the main franchise).

-Don't go in with expectations and enjoy some mindless fun.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) 137 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for some strong language, prolonged sequences of action, suggestive material, and violence. 

Director: David Leitch

Starring: Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs

Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw

Idris Elba as Brixton Lore

Vanessa Kirby as Hattie Shaw

Eiza González as Margarita / Madame M

Cliff Curtis as Jonah Hobbs

Helen Mirren as Magdalene "Queenie" Shaw

Joe "Roman Reigns" Anoa'i as Mateo Hobbs

Eddie Marsan as Professor Andreiko

Eliana Su'a as Sam Hobbs

John Tui as Kal Hobbs

Josh Mauga as Timo Hobbs