'Wicked' Enchants Critics

         On November 22, 2024, Universal Pictures released 'Wicked: Part I', which has earned rave reviews from critics, currently holding at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing, alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "Defying gravity with its magical pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked's sheer bravura and charm make for an irresistible invitation to Oz." The ensemble cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, and Jonathan Bailey. Read the full review round-up below.

        Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth says, "Wicked: Part 1 rarely has a dull moment and puts almost every minute of its 160 into something majestically arresting and character-forward while concluding on an emotionally rich, natural stopping point."

        David Crow of Den of Geek praises the film, stating, "Wicked manages to levitate above whatever cynical commercial considerations weigh it down, or for that matter what any critic might have to say about those limitations. This thing is built to last as a monument to theater kids for generations to come." Adding, "Yet it is the movie’s old-fashioned theatrical impulses that prove to be its real superpower. Or, to put a finer point on it, Erivo and Grande can really sing, and they do so often in live and spectacular fashion. A friend I saw the picture with was even surprised to learn that most of their singing was performed in-camera, even when Erivo is being flung on wires and a broom 40 feet above the soundstage floor."

Photo by Alex Kalligas on Unsplash

       Fionnuala Halligan of Screen International notes, "A Black actress playing a green witch could seem to overload Elphaba’s outsider status, but Erivo masters every subtle grace note to give a performance that is both accomplished and emotional. Garland also captured that same sincerity of wounded, innocent yearning in an entirely different way (not a comparison that should be made lightly, admittedly). Composer and lyricist Schwarz fills the screen and the room with orchestrations that really do bring back the memory of the full-blown Hollywood musical. Adaptations that have taken this pre-Christmas exhibition slot of late – from Wonka to West Side Story, Mary Poppins, The Greatest Showman and beyond – have tended to shuffle around the full embrace of the screen musical’s baked-in staginess. Joker: Folie A Deux even denied itself as a musical. Holzman, who wrote the musical book and adapts it here, embraces it all, including the peculiar Ozian language, enhancing the otherworldliness of where the film is taking us. Combined, it’s a propulsive force to be reckoned with. Or should that be a melting force? What happens next? Wicked dares to leave the audience at the half-way mark, with Part II already shot and set for release this time next year (November 21, 2025).  That’s beautiful wickedness indeed."

'Kaos' Reviews: "The saving grace of KAOS is Goldblum"

         On August 29, 2024, Netflix released 'Kaos', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 74% on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "A riff on Greek myth that is equal parts clever and overstuffed, Kaos falls just short of godly but still lands as a bolt of good fun." In the series, "As discord reigns on Mount Olympus and almighty Zeus spirals into paranoia, three mortals are destined to reshape the future of humankind." The ensemble cast includes Jeff Goldblum, Debi Mazar, Aurora Perrineau, and Fady Elsayed. But what did the critics say?

       Aramide Tinubu of Variety says, "Though the eight-episode series illustrates the dangers of power and greed, it falters due to bulky storylines and wearisome characters." Adding, "Kaos” has a similar tone to Netflix’s horror series “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Unfortunately, this dramedy struggles to remain captivating throughout. Though all of the gods, including Zeus’ yacht-living younger brother, Poseidon (Cliff Curtis), are intriguing on the surface, as the narrative moves forward, viewers discover there isn’t anything interesting about any of them. They are selfish, evil and solely focused on their own desires.  Moreover, while a garish, self-serving Zeus is amusing, even Goldblum, a master of wit and absurdities, can’t make the character compelling enough for the audience to care about his ruin or reign. McTeer, Rizwan and Curtis are all strong, but the characters themselves lack complexity and imagination. Instead, these gods are just versions of wealthy, revolting people we’ve seen depicted on-screen (and in real life) repeatedly."

Photo by Paul Bill on Unsplash

        Joel Keller of Decider praises the series, stating, "The saving grace of KAOS is Goldblum. As you might expect, he uses all of his signature neurotic, weird charm while playing Zeus, and when we see the human side of Zeus come out, we want to see nothing else. McTeer does a good job as Hera, playing off Zeus’ paranoia to make sure he doesn’t do anything rash."

       Andrew Murray of The Upcoming notes, "While the high levels of energy make for a highly entertaining watch, the overall quality is let down by a muddled script, which takes too long to get underway."

       Judy Berman of TIME Magazine writes, "It’s a clever, if not wholly original, premise, elevated by smart casting, sharp dialogue, and world-building that makes inspired use of some of Western culture’s most enduring lore." Continuing, "In the Netflix series KAOS, premiering Aug. 29, Prometheus—who was famously condemned by Zeus to be forever bound to a cliff and have his infinitely regenerating liver pecked out by an eagle—calls him a “transcendent, unmitigated bastard.” This kind of gloriously polysyllabic insult is a trademark of British comedy, and in this case, it comes courtesy of screenwriter and showrunner Charlie Covell, who created the cult teen dramedy The End of the F***ing World. With KAOS, Covell updates Greek mythology for a contemporary world where Jesus never arrived to chase away the old gods. In this telling, which mixes elements of comedy and political thriller, the Olympians are a sort of divine crime family; Jeff Goldblum, that master of oleaginous creepitude, stars as Zeus in a lightning-bolt-bedazzled tracksuit."