Some stories are so iconic, they defy gravity. As the highly anticipated Wicked movie made its way to the Jacob Burns Film Center, the town of Pleasantville was all in on the celebration! In fact, Pleasantville has gone Wicked Wild, with pink & green decorations, food & drink specials, Wicked merchandise and a general warm wicked feeling permeating the village. Indeed Wicked has cast a spell on audiences nationwide and smashed several box office records in its opening weekend. The movie event of the year raked in an impressive $164.2 million worldwide, with $114 million in the US, according to Universal Studios.
Gleaming green lights illuminated the outside of the movie theater and inside hats were hanging from the ceiling that felt as magical as Elphaba’s spells! The Take 3 Wine Bar & Café offered Wicked-themed cocktails – green for Elphaba and pink for Glinda. Such a fun & festive touch.
The movie begins as Glinda, the good witch, floats into Munchkinland in a giant, pink bubble, declaring that the wicked witch of the west was dead. Glinda, brilliantly played by Ariana Grande, takes us back to Elphaba’s childhood. She paints a marvelous picture of the struggles that Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo in a captivating performance, is forces to deal with.
Glinda and Elphaba meet at Shiz University, where they unexpectedly become roommates. The two get off to a rough start and we see that their incompatible personalities spark conflict. Glinda, with her bubbly, popular nature, and Elphaba, with a stunningly fierce attitude, misunderstood manner and drive for independence, clash at every turn.
The good in Glinda shines bright as she helps Elphaba out of an embarrassing moment at a school event. Glinda joins Elphaba on the dance floor as the other students laugh at her strange style of dance. She transforms a cringy solo into an extraordinary duet and turns the moment around marking the start of their special bond.
As their journey unfolds, we have a front row seat to their blossoming friendship. Grande’s show stopping vocals and choreography in the song Popular are the solidifying moment that establish their close-knit friendship. The two become inseparable. “Elfie” helps Glinda, get into the Madame Morrible’s sorcery class, which is her dream. Although the other students view Elphaba as strange and make fun of her green skin, Glinda doesn’t care what others think and sticks by her side.
Wicked does a great job of demonstrating the theme of embracing individuality and acceptance. Glinda’s realization that true friendship is more important than conforming to social expectations promotes the idea that loyalty and self-acceptance can break down superficial barriers to make room for genuine human connections regardless of judgment.
As Elphaba impulsively decides to take Glinda with her to Oz, my heart was racing watching the intense scene as they walked towards the wizard. Nothing is as powerful as Elphaba’s moment of realization of what she must do to survive. The singing and stunts during the song Defying Gravity, performed by Erivo, were spectacular! Wicked leaves you on the edge of your seat with a large “To Be Continued” title across the screen to ponder what will happen next. I left the theater with my jaw on the floor thinking that I need to see this movie again!
Wicked is not just a movie, but an unforgettable experience that draws you into the enchanting world of Oz. The production was vibrant & striking, and the sets & costumes were like nothing I’ve ever seen! The overall message of friendship and the importance of standing up for what you believe in, even if it means going against the majority, and not judging someone solely based on appearance, leaves the audience feeling good and eager for more. I can’t wait for part two!
