488: Oz the Great and Powerful

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[00:00:01] Let's get to another random film which is Oz the Great and Powerful

[00:00:07] Which came out in 2013 directed by Sam Raimi who did the original Spider-Man trilogy the Evil Dead

[00:00:14] Films the OG ones Dr. Strange 2

[00:00:18] It stars James Franco

[00:00:21] Michelle Williams

[00:00:23] Rachel Weiss me the Kunis act graph Bill Cobbs Joey King Tony Cox a few others

[00:00:30] and the Snaps is a

[00:00:33] Small-time magician is swept away to an enchanted land and is forced into a power struggle between three witches

[00:00:42] So I figured this one would be a cool one to talk about because for one it seems to be sort of forgotten

[00:00:48] And I really love Sam Raimi across the board

[00:00:53] Plus basically everyone in this cast and then also we have

[00:00:56] Wicked part one coming out in a couple of months. So

[00:01:01] And I remember when I first saw it. I didn't have a huge

[00:01:05] film background at the time

[00:01:07] Was vaguely aware of Sam Raimi, but the main draw for me was cool

[00:01:11] It's a big blockbuster fantasy fairy tale sort of film. I'll go see it

[00:01:16] and

[00:01:17] I don't think I'd maybe seen it once or twice over the years since but

[00:01:22] Remembered very little about it. I did really enjoy it at the time and

[00:01:28] Re-watching it now. I'm still a big fan of it. I don't think it's a five out of five

[00:01:33] I don't think it's Sam Raimi's best movie. I don't think he's ever

[00:01:37] Probably gonna top spider-man one and two, but I've really enjoyed Dr. Strange in the multiverse of madness

[00:01:45] I like dragged me to hell. So I just will watch anything Sam Raimi does

[00:01:52] But for this one in particular starting off, I love the opening in black and white with the box ratio

[00:01:59] And that very classic almost silent film era-esque style to the movie and then

[00:02:05] When James Franco enters Oz it's super colorful and widescreen. It looks amazing

[00:02:13] And one thing that because I know a lot people really rag on this movie

[00:02:17] I don't totally get why in comparison to a lot of other

[00:02:21] Disney re-imagining live-action films whatever you want to call it that seem to get glowing reviews

[00:02:27] I think this one is kind of underrated

[00:02:30] One thing that I've read is people don't like the cast like they really

[00:02:35] Criticized that a lot of people in it are miscast. I

[00:02:39] completely disagree I

[00:02:41] Really like James Franco. I really like all three which actors Michelle Williams

[00:02:47] Me La Kunis Rachel vice. I think they're great. I love the costumes. I like Zach Braff Joey King

[00:02:54] Like I have no problems at all with anyone in this movie

[00:02:57] So I'm a little baffled as to why that seems to be at least a pretty popular opinion

[00:03:05] The look of Oz I think you know some people also they say the effects are goofy which I

[00:03:12] Understand that in theory and there were even points where I was thinking. Oh, yeah, that is a little a

[00:03:19] Little fuzzy I think in terms of the quality but at the same time

[00:03:23] It's just me maybe loving Sam Raimi, but considering he already has a very 80s campy

[00:03:30] pop art

[00:03:32] Animated look to a lot of his films. I don't mind that I think it fits his

[00:03:38] Visual aesthetic and so I'm never really upset that there are

[00:03:42] Possible let's just call them flaws in the effects. I still think overall the colors the vividness of the world itself looks amazing

[00:03:51] Still I love the look of the China girl

[00:03:54] the

[00:03:55] yellow brick road I

[00:03:58] Think some people also don't like how me la Kunis looks when she becomes the

[00:04:03] Wicked witch. I don't mind that at all either

[00:04:06] I think it looks good and it works for the context of the movie so

[00:04:12] The

[00:04:13] Main storyline, you know, there's nothing amazing as it is with most of these films

[00:04:18] It's just a classic fish out of water story and he has to find

[00:04:23] Of course, he's lying about who he is. He's not an actual wizard

[00:04:27] He's just a carnival magician and he's been making money off of tricking people. So he has to find a

[00:04:35] Way to lead all these

[00:04:38] fantastical creatures in a way that

[00:04:41] Suits his skill set and it's not who they expect him to be but he's still able to

[00:04:46] Accomplish that and I think that's a good message

[00:04:49] You may not be the cookie cutter

[00:04:52] Figure follower leader whoever creator that people think you are but you can still find ways of making something work and being successful

[00:05:01] Talking about visuals though because Sam Raimi has such a great eye even in a movie like this for really interesting visuals

[00:05:08] I think my favorite is when at the end

[00:05:12] they use the projector to project

[00:05:16] Ozz's or James Franco's face onto the smoke in order to intimidate the witches

[00:05:22] I think that still looks really really good and the speech that he gives it's a fantastic end

[00:05:30] Really all the look of the creatures like the the water

[00:05:34] Ferries whatever they call them. I like the look of that like they're just weird creepy at times

[00:05:40] Tim Burton ask designs that really stick with me and I even though I remembered not a whole lot about the plot itself

[00:05:47] Even having not seen it in almost 10 years probably

[00:05:51] This movie for whatever reason really stuck with me and it feels way more creative and inventive and fresh and

[00:05:58] truly actually funny

[00:06:00] Mainly through performance though, which is maybe why it holds up for me, but I think it is a very entertaining

[00:06:07] It's not too long. I think it's paced well the score is good

[00:06:13] Also going back briefly to

[00:06:16] Mila Kunis as the witch

[00:06:17] I love when she's flying away on her broom and there's the black smoke like there are just so many little things that to me add a

[00:06:26] lot more

[00:06:28] impact and

[00:06:30] Worldbuilding and interesting ideas than a lot of others in this same vein

[00:06:35] It almost reminds me a little bit of Wonka with Timothy Shalame like this unconventional origin story

[00:06:45] Oh and before I forget I do really love the original Wizard of Oz as I think most do I think it's a classic and I

[00:06:54] Couldn't say enough about how much I love

[00:06:56] Wizard of Oz and I highly encourage you to watch it if you have not yet and

[00:07:00] Even though I'm not dying to see wicked. I'm still very curious and I wouldn't mind spending more time in that world

[00:07:09] another visual that I like or character design is when Mila Kunis is

[00:07:15] broken-hearted because of James Franco and

[00:07:19] She starts crying and her tears are burning tears and she gets these jagged scars

[00:07:27] So overall, you know, I think it held up way more than I thought it would and it's one that I definitely see myself going back to every so often

[00:07:38] So that one is a heavy four out of five