#Why I hated Wicked's costumes

[omgthatdress]

Doechii wearing Thom Browne and.... my feeling on Thom Browne are well-known (IT'S BRANDING NOT FASHION) but hey it works for her aesthetic right now. Still love her.

[musicalgifs]

sorry guys i think i’m officially on board with the wicked movie now

[no2ticonderoga]

Still searching for a title... Part I, Part II, Part III

Leo found her before she could find Mr. D. Leo was a short, curly haired man who seemed to be perpetually covered in dust and grease. The theatre’s technical director, he could fix just about anything with chewing gum and shoe shine, it seemed. 

“Sorry about earlier,” he said. “I was up to my elbows in cables.”

“It’s fine,” Annabeth sighed. “I was just hoping to get to you before Mr. D caught me.”

“No kidding,” Leo snorted. “I only just avoided him by hiding in the lighting grid. What crawled up his ass and died there this time?” 

“Act two,” Annabeth replied.

“Madre di dios,” Leo muttered, followed by several other Spanish oaths. “Let me guess. Mr. D decided he wanted it to be ‘grandiose, and carry the audience away’?” Leo had an excellent impersonation.

“Yep,” Annabeth agreed.

Leo muttered more in Spanish and shook his head. “You got new designs?”

“If you mean the old designs that he rejected two weeks ago, then yes,” Annabeth held up her sketches. 

“Atta girl,” Leo grinned. “These the ones you already showed me?”

“Yep,” Annabeth agreed. 

“I’ll get my crews prepped,” he said. “Let me know which one he decides on.”

Annabeth nodded. “Have you seen him?”

Leo jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Last I saw him, he was headed for the lobby. He was complaining about something. Costumes, I think.”

“More delays?”

“Yeah,” Leo sighed. “You’d think the war was still on with rationing or something…nothing ever seems to come on time.” Leo gave a wave and headed off to talk to his stagehands.

Annabeth made her way through the backstage and out into the house, headed for the lobby. She had only gotten part way up the aisle, when she heard voices at the back of the house. One of them was Mr. D and he sounded…nervous?

She stopped and looked around. She spotted Mr. D standing in one of the doorways. He was standing with a man dressed in a black suit. He was very pale, with dark hair, and though he stood there holding his hat in his hands, there seemed to be something ominous about him. 

She couldn’t quite make out what the man was saying, but Mr. D was protesting about it, though not effectively. The man said something sharp, and Mr. D nodded meekly. Without another word, the man turned and left, leaving Mr. D standing there looking downcast. 

Annabeth hesitated a moment before approaching him. “Mr. D?” she asked.

“What, oh, hm?” he looked up, and Annabeth was suddenly struck by how hollow his eyes looked and how his who being seemed to be sagging. 

“I’ve got those other set drawings for you,” Annabeth said.

Life seemed to come back into him slowly, and he seemed to reinflate, like a balloon. “Ah, good,” he said, his voice returning to his normal pompousness. “Let me see.”

By the time  a new design had been selected, and Annabeth had helped Leo oversee the start of the modifications to the set, it was nearly dinner, and as Annabeth had skipped lunch, she was starving.

She went to find Piper. Annabeth figured she’d be in the rehearsal studio, and she was not wrong. The session was just breaking up, with chorus dancers streaming past her heading for dressing room. Inside the studio, she found Octavian,arguing with the show’s composer, Will, by the piano. But Piper was leaning against the wall, talking with Jason, who had one arm propped against the wall over Piper’s head. She was giving him come hither looks that probably would have melted steel. 

Annabeth normally wouldn’t have interrupted, but she was hungry. “Hi,” she said to Jason before turning to Piper. “Do you still want to get food, or are you…” she glanced between Piper and Jason. “Otherwise occupied?”

Piper laughed lightly, and pushed Jason away from her gently. “I’m all yours tonight, sweetie,” she said. “Jason will just have to wait his turn.” She gave him a wicked smile.

“I don’t mind,” Jason said. “I would hate to break up your dinner date.” He smiled brilliantly, and Annabeth was reminded again why everyone was in love with him. She felt no attraction to him, but even she had to admit he was objectively good looking. Even the scar on his face enhanced his good looks.

Annabeth sighed. “You’re welcome to tag along,” she said. “But I’m starving.”

“If you don’t mind,” he said.

“It’s fine,” Annabeth said. “As long as we go now.”

Piper laughed. “Let me go get changed. We’ll meet at the stage door in 10 minutes.”

They went their separate ways to get ready to go out. Annabeth went to wait by the stage door. While she was waiting, Mrs. Darrowby, the costumer, was getting ready to leave. “Goodnight, Mrs. Darrowby,” Annabeth said.

“I heard Mr. D was giving you a hard time today, dear,” Mrs. Darrowby said. 

Annabeth shrugged. “Nothing I can’t handle,” she replied.

Mrs. Darrowby gave her a sad grin. “Well, at least you were able to get something done.”

“What do you mean?” Annabeth asked, confused.

“My fabric for the chorus line costumes was supposed to arrive today, but it’s been delayed again. This is the third time,” she complained. “It’s like I’m never going to get these done. At this rate, the chorus girls will go on in their underwear!” 

“Well, that might boost ticket sales,” Annabeth joked.

Mrs. Darrowby snorted. “At this rate, we might need to do it anyway, just to keep the show afloat.” She shook her head. “Well, hopefully tomorrow,” she sighed. “Good night, dear.”

“Good night,” Annabeth called, as Mrs. Darrowby headed out the door.

Jason appeared. “Is Piper ready yet?”

“She’ll be here shortly,” Annabeth told him. “When she says 10 minutes, she really means 15,” Annabeth explained. Actually it was usually more like 20, but Annabeth hoped that Piper’s concern for getting food into her might actually move her a little faster.

“How long have you two known each other?” Jason asked.

“Since college,” Annabeth said. “The fall of ‘41.” 

“You’re pretty close, huh?” he asked.

Annabeth shrugged. “She’s the sister I never had.”

“So don’t break her heart?” Jason asked.

Annabeth laughed. “She’s far more likely to break yours,” Annabeth told him.

Jason looked like he was still trying to process this comment when Piper appeared. As always, her hair and makeup were perfect, despite her vigorous rehearsal session, and the dress she had on worked for her in all the right ways. Annabeth loved her, but when she was on the hunt, she always made Annabeth feel so plain and dowdy. 

Piper looped her arm through Jason’s. “Where shall we go?” she said. She grabbed Annabeth with her other arm. “Somewhere not busy for poor Annabeth, who skipped lunch, I think.”

“Yes, please,” Annabeth agreed. 

They ended up at a place close to the theatre district that did not look crowded and they were able to get a table right away. 

“You had a busy day, it seems,” Jason asked her when they were settled and the waitress had taken their orders. Piper and Annabeth shared one side of the booth, while Jason sat alone on the other. 

“You could say that,” Annabeth agreed. “Working with Mr. D is…an adventure.”

Piper laughed. “That’s one way to put it.”

“Have you worked with him before?” Jason asked.

“Several times,” Annabeth admitted. “One of the reasons Piper was able to get me the job to begin with was he knew who I was.” 

“This is my first time,” Jason said. “Are his shows always this…” he trailed off, considering his words.

“Chaotic?” Piper provided helpfully. She was running her finger around a water ring left behind by a previous diner’s drink. 

“Well,” Annabeth considered. “He’s always been mercurial,” she said. “But now that you mention it.” She paused, brows furrowing a little. 

Piper looked thoughtful, cocking her head. “It does seem like we’ve had more than our usual share of disasters. Maybe the show is cursed.”

Annabeth and Jason spoke at the same time. “Why would it be cursed?” 

“There’s no such thing as curses.”

Piper huffed, and glared at Annabeth. “You clearly haven’t been in show business long enough,” she said, and then turned to Jason. “I haven’t been paying too close attention, but I did hear some of the chorus girls talking about a curse. Maybe it’s the curse of Achilles.” She made the last part sound spooky and creepy.

“That’s…not how that works,”  Annabeth said. “Have you even read the myth?” 

Piper made a mou face and brushed this away with her hands. “You don’t think a doomed love story can have a curse?” 

“Well, even if it did, and I can’t believe I’m having this conversation, it wouldn’t be the curse of Achilles. He’s barely in the show, it’s about the Trojans, not the Greeks.” Annabeth shook her head.

“He’s in the show long enough to kill me,” Jason pointed out. “But that feels pretty cursed to me.”

“All I’m saying,” Piper said. “Is this is starting to feel like a Scottish play production, and I’ve been in one of those.”

“Scottish play? You mean MacBeth?” Annabeth asked.

“Stop that, stop it now! Here,” Piper thrust the salt shaker at her. “Over your shoulder, now! Go on.”

Annabeth fumbled with the shaker. “What? Piper…”

“Now.” The look she gave was not to be argued with. 

Annabeth sighed and shook some salt out and made to throw.

“Your left shoulder,” Piper corrected. Annabeth dutifully threw the salt. 

“You’re ridiculous,” Annabeth said.

“I should make you stand up, turn around three times, and spit,” Piper said. “But this will have to do for now, since we’re not in a theater.”

Jason just looked amused. 

“Do you believe this nonsense?” Annabeth asked him.

“Hey, I grew up in theatre, too, don’t forget. And if that wasn’t enough, the war would have definitely made me a believer.”

Annabeth…glare was probably too strong…glower might have been better. She found it harder to discount men’s experiences of the war than Piper’s ridiculous theater superstitions. 

“What kinds of beliefs did you have in the war?” Piper asked.

“You never talked about how many missions you had until your rotation ended,” Jason explained. “And lots of guys had specific routines about checking out their aircraft before take off, or they carried lucky charms and stuff. In my unit, we didn’t have an aircraft with the number 13 on it, it was painted up as 12B.”

“What kind of lucky charms?” Piper asked. 

“Oh, all sorts of things. St. Christopher medals were popular, rosaries of course. One guy had a silk scarf that his girlfriend made him from the parachute he used to bailout in training when his engine quit.” Jason was warming to his topic. “One guy had a pair of stockings that he got from…” he stopped abruptly and colored. “Uh, from someone he knew.” 

Annabeth felt her face heat a little, but she smiled weakly. Piper, on the other hand grinned broadly, and she leaned in toward him, batting her eyelashes. “Oh, really,” she said, as she leaned her chin on her fist and gave him a look. “What kind of someone, hmmm?” she arched an eyebrow at him.

Jason stuttered and jumped, and Annabeth was fairly certain Piper had just touched his leg with her foot. 

Annabeth cleared her throat. “Piper, you promised.”

Piper sat up. “Right, I’m sorry.” She gave Jason a saucy look. “We’ll take that up again later, hmm?”

Jason’s eyes were a bit wild, but he grinned back gamely. “Right.”

“So, did you have any lucky charms?” Piper asked.

“I always went up with this old Roman coin that my dad gave me,” Jason said, shrugging. “I’m here, so I guess it worked.”

“And that’s a good thing,” Piper declared. “See, Annabeth, superstitions aren’t bad.”

“That...correlation is not causation,” Annabeth protested, but their food arrived, and Piper wasn’t in a mood to listen. Jason gave her a sympathetic look. 

They ate, and Annabeth felt worlds better after they were finished. It was clear to Annabeth that Piper wanted to find a way to extend her evening with Jason, so she plead exhaustion (it wasn’t hard), and said she didn’t mind going home alone. “Are you sure?” Piper asked. “I had wanted to talk tonight.”

“I’m fine,” Annabeth told her. “There’s nothing that hasn’t already been said, you know that.” Piper spared a moment to give her a sympathetic look. “Go,” Annabeth told her. “Have fun. Don’t stay out too late.”

“Yes, mother,” Piper laughed. “Don’t worry,” she assured her more seriously. “We have rehearsal tomorrow. Tonight is not a night for sleepovers.” 

For all her playfulness, Piper was completely dedicated to her craft, so Annabeth wasn’t really worried. She bid farewell to both Piper and Jason and hailed a cab. When the cabbie had asked her where to, instead of her address, her mouth said. “The Battery.”

She felt foolish as the cab cruised downtown, and twice she almost told the cab driver to turn around. But she got out and paid her fare, and walked to the edge of the wharf, leaned on the rail and stared out at the Statue of Liberty in the harbor. She sighed.

Anger or sadness? Which would it be tonight? She wondered.

But oddly, she felt neither. 

She felt strange tonight, like the summer air was somehow charged with electricity. It was almost like the city was holding its breath. Maybe it was the election, or maybe it was the growing tension over Berlin. But something…

Annabeth felt a chill, despite the warm air, and rubbed her bare arms. 

She recognized at least part of what she was feeling. And she didn’t like it. She knew this feeling, and it scared her. It happened once or twice a year, despite her best efforts.

It was the tiniest, smallest sliver of her that didn’t believe that Percy was dead. Or that he had played her. It was the hope that he was still alive, still out there. And that maybe he would come back to her. 

She bit her lip, looking out at the statue, remembering the feeling of his arms around her. Wishing he was here right now. She thought about Piper, off with Jason, the easy way she could talk to anyone. How easy it had been with Percy. Why? She had no idea, but it had been as natural as breathing. She remembered telling him things after only a few hours that it had taken her almost a year before she told Piper. 

“I want him back,” she spoke out loud.

No one responded, of course, but Annabeth suddenly felt a frisson up her spine, like a small shock. She jumped, and looked around, but there was no one.

Sighing, and feeling very foolish, Annabeth walked back toward State Street. Hopefully she could find another cab to take her home. 

[minimomoe]

Love Bites

Baker Fem Reader x Toji Fushiguro (mafia au)

word ct: 15.1k, 11 Chapters

tags: Fluff, grumpy x sunshine, found family, a little angsty but nothing too bad, marriage proposal, established relationship, (last chapter only: kitchen sex, creampie, oral- fem receiving, other sexxy funtime stuff)

Chapter Four: Apple Cider

“Rina, you lied to me. You make it sound like you teach the spawns of satan but all these kids look absolutely adorable.”

“They are spawns of satan,” Rina hisses quietly, making sure no other teachers can hear her. You shake your head in disbelief. “Of course they are on their best behavior now. Nobody wants ISS.”

“Well I think that they are adorable. I mean, there’s mini Princess Tiana and tiny Jack Sparrow. That’s a crossover I never thought I would see,” You point at the kids who came dressed up for the fall festival. There were different booths open, from games, to food, to arts and crafts, and apparently the school had a special surprise as the finale. 

“I guess they’re not all bad,” Rina grumbles. 

Three kids walked up to Reyna’s booth, their costumes bringing a bright smile to her face. The child in the middle looked familiar to you but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it. 

“And what can I get the vampire queen, Frankenstein, and the werewolf today? I have caramel brownie bites, mini cinnamon rolls, and peppermint bark. Oh, and I also have apple cider,” you display. 

“I’m Frankenstein’s monster. Mary Shelley never gave the monster a name,” says the kid in the middle. Your eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“You’ve read Frankenstein already? I didn’t have to read that until high school,” you blink. The little kid just shrugs his shoulders.

“How much do we have to pay you? I would like some brownie bites,” says the vampire queen. She has a hand held mirror and checks her fangs in it. 

“It’s all free. Just let me know what you want.”

“Then I want one of everything and some cider!” Says the werewolf.

“Yuji, leave some for other people.”

“What? She said it’s free,” Yuji looks back at you and you nod your head. “See Nobara!”

“Fine. I’d like to have a brownie bite and peppermint bark then. What about you, Megumi?”

Megumi was about to order until he read your apron. It was the same flourish of cursive letters that he had seen on the boxes his dad brought home. His eyes narrow suspiciously, pointing his finger at your clothes. 

“Are you the owner of Love Bites?”

You chuckle nervously. “Yes…why?”

“And you’re dressed like a witch?”

“The Wicked Witch of the West, yes.”

“Megumi, you might be right. She really did curse your dad,” Yuji says with a mouth full of brownies. Megumi scowls at him, but his face looks so much like his father that you had to hold back a laugh. 

“So you’re Toji’s son? It’s lovely to meet you. I promise, I did not curse your dad to be a slave to my baked goods.”

“Yeah. You haven’t given him your cookie yet,” Rina whispers in your ear, making you smack her arm. 

“My dad was eating a jelly donut once, your jelly donut. He has never eaten those before. The jelly fell on his pants, and he just stared at it for a really long time. I think the sugar is rotting his brain since he keeps on going back to buy more.” 

You snort but you couldn’t get mad at the child. He says everything so matter-of-factly you almost felt compelled to agree with him. “How about you taste one of my treats and you can come to your own conclusion?”

Megumi narrows his eyes again, but the pretty lady didn’t set off any alarms in his head. He takes a caramel brownie bite and takes his time to really chew it. You, Rina, Yuji, and Nobara stand in anticipation as you await Megumi’s verdict. After what seemed to be ages Megumi swallows and looks back to you. You lean in close when he opens his mouth to sigh.

“I don’t hate it.”

You turn and high five Rina while Nobara hands Yuji a one dollar bill. “I told you he would like her eventually,” he smirks. Nobara shakes her head in despair and clings to Megumi’s shoulder. “What happened to your cold heart? I just lost money because you want to be nice.”

“I may be a hater but I won’t be a liar,” Megumi grumbles, taking a cup of apple cider to wash down the snack. 

“I’m glad that you liked it,” you swell, and Megumi really couldn’t get himself to dislike the mystery baker lady like he had planned to. 

“Megumi, there you are!” Huffed Toji. He was in his customary black suit, except his hair was pushed back and you couldn’t help but to stare. Toji’s eyes bounced between Megumi and Reyna, and then to you and Rina, then back to Megumi. He nods to you before turning his attention back to his kid.

“The fireworks are about to start,” Toji said carefully. “Let’s go get a good spot.”

Megumi could tell the nervous look in his father’s eyes as he looked at you like he wanted to say something but couldn’t. Frankenstein’s monster turned to look at you. “Do you want to come with us?”

You start to decline but Rina jumps in. “I’ll take it from here. I’m not a fan of fireworks and I see them every year. Go, have some fun,” she winks. 

You look at Toji and he looks hopeful. He sees her wearing the earmuffs and beanie that he had bought you a week before and he smiles . Not a wide, opened mouth smile, but you have studied his facial expressions long enough to know that he was beyond happy and you blush, following them to an open spot on the field. The kids trail in front of the two adults and whisper among themselves.

“Megumi, your dad should be holding her hand. Why isn’t he doing that?” Nobara hisses.

“He’s a slowpoke that’s why. Why do you even care?”

“She’s pretty and she can bake. We’d be dumb not to like her,” Yuji answers. Megumi scowls at them but before he can answer the fireworks start.

When everyone’s attention is focused on the glittering light show Megumi looks back at his dad, and sees that you are standing much closer to him than before. He squints, noticing that you have your pinkies entwined together before fully enclosing each other’s hands, and when Toji’s eyes fall on his son’s, he gives a father a sharp nod before turning back to listen to his friends try to shout louder than the fireworks. 

Chapters: I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI.

M.list || Ao3 || Twitter || Ko-fi

[where-fading-princesses-live]

Thoughts on WICKED (2024)

So I finally saw WICKED after procrastinating after its opening weekend. I wanted to wait a bit longer (as excited as I was to see it) because I knew the theaters were going to be packed (they were) and my friend and I got tickets at the last minute before they sold out for that day’s showing. I’ve been a fan of the musical since childhood and I loved the books as a teen and I knew they were making a movie (or talking about it) since I was in middle school. Well it was worth the wait.

I admit the first teaser trailer did not impress me (it looked too much like a spectacle and some of the CGI effects looked over the top and corny). I was going to see it anyway but my initial expectations were low. but the later trailers were better and I was getting more excited to see it. Well the movie did not disappoint. Though I’m a big fan of WICKED, the movie was better than I expected. I definitely want to see it again (preferably at home with less people even tho the movie was made for the big screen, especially with all the tiny details I didn’t notice before when viewing TV spots and clips on my phone and laptop… ) I’d rather watch it on the big screen BUT.

My enjoyment of the movie was almost completely ruined because of the people… no one sang along, thank God, but there were so many distractions and now I remember why I haven’t been to a movie theatre in years. not only did so many people come in late and have to climb over you to get to their seats, but the person sitting next to me whipped out their phone in the middle of the movie and started texting, plus their bright ass screen was so distracting (rude much?). Worst of all, one person thought it was a good idea to drag along their noisy toddlers who kept asking over and over ‘’when’s the movie going to start’’ during the previews, and even when the movie DID start, the kids could not sit still throughout the movie and kept loudly asking their parents for ‘’skittles’’ like I wanted to turn around and tell them to keep their kids quiet or leave. FINALLY they got up and left for good before the Emerald city part, like goddamn if your kids aren’t mature enough to sit through a 2 ½ movie, don’t ruin it for the rest of us. >_<

That being said, I still enjoyed the movie, and you bet your sweet Oz there was a round of applause after it was over, I mean it was THAT good. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to a movie where the audience clapped at the end. I think maybe ‘’The Artist’’ back in 2011… which won Best Picture at the Oscars that year. That was a damn good movie, prolly the last one I saw in theaters. I knew WICKED was going to be a big; it’s one of the longest-running shows on Broadway with almost daily record box office sales; its fan base is like Harry Potter-levels huge, so I guess it’s impact was long overdue. Better late than never.

here’s some quick thoughts (I literally have not stopped thinking about it and I saw it about a week ago… suffice to say, I’m obsessed):

The Costumes!!!

So at first I hated Glinda’s bubble dress. I thought it looked cheap compared to the Broadway costume (my dream dress btw) but overtime the design grew on me…

I have no issues with the dress being pink (after all, the non-replica Brazil production did a pink gown).

I still think the Broadway bubble dress is prettier (esp. the way it sparkles and glitters in the stage lighting and I love the blue color… Susan Hilferty was very original with her designs) but I do like the movie costume being a slight nod to the 1939 Wizard of Oz, plus it looks like a quinceañera dress.

I would’ve preferred the dress with puff sleeves, or off the shoulder cap sleeves for modesty, but one detail I really love that is not noticeable unless you’re watching on the big screen is that Glinda has butterfly gems on her shoulders (literally the first time I noticed it was in the movie theatre).

It’s such a nice detail because butterflies seem to be her theme, as a nod to the butterfly choker necklace Billie Burke wears as Glinda.

I actually do like Paul Tazewell as a costume designer. He also did the costumes for ‘’Death Becomes Her’’ on Broadway; his designs are very unusual and elaborate and I loved his visions for Oz.

That being said, I pretty much love Galinda’s whole wardrobe at Shiz (some people complained that they ‘’Barbie-fied Galinda’’ because her style lacks variety esp. when she wears the same color scheme throughout the whole movie) and tho it’s true I’d like to see her in different colors (we will in PART 2), I do think the pink was a nice symbolism. Her Ozdust ballroom dress is esp. unique. (I do like how the dress in the stage show was originally blue to hint at her becoming Glinda the Good Witch; basically she and Elphaba looked like mini versions of their future Witches counterparts… then they changed the dress to pink, so the symbolism was lost).

and it was nice the movie went back to that. So now it makes sense that the bubble dress is pink.

My only complaint is Elphaba’s costumes. Don’t get me wrong—they’re gorgeous—but I’m not sure the designs really reflect her character arc. Costumes aren’t just meant to be pretty… they are literally telling a story, and illustrating the growth of a character. Sometimes characters have to be dressed in something more appropriate for the purpose of the setting and where they’re at in the narrative even if it isn’t the prettiest garment off the rack… it’s not just about looking their best, and I think Paul Tazwell missed this mark. He clearly wanted Elphaba to be a fashion queen—but that’s not her character.

In the musical, Elphaba appears semi-frumpy on purpose. She’s beautiful but insecure due to her skin color and so she covers up in a bulky blazer, she braids her long hair, and wears a cap over her head, as though she is attempting to draw the least bit of attention to herself.

No one recognizes her inner beauty because she lacks the self-confidence to be herself. In the movie, she first appears to us in a beautiful black corset dress with puff sleeves and buttons (Cynthia is absolutely stunning and kills this look) but I’m not sure if Elphaba should look so drop-dead gorgeous when we first meet her (plus she’s fixing her hair in the first shot and it seems so OOC for her… I know Cynthia’s version is softer and more vulnerable than the Broadway version, who’s a bit bold and sarcastic and self-defensive… but Elphie fixing her braid? Not that it’s vain but her hair is the least of her worries in the stage show). And the dress… like I said… much too pretty. I do love her glasses tho.. and I do like the Gothic fashion... it reminds me of A Series of Unfortunate Events... the first dress is just too pretty for a character introduction. I'd like to see her wear this later in the film...

Maybe it wasn’t the intent… the dress is old-fashioned and could be ‘’spinsterish’’ to some, but she looks far from frumpy. Elphaba is already naturally beautiful, but in the stage version she doesn’t undergo an outward physical transformation until after the Ozdust ballroom scene. In the movie, she’s dressed fashionably all the time… and looks beautiful outside and inside. her Shiz uniforms are not Galinda, oh, sure, but she looks incredible in these form-fitting pinstripe suits with these flamboyant shoulder pads, and I feel it doesn’t match Elphaba’s story at all… she’s supposed to be hiding at the beginning of the story (I don’t think you’d catch Broadway Elphaba dead in pinstripes and shoulder pads). Galinda in the show helps bring her out of her shell. But even her Ozdust dress in the movie is a knock out… with the black lace and everything. In the musical, she just wears her plain uniform frock to the dance because she has nothing else.

The movie doesn’t have to copy the stage show exactly, but yeah… I wanted to see Elphaba go through a transformation in her fashions. I wanted to see her start dressing prettier towards the end of the movie, after ‘’Popular’’… like, see, her inner beauty was always there, and it makes her beautiful on the outside too! but she was already dressing pretty and fashionable before that, so it lessens the impact it’s supposed to have as the other students slowly begin to accept her. and after ‘’Popular’’, Elphaba is seen wearing this outfit she wears earlier in the film. Only difference being her hair is not braided, so she really doesn’t look ‘’Galinda-fied’’ to me as the line suggests (she was already ''Galinda-fied'').

In the musical it’s more apparent when she goes to looking like this (something she’s never worn before and doesn’t fit her typical style):

Again, it’s just a minor gripe I had. They probably wanted Elphie’s ‘’make over’’ to be more subtle which is fine… like Elphaba is ALWAYS beautiful… but still.

Nessarose’s Ozdust dress was actually one of my faves in the whole movie. She truly looked like the Belle of the Ball. I love that she’s wearing a poppy necklace…

And those big doe eye of hers... I'M DEAD

If Galinda is butterflies, Nessa’s whole theme seems to be poppies. AND THESE SHOES ARE FIRE I want them and I want the dress. There I said it.

Also her dance with Boq is my favorite scene in the whole movie. It was always my favorite part in ''Dancing Through Life'' and it's so wholesome... knowing how tragic this ends for them both (the rehearsal footage was admittedly better but they both ate and left no crumbs)... give the choreographer all the awards.

As for the other characters, I like the Shiz uniforms and that they maintained the variety and individualisms from the stage show. I kind of wish Fiyero was dressed in something that stood out more. He doesn’t wear his Shiz uniform until after ‘’Popular’’ in the stage version. We first meet him in a riding outfit (he kind of wears a riding outfit when he runs into Elphaba in the movie… but not a bold red one… and red seems to be Fiyero’s color… it fits him better than blue but that's just my opinion).

If it was my choice, I would’ve dressed all the main characters in different outfits and/or colors that stand out from the rest. In the stage version, Galinda and Elphie are technically still dressed in uniforms, but they wear a solid color—Galinda in all cream/ white and Elphie in all navy blue—so they stand out.

I like that they kept this in the movie (only Galinda being in pastel pink tones and Elphie in all black).

Fiyero, Boq, and Nessa should’ve been color coded too. Yes, Boq and Nessa in the stage show wear similar uniforms to everyone else, but they have little details that make them stand out (for instance, Nessa has this headband, and Boq has this little red hat that later productions added… it didn’t exist in the original production, but the costumes kind of evolved over time). I still like Boq’s uniform in the movie (esp. the shoes). I do kind of miss his white boots from the stage show, tho (RIP Boq’s cute white boots).

Unfortunately in the movie they had so many people dressed like Boq that he disappeared into the background, but maybe that was for a reason? Boq is a wallflower; we're not supposed to notice him. I get it. He still should've had something to signify him... a hat, maybe. These sweater vests are sick tho... where can I get one?

The Cast!!!

Ariana and Cynthia of course nailed it. I was skeptical of the casting when it was first announced but they proved me wrong and they were the perfect choices. No one could have played Galinda and Elphaba better. I usually don’t like pop stars in musical movies… I prefer classically trained theatre actors, but since Ari does have a musical theatre background, she ended up surprising me more than anyone else in the cast (esp. where it concerns her operatic notes. I say that because tho I’m familiar with her on 13! the musical, she was terribly miscast as Penny in Hairspray Live! She did not disappear into the role… she was basically playing herself) and I was deathly afraid she would popify the hell out of Galinda. Well, she understood the assignment, she really became Galinda. So props to her.

Not gonna lie. The whole cast was phenomenal but Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage) was my favorite part in the whole movie. I love the scene where Elphaba takes him by the hoof. She was so compassionate and you really feel her heartbreak when he's arrested. Yeah the CGI goat was the best actor I just loved him.

😭😭😭

Fiyero is the Arjiki prince (who was a very minor character in the book and, in my humble opinion, is the least interesting character in the book and the musical), made that much worse when he's traditionally whitewashed… because he was a dark-skinned black man in the book… sure some black actors have played him on stage but I had a feeling they’d cast a white actor in the movie… part of me wished they casted a black actor... well, at least he gets a cool song. HOWEVER I really did love Jonathan Bailey’s portrayal. He wasn’t bland like some of the other actors who’ve played him, and though he’s prince charming good looking, he’s also incredibly funny. I was not expecting to laugh so much at his entrance. Yeah, I liked Fiyero more in the movie. He’s still not my favorite character but hopefully he gets a big meaty part in PART 2. Is it wrong I never shipped Fiyero/ Elphaba? I always thought their chemistry was so boring and forced. Wicked was always a love story between two women anyway. I totally ship Elphaba and Galinda (it’s canon in the book anyway). I loved the scene where Galinda and Elphaba run out of the ozdust ballroom together hand-in-hand and literally leave Fiyero biting the dust.

----

(SPOILER ALERT: That’s how the story should have ended. Who needs a man right? Let the witches be lesbians… a house falls on Nessa, so Boq could end up with Fiyero (since the women they love are in love with each other) let Fiyero be bisexual (Jonathan’s Fiyero already radiates bisexual energy because all the women AND men were falling in love with him). Let him be bi and hit on Boq (Tincrow fans come get your food… you can’t convince me they’re straight). Elphie and Glinda get their happy ending. Problem solved. Everyone’s happy.)

--

Nessa was awesome. She’s a character everyone loves to hate, but yeah, I wish she was in the movie more. Marissa Bode ATE

---

(SPOILER ALERT: In Part 2, she will becomes more Wicked when she assumes the position of the tyrannical Eminence of Munchkinland. Owing to her brutal religious persecution, we'll do well to remember her as the infamous ''Wicked Witch of the East.'' I love me a badass female villain).

---

Speaking of badass female villains, Michelle Yeoh absolutely COOKED as Madame Morrible, and her costumes were more beautiful on the big screen. Part of me wanted Kristin Chenoweth to play Madame Morrible… she slayed as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray Live! Her rendition of ‘’(The Legend Of) Miss Baltimore Crabs’’ was seriously gas. She plays a very convincing villain, but then they’d have to write her a villain song (not that I’m complaining). Michelle may not be a singer, but she was so quietly sinister as Madame Morrible… I loved her.

I personally wanted more Bowen Yang in the supporting cast (specifically flirting with Fiyero).

Despite the haters (and say what you will), but Ethan Slater was perfectly cast as Boq Woodsman aka the Munchkin Boy. Despite unpopular opinion, I wish he was in the movie more. When I read the book, he looks almost exactly like how I pictured him (mop of curly hair, freckles…). Boq was blonde in the book if I remember correctly, and he wore glasses… so my vision of him was a blonde Daniel Radcliffe… but honestly, the red hair works so well (even better than blonde). And I love that they ended up basing the Munchkins’ look off of Ethan. They all had red curly hair. That was a cool detail.

Boq the Munchkin Boy was actually a major character in the book but the musical shifts Boq's prominence to Fiyero for some reason and this always bothered me. Yeah, Fiyero unapologetically steals Boq's thunder (and I will never forgive the musical for that unnecessary change...) and apparently the movie was going to flesh him out more and make him friends with Elphaba like in the book… they were really close friends and Boq actually played a bigger role than Galinda... in fact, Galinda was very minor in the book compared to her role in the musical.

You wish your squad was this dope.

It seemed like they were going to add more things from the book. Unfortunately, a lot of his scenes got axed (I would watch a full five hours with all the deleted scenes). But Ethan Slater was still good with what he had to work with. Okay, maybe they had to delete his scenes with Elphaba. But I personally wanted more scenes with him and Fiyero… it seems like something was going on between them in ‘’Dancing Through Life’’ (not in that way; Ethan explained in interviews his Boq looked up to Fiyero and tried to emulate him and that makes sense) like a parallel storyline to Elphie and Galinda’s budding friendship. Boq seemed to come out of his shell more around Fiyero, kind of like Elphie gaining confidence around Galinda. I would’ve have minded a scene with Fiyero rooming with Boq and seeing the boys get ready for the dance.

In fact, we just needed more scenes with the Charmed Circle hanging out together in general. They teased us with these scenes for months leading up to the film’s release… only to delete them!!! WE WERE ROBBED

A two-part movie and they still had to sacrifice so much for time constraints.

That was my only other gripe with the film. The lack of development in the friendships of the characters…

This is why the movie really needed to be a TV series spanning multiple seasons, and they could have added so much from the books. Everyone would watch the living crap out of it, and we could have had more character development and world building. Someday I’d love to see an animated tv series based on the books (minus the smex). With all the lovely fanart coming out of this fanbase, think of the cool possibilities for character designs. Yeah a tv series based on the books are in order. (Probably couldn’t get the movie cast but I think Ethan Slater should reprise his role as Boq because he just sounded so much like how I pictured him from the book… he probably fits my vision the most out of everyone who was casted.)

A funny thing happened after the movie… my friend said, ''Why is Boq taller than Glinda?'' And I was like, ''out of the whole 2 1/2 hour movie THAT'S what you got out of it???'' (Anyway most of the actors who played Boq on stage were taller than Glinda by a head or two. He's a ''tall munchkin'' and they should've kept this line in the movie so people wouldn't be confusified.)

Anyway, yeah, despite the minor things, the movie is a solid 11/ 10 stars for me.

They had ONE job. And they nailed it.

[whats-9plus10]

Venture Bros.: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart commentary and extras.

This is what I gathered during my first watch. Hopefully, I'll be able to upload the audio bits like I did for seasons 1-7 eventually! I'll catch all the little details then 💛

Let me get this out of the way. They did not answer the most important question of all.

In the past, Doc and Jackson have said that what they say in the commentary isn't necessarily canon. What is canon is what's in the actual show, not what they explore outside of the show because they're always changing their minds. Sometimes they disagreed while answering questions. Take that as you'd like.

Jonas didn’t abandon The Monarch after the plane crash intentionally. He assumed he died or he ran away before he got there. They hinted that Jonas downed the plane himself.

When asked if Jonas loved Rusty they say he’s a bad person, the villain of the show, and a monster. Jackson thinks he might have been a boy adventurer himself. They compare him to baby boomers forcing their children to live the lives they wanted themselves.

Does Rusty have the other twin killed when only one dies? Jackson says only when they witness the death. He referenced Ice Station Impossible. Brock has done it before.

Ritchie Valens refused to join The Guild and Red Mantle and Dragoon’s (Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper) initiation was to kill him so he wouldn’t tattle.

Doc says the second sons are the ones who succeed in The Guild, not the first sons, because they’re most likely to become evil and that’s why Dean was chosen as The Guild’s successor.

Doc described two episodes he would like to do: 1. "Heads in the water." Which is the heads of characters bobbing in the water after a crash for the entire episode. An all dialog bottle episode. 2. An episode that starts off like a regular Venture Bros episode. Then a henchman dies and everything pivots. 21 calls his wife and says “Real sorry but your husband died in service” (Doc put on his 21 voice here). We then see the wife and daughter (from another marriage) and follow them in their lives.

What is The Monarch's favorite ABBA song? Doc thinks Waterloo and Jackson thinks Take a Chance. They riff as Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend for a few seconds.

Gary's a big Sneaker Pimps fan.

Rusty doesn't have a middle name. If you ask Rusty he'll say the S stands for sexy or science or SUPER science. Rusty’s favorite musical is Starlight Express or RENT (Jackson disagreed). He's never actually watched them but he likes the advertisements.

Brock Frog is the guy that "brings in bagels". A 3rd generation Italian American from "bricklayer stock." He fell out with his dad because he wanted to bring bricks into the future. He teamed up with Professor Vigo Dale, who screwed him out of half of the company after Brick Frog gave him all of his brick ideas.

Mantilla has the ability to make things invisible by touching them but claimed it was teleportation. “It’s all bullshit…and she had money from her past”

Mantilla has been "garbage picking" from The Monarch’s trash, such as Dr. Mrs.'s costume ideas in season 3 that she had thrown away and their wedding invitation.

The guys in the warehouse with Jefferson were all roommates in the 90s.

We would have had a full episode of Force Majeure and Jonas Venture's rivalry.

We would have had another episode of Billy and Colonel Gentleman "John Wicking" after Mischa was found dead right before a doggy costume contest.

Matt Berry was supposed to voice Force Majeure.

Why does The Monarch hate Doc so much? Jackson says “Obviously it (the thought that Debra left him for Rusty) bothers him a little more than he said.”

They called Gary's hair “the popular millennial cut” and made him "half Glen Danzig half Wolverine."

Doc has drunk his own urine multiple times because they pee in bottles in the Astrobase. "Recently".

During the last scene in the movie when everyone is talking, Gary and Hatred were talking about a loofah. Hatred asked Gary "Ah...you use a loofah?". Dr. O was talking about intermittent fasting.

24 made a guest appearance in the "Fan Questions" extra for a few seconds.

They refused to answer the questions about Scare Bear and what Rusty and Billy were doing in the time machine in case they're able to continue the story.

They made a joke about telling people just enough in the commentary to get them excited and want more. (A “joke” haha)

During Prom, Pete and Billy would have studied the Push It video extensively. Pete would’ve entered the dance floor and “boxed it out” to make space. Billy would’ve walked in the circle nonchalantly. Then they would have recreated the entire dance.

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Put a Spell On Me (Joel Miller)

Joel Miller Masterlist

Warning: swearing, grumpy Joel, bit of fluff

Summary: Joel sees another side of you whilst the town prepare for Halloween. Inspired by - Nina Simone's - I Put a Spell On You.

You hated Joel Miller, and he hated you, everyone around town knew it. Only thing was no one exactly knew when and how it started, only thing they knew was that glares, scowls and heated words would be exchanged whenever the two of you were in proximity to each other. So, when word went around that the two of you were heading out to the nearest mall together for supplies for the upcoming Halloween celebration, to say everyone was worried would be putting it lightly.

Breathing a huge sigh of relief only when finding out that Tommy would be going with, he always had to play referee whenever a disagreement broke out between Joel and you, and was the best candidate to ensure both of you returned home alive.

"Not sure why she had to come with…", Joel grumbles out softly to Tommy as they rode side by side, his gaze narrowed on your back as you rode a short distance in front of the two.

Tommy's head drops with yet another heavy exhale at Joel's dislike of you. "Like I told ya, she knows this place… used to work there part-time as a teenager before the world went to shit. Whenever we need something from it, she goes with, makes it much easier than going in blind."

"Coulda drawn a map", was all Joel utters back in response.

"Would ya quit acting like a child", Tommy scolds him. "I know ya don't like her and believe me, the feeling's mutual. At least she's attemptin' to be civil."

"Civil, my ass…", Joel utters under his breathe, causing Tommy to shoot a side glare in warning. Letting out a disgusted scoff, silently raising his hands up in surrender as the rest of the trip moves on in total silence thereafter.

"Seriously?", Joel snarls after you went directly to a specific store when entering the mall. "This is why we're here, Halloween decorations and costumes...?"

Not wanting to attract any unwanted guests by having yet another shouting match with Joel, you choose to ignore him. "This is the first big celebration we're havin'", Tommy does his best to defuse the situation before Joel pushes you too far, utter out with a wince then, "shoulda seen the sorry excuse for costumes the past Halloweens..."

"Hey!", your head pops out from a corner with defensive scowl. "We were too busy building the town to properly enjoy it." Pointing a finger in warning at him, "don't knock it-"

"Ok, ok...", Tommy chuckles at you, whilst Joel's only reaction was silent glare. "Ya done?", Tommy finally sobers up from his laughter.

"Yup", you nod, quickly retreating behind the corner only to reappear seconds later with large witch's hat on your head and the last bag of supplies.

Tommy instantly bursts out with a loud laugh, whilst Joel goes all bug-eyed; sarcastically drawling, "always knew ya were a witch... finally found ya long lost hat I see..."

Eyes narrowed; you point a finger at him in warning as you walk pass. "Careful Miller... before I cast a hex on ya."

"Alright, aright...", Tommy steps in when Joel bares his teeth at you. "We still got two more stores to hit then we're out."

Joel lets out a grunt in response, and you roll your eyes at him as you walk away.

"Where ya been the whole day?", Joel enquires of Ellie when entering the house in the evening.

"Went to Y/N's after school", Ellie responds after dropping her bag at the front door and removing her shoes and coat.

Joel's brows shoot up in surprise, "the Wicked Witch of the West...?"

"Don't call her that!", Ellie scolds him.

"Ya right...", Joel nods, a grin pulling at his lips, "more like, the Wicked Witch of Jackson."

"Joel!", Ellie reprimands him with a scowl, "if you got to know her properly, you'd realize that she's a very nice person."

"I know enough about her to know that she's a pain in the ass...", Joel drawls out in response, throwing himself down on the couch with a heavy grown.

Frowning at his words, Ellie takes a seat beside him. "Look man, I know you hate and all... but she's been nothing but nice to me. Which she really didn't have to be", she reminds Joel. "Not with the way you've been treating her."

Joel silently stares into Ellie's eyes for a few seconds. "She was right. No matter how you and Joel bickered, you never once turned that negativity towards Ellie. He had warned her off from you in the beginning, but Ellie was stubborn, and the girl had naturally gravitated towards you as time went on. Ellie was right... you weren't such a bad person at all."

Head dropping down with shame and sighing in defeat, Joel finally admits, "I don't hate her... just don't like her, that's all."

"Oh, that's fine then...", Ellie snorts out in amusement, flashing him a toothy grin, "'cause she doesn't like ya either."

"I can live with that", Joel gives his own snorted response, sitting up straight then. "So, what ya two been up to?"

"She's helping me with my Halloween costume!", Ellie exclaims, excitedly catapulting up from the couch to get her backpack. Settling back on the couch and hastily opening her sketch book to show Joel the design.

"She's making this for you...?", Joel stares at the design in surprise.

"Yup", Ellie beams proudly at it, "got the idea from a few of my comics. It's going to be awesome!"

"Bet she's going to make it look like shit", Joel snorts under his breath, suddenly yelping out in pain when Ellie elbows him in the side.

"Fuckin' rude much?"

"Sorry...", Joel rubs at his side, sheepishly muttering, "ol' habit."

A lightbulb goes off for Ellie then as she knowingly smirks at him then. "The two remind me of something I read a while back about 'young crushes'..."

Joel's eyes go all bug-eyed at her words, "the fuck that supposed to mean?"

"You know...", Ellie flashes him a full-on grin then. "When the boy and girl like each other but are too shy to admit it, so they end up being mean to one another instead."

"Well, your deductions about us are completely wrong", Joel slaps his palms on his thighs matter-of-factly as he gets up from the couch. "She doesn't like me, and I don't like her and that's the end of it."

"We'll see, Old Man...", Ellie snorts her breath, "we'll see..."

It was the early evening of the Halloween party and Joel was just minding his own business in the comfort of home, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Howdy...", Tommy greets upon the door opening, a cowboy atop his head and what looked to be a plastic sherif badge pinned to his shirt.

"What the hell ya wearing?", Joel frown at him.

"I'm the sherif the town, see...", Tommy beams, proudly pointing to the badge of his chest.

"Can see that...", Joel drawls in response, his gaze narrowing on the arm Tommy was hiding behind his back. "Whatcha got behind ya back...?"

With a toothy grin, Tommy presents another cowboy hat with a plastic badge inside from behind his back. "Ya just been deputized."

"Oh, hell no...!", Joel shakes his head in displeasure. "Ain't fuckin happening."

Tommy's shoulders sag in disappointment at hearing his response. "Aw, c'mon man... don't be a party pooper. She went out of her way to get these for us."

Joel scoffs, eyes narrowing when something hits. "Who...?"

Rolling his eyes, Tommy, shoots Joel an arched brow then. "You know exactly who."

"Why am I not surprised...", Joel throws heads back with a heavy groan, palming his face.

"It's not so bad...", Tommy chuckles at him. "Ya might even enjoy it. I know Ellie would love for ya to be there."

Bringing his back down, Joel peers through his spread fingers at Tommy for a second, finally lowering the hand and sighing, "she's been talking about it none stop, specially about her costume."

Tommy grins at his words, pausing to look around the house then. "Where's the kid, by the way?"

Exhaling heavily, Joel places his hand on his hips with a dramatic eyeroll. "Stormed outta here early morning to go over to 'her' place to do some final touches on the kid's costume."

"See...!", Tommy exclaims satisfactorily, shoving the hat into Joel's arms before bolting off, "now ya have to come. See ya later..."

"Wait!", a dumbstruck Joel attempts to call him back but was he was gone in an instant. Letting out a sigh of defeat, Joel's gazed drops to the hat and badge in his hand, "the hell I'm supposed to do with this?"

An hour or so later, Ellie comes rushing in through the door like a gust of wind. "Joel! Come see my costume!"

"Hold ya horses...", Joel came lumbering down the stairs, stopping dead in his tracts when seeing Ellie in her costume. "Whoa."

"Fuckin' awesome, I know...", Ellie proudly smiles at his reaction, twirling around to show every detail of the costume. "She did a great job, didn't she...?"

"I- um...", Joel's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water for some time, finally clearing his throat and scratching the back of his head in embracement. "Yeah, she did."

"Told ya so...", Ellie flashes him a smug grin and he grunts in response. "So, ya comin' to the party?"

"Not sure", Joel shrugs, throwing himself onto the couch with a weary sigh.

A little sad at it, Ellie nods in understanding though. "If ya do. Please promise me you'll be nice to her."

"She's the one that needs to be nice", Joel snorts under his breath.

"Seriously, dude?!", Ellie scowls at him. "At least try... she went out of her way to make me this costume. Even though she was helping the other kids with their costumes, mine was the only one she made from scratch."

Joel's head violently snaps in Ellie's direction, "really...?"

Ellie confirms with a head nod, "and she didn't have to, yet she did anyway", she makes sure to stress the topic. "Just for tonight... please be nice."

Throwing a hand of his face, Joel learns backward with a defeat sigh, "I'll be nice."

Joel silently stared at the hat in his hand, Ellie had left half an hour ago for the party and he was debating with himself about whether he should go or not. "It wouldn't hurt to show his face for an hour or so to show his support for Ellie. The kid was excited for her first ever Halloween party and he'd be asshole if he didn't go. Besides, he could take it as an opportunity to thank you for helping Ellie."

Releasing a tense breath, Joel anxiously straightens his cowboy hat when entering the Autumn theme decorated town hall. Children were excitedly running round in their costumes whilst adults were happily mingling amongst themselves. Silently studying the scene from the doorway, Joel's gaze finally lands on you; all dressed up and with the witch's hat on that you had found at the mall. Your back was toward him but instantly knew it was you.

"See ya dusted ya old uniform off to wear tonight", Joel tauntingly remarks from behind you.

Turning around with a hoity arched brow, you slowly scan him from head to toe and flashing him a syrupy smile then. "Fancy seeing you here, Officer..."

The smug smile on Joel's face instantly disappears, "don't start..."

Placing your hands on your hips, you glare at him, "ditto."

Realizing that this could potentially turn into another argument, Joel changes the topic. "About Ellie-"

"I know ya told me to stay away from ya kid...", you interrupt him midsentence. "She approached me though, and besides that, I was in charge of the kids' costumes, so I obviously couldn't turn her away."

You anxiously wait for a sarcastic remark or something in response as Joel silently frowned at your words, finally giving a head nod, moments later and just as he's about to open his mouth to say something, someone calls out for your help. "Excuse me", you comment, turning around and walking off. You don't make it far though, when Joel finally speaks up.

"Wait!"

Halting in your tracks, you turn back towards him. "Your costume looks nice", Joel manages to awkwardly utter out, causing your eyes to widen in shock.

"I- Um...", your words stumble over each other. "Thank you...?", your response finally comes out as a question instead due to being caught off-guard by Joel's compliment. "I-I... have to go...", you awkwardly point over your shoulders, dumbstruck by the entire situation.

A faint smirk crosses Joel's lips as he nods. "Bye...", you manage to stammer out before hightailing it.

The smirk turns into a full-on grin as Joel watched you rush away. "Maybe you weren't as bad as he thought, you were actually quite adorable when shy. Maybe there was a good side to you that he just never really bothered to get to know. Maybe Ellie was right... maybe he should start being nicer to you. Or... maybe you really did put a hex on him...?"

I put a spell on you

Because you're mine Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-n-duh-duh-uah You better stop the things you do

I ain't lying No, I ain't lying

You know I can't stand it You're running around You know better, daddy I can't stand it 'Cause you put me down Yeah, yeah

I put a spell on you

Because you're mine

You're mine

Yeah, yeah Oh yeah

I put a spell on you

Because... you're mine...

NXT

[ladyantiheroine]

Okay, official Wicked thoughts (spoilers below)

-The opening lyrics of "What Is This Feeling?" sung by Galinda and Elphaba while they're sleeping on opposite sides of the room while they're tossing and turning in bed makes it seem like they're trying not to fuck. Elphaba x Galinda shippers, I hope you're happy :)

-Bisexual himbo Fiyero my beloved.

-I’m surprised to see I still ship Elphaba x Fiyero after all these years later (I’m a whore for the shy, misunderstood girl x himbo popular boy trope what can I say)

-The sets and costumes remind me of the live action Beauty and the Beast remake (not an insult or a compliment, just an observation). It feels like a lot of fantasy movies these days Look Like That and I'm curious why that is (CGI? Reusing costumes and sets? Idk).

-I don't hate CGI Doctor Dillamond looking like a realistic goat, but I wouldn't have minded them having a guy in a heavy costume like the Cowardly Lion in the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie.

-Some parts of it felt a tad slow because they had to pad out time to make Act I as long as the original musical itself. But nothing they added was that radical, so I’m fine with it.

-Was the Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith camo a tad indulgent? Yes. Do I care? Not one bit because I gasped when they came on screen (and them figuratively passing the wand to Erivo and Grande? Don’t make me cry).

[ryukang1995]

Mortal Kombat (2021).

While there are indeed massive problems with the movie, I don't really hate it.

Yes, it could have been so much better, hence why I wrote posts about how I would have done the movie and its subsequent universe. But overall, I can still watch this movie, and there are even days where I like it.

The biggest problem with the movie is the story. While it was a bold choice to make the movie a mere setup for the actual Mortal Kombat tournament, it did come at a cost since the pacing is very uneven and choppy.

It starts off very well with the first 10 minutes revolving around Scorpion and Sub-Zero's rivalry, but the movie drags during the second act, and it whooshes by near the end.

I like the cast, but a lot of them aren't given much to work with. Kano is easily the standout because you get to see his personality and charm in buckets. Sub-Zero/Bi Han was an effective villain, and Scorpion was awesome with his limited screen time. I even liked Sonya and Liu Kang, but whether or not they were better than their 1995 counterparts is debatable (I personally prefer Sonya in this movie, but Robin Shou is THEE best Liu Kang for me).

However, there were also characters I didn't like or care for. Cole Young was bland as hell, and I would have preferred it if Lewis Tan played Kuai Liang. Raiden and Shang Tsung were also very weak, especially when you compare them to their 1995 counterparts.

I also thought the idea of Arcana and Dragon birthmarks was ridiculous, even by the franchise's standards, and ultimately, you did not need such an idea for this movie.

The fight scenes were honestly pretty enjoyable. Sure, they're not the best fight scenes you will ever see on film (especially when you compare it to The Raid or John Wick), and the editing is pretty choppy at times, but when the action is comprehensible, it mostly delivers. Plus, the fatalities and gore add to the enjoyment factor, especially since it was outright missing from the 90s films. Both the Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero battles are easily the standout fights.

Visually, the movie is okay. The CGI is much better than what was in the 90s films. Sure, there are moments where you can tell the FX are obvious, but it's not off-putting either. The costumes are spot-on, for the most part, but I do wish the locations were better and more imaginative.

Is it the best Mortal Kombat movie? Well, that's debatable. Yes, it captures the brutality of the games better than the 90s movies, but at the same time, the 1995 original has so much charm to it, and it's actually better in certain areas like the story and especially the music.

I would definitely put both movies over Annihilation, even though there are some who would favor that flick over how unintentionally hilarious it is (to each is their own). I'm also not really too excited for the upcoming sequel for reasons I won't go into, but if you are, then that's kool.

If you liked or disliked this movie? Then it's all good. Let's keep the discussion civil.

[sparrow-in-the-field]

I never shared my thoughts on the Wicked movie!! I will now because I'm procrastinating at work what's new lol

Disclaimer: I never saw the og musical. I knew a couple of the most famous songs but otherwise I basically went into the movie knowing nothing!

I really enjoyed the music and have been listening to the soundtrack since!!

My favorite song is definitely "What is this feeling". I do also love "No one mourns the wicked" what a banger to open with!

I can't think about the lore too much because it just makes less and less sense the more you think about it. And tbh I genuinely think that's fine, sometimes you really can run off of vibes. And this does have hella vibes.

I loveddd Glinda and Elphie's costumes, every time they were in a new fit I was like "omg I love this one". It was great!

On the opposite end of costuming, I hated Fieryo's fuckass jacket!! Anytime he was out in the woods in a flowy shirt or rolled up sleeves I was like "yessss" but then he'd show up to school in that fuckass jacket with the weird collar and unflattering cut and idk why but it makes me irrationally bothered!! Lmao

I was surprised by how much I loved Glinda! She was hilarious and also more complex of a character than I thought she'd be! And Ariana did amazing playing her! I'm ngl I was so skeptical but she blew me away!

My favorite part of the entire movie is when she collapsed on the bed when Elphie wouldn't tell her a secret. That whole stunt was comedy gold man.

Second favorite part was the "I love air" bit. Idk man that is just exactly my sense of humor!!

Cynthia deserves her flowers too, she was also great!! Defying Gravity was amazing, of course.

Omg I had forgotten that flying monkeys were a thing and I have a phobia of monkeys/apes so that whole part was. Not fun for me. Lmao

I'm curious to see how part two is because I read the synopsis of the musical and it sounds...like a lot lol. Very curious to see what they do with it as its own movie.

Okay last thing is gelphie shippers I see you. Their chemistry, ooff!

[lillifaba]

My thoughts on the Wicked movie teaser trailer... so far.

Before you pop off in my replies and reblogs yes I know, this is just a teaser trailer and not the official tralier. Regardless that doesn't give this movie a magical critique pass. Most of my critques on this teaser come from my own thoughts and some of points raised in this post. This is also just me rambling into the void. Don't like don't read lmao.

If you've been following me for a while, then you already know my opinion on the Wicked movie and casting. Surprise surprise, you guessed it... I am extremely underwhelmed and disappointed. For so many reasons.

I'll start off with some things I like.

Johnathan Bailey is hot asf as Fiyero. (even if he looks way older than Fiyero is canonically meant to be)

The set and props. I think some of them actually look pretty neat. I'm glad they didn't use a green screen for Shiz and put in the effort to build a university campus. The train from Shiz to Oz looks kinda dope. I was always wondering what it would look like and I'll probably use that as inspiration for my fics and art comms.

Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard. I won't lie, I haven't seen a lot of movies with Jeff in them so I was cautious about his casting. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much his look and his performance so far actually fits Oscar. Time will tell if he can hold up to those standards.

I'm happy a WOC is playing Elphaba. Everyone complains about Fiyero not being racially book accurate but nobody talks enough about Elphaba being discriminated against as an amalgamation for rac!sm. More women of color should play her on stage.

THE NAILSSSS. Come on people this is the Wicked Witch of the West we're talking about she should be SERVING WITH THOSE CLAWS! Although personally I would've preferred them sharp but I'm over here with almond arylics what do I know lol.

I'm happy they casted a disabled actress to play Nessa. I always wondered why they never did that.

With that out of the way, let's get into a million reasons why I hated this trailer and why I'll most likely hate the movie anyways.

Arianna as Glinda. Look, I don't hate Ari. I like some of her songs and even bought some of her perfumes because I like smelling good. At worst I just don't care about her. However whenever I see Arianna as Glinda, I'm sorry I just don't see Glinda, I see ARIANNA GRANDE dressed in last minute cosplay for a Halloween party. I heard one line... ONE LINE from her and the delivery is NOTHING like Glinda's character or cadence, it's just Ari in drama class.

The wigs and costumes. What the hell was the makeup and hair crew thinking when they selected that wig for Arianna???? It's an ashy dull blonde that brings no color or life to the character. The #1 thing about Glinda is her vibrant blonde hair, it's even mentioned IN THE SONGS. MULTIPLE TIMES. This wig looks like a botched bleach job. Then, there's the costumes. Good lord what are those glasses on Elphaba's face??? I get they're trying to be all "whimsy" and "peculiar" in tone with WOZ, but they just look silly. Why not stick to the glasses in the musical? Why overdo it? I fear how the Emerald City sunglasses will look (if they even add those in) Also why are Glinda's clothes so dull? Where's the vibrance? Where's the pink frilly coquette contrast to Elphaba's dark coquette?

The camera work and Elphaba's entrance. This is Wicked the musical. I'm expecting a huge and grandiose presentation, especially when it comes to THE MAIN CHARACTER. Showing Elphaba from the back of her head in slow motion while she's walking to the entrance is just... boring and an overused cliche. Not to mention the underwhelming reactions from the extras. The cinematography is just meh. I'm expecting better for a fantasy film. It's been done before.

Cynthia as Elphaba. Listen, Cynthia is a great singer and talented actress. I have absolutely nothing against her. With that being said I'm going to be brutally honest: much like Arianna, she is not Elphaba... at least not entirely. Like Johnathan, Cynthia is way older than Elphaba is meant to be canonically and the editing team clearly used the de-aging filter on her to the point where it looks unnatural. If this movie had been made at least five years ago or earlier Cynthia would've fit perfectly.

Continuing my point with Cynthia: the singing. I'm sorry but what the hell was that riff with Defying Gravity??? I'm not entirely blaming Cynthia for this because this has become a massive problem with a lot of musical film adaptations which I like to call the popification of songs. It happens in nearly all the live-action Disney movies and I'm sick of it. What confuses me is STEPHEN FUCKING SCHWARTZ is involved in the musical production. He wrote the god damn songs, how the hell does he not direct Cynthia to sing the right note instead of letting her do whatever she wants??? I don't think he did that with Idina, which is why this riff is so iconic. Come on, if a tiktok meme trend can do that riff better and more accurately than an actual singer can, that's just embarrassing. I'm not good at explaining myself in terms of singing, so I'm hoping a youtuber I occassionally watch does a reaction video to the trailer and does a better job at explaining than I can.

The acting. Like I said with Arianna, the delivery is so bland and dry. I'm trying not to judge all of the acting on a teaser trailer but if this is how the leads are going to act throughout the whole movie then I'm disappointed.

Too much CGI in some parts. I get it. This is a fantasy movie there's bound to be certain effects you can't do practically. But that's no excuse when this is a $145 million dollar movie. The flying monkeys are so painfully obvious CGI. This was a wasted chance to get Doug Motherfucking Jones to play Chistery in prosthetics. So much of this movie ends up looking like those garbage Oz spinoffs. (If you know you know) The CGI is just bad. The bubble and Emerald City buildings look so cheap.

WHY IS THIS MOVIE SO DARK? This is suppossed to be OZ! Why do I have to turn up my brightness to look into the shadow realm???

Now onto some things I'm confused about.

Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. I'm praying to god she'll blow us away because she's such a good actress and is serving c*nt in her costumes. I haven't heard her sing (I'm dumb but unless the opera song she sang in EEAAO was her then WOW!)

The silver slippers. I KNOW! I KNOW! The ruby slippers are copyrighted and can't be thrown in all nilly willy wherever you please. But keep in mind this is a 145 MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE ALL FOR PART ONE. Do not tell me they couldn't shill a few extra bucks on signing a few contracts. AND YES I KNOW. The musical uses the silver slippers in the first act in ode to the L. Frank Baum books which I love, but don't forget, they turn red when Elphaba enchants them to give Nessa the ability to walk. Dorothy shows up after Nessa is killed and has her shoes stolen. Why aren't they red now? Not to mention most of the audience might not know the original slippers in the books were silver. This would've been a great chance to combine two different canons.

WHO IS PLAYING DR. DILLAMOND???? ifitisjamescordenandyouusecrappycgiiwillgotoyourhousejohnchuand-

Finally, why did John Chu absolutely insist on this being a two parter movie with a year long intermission? Is this shit show really that fantastical that it can be akin to Kill Bill part 1 and 2?

That's pretty much it for now but expect an update to this post with a reblog with updated thoughts when an official trailer drops. My mind probably won't change though. I'm totalllllyyy not considering pulling an Eddy Burback sneaking into Morbius for a week when this movie comes out lol.

Universal Studios and AMC theaters that was a joke please for the love of god do not send Nicole Kidman after me.

[katsukikitten]

You don't feel stupid or out of place, not for a single moment as you glide through the packed room to stand at the fringes of the party you came to alone. At least until you see them as you stand by the banister overlooking the sunken living room.

The perfect couple, that normally stayed in, of course would be dressed as the most iconic couple of all time. Her long dark hair flowing down her back, pin straight and pretty face usually painted in bright colors adornes a black upper lip similar to the one you snarl now. Realizing even this far away who the pair were meant to be.

Morticia and Gomez.

A heavy sigh as the negative feeling you shoved down on the way over tries to bubble up. Especially when he takes one strong hand to wrap around her delicate one, bringing her knuckles to his lips to press a loving kiss. As if they are the only two in the room, icy blue gaze hidden behind soft lashes.

It made you sick.

Mostly because you were jealous.

"Morticia all alone?" A voice interrupts your thoughts, letting his fingers slide from your forearm down to your laced palm. Holding your hand up cautiously as if asking permission to press his lips.

"I'm still looking for my Gomez." Denying his request as you pull your hand away, smiling at the white haired man who towered over you. Clasping the banister in front of you elegantly but it does little to hide your cat smile.

"Didn't I see you come in with three pretty young women? All in matching costumes that suggest more than platonic feelings." He quirks his eyebrow, flashy costume reminding you too much of a desperate peacock.

"I can always add a goth babe to my roster." He smiles, attempts to make it extra dazzling as if what he said would be written in romance novels for decades to come.

"Oh sweetheart." Your voice has a dangerous edge as you grab onto his cheeks, pointed claws digging into the skin as you pull him closer to make sure he hears, "I'm nobody's fourth option. Not third or second. I come first."

Before leaning back with a wicked smile as you release him, "Course I doubt those three have come at all."

Watching his face fall in real time as he realizes exactly what you meant, making the mistake of staying put as if any man would ever move you. Staring him down with an almost bored gaze before he finally caves in.

"That's probably why you can't find your fuckin Gomez bitch." He spits your way but it just makes you smile, weeding out the weak men was child's play to you. Eyes sweeping over the party once more trying to avoid the happy couple that seem to move spots every time you try to look anywhere but.

Letting out an audible ugh as you debate drowning yourself in liquor or just heading home.

"Sickening ain't it?" Yet another male voice disturbing your hating hours, although he must have snuck up on you. Leaning against the railing as he stares out over the bodies that grind against one another.

"Hmm?" Pretending not to know what he's talking about even though you see his wisteria eyes boring into the only real happy couple here. He looks over to you sucking his teeth as he catches you in an obvious lie.

"Trying to catch his attention? Won't work sweetheart man's only got eyes for his little snowflake." He leers and it earns a hot glare.

"Not everything is about a man." Your teeth are almost grit as you try to keep your composure.

"Yea? Everyone knows Morticia and Gomez come as a set." He looks your way, a ghost fast mask pushed up and away from his face as if he needed to catch some air, "Not too late to run to the bathroom and fix your hair and slit your dress to be Elvira."

"Again, women can exist outside of men. Besides, who's to say my Gomez just isn't here yet?"

"Cause I heard ya tell that pig head ya ain't got one." He flashes teeth as white as his soft starlight tuffs that peek out haphazardly. He pushes away from the railing, coming to stand closely behind you. Placing his broad palms on the banister in front of you as if to trap you to the spot. Chin on your shoulder as he purrs in your ear.

"So whadya say, will ya settle for a ghost face?" He smells divine and maybe if he caught you a little later in the night when you had far too much to drink you might have gotten drunk off of him instead. Instead you wrap your arms around his, putting him in a sense of false ease as you take a step back and another as if it were a dance and he follows easily. Twirling yourself until now his back is to the party pressing into the banister harshly. Grabbing onto his cheeks, nails biting into his skin as you did the man before him.

"I came alone so I'll leave alone." Smiling before you let him go, heading for the door before you call over your shoulder..

"Maybe I'll see ya in the sequel Mr. Ghost face."

[666writingcafe]

A Trip To The Past

Upon grabbing Not-Solomon's hand, my vision goes momentarily black, but then I find myself in a brightly lit meadow with lots of colorful flora. This has to be somewhere in the Celestial Realm; everything's overly saturated.

The last time I was in the past, I was with Barbatos, observing the memory of Lilith's death. We had to hide in the shadows to make sure we weren't spotted, or we'd permanently alter the memory.

You don't have to do that this time.

Great. Not-Solomon's in my head. I am tired of people walking in and out of it like it's their own place, because it's not.

Reach up towards the top of your head.

Confused, I do as he instructs, and something burns my hand.

Except when I pull it back to see how much damage I've done to it, there's no mark. Which means I've assumed the form of something that's resistant to this kind of bodily damage. And given that I'm in the Celestial Realm...

"Why, hello there." A voice pierces through my thoughts, forcing me to focus on the person standing before me. A rather familiar looking person.

"I don't think I've ever seen you around before," Asmo continues. "What's your name?"

You can use your real name.

"MC," I answer. Asmo smiles.

"That's a good name. It suits you. I'm Asmodeus, but you probably already knew that. Everyone here does." He pauses. "You don't work for Raphael, do you?" I shake my head.

"I just arrived here," I tell him. "I got separated from my group, and I have no idea how to find my way back."

Good. New angels go through an orientation-like process.

I had no idea that was a thing. I just figured I'd play up the sad, pathetic, and clueless schtick. It's worked to my advantage before.

"Great!" Asmo quickly adds,

"Not the bit about you being lost. That sucks. I'm just glad that you don't work for Raphael."

"Why?"

"Well, you see, I went to something called a party in the human world the other day. I'd never been to one before, and I wanted to see what it was all about. It was a costume party, and so I simply pretended I was a human dressing up as an angel. That way I didn't have to hide my wings."

"What did you think of the party?" Asmo's face lights up.

"It was so much fun!" Just as quickly, his expression sours. "But Raphael says it's a wicked and immoral thing to do."

"He's not entirely wrong. People tend to overindulge at parties." Asmo sighs.

"I suppose you're right. A lot was happening at that party, things that are considered taboo here." He pauses again. "Raphael found out about my little adventure and has called me in to see him, but I hate getting lectured, especially over something that's not that big of a deal. I should be able to have fun every once in a while."

Interesting. I wonder if this party served as the catalyst for Asmo to eventually become the Avatar of Lust. If he disagreed with Raphael about something small like the nature of parties at this point in the past, did he begin questioning more serious things further down the line?

"What're you doing here?" The sudden appearance of another person causes Asmo to scream, which in turn causes me to jump.

"Beel, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" he shrieks. "Don't scare me like that!"

"I don't think I was being particularly scary," Beel replies, looking slightly confused and sad. Once Asmo composes himself, he asks Beel to open up the Celestial Realm gates, and Beel simply answers,

"No." Asmo protests, but Beel's attention is no longer on him, but rather on me.

"Who's this?" he asks. Before I can even open my mouth, Asmo chirps,

"Oh, this adorable thing? That's MC. MC, this is Beelzebub, one of the cherubim. You probably know this already, since Beel's quite famous, but he guards the gates at the Celestial Realm."

"I remember my group leader mentioning him a couple times," I respond.

"Group leader?" Beel appears to grow concerned. "Did you get lost, MC?" I nod my head. "Are you okay? Asmo hasn't tried anything on you, has he? He likes to hit on anything that moves."

"I'm okay--"

"Beel, what an awful thing to say!" Asmo interrupts. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't go around accusing me of randomly hitting on everyone I see. It's not as if I'm happy to be intimate with just anyone, okay?! I care about who they are. I just happen to feel love towards everyone I meet, that's all." Beel doesn't seem convinced.

"You look like you're hungry," he remarks to me. "I have a few sweets Michael gave me earlier if you'd like something to eat."

"I'm okay, but thank you. Besides, if they're a gift, you should keep them for yourself." Beel sighs.

"I wish I could, but I'm trying to lay off the sweets. I've been eating too much recently, and I feel like I've gained weight as a result."

First Asmo, now Beel. Did something specific trigger Beel to start eating more than he ought to, or was it more gradual? More importantly, do these actions mean that they were somehow destined to become the Avatars of Sin, even if no one realized it at the time they occurred?

Signs. Of course. That's why Not-Solomon transported me to this particular period of time: to observe the early signs of their eventual fall. But why?

And then everything hits me at once.

If you were to spend any real time here–and not just in the areas prepared for visitors–you’ll find that it’s a rather dark place.

You're the one person I can trust fully.

I desperately want to hold your hand.

I need you, MC.

It's Simeon, isn't it? He's at the crossroads Not-Solomon was referring to. That would explain why he seemed so worn out at the cafe earlier; his mind has allowed him very little rest, and why would it? This is a potentially life-altering decision for him. Does he remain an angel, or does he fall and become something else?

The brothers made their decision a long time ago, but I have a feeling it won't be as easy for Simeon. They at least had each other. Simeon has Luke to think about, because I doubt he's going to take the young angel with him. I know that he wants Luke to maintain his innocence for as long as possible, and falling would expose him to some rather dark truths.

Which means the only way Simeon can actively protect him is to remain in the Celestial Realm. But is he willing to pay the price for it? Luke's purity, or his own happiness?

And how am I supposed to help Simeon decide which path to take?

[astheworldgoesonitswickedway]

I don't like the ASoUE movie with Jim Carrey. I don't like it at all. But I really wanted to! Let's be honest, it's a mess in so many ways, but didn't it have so much going for it? (Although, its worth mentioning, the choice to put three books in one movie was just horrible, will always be horrible, will never ever work no matter what series you are adapting and that was set to ruin everything from the start because, how could you include all the necessary plot, and if you did, how would you give it the necessary screen time to do it properly???!!!) Anyway, the series is comedy and Jim Carrey is so famous for his comedy, and he looks a bit more like the book description of Olaf then Neil Patrick Herris (though Netflix did great with his look too) The sets were beautiful and really fulfilled the gothic vibe. The cast mostly fit my exact vision of the characters, and the costumes were beautiful, if a bit steampunk. (though I will forever hate the decision to take away Klaus' glasses???!!! I mean, what was their plan for the Miserable Mill, SKIP IT???) It should have been good right? But there was such a fundamental lack of understanding the true plot and the meaning behind it. Which is the main problem behind every noticeable problem the movie has. They took a dark story and repeatedly tried to make it less dark? Overwhelming the script with Jim Carrey humor (which I usually like) and taking away the proper dry humor that EMBRACES the series' tragedy. And "punishing" Olaf only for him to escape? Why bother? This meant the entire plot got muddled, and things didn't make a whole lot of sense. Speaking of muddled plots, seriously why did the train scene even exist? Why was the marriage at the end of the whole thing? Acting like the whole series is over by "consoling" us about the Baudelaires in this confusing dialogue about them "having each other" only for it to all end up in the air? Don't we want an official cliff hanger if there will be more movies? Why did we need that? And are we seriously trying to say V.F.D. only existed as a group of people trying to figure out who was responsible for a few fires? Olaf was never a part of V.F.D. but instead the reason it existed? Not a multi-generational, trauma-filled, child kidnapping secret society that suffered a great schism? All this might have been excused, well not really excused, but maybe I could have still enjoyed it in a way, if they had only gotten Olaf right. What I'm about to say may be controversial, but, I feel like he is kinda the main character. I know we see more of the Baudelaires, I know we are rooting for them and Olaf is horrible. Being the main character certainly doesn't change his status of villain, but the entire plot of all thirteen books is kept in motion by his actions. Olaf's character is ridiculous and Jim Carrey certainly delivered on that, but unfortunately, in all the wrong ways. I don't know, maybe it was because the script they gave him. Olaf is ridiculous because he wants to be for a variety of reasons, not because he is a genuine idiot. Violet remarks that he is a CLEVER, unsavory, drunken brute. Beneath his exterior of chaos and stupidity is supposed to be an undercurrent of devious cunning and above all, cruelty, malice, and hatred. We are meant to see and hear that underneath about everything he says and does. All I see in Jim Carrey's performance is an idiot who is selfish enough to do anything to get what he wants. Which is something that certainly applies to Olaf, but he is meant to be much more. More wicked than someone who is simply willing to do horrible things and laugh about it, someone who takes deep, psychological and messed up pleasure in hurting others. Someone who hates the Baudelaires for a reason. (Though not a good one) I'm not saying Jim Carrey is the entire reason the movie failed. Again, the problem might have been the script and dialogue, maybe he could have delivered that menace if given the chance. But all in all, the way it turned out just doesn't work for me.

Also, I don’t mean to bash Jim Carrey, he is a great actor. Just maybe not the right fit in this instance.

[vinkunwildflowerqueen]

What are your thoughts on the film adaptation of Wicked so far?

So I dug out my Google doc I made so I don't forget anything, and obviously things evolve the more you watch things, but here's the gist of my thoughts from the first few times I saw it in cinemas:

The TL;DR version is that I love it, but still prefer the stage show.

My first thought after seeing the movie for the first time was that I wanted a version of the soundtrack with the orchestral versions and the score. So you can imagine how happy I was when we did get the score. The sing-along version is fun too, but I wish the backing vocals and spoken parts weren't there.

I don’t always love the vocal choices made (especially with Cynthia. She has an amazing voice, but I just don't need all the little riffs and note changes) but I love all the orchestral choices to update it from the show’s music, and the extra little nods to the music/score of The Wizard of Oz that they’ve added.

I love how the ‘Unlimited’ motif kicks in during the overture as we go past the rainbow. It made me tear up.

Oz as a world looks great. The implied geography of said world is painful to me, compared to the musical and even the book, but visually, no notes.

No One Mourns the Wicked: I noted on my second viewing that when you can see some Munchkins doing something with the large tubs of water, there’s posters on them saying ‘Protect Yourself: Water will melt her’ which I love. Really establishes the extent of the propaganda and how much the rumours about her grew. Love that they made the jewelled shoes belonging to Melena. Also loved that they kept the choreography from the show to disguise who Melena’s lover is. I don’t know if I loved the extended flashback to Elphaba’s childhood in NoMtW. Because like… the next scene sets up pretty well how Elphaba is treated by others and Frex. So, it just dragged it down for me a bit.

Dear Old Shiz:

Still don’t love the boats at Shiz. Also Shiz is somehow near cliffs?? I need a map desperately. I like that they had the twist that Elphaba wasn’t originally attending Shiz with Nessa… but then also if Frex is so worried about her, why was he not sending Elphaba originally? I miss the “what could he get me, I clash with everything” line. The little Boq/Nessa interaction when Morrible arrives and everyone stands was sweet. Boq didn’t seem as overly taller than Galinda as I was worried about. Nessa seems sweet and sympathetic so that was good. Hopefully she pulls off the turn in Act 2. 

The Wizard and I: Don’t love some of the vocal choices by Cynthia and the geography of Oz/Shiz makes no sense but otherwise nothing of note. That bit with the coloured glass removing the green tint on her skin is my Roman Empire.

What is this Feeling?

I’ve been saying for years that WitF? Is a “montage song” to show time passing, so I’m glad I was right about that! 

Something Bad: Elphaba wasn’t actually “steamed” enough for me in her line delivery to warrant the “it seems the artichoke is steamed line”. I like the change from having this be a classroom to a discussion to a secret discussion between Dillamond and other Animals.

Dancing Through Life: JB is so good as Fiyero! This was so fun, although I do miss the moment on stage where The OzDust lights up and everyone ‘oohs’- I wish they’d been able to do something like that.  I wish they explained why exactly The OzDust is illegal. And why/how TF it is UNDERWATER. It reminded me of the secret club Ariel goes to in The Little Mermaid III: Ariel’s Beginning. I love Galinda’s dress for The OzDust. I miss the “lemons, melons and pears” line. “Boq WOODSMAN” I can’t. I understand from a film perspective why they made that his last name (foreshadowing and studios assuming film audiences are dumb) but I hate it so much. A lot of the extras’ costumes/hair in this scene were sooo 1920s and I’m here for it. I cried in this scene when Elphaba cried. 

Popular: No notes.

I’m Not That Girl: I still don’t know how I feel about them changing the significance of the poppies from being a thing that was in the scene with the Lion Cub to just Dillamond & Elphaba’s favourite flower. Lion Cub scene was great, but I miss the part that was cut out. This has always been the other “montage” song in my head to show the passage of time and Elphaba falling for Fiyero, and it’s weird to me they didn’t do that? Again, the passage of time in the film is so vague. I want a timeline!! (Although because there is no timeline, it means I can keep MY timeline without it being "wrong". So silver lining)

One Short Day: So many thoughts. I hate that they cut the conversation with Boq/Galinda/Nessa at the train station. Because it really sets up Nessa’s thinking that Boq can’t love her because she can’t walk which is important for WWotE! But maybe because the actress is a real wheelchair user, they’re changing this in Act 2??? I don’t know and have questions. (but love the conversation with Boq and Elphaba in the deleted scenes). I am still deciding how I feel about the “play”. Like, I was so excited about the Idina and KC cameo (and Stephen Schwartz at the end!) but… I don’t know if it drags the moment down or not because it’s such a tonal shift, you know? And it mainly feels like exposition to talk up the Grimmerie, which I don’t know if that was needed? Also it reminded me of ‘The All American Prophet’ from Book of Mormon. It terms of purpose, not style. It does amuse me though that The Wizard “reading” the book, is just him repeating “Omaha”. I giggled the first time I saw the movie at that- and then had to explain it to many of my friends afterwards lol. Again, I do miss the ‘oohs’ when the stage lights up green. 

A Sentimental Man: Jeff Goldblum is so good as The Wizard. The coin behind the ear was so funny. Also calling Glinda “Belinda”. They actually made this song interesting! I like the model Oz type thing and the shadow dance bit. I don’t know if I love the fact the Yellow Brick Road doesn’t exist yet?? Which means intermission will be long enough for them to build a whole road through all of Oz?? Man, the Monkeys are appropriately creepy. 

Defying Gravity: Still not sold on Cynthia’s end riffs. Still got goosebumps though. Still cried. I freaking LOVE the drums coming in when Elphaba puts on the cloak. Don’t love how they broke up the flow of the song for Elphaba to fall and such. I just wanted the song! It's one of things I get from a film perspective why they did it, but I just don't love it. I wish we’d done a straight cut to black at the end instead of Elphaba flying off at the end (again, I get why they did it, I just don't love it). Also, they destroyed the Wizard’s balloon? Is he going to fix that so he can leave with Dorothy at the end of Act 2?? 

And here's some notes I made after reading the script when it got released:

Note: Could still not pick who Avaric is supposed to be. Do we know this??

[melodianaartist]

Okay so I watched the wicked movie and here are my thoughts just b/c I expressed some expectations on here before and I want to capture the feelings I have rn

The context for this is that I am a big fan of the musical and have seen it 3 times

Also I did not watch it in the OG English voice so I can only speak on the performances in song and body language really.

The movie really profited from the additional time tbh. Especially in the oz dust scene. In the stageplays I have seen it’s a very short moment, like less than a minute maybe before Glinda joins in and even then it’s kinda played for laughs because she imitates Elphie‘s much dorkier dance moves. This..god. The way it shows how anxious Elphie is/makes us look through her eyes. Her hiding her face in shame. And then the tenderness with which Glinda touches her and wipes away her tears. I got goosebumps.

I will say from what I got from the acting Erevo + Grande‘s performance of the girls is pretty innocent. Elphie feels more helpless for the majority of the movie than the more bitter and sarcastic vibes I got seeing it on stage. Likewise Glinda could have shown more loathing but maybe this comes from the German voices. I don��t hate it, its just something I noticed, not necessarily negative though.

Speaking of acting. Ariana Grande really surprised me. Is as worried for her but she is really good. My jaw was on the floor at the very last part of popular. The growls! The energy! It’s there! Glinda is there and she is fun, thank god.

I can‘t articulate how and why but the opening sequence is so hype. But there is no heterosexual explanation for those shots of Elphie and Glinda from her memories. The two bathed in sunlight?? Also them looking each other in bed in popular.

The burning Elphie straw thing??? Oh my god???

Her flashback is interesting. Elphie was basically raised by animals, which explains her connection to them even more. Wish we had seen more of Jess’s but the flashback shows so much of the family dynamic.

In regards to Nessa, she remains firmly a side character but there a lot of little things that enrich her. How the Oz staff touches her and infantalizes her without consent. How she notices that Boq is looking at Glunda. How she wants a new start (which sucks for Elphaba but I can‘t fully blame Nessa either for wanting a social life). How she never steps in when Elphie is in trouble but Elphie doesn‘t even seem to expect it. How her father seems so so protective of her which leads to her not noticing Elphies struggle.. it’s good.

The constant hair toss from Glinda is amazing.

I‘m sold on the animals in general but not on dr dillamond. I think there is something to be said about how gorgeous the broadway costume(s) are and how it adds an extra sense of wrongness when dr. Dillamond starts making goat noises when it’s humans in costumes. But I get it, they are supposed to be animals and with movies you can actually have a talking goat. Do love how animals seem to be a part of Oz‘s world though. Their presence is much more felt and so the threat feels real.

I was expecting Dr.Morrible to act nice (at first obviously) but I didn’t expect her to be THAT nice. Like I was genuinely astonished. Also a theme of „malicious“ people touching our main cast without consent seems to be present because she literally had Elphies Face in her hands at some point.

I will never particularly like Boq (the trope of the yearning devoted loser guy pining for a popular girl obviously not into him is just lost on me) but they humanized him a lot by showing his perspective and also how nessa might have started to think how they are similar with not being able to see.

FIYERO. First of all I like that they show him having a friendship with the horse, it establishes him bedient in the side of animals. But also I have never seen a man dance this sluttily. Dancing through life was like a fever dream. I was half expecting him to start stripping.

I slightly dislike that elphaba was eaves dropping on dillamond and listening to something bad instead of beeing told as much. I mean yeah it’s nice to se either animals and the visuals were cool but I think it establishes their connection a bit more…the hoof holding was really cute though.

I vaguely remember a huge ass syringe beeing used on the cub in the stageplay?? They cut that out. Cowards./lh

Look I know it’s mostly CGI but the Emerald city was just so cool. It was just so grand. I grasped my friends hand when Idina and Kristin appeared. It was so good and I believe the prophecy was never mentioned in the musical but it makes sense that it‘s established because yeah huh why did they appear so readily.

I am and have always been a big fan of the oz head/mask especially on stage. This is nice too.

The monkeys gaining wings and the reveal that it was just not Chestiry who got them is one of my favorite moments ever in musical history cause it’s so horrible in the London production. This was kinda meh. Though I guess bonus for showing us why they work for the wizard at all.

Madam Morrible turning so quickly was really cool. Same with the wizard.

Oh yeah the wizard. He is just fun. Nothing outstanding but a good solid pathetic failwife idiot. Malicious puppy energy. I despise him.

Him handing her the figure for his glorified doll house and the doll house in general + it beeing green meaning he accepts her as she is (if she is of use to him) is good also.

The defining gravity sequence. Oh my god. It was insane. The emotions. Her jump. Her nearly falling to her death. Her inner child who was always ostracized becoming her broom with which she can fly?? I cried. The whole sequence was so so good. Her cloak flying in the wind. Madam Morrible immediately using the moment to her advantage. The feeling of freedom? The vocals??? I was feeling. After the movie ended I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach/pos. I was left reeling. It was so so good.