Review for the musical

 WICKED, The Untold Story of the witches of Oz

The Casts

Jemma Rix as Elphaba

Suzie Mathers as Glinda

Steve Danielsen as Fiyero

Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible

Emily Cascarino as Nessarose

Edward Grey as Boq

Glen Hogstorm as Dr. Dillamond

Ali Calder as (Standby) Elphaba

The Production Staff

Joe mantello – Director

Eugene Lee – scenic design

David stone, universal pictures, etc. – producers

Stephen Schwartz – music and lyrics

Winnie holtzman – book

Gregory Maguire – author of the novel

Introduction:

In this month of February, I will divert for a moment from my usual review of movies to reviewing a musical I saw at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last February 13, 2014 with two good friends who, like me, enjoyed it so much: Wicked, The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz. I am sharing here my own thoughts of the musical, how it touched me, and probably how much I enjoyed it, like the rest who was in the theater that fun-filled evening. It is quite different to make a review of something that is not within my comfort zone. But, like other works of art, a musical has a lot to tell, teach, and entertain us. So, here is my review.

The Musical

Featuring the music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holtzman, and based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the story of two girls who met in the Land of Oz who then became close friends, so close that they even end up like real sisters. It’s a story about love, friendship, being different and loving it, pursuit for dreams, and, most of all, it is about the power of goodness that I believe is in the heart of everyone, including those we believed (and perhaps, misunderstood) to be “wicked.”

Galinda (played by Suzie Mathers), who later became Glinda because of Dr. Dillamond's difficulty in pronouncing her name, is a blonde, beautiful, ambitious, and popular girl, while Elphaba (played by Jemma Rix), born with  emerald-green skin that makes her look so distinct from the rest, is a smart, compassionate, and outspoken girl who dreamed of meeting the Wizard of Oz all her life. The journey of these two friends and how they come to be called the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba) and Glinda the Good (Galinda) is something to behold in this spectacular, exhilarating, awe-inspiring, and  breath-taking new musical that I believe will last for years.

My Review

Wicked-ly funny! Wicked-ly exhilarating! Wicked-ly mesmerizing! Wicked-ly brainy! 

That is how great for me is Wicked, the Untold Story of the Witches of Oz!

Seldom can a musical take one’s breath away, scene after scene, song after song. The audiences’ applause from beginning to end tells it all. The choreography, the lightings (I love how the lights emphasized Elphaba’s face as she defies gravity at the end of Act I), stage design (the gigantic parts of a clock (?) on the background was captivating), the props (I love “the huge mechanical head of the wizard” with the roaring voice), music and lyrics, and the gifted, talented, and powerful voices of the lead actors and supporting actors are the various components of this musical that make it great and awesome.

What makes it really work for me are the witty, intelligible, and relatable lines that come out from the mouth of the actors, whether sung or uttered. I was so amazed at how those lines, so clearly and spontaneously delivered by the two leading actors in particular, reached the ears and the heart of the audience. I could hear giggles and “ows” in the theater as the characters exchanged words in song or in just plain conversation.

In the opening act, one could not help but be struck by a question from Galinda, “Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” This question set the tone for the whole story as the life of Elphaba is revealed before us, how the people treat her, how she manages to cope with being “different,” and how, through it all, she defies gravity, trusting her instincts, and soars high, thanks to her unlikely friendship with Glinda. But, what fate awaits the two of them? Watch the show then.

The Music and Lyrics

I am actually drawn to Wicked’s beautiful music and lyrics as they are sung clearly and powerfully by the two lead actors and the supporting cast. It is through these lyrics that my fondness and appreciation for this musical continues to grow. Through them, I will share my own understanding and opinion to this musical. So, allow me now to share with you some of the songs and their lyrics that moved me, which I believe moved others as well, and still does. Here they are:

1.   “Dancing through life down at the Ozdust, if only because dust is what we come to…”

Sounds true. We all end up becoming dust. And we dance through life in the pace and style that we know and love, although at times, forced by circumstances.

This line that comes from “Dancing Through Life” with Fiyero (love interest of Galinda and Elphaba), Galinda, Boq (in love with Galinda), Elphaba, and Nessarose (Elphaba’s sister who likes Boq), remarkably tell the different places of each character as they move in the dance floor of life: one liking the other who has another love interest, the other expecting to be the only love interest by someone who actually has his eye on another, yet, they all danced anyway, not knowing exactly how it will end.

2.   “Popular”

This song, which Galinda sang for Elphaba, tells us a lot about Galinda’s personality who wants her friend to be popular “just not quite as popular” as her. The bubbly rhythm of this music was matched with her cheerful and fun-filled rendition of it. This is one of the most applauded performance.

This song actually reflects something in each of us, that dream for popularity that, according to Galinda, is “not about aptitude, it’s the way you’re viewed, so it’s very shrewd to be very popular” like her. Oh, those younger years in college.

3.   “Every so often we long to steal to the land of what-might-have-been. But that doesn’t soften the ache we feel when reality sets back in.”

It’s from a melancholic song “I’m Not That Girl,” sang by Elphaba when she feels the adrenaline rush upon seeing the love of her life, but realized later that he falls for someone else (or, so she thought!). Melancholic as it may sound, this song beautifully captures an individual’s awareness of what she feels and who she is. It expresses her deep longing for what might have been. In the same song, she also tries to remind herself this way: “Don’t dream too far. Don’t lose sight of who you are.”

4.   “I’m through accepting limits ’cause someone says they’re so. Some things I cannot change, but till I try, I’ll never know….And if I’m flying solo, at least I’m flying free.”

This is from “Defying Gravity,” a captivating and exhilarating music good enough to end the First Act, worthy of deafening applause from the audience. It’s a courageous statement of a person who has awakened from her slumber, realizing what she is capable of, going for it, and bravely defies whatever she thinks can get along the way. It is also an encouraging statement for those who live in the shadow of doubts about themselves and what they are capable of.  At some points in our lives though, we must defy gravity.

5.   “One question haunts and hurts, too much, too much to mention: Was I really seeking good or just seeking attention?”

This is from the song “No Good Deed.” Here, Elphaba is in dilemma. Seeing all her loved ones (Fiyero, Nessa, Dr. Dillamond) in pain and wanting to save them but could not, and with people making her feel culpable for their fate, she vowed not to do ever again any good deed. Thus, she becomes who she is!

It makes me really reflect back to Glinda’s question at the start: “Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”

6.   “I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And, we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them. And we help them in return….Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.”

This is from the song “For Good.” This reflects the profound friendship and influences the two ladies have for one another. A bit sad, because it also tells of goodbye. However, it is also for me an inspiring song of gratitude, forgiveness, and acceptance. And what a line to say to that someone who changed you for good because of the opportunity to know him/her.

These and the other wonderful songs make up the greatest piece of jewel in this story that happened long before Dorothy got lost in the Emerald City of Oz.

Recommendation

Was it worth the time and the money? I think so. I would not mind seeing it over and over again, had I the moneyJ!

After all, there’s that good and wicked part in all of us. As some said, “We are blended beings!” And we will always be in our lifetime. This musical helps us face this truth, accept it, live in peace with it, so we can live life to the fullest.  Once we accept this truth with all our heart and mind, then, it’s possible that we, too, could be changed FOR GOOD!

So, be wicked-ly bewitched by this musical NOW!

My rating for this musical: 4.5 (out of 5).

Lee Daniel’s The Butler

Directed by	Lee Daniels
Produced by	Lee Daniels Cassian Elwes Buddy Patrick Pamela Oas Williams Laura Ziskin
Screenplay by	Danny Strong
Based on	"A Butler Well Served by This Election" by Wil Haygood
Starring	Forest Whitaker Oprah Winfrey
Music by	Rodrigo Leão
Cinematography	Andrew Dunn
Editing by	Joe Klotz
Studio	Laura Ziskin Productions Windy Hill Pictures Follow Through Productions Salamander Pictures Pam Williams Productions
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company

The Movie:

Lee Daniel’s The Butler is a 2013 American drama film that depicts fictionally the life of a real-life figure Eugene Allen. It stars one of the great and respected African – American actors Forrest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines who gives an account of his life from being a child raised in a cotton plantation in Macon, Georgia into becoming a celebrated butler in the White House starting at Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency up to Ronald Reagan’s regime. Living in an era beset by bigotry and racial discrimination, Cecil becomes a witness to a historical transformation of his beloved country in dealing with the issues on segregation between blacks and whites and in resolving them through various Civil Rights Acts, particularly the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by John F. Kennedy. Within Cecil’s 34 – year tenure as a butler in the White House, he also battles with his eldest son’s participation in different non-violent resistant movements in the south, a father-son conflict that is at the heart of this film.

With the loving support of his wife, Gloria (Oprah Winfrey), and his co-workers, Cecil manages to go through the troubles in his life with courage and perseverance. In his own way, he is able to fight for the rights of the black workers inside the White House in terms of having the same rate of salary and promotions as they so well-deserved. Included also in this film is the chronological presentation of the historical figures in the White House and their respective contributions or suppressions to the issues at hand, as well as the various non-violent resistant movements of the blacks in achieving their dream for freedom and integration. It culminates in the election of President Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States of America.

My Review:

The Butler is an inspiring, moving, and engaging film that tries to depict the struggles of a particular person and a particular race for inclusivity, integration, and the right to self-determination that is continuously sought since time immemorial by those who are considered to be at the bottom of the pyramid in a society. The film may have only highlighted some significant historical facts in a certain period of time, but it does not fail to deliver the essence of a good movie wherein one leaves the theater with something to think about. It touches the very heart of what it takes to be human, regardless of color, race, and culture.

I appreciated the fact how the movie depicts the struggles of each president in looking at the issues and their great contributions through the implementation of various civil rights acts. It portrays them as humans who, with their own strengths and flaws engaged themselves in a battle of conscience to do the right thing. I give credits to the good actors who portrayed them: the enigmatic Robin Williams as Dwight D. Eisenhower, James Marden as John F. Kennedy, Liev Schreiber as Lyndon B. Johnson, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, and Alan Rickman who is laudable in his portrayal as the 40^th President of the US Ronald Reagan.

It is also notable how the civil rights movements are interspersed throughout the film. One of the very touching and intensely emotional scenes was the non-violent sit-in by the black students in a segregated diner. It was a painful scene to watch, thanks to the powerful portrayal by David Oyelowo (Louis Gaines) and Yaya DaCosta (Carol Hammie, Louis’s girlfriend), among others.

The movie, however, flawed as it was as regards historical accuracy, and the annoying music at times, was made memorable by the strong and captivating performance by Forrest Whitaker as the butler Cecil Gaines. It equaled, if not superseded, his great performance as the dictator Idi Amin of Uganda in the critically acclaimed 2006 film The Last King of Scotland where he won Best Actor in the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs, among others. Whitaker gives his best performance in this film by his powerful portrayal of a father who struggles to reconcile with his eldest son, a husband who tries to balance his job and his role to his wife, a butler who tries to serve in the White House warned just to serve - “hearing and seeing no evil,” and, an African-American who, like the rest, dreams of real freedom and integration of his own race into a very discriminating society. He is able to show the emotional, physical, and intellectual demands of each role making the movie really interesting, engaging, and unforgettable.

Another great acting in this movie is by Oprah Winfrey as Gloria Gaines, the wife of Cecil. Here, one sees an ordinary, yet a natural, clever performance of a world-renowned, sophisticated Oprah. It is really sad that she was not nominated in Academy Awards this year. She gives a remarkable performance as a wife who, despite an affair with a friend for that natural longing to be with someone because of Cecil’s absence, continues to be a loving support to her husband, making herself a strong strand that ties the disintegrating Gaines family. I admired her memorable performance in one scene where she tries to defend her husband from their eldest son’s harsh words and treatment of Cecil during a dinner with Louis’s girlfriend. It was powerful and emotional. And she nailed it!

This movie is actually a gathering of great Hollywood stars including, among others,   short but relevant appearances of David Banner (Cecil’s father), Mariah Carey (Hattie Pearl, Cecil’s mom), Jane Fonda (First Lady Nancy Reagan), Terrence Howard (Howard, the Gasineses’ neighbor romantically involved with Cecil’s wife Gloria), Vanessa Redgrave (Annabeth Westfall, the cotton farm caretaker who teaches Cecil domestic works after his father’s death), Clarence Williams II (Maynard, the mentor of a young Cecil and the owner of the restaurant that Cecil broke into), Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Carter Wilson, head butler), and Lenny Kravitz (a co-worker butler). It is amazing to see this line of excellent casts in one movie.

Lee Daniel, as well as his cinematographers, editors, producers, and other staff powerfully create a film that does not only entertain but also teaches us the indomitable human spirit that soars high above the vicissitudes in life. The theme may be common and the story fictionally told, but it is one movie that convinces every person that in life, something is worth-fighting and dying for.

I recommend this movie to all who never stops trying to reach their dreams in life, and to all who is open to learn from those who reached them through courage, perseverance, and non-violent resistance.

For this unforgettable movie, I give 4 (out of 5) stars!

Josh Groban Cinema Paradiso

Movie Review for Nuovo Cinema Paradiso

Directed by	Giuseppe Tornatore
Produced by	Franco Cristaldi Giovanna Romagnoli
Written by	Giuseppe Tornatore
Starring	Philippe Noiret Salvatore Cascio Marco Leonardi Jacques Perrin
Music by	Ennio Morricone Andrea Morricone
Cinematography	Blasco Giurato
Editing by	Mario Morra
Studio	Les Films Ariane
Distributed by	Miramax Films (US) Umbrella Entertainment

Intoroduction:

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, the first film to be reviewed this year 2014 is a foreign film that is not foreign at all to all movie lovers. I decided to make a review of this film in honor of a great friend of mine who introduced me in 2006 this deeply moving, drama-comedy Italian film. He is a freelance director and filmmaker who, as he said, was helped by this movie in finding his passion in life, and loving it. To you my friend, a million thanks and I hope my review of this film gives justice to one of the greatest films of all times! 

Synopsis:

Notified by his aging mother on the death of an old friend, Salvatore (commonly known then as Toto) returned home after thirty years of being away from the place where memories of pain, laughter, and love have been left behind in order to pursue his passion for film-making. The movie then brings us back to his childhood and youth and his friendship with an old man Alfredo who worked as a projectionist in the only theater in the village, the Cinema Paradiso. Toto’s interest in movies becomes the bond that ties him to Alfredo, making the latter a father figure that Toto longs to have since his father left them to join the army in the WWII.

Reluctant to go back to his past, Toto, now a renowned filmmaker, has to confront his fears and pick up the pieces of his life that he thought he already had forgotten, especially Elena, the woman who captured his heart and had since then became the object of his love and affection. Toto’s recollection of the past reinforces not only his passion for movies and the sacrifices he had to do to make his dream a reality. It also shows him that in life, one cannot have everything and one must keep on living at present, alongside with the shadows of the past. This was the wisdom shared to him by his mother. The film ends with Salvatore viewing the gift that Alfredo left for him, a moving scene that will surely leave the audience with tears and nostalgic feeling.

My Review:

Enigmatic! Nostalgic! Poetic! Endearing! Spellbinding!

This 1988 multi-awarded Italian film, including Best Foreign Language Film in Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards in 1989 and in BAFTA Awards in 1991, is a movie about movies and passion for movies. It is surely in the list of the greatest films ever made. It has all the elements of a quality film: good directing, superb acting, great cinematography, very fine editing, soulful music, and simple yet engaging plot. Based on the life and times of Guiseppe Tornatore, the screenwriter and director, the movie comes out as one that eventually transcends time, history, and culture for it speaks for everyone in any given time, culture, and history about finding your passion in life and loving it. In the words of Alfredo to Toto: “Whatever you end up doing, love it.” This, I believe lies at the heart of this film.

Cinema Paradiso shows the development in cinema, not only in terms of the materials and equipments used in film–making, but also how people matured in the way they viewed the themes of the films. It successfully combined the drama and the comedy in life as experienced by Toto in his quest to find that which he is good at. From the boy’s naughtiness to his serious pursuit for the love of his life, from being heart-broken to finding joy in his passion, one can personally relate to the movie.

There are details in the movie that for me have been masterfully and meticulously done by the director and the editor. One of them is the sound of the bell and the wind chime, and how the editor brilliantly used it as something of a transition in bringing us back to Toto’s childhood memories. It happened when he was on bed, right after he was told that his mother called to inform him that a certain person died. With the shadow of the wind chime on the face of Salvatore, and with its relaxing sound, we are transported into his past as an altar boy assigned to ring the bell during the consecration. Brilliant association and transition!

I certainly do not know the Italian actors. But even that did not deter me from admiring the quality of their acting. Believability of the characters they played radiates in their faces, even with the supporting casts. Philippe Noiret’s character as Alfredo exudes an aura of professionalism and confidence, and is able to show us his fatherly figure and not only as a friend to Toto. He is a brilliant actor who successfully serves as a hinge to this movie from the beginning to the end.

Another notable performance is by Jacques Perrin as the adult Salvatore. His facial expressions and his body language persuasively reflect the emotions he wishes to convey. You don’t need more words to connect with him. Compelling acting from both of them.

The cinematography is laudable. Even at the beginning of the movie, with the sea breeze, the sea and the sound of a nostalgic music as background, it already captures my attention. The poverty in the village as seen in the ruins and life of the people who try to survive the devastations in the post- WWII era as depicted in this film is eerily felt and seen. Quite an achievement!

The other plus to this great film is the musical scoring by Ennio Morricone. Ennio has heart and ears for the sensitive and emotion-laden scenes in movies that become even more alive through his music. The music of Ennio is soulful, enchanting, evocative, and has a great feel for the scenes. It comes at the right time and with right intensity. I fell in love with the soundtrack of this movie that I am even learning to sing its love theme “Se” by Josh Groban. The difficulty is to pronounce the lyrics in Italian!

Some Nuggets of Wisdom

Like other non-English films I saw, I just hope that the subtitles are correct translations of the original language. So, with openness to corrections, I am writing here some unforgettable lines that make this movie even more unforgettable for me for teaching me some nuggets of wisdom. Here they are:

“We each have a star to follow.”

“Life isn’t like in the movies. Life is much harder.”

“Don’t give in to nostalgia.”

“Whatever you end up doing, love it!”

The following, for me, contains a lot for musing about past and how do we embrace it in its entirety in order for us to move on and continue doing what we are passionate about with joy and gratitude, and not be chained by its pains and regrets. This is the conversation that ensues between Salvatore and his mother after the funeral, which may have been translated with grammatical errors, but they are worth-reflecting anyway:

His mother asked him, “What are you thinking, Toto?”

After a moment of silence, Salvatore replies:

“Just that I’ve always been afraid to come back. And now, after all these years I thought I was stronger, that I’d forgotten a lot of things. But in fact, I find I’m right back where I was, as if I’d never been away. Yet, when I look around, I don’t recognize anyone.”

His mother wittingly replied:

“But you live (in) there. Here, there are only ghosts. Let go, Toto.”

A Personal Note

I happened to see this film through a good friend who told me later how this movie helped him find his own passion in life. And rightly so, because he dedicates his life now into film- making and directing. Little did I know that this movie is also a catalyst to remind me why I fall in love with movies in the first place. I saw myself in Toto’s craziness for movies when I was young (and until now!). At the age of eleven, I began to watch movies alone, even walking to school just to save my tricycle fare for movies! People moving and talking on the big screen fascinated me. They made me laugh, cry, cheer, and angry. I even found some of the scenes similar to my experiences before. Like for instance, how the reels of films are transferred from one theater to another through a bicycle. Very much like in the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s in my hometown. Watching a movie over and over again until you memorized the lines of some scenes as one person did in this movie is quite amusing. Also, people shouting inside the theater and asking for refund of their tickets because the movie starts in the middle, the first half being used still in the other town’s theater. I really felt nostalgic watching this movie, but for good reasons!

Movies for me are not just for entertainment. As I grew up, I began to realize that they even made me aware of the reality happening in the society and in the world. Very much like how Cinema Paradiso became a vehicle for entertainment and information through films to the people in a village who was still recovering from the ravages of wars. It has become a place where people could congregate and be entertained after a hard day’s work. It has also become a venue where relationships developed.

Actually, I had been searching a copy of this film since I saw it. Fortunately, I found one albeit not the director’s cut version which may give us more details particularly on what happened to Elena. Still, it feels great to have my own copy of a film that every movie lover should have.

I am personally indebted to my director-friend for introducing me to this film. Thanks for allowing me to see and believe in my passion for movies through this film. You are a great person, and my best wishes for you in finding your passion in life in filmmaking. You, indeed, ended up doing it and loving it. Kudos!

I highly recommend this movie to every movie lover in the world, regardless of culture and age, and to those who found their passion in life, doing it, and loving it, and especially to those who are still searching for it. This movie is truly made for you!

My rating for this movie: 4 ½ stars!