mashable-rss
‘Wicked’ review: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo aspire for movie musical magic
Jon M. Chu directs Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh in “Wicked: Part 1.” Review.
Wicked is easily one of the most anticipated films of 2024, as it’s bringing to the big screen a three-time Tony Award–winning musical that defined a generation of theater kids, with a Hollywood-scale spectacle of song, dance, and star power. As the Wicked Witch’s origin story told from a place of empathy, it’s a movie meant to make us believe in magic again. But even with a cast that boasts two-time Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo, pop star Ariana Grande, Bridgerton dreamboat Jonathan Bailey, Academy Award–winner Michelle Yeoh, and the one and only Jeff Goldblum, can director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) meet the high, high bar fans will have in mind for such a sweeping adaptation? Especially when he’s only tackling half of it in Wicked: Part 1?
Despite enthusiasm from fans of the theatrical production, online criticism has plagued the film from the first images and footage that Universal Pictures released. Complaints were made that Chu’s vision of Oz was washed out, with colors far duller than we’ve come to expect from past media inspired by L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, including 1939’s Wizard of Oz, 1978’s The Wiz, and the vibrant Broadway production based on Gregory Maguire’s contrarian perspective, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Then, when the first teaser hit, offering a hint as to what kind of performance Erivo would give as the eponymous witch Elphaba, social media was rife with worries over how she hit one particular note. With the bold choice to split the musical into two films, Chu drew more eyebrows into a knit. So, how does all this pan out? Were the fans right to worry? Frankly, yes.
While the performances in the film are sensational overall, Chu makes a series of downright confounding choices that undercut the rapturous flow of the Broadway production and even the perspective of the story he aims to exalt.
Where does Wicked: Part 1 end?
Credit: Universal Pictures
As the trailers suggest, this first Wicked movie ends with “Defying Gravity,” a rousing anthem that plays as a dynamic climax to the first act of the theatrical production. This means much of Wicked: Part 1 takes place in Shiz University, where the future wicked witch Elphaba (Erivo) and good witch Glinda (Grande) first meet. However, the screenplay from Dana Fox and Wicked‘s book writer Winnie Holzman holds true to its stage source, kicking off the film with news that the Wicked Witch is dead. After the munchkins revel with a song of schadenfreude (“No One Mourns The Wicked”), Glinda reflects on the childhood of her friend, Elphaba, transporting the film to a flashback of a torrid one-night stand and the green child who was the much-bullied result of it. From there, their time at Shiz becomes the focus.
There’s a kinetic energy in all this, reflecting Grande’s boundless energy throughout the film. But here’s where Chu’s choices begin to get bizarre. While this is a story about Elphaba, it’s told from the perspective of her deeply girly, proudly ridiculous, and very vibrant best friend. Glinda’s view on the world is clear through her costumes, which are pronounced pink, ultra-femme, flouncy, and always on the boundary of too much. Yet Chu coats her pinks and Elphaba’s greens in a yellowy-gray cast. Perhaps this is meant to telegraph how Glinda’s perspective on Oz will become sullied over the course of this story, but it also makes the movie astonishingly dull in comparison to all of the other movies set in Oz.
This grayness intrudes most intensely on the incredible sets built for Shiz. Designed like a cross between Hogwarts and BarbieLand, Shiz University should be a majestic, magical place, where possibilities feel boundless. And yet, despite its thoughtful and gorgeous set design, a pale palette and cinematography that feels almost claustrophobic turns it into a stifling location. This conflicts with the perspective of Glinda, who swans into the role of Queen Bee with ease, and even with Elphaba, who swiftly embraces this space as a path to finally finding her place (“The Wizard and I”).
This grim overcast likewise saps verve from what would otherwise be astounding musical numbers, deadening the dazzle through its drudgery. In “Dancing Through Life,” a dashing prince Fiyero (a pitch-perfect Bailey) sings of his devil-may-care philosophy in a library filled with parkouring students on human-sized hamster wheels of bookshelves. And that is undoubtedly fun, yet this visual pall scoffs at his pronouncements, undermining their whimsy even as we enjoy them.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are unevenly matched.
Credit: Universal Pictures
It’s no easy task to step into the role of these two iconic characters, as each actress might be compared to every Elphaba and Glinda who’ve come before, reaching all the way back to The Wizard of Oz‘s Margaret “and your little dog too!” Hamilton and Billie Burke, not to mention Wicked‘s defining stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. Arguably, the bar is even higher for Grande, who is better known for her catchy pop songs than her acting chops or her Broadway stint in 13 at age 15. And yet, she is a fantastic force to be reckoned with in Wicked.
As she teased during her Saturday Night Live gig last month, she is absolutely hilarious as the self-obsessed girly pop Glinda. There are echoes of Chenoweth’s Glinda in Grande’s broad comedic approach. But this pop star’s Glinda is more poised, making the outrageous moments — like her splendidly silly hair toss — all the more comically sharp. Grande has embraced a portrayal of this mean girl/good witch that edges into drag queen theatricality, supported by her smizing sidekicks in snark, hysterically portrayed by Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James. Glinda’s reads are delivered by Grande with a radiant smile that makes them all the more cutting. Her dancing is deranged while determined. Her “Popular” — one of the show’s most beloved numbers — is charismatically chaotic and finally, finally as brightly realized as Wicked demands.
Erivo, on the other hand, approaches Wicked as if it were a prestige drama. Traditionally, Wicked‘s Elphaba was written with a bit of teen-misfit snark, and masterfully so, as Holzman’s prior claim to fame creating the exceptional teen drama series My So-Called Life. While the dialogue is often the same in this adaptation, Erivo pulls her punchlines. Where previous stage versions of Elphaba might have used a slightly self-righteous sense of wit as armor against her bullies, this Elphaba is much more nakedly vulnerable, speaking in a dejected near-whisper or a strained shout.
It’s a daring choice, but one that throws off Glinda and Elphaba’s dynamic. Like Daria and Quinn Morgendorffer or Wednesday Addams and Enid Sinclair, they are foils, gloom and sunshine, anti-social asides and “dumb blonde” bounciness — but this Elphaba has been defanged. A sullen expression of a slight frown and downcast eyes makes up much of Elphaba’s non-singing screentime for Act 1, which might not have been a problem if Chu had included Act II in Wicked. But as it is, Erivo’s Elphaba doesn’t come fully alive until she and Glinda reach the Emerald City (“One Short Day”). This means pivotal moments like the scene in the Ozdust Ballroom, where Elphaba and Glinda finally bond, feel achingly inert and long.
Wicked: Part 1 is wonky, but at times wonderful.
Credit: Universal Pictures
Chu’s decision to turn Act 1 into a teen musical is marred by his dingy color palette, the crowded cinematography of Shiz (thankfully, things open up in the Emerald City), and directing his leading lady to play the titular witch as chiefly woeful. A show heralded for its high-energy song numbers, stage spectacle, and smirking sense of humor, Wicked is malformed by these choices. Yet, some sections are sure to have audiences cheering.
Beyond Erivo’s riveting performance of the final number and Grande giddily making a meal out of every moment on-screen, Bailey — who had Bridgerton fans swooning as Anthony in Season 2 — has a jolly time parodying a decadently flirtatious playboy in Part 1. His spotlight is “Dancing Through Life,” but even his meaningful glances to his crush and flirty banter with any Shiz student who crosses his pansexual path are enchanting. As Madame Morrible, Yeoh is given little do but look majestic, but she does that with aplomb. Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater — as Elphaba’s sister Nessarose and her boyfriend Boq — solidly match the screen presence of the famous names around them. Goldblum clearly relishes playing the wizard, and does so with a smarmy charm that’s dizzyingly unnerving and alluring. James and Yang are superbly cast as Glinda’s social-climbing toadies, who love gossip as much as they do improvising wild one-liners. They’re so funny, you’ll catch yourself scanning the crowd for them, hungry for more.
The musical numbers are hit-and-miss. “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” are rightful standouts for enthralling vocals and staging that embraces the cinematic form, employing cheeky close-ups, playful cutaways, or high-flying stunts as suits. But others feel oddly out of place, like “The Wizard and I” shot amid a CG setting that feels achingly empty and fake, undercutting the optimism of the song. Overall, Wicked is an overlong journey, dragged down by Chu’s more confounding choices. Upon reflection, a movie that could have been defined by its sense of hope, following a powerful and accomplished woman of color as she defies a tyrannical con man, feels instead tainted by gray disillusionment, telegraphing the film’s climactic reveals. So, it’s hard to watch Wicked play out and not wish for something more dynamic that allows us a safe space to dream for something better.
Still, even the lowest lows can’t make the film’s highest highs less dazzling. Indulgent and unwieldy as it is, Wicked is a thrill, at times wildly funny, heart-soaring, and ultimately inspirational in spite of itself.
How ‘Interior Chinatown’ made the invisibility of Asian Americans visible
Taika Waititi joins the cast of ‘Interior Chinatown’ to bring to light what it’s like to be a marginalized group, like Asian Americans, in America and in Hollywood.
Taika Waititi joins the cast of ‘Interior Chinatown’ to bring to light what it’s like to be a marginalized group, like Asian Americans, in America and in Hollywood.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is back, and this time it’s live-action
Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, Murray McArthur star in Dean DeBlois reboot.
Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, Murray McArthur star in Dean DeBlois reboot.
Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan team up for Netflix Christmas special
Sabrina Carpenter’s star-studded Christmas special hits Netflix December 6 at 9 p.m. ET. Watch the trailer.
Sabrina Carpenter’s star-studded Christmas special hits Netflix December 6 at 9 p.m. ET. Watch the trailer.
Apple shares the most popular podcasts of 2024
Apple has revealed the list of most popular podcasts of 2024.
Apple’s list of top podcasts for the year is in and it’s…not very surprising.
The most popular podcast of the year in the U.S., according to Apple, was the New York Times’ The Daily, followed by Crime Junkie, and The Joe Rogan Experience in the third spot.
The full list is as follows:
Apple’s top podcasts of 2024
The Daily
Crime Junkie
The Joe Rogan Experience
Dateline NBC
SmartLess
Huberman Lab
This American Life
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Up First from NPR
Morbid
Apple actually shared 10 different top lists, including the list of Top New Shows (headed by The Tucker Carlson Show), Top Series (with Serial on top), and Most Shared Shows (with the first places belonging to Huberman Lab).
You can check out all the 2024 top charts in the Browse tab in the Podcasts app. In some markets, you can also check out Apple’s curated collection of “standout” shows called Shows We Love.
The company hasn’t yet revealed the Show of the Year; that’s coming on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Check out all of Apple’s top lists (so far), below:
Apple’s top new podcasts of 2024
The Tucker Carlson Show
Three
Mortal Sin
Drowning Creek
The Rise and Fall of Ruby Franke
Blood is Thicker: The Hargan Family Killings
Noble
Murder in the Hollywood Hills
Hysterical
Who Killed JFK?
Apple’s top podcast series of 2024
Serial
Up and Vanished
Three
The Bakersfield Three
CounterClock
Something Was Wrong
Dr. Death
The Binge Cases
Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra
The Binge Crimes
Apple’s top podcast episodes of 2024
Crime Junkie: “SERIAL KILLER: The Alphabet Murders Part 1”
The Joe Rogan Experience: “#2219 – Donald Trump”
The Daily: “Harris Baits Trump: Inside Their Fiery Debate”
Dateline NBC: “Dangerous Secret”
The Bakersfield Three: “Episode 1: Fight Like a Mother”
SmartLess: “Vince Vaughn”
Three: “Skylar Is Missing | Chapter 1”
Serial: “Serial S04 – Ep. 1: Poor Baby Raul”
Mortal Sin: “1 – Ashes to Ashes”
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce: “Travis Wins on the Road, Jason Celebrates Shirtless and Full Divisional Round Recap | Ep 75”
Apple’s most shared podcasts of 2024
Huberman Lab
Scamanda
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
The Daily
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
The Bible Recap
The Mel Robbins Podcast
Sold a Story
Who Killed JFK?
Crime Junkie
Apple’s most shared podcast episodes of 2024
The Tucker Carlson Show: “Calley & Casey Means: The Truth About Ozempic, the Pill, and How Big Pharma Keeps You Sick”
The Mel Robbins Podcast: “The #1 Menopause Doctor: How to Lose Belly Fat, Sleep Better, & Stop Suffering Now”
The Daily: “The Year of Taylor Swift”
Huberman Lab: “Dr. Stacy Sims: Female-Specific Exercise & Nutrition for Health, Performance & Longevity”
The Joe Rogan Experience: “#2219 – Donald Trump”
The Ezra Klein Show: “Is Tim Walz the Midwestern Dad Democrats Need?”
Honestly with Bari Weiss: “Why the Kids Aren’t Alright”
We Can Do Hard Things: “263. Healing from Emotionally Immature Parents with Lindsay C. Gibson”
Call Her Daddy: “Vice President Kamala Harris”
Good Inside with Dr. Becky: “The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt”
Apple’s most followed podcasts of 2024
The Joe Rogan Experience
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Huberman Lab
Call Her Daddy
The Tucker Carlson Show
The Mel Robbins Podcast
SmartLess
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Crime Junkie
The Daily
Apple’s top subscriber podcasts of 2024
Apple News+ Narrated
Morbid
Dateline NBC
The Rise and Fall of Ruby Franke
Dr. Death
SmartLess
Something Was Wrong
Scamtown
American Scandal
Mortal Sin
Apple’s top podcast channels of 2024
Wondery
iHeartPodcasts
The New York Times
audiochuck
SiriusXM Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Dear Media
iHeart True Crime
Scicomm Media
Cumulus Podcast Network
Jon Stewart uses a donut to show where Democrats keep going wrong
Jon Stewart spoke about the difference between Democrats and Republicans on “The Daily Show”, using a donut to illustrate his point.
Jon Stewart spoke about the difference between Democrats and Republicans on “The Daily Show”, using a donut to illustrate his point.
The Game Awards 2024 nominations: Which games are up for the gold?
“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth”, “Balatro”, “Astro Bot”, and “Black Myth: Wukong” dominate this year’s noms at The Game Awards.
There’s been a veritable avalanche of great games in 2024, and the big hitters are now up for the gold.
The nominations for The Game Awards were announced on Monday evening, with Game of the Year nominees Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Astro Bot, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, and Metaphor: ReFantazio dominating the list.
Indie games like Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Neva, Indika, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Manor Lords, Pacific Drive, and more are all up for awards, and major releases like Helldivers 2, Silent Hill 2, Star Wars Outlaws, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 are up for awards too — though not Game of the Year.
And for TV fans, Arcane, Fallout, Knuckles, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft are all nominated for Best Adaptation.
Notably, one of the biggest snubs was BioWare’s excellent Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which only landed one nomination this year for Innovation in Accessibility. I’m sure complete and utter icon Taash would have something to say about this.
Here are the nominations for The Game Awards 2024 — have you played them all?
Game of the Year
Astro Bot
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Game Direction
Astro Bot
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Narrative
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Metaphor: ReFantanzio
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Silent Hill 2
Best Art Direction
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Neva
Best Score and Music
Astro Bot
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Silent Hill 2
Stellar Blade
Best Audio Design
Astro Bot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Silent Hill 2
Best Performance
Briana White, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Hannah Telle, Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Humberly González, Star Wars Outlaws
Luke Roberts, Silent Hill 2
Melina Juergens, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Innovation in Accessibility
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Diablo IV
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Star Wars Outlaws
Games for Impact
Closer the Distance
Indika
Neva
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Tales of Kenzera: Zau
Best Ongoing Game
Destiny 2
Diablo IV
Final Fantasy XIV
Fortnite
Helldivers 2
Best Community Support
Baldur’s Gate 3
Final Fantasy XIV
Fortnite
Helldivers 2
No Man’s Sky
Best Independent Game
Animal Well
Balatro
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Neva
UFO 50
Best Debut Indie Game
Balatro
Animal Well
Manor Lords
Pacific Drive
The Plucky Squire
Best Mobile Game
AFK Journey
Balatro
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
Wuthering Waves
Zenless Zone Zero
Best VR/AR Game
Arizona Sunshine Remake
Asgard’s Wrath 2
Batman: Arkham Shadow
Metal: Hellsinger VR
Metro Awakening
Featured Video For You
Best Action Game
Black Myth: Wukong
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Helldivers 2
Stellar Blade
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Best Action/Adventure Game
Astro Bot
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Silent Hill 2
Star Wars Outlaws
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Best RPG
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Best Fighting Game
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
MultiVersus
Tekken 8
Best Family Game
Astro Bot
Princess Peach Showtime
Super Mario Party Jamboree
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Plucky Squire
Best Sim/Strategy Game
Age of Mythology: Retold
Frostpunk 2
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Manor Lords
Unicorn Overlord
Best Sports/Racing Game
F1 24
EA Sports FC 25
NBA 2K25
Top Spin 2K25
WWE 2K24
Best Multiplayer Game
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Helldivers 2
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Tekken 8
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
Best Adaptation
Arcane
Fallout
Knuckles
Like a Dragon: Yakuza
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Most Anticipated Game
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yotei
Grand Theft Auto VI
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Monster Hunter Wilds
Content Creator of the Year
CaseOh
IlloJuan
Techno Gamerz
TypicalGamer
Usada Pekora
Best Esports Game
Counter-Strike 2
DOTA 2
League of Legends
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Valorant
Best Esports Athlete
33
Aleksib
Chovy
Faker
ZyWoO
ZmjjKk
Best Esports Team
Bilibili Gaming (League of Legends)
Gen.G (League of Legends)
NAVI (Counter-Strike)
T1 (League of Legends)
Team Liquid (DOTA 2)
The Game Awards will be announced on Dec. 12 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The event will be streaming live on The Game Awards website.
Stephen Colbert says what everyone’s thinking about that Trump McDonald’s plane photo
Stephen Colbert has commented on that viral photo of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and RFK Jr. eating McDonald’s on a plane.
Stephen Colbert has commented on that viral photo of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and RFK Jr. eating McDonald’s on a plane.
Mini crossword answers for November 19
Answers to each clue for the November 19, 2024 edition of Arkadium daily mini crossword on Mashable.com.
The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.
But there’s no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.
And when you’re done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.
Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.
Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Tuesday, November 19, 2024:
Across
Auction off
The answer is Sell.
When the body can’t breathe
The answer is Anoxia.
Covid-19 Waiter
The answer is Carhop.
2019 AFC South runners-up
The answer is Titans.
End of a Threat
The answer is OrElse.
Pink, as a steak
The answer is Rare.
Down
A system to get products to their destination
The answer is Sorter.
Give away oxygen
The answer is Exhale.
First winless NFL team in the salary cap era
The answer is Lions.
____ in judgment
The answer is Lapse.
Thespian
The answer is Actor.
Currency of Nigeria
The answer is Naira.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Featured Video For You
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Mini Crossword.