Well hello there film fans, Slick Dungeon here. I’m back to review another Oscar contender and this time I’ll be talking about the big, bold, beautiful musical Wicked. Even if this doesn’t win best picture it is well worth watching. Let’s get into it.

What is Wicked about?

Wicked is the film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. Confession time. I’ve loved the musical since I first saw it in previews at the Curran theater in San Francisco in 2003. I saw it with the original cast and was blown away by it. You might think this would predispose me to love the film but it’s actually the opposite. I went into the film assuming no one could perform the two main roles better than Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.

So imagine my surprise when I watched the film and realized just how good Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are in this movie. The whole film is just pure joy, start to finish.

As far as the story goes this is the story of the famous wicked witch of the west from The Wizard of Oz. We see where she came from, why she is the way she is, and how our original perception of her was mistaken. And it’s told in musical form. With some of the best Broadway songs around. This film is best enjoyed in a theater but you should see it however you can. Although, to be fair, if you hate musicals you won’t like this one either.

My only issue with the movie is the runtime. The theatrical production is about five minutes longer than the film but the film is just the first half of the play. Considering the excessive run times of other films this year (I’m look at you The Brutalist) I feel like they could have made this just a bit longer and released one movie instead of breaking it into two parts. But that’s a minor problem. And I’m looking forward to part two.

The awards

Wicked is up for an impressive ten Oscars. It’s up for Best Makeup & Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design.

There are some categories here I think Wicked wins easily. Makeup and Hairstyling was fantastic for this movie. For original score? If Wicked doesn’t win that’s an absolute shame. Costume design should also be an easy win here.

Then there are some categories where I could see it winning but it’s not a guarantee. It has fantastic visual effects so I could see it winning but Dune: Part Two also had incredible visuals. The same goes for Best Sound and in that case, I think Dune is the more deserving of the two. This may win for best editing but it does have some competition from other films. Production design is great for this film but there were several films with a lot going on in the production design. I see Wicked winning but it’s a close call.

Then there are the categories where I’d like to see this win but I’m not sure it will. So far, this one is my favorite for Best Picture but The Brutalist would also be a good choice. Cynthia Erivo makes a strong case for best actress this year and I’d love to see her win. As far as supporting actress? Can we please just hand Ariana Grande the trophy now? Because she damn well deserves it. She absolutely nails the part of Galinda.

Wicked in conclusion

This is the most joyful film experience you’ll have this year and it’s not even close. This is full of bright, beautiful colors, it has a deep and meaningful story about friendship. And it has songs that will never leave your head, in the best way. And can this cast sing? Oh yes, they can. It’s a monumentally impressive film and I just wish I could see part two right now. Get out there and see this one as soon as you can.

Awardingly yours,

Slick Dungeon

P.S. Want to see what I thought of the Best Picture winner last year? Check out my review of Oppenheimer!