I am old enough to have grown up in a time when as a child there was an annual airing of 'The Wizard of Oz', so I saw the original movie at least a dozen times. I saw dozens of characters from the movies at countless Halloween parties throughout my youth. The movie, with it's charming actress who came to a tragic end, was a part of the national pop culture. So this film steps into some pretty big shoes.
The movie is a prequel to it's 1939 brethren, and it is a darker and more complex presentations of the forces of good and evil--there are some heavy hitting actors in this who can carry that off. James Franco plays Oscar, a two bit con man who leaves the circus and ends up in Oz. He is way out of his depths in terms of magical powers, but what he lacks in talent he makes up for with resourcefulness, and with the help of the good witch (Michelle Williams) he manages to pull off a major con on the bad witch (Rachel Weizl) and the good people of Oz. This could be enjoyed by adults and children alike (although beware--it is dark in spots and violent in others--not for the very young).
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