Wicked (2024)

I am amongst one of the last people to be in the know that this is not only an extension of the Wizard of Oz story, but also a flipping of it. Part of the reason that the original stopped resonating with me at a very early age is because of how it basically pigeon holes the characters into very basic two-dimensional slots, and this appealingly takes that narrative and puts it on its head, all while delving into the why of what motivates the main characters. The Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North, who are played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and each of whom gives a knockout performance, duke it out, but not in the way that you might have imagined they would and you will be charmed by it none-the-less. The all too timely themes of bullying, corrupt leaders and the demonization of difference, this is a movie that promises a froth of pink and green escapism but delivers considerably more in the way of depth and darkness.