Wicked (2024)

Wicked runs 160 minutes and only covers half the story, and you feel that math in the middle. A few stretches at Shiz University play like the movie is stalling for the sequel, and Jon M. Chu drains a lot of the color out of Oz. Then Cynthia Erivo sings. Her Elphaba is guarded, funny and furious. Ariana Grande is the real surprise. Her Galinda is a pink tornado of vanity with perfect comic timing, and her big number, Popular, turns into a full slapstick routine. Jonathan Bailey makes Fiyero’s entrance in a spinning library one of the most fun scenes of the year. Jeff Goldblum is a perfectly slippery Wizard, and the story of Dr. Dillamond, the goat professor voiced by Peter Dinklage, gives all the fun real stakes. It made $764 million worldwide on a reported $150M. A 7.8 because the leads are spectacular and act one doesn’t need this much room. $6,351 says you start tossing your hair over your shoulder like Galinda this week and somebody asks if your neck is okay.

What works: Erivo’s powerhouse voice, Grande’s comic timing and huge practical sets that make Shiz feel like a real place.

What doesn’t: At 160 minutes for half a story, it drags in the middle, and the washed-out colors make Oz look oddly dull.

Who it’s for: Theater kids of every age, and anyone who has ever bonded with a roommate they couldn’t stand at first.