Tag: MichelleYeoh

Wicked: For Good

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Wicked took the world by storm when the first part of the stage adaption hit cinemas in 2024. Exactly one year later, the conclusion fans have been waiting for is here. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is grappling with her new identity as the Wicked Witch of the West after going against the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Meanwhile Glinda (Ariana Grande) has become a public figure as the nation’s defender against Elphaba. But their friendship is stronger than the obstacles being thrown at them and they must make some difficult decisions that will seal their fates.

As someone who has seen the show three times, I always preferred the first act to the second. I thought it would be the same case with the film and while I absolutely loved part one, I have to say that part two really hit me straight in the feels in a way I wasn’t expecting it to. It truly was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

Firstly, I want to thank Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for being the most perfect Elphaba and Glinda. I simply could not imagine anyone else in these roles. Their chemistry shines so bright and was amped up even more for this final outing. Let’s be real, they are the true romance of the story. Erivo had to tap into a different side of her character and she did it so effortlessly. This is a woman who has been so misunderstood by everyone around her, but she doesn’t let anybody sway her opinions. Grande, on the other hand, was the standout for me. She took Glinda and gave her so much depth. If she doesn’t get the Oscar for this, then I will riot.

The film would be incomplete if it didn’t have the rest of the cast members. I enjoyed seeing more of Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero. He has quite the arc in this half and he portrayed it brilliantly. I also liked how the storylines developed for Ethan Slater’s Boq and Marissa Bode’s Nessarose. The update for Nessarose in particular was a good choice. Goldblum is just as much of a fake as ever and Michelle Yeoh’s Madame Morrible was despicable in the best way possible.

From the Emerald City to Munchkinland and beyond, the cinematography was visually stunning. The color palette was bright and vibrant where it needed to be, but even in those darker and more sombre moments did they still pop. The costume and make up department were top notch once again. This world and these people became so so real as a result. I also need to give a special shout out to As Long As You’re Mine, No Good Deed and For Good which were the songs I liked best. The latter just completely broke me.

I’ve been seeing that some people haven’t enjoyed the tonal shift, but it is integral to the story. The pacing always felt a little off to me in the stage version, but that wasn’t the case here. They tightened it up nicely and were still able to highlight the most important parts. I’m glad that they decided to incorporate Dorothy’s arrival in Oz. She was more prominent in the film than on stage, but not so much that it took away from Elphaba and Glinda’s story and it also did not hinder the magic that made The Wizard of Oz so iconic.

Wicked: For Good was my most anticipated movies of the year and it more than delivered. Jon M. Chu should be so proud for what he has accomplished as should the rest of the cast and crew. I laughed, I clapped, I cheered and I sobbed my eyes out. I cannot believe that this era is over – I will miss it. I truly have been changed for good.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Wicked: Part One

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The biggest movie of the year has arrived and when I say it’s amazing, I mean it! Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire and the stage musical of the same name, Wicked has been given the big screen adaption by director Jon M. Chu. Born green, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) has faced many hardships growing up. When she’s given the opportunity to study at Shiz University, she meets and befriends the popular Glinda (Ariana Grande). But dark forces are at work in Oz and after a chance meet in with the Wizard, Elphaba and Glinda find themselves at a crossroads.

As a fan of the stage production and of the Wizard of Oz, I was curious to see how this film would pan out. I was initially unsure of the decision to split it into two parts, but now that I’ve seen it, I think it was a great idea. So much happens in both acts, it would have been hard to make any cuts. This gave the audience a chance to really get to know the characters and for them to have proper growth.

Erivo and Grande were the perfect match as our leading ladies. Erivo’s portrayal of Elphaba was exactly as it should have been; powerful yet understated at the same time and full of heart. Her rendition of Defying Gravity, which just so happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time, not only gave me chills, it made me cry too. Grande, on the other hand, absolutely understood the assignment as Glinda. She stole the show. Her comedic timing was brilliant and all her mannerisms were just over the top in the best possible way. They will certainly both get some nominations come awards season.

The rest of the cast are outstanding too. Jeff Goldblum is fabulous as the Wizard and I can’t wait to see more of him in part two. Michelle Yeoh is mysterious as Madame Morrible while Jonathan Bailey is delicious as Prince Fiyero. Shout outs also go to Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose and Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond.

Oz and its surroundings are a magical place and the world building was out of this world. A kaleidoscope of colors from the poppy fields of Munchinkinland to the shimmering Emerald City, I was ready to pack my bags and walk down the Yellow Brick Road. Throw in the unique costumes and classic soundtrack and I was transported.

Words cannot express how epic Wicked: Part One was. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but it did. I truly believe it’s one of the best stage to screen adaptions ever. Run, don’t walk to your nearest cinema – this isn’t one you want to miss.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

A Haunting In Venice

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Now retired in Venice, our detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is invited to a seance on Halloween night by author and friend Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey). What starts off as innocent fun turns deadly when one of the guests is murdered.

I’ve heard some say that this is the best Agatha Christie adaption to date and while I see the appeal, I have to disagree. In some ways, I actually preferred Death On The Nile. The pacing this time around just seemed really off to me. It took ages to get to the nitty gritty of the story and as a result threw me off indefinitely.

Another gripe I had is that some characters didn’t feel entirely necessary. Jamie Dornan as Dr. Leslie Ferrier was extremely underused and kind of annoying whenever he was on screen and I didn’t see the point of Desdemona (Emma Laird) and Nicholas’s (Ali Khan) characters. I also would have appreciated more backstory on Maxime Gerard (Kyle Allen) and his relationship with Alicia Drake (Rowan Robinson).

That being said, Branagh once again brings it as our favorite detective. He’s got some great moments and the moustache is more on point than ever before. Though I was at first hesitant about Fey’s casting, I thought she did a fine job and was a great match for Branagh. And of course, who can forget about Michelle Yeoh as medium Joyce Reynolds who is just an all around powerhouse? A special shoutout also goes to Jude Hill as Leopold who was delightful and stole every single one of his scenes.

With enough jump scares that had me watching from behind my hands and the beautiful backdrop, A Haunting In Venice is a fun enough romp perfect to kick off spooky season. Even if the film didn’t quite do it for me this time around, I would happily sit through another Poirot caper in the future.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Minions: The Rise of Gru

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Gru and the minions are back! This time around, Gru (Steve Carell) is almost twelve years old and has been practicing his evil ways. When supervillain supergroup The Vicious 6 stage a coup from leader Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Gru is invited to an interview. In a series of unfortunate events, he finds himself in the role of enemy number one. It is up to his trusty sidekicks Kevin, Stuart, Bob and newest Minion Otto (Pierre Coffin) to help him out.

Thanks to a two and a half year delay due to the pandemic, the follow up to the smash hit Minions has finally hit cinemas. I have to say it was well worth the wait! There is something about this franchise that is just so fresh and fun; it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself while watching.

With the stakes raised even higher this time around, we get to know a different side of Gru. The way in which Steve Carell voices this character has always been a treat, however, this time around was even better. We are also introduced to a couple of other newbies who I feel added an extra element to the story. I loved the addition of Michelle Yeoh’s Master Chow, who helped prepare Kevin, Stuart and Bob to fight against the bad guys, not to mention Taraji P. Henson as the incomparable Belle Bottom.

Hands down, though, the best part of this movie was, of course, the minions. These lovable yellow creatures are just so damn cute, I can’t decide if I want to own one or be one. Every single time they were on screen was a pure joy. I was close to tears from laughing so much at their antics.

Minions: The Rise of Gru is the animated film of the summer. It’s got action and adventure, with a little bit of heart thrown in. The soundtrack is great and the Easter eggs that are scattered throughout are a hoot if you’re a big fan!

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Everything Everywhere All At Once

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Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) runs a failing laundromat with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). The laundromat is currently being audited by the IRS due to Evelyn having incorrectly filed her taxes. On top of that, Waymond wants to serve Evelyn with divorce papers, her father Gong Gong (James Gong) is now living with them and Evelyn is struggling to find common ground with her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu). When there’s a rupture in reality, Evelyn becomes an unlikely hero to take on the multiverse in order to save the world.

Everything Everywhere All At Once must be the most bonkers movie I have ever seen. I went into it completely open minded and spent most of the time trying to figure out what on earth it was that was unfolding before me. There was a lot for my brain to unpack and while I don’t think I will ever fully understand what I watched, I am still so glad that I went to see it.

Michelle Yeoh gives an incredible performance as the main character. Her portrayal of different genres from one scene to the next; it shows just how dynamic of an actress she really is. Another big stand out for me was Stephanie Hsu. Familiar with her work in The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, she stepped things up this time around and I look forward to seeing whatever it is she does next.

The special effects and various worlds that were illustrated throughout added to my overall enjoyment of the film. It really was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I loved how some of it was completely crazy while others just didn’t make any sense at all. I don’t think I will ever forget those hot dog fingers!

Overall, Everything Everywhere All At Once is one of the most out there films that I have ever seen before and that is precisely why I liked it so much. Would I watch it again anytime soon? Probably not, as I feel like my brain is still recovering. At the root of it all, the moral of the story had to do with the importance of family and that is something we can all relate to. I highly recommend checking this one out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥.5

Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings

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The much anticipated Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings premiered in cinemas this Friday. Shang Chi, or Shaun (Simu Liu) as he goes by most of the time, is a seemingly normal guy who works as a valet driver with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina). But when his past comes back to haunt him, he is forced to confront it as well as his father who just so happens to be notorious villain Mandarin (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung). Being the master of unarmed weaponry in Kung Fu, Shang Chi hopes his skills will help him in combating the Ten Rings organization all while saving the world at the same time.

I had such high hopes for this movie. Origin stories for superheroes can be very hit or miss and they hyped this one up like crazy. I am happy to say that it completely and totally exceeded my expectations! I can’t get over how good it was or how much I liked it. I was transfixed the whole way through and at times I found myself shaking my head at what I was seeing unfold in front of me.

The casting for Shang Chi himself was always on point for me. Simu Liu seems like such a down to earth guy and I couldn’t imagine anybody else in this role. He’s become a little Toronto treasure and I am proud to live in the city from where he hails. Awkwafina brought the much needed comedic relief and I just loved watching her friendship with Shang. I really hope they don’t make them go down the romantic route because it’s so refreshing to see a healthy boy girl friendship for once. Mandarin is possibly one of the most heartbreaking villains to ever come out of the MCU. Learning about his backstory and what his motives were really made you feel for him. A highlight for me was Shang’s sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) who I knew nothing about beforehand. Not only was she a complete badass, but she had a lot of depth too and I hope we see more of her in future films. And to have Michelle Yeoh in this as well was just a treat. She’s such a queen and her role here was no exception.

I cannot get over the special effects that were used. It seemed to be on a whole other level this time around and I don’t know how Marvel does it. The fight sequences were also impressive. In particular, the final one in Ta-Lo was like nothing I had ever seen before. Everything about it was A+ and deserves awards.

Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings was the first superhero movie to have proper Asian representation. It really was beautiful to be able to witness that. Everything about it was flawlessly executed that I can’t say anything to fault it. It’s no secret that I’m more of a DC girl but even I have to say that Marvel smashed it here. I think it’s my favorite one to date.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Gunpowder Milkshake

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Sam (Karen Gillan)is a dangerous assassin who has made quite a name for herself since starting out. When a mission goes wrong and she is forced to protect eight year old Emily (Chloe Coleman), Sam turns to her mother Scarlet (Lena Headey) for help. Together with Scarlet’s associates Madeleine (Carla Gugino), Florence (Michelle Yeoh) and Anna May (Angela Bassett), they must take down The Firm for good.

I had been really looking forward to Gunpowder Milkshake. A badass cast of women kicking butt and taking names? Yes please! It sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, I did find the plot to be a bit on the weak side. Some things didn’t make sense and I would often lose track of what was happening.

That being said, there were still plenty of great aspects. I already mentioned the cast, but they really were fabulous. I could have watched them interact for hours because their chemistry was so impressive. In fact, I would totally be on board for a sequel if they ever decided to make one. That is how much I loved them all.

I thought the effects were amazing and the style in which the film was shot was very cool and different. The music was on point and the fight sequences rocked.

Overall, Gunpowder Milkshake is a fun film that radiates girl power and there is certainly nothing wrong with that! I just wish it had packed a bit more of a punch for me.

Rating: ♥♥♥