Oz The Great and Powerful

In this prequel to The Wizard of Oz, circus magician Oscar Diggs is magically transported to the Land of Oz, where he deals with three witches and uses his illusionist skills and resourcefulness to become the wizard the residents have been expecting through prophecy.

Matt
Rating: 8 out of 10

This movie doesn’t hold the same innocent charm of the original film, but it doesn’t want to be. And that’s what makes it so successful. .

Oz is the story of a sheister, a talented but troubled carnival magician who womanizes, lies, disrespects and hussles his way through life. That is, until that famous hot air balloon sweeps him away to a magical world.

And this is where the story really takes off. Oz goes on a wonderful journey, both internally and externally, as he grows into a reluctant hero and leads a group of unlikely characters – not so different from the original. But the greatest similarity to the original masterpiece is what the lion was granted – heart. I really found myself swept away alongside Oz, played well by James Franco and supported with an outstanding cast – most notably Michelle Williams as Glinda. I was really pleasantly surprised by Oz The Great And Powerful. Sam Raimi drove a film rich in stunning visuals, wonderful comedy, sharp performances and – GASP – no music!

Trailers Trailers Trailers

The Bourne Legacy

Total Recall

The Expendables 2

OZ – The Great and Powerful

(I’m stoked for this one, gang. – Vic)

Jack The Giant Killer

Sound off everyone! Let us know here at The Movie Bros what you think of these soon to be released movie trailers. Hope you enjoyed them.

Vic @ The Movie Bros.

 

Get your ruby slippers on for Oz overload

It seems like everything coming out of Hollywood these days is a remake, reboot, sequel or prequel.

One such movie that has escaped the same treatment — for the most part — is the classic “The Wizard of Oz,” aside from Disney’s 1985 “Return to Oz” and Motown spiritual, “The Wiz.” But that’s all about to change. Poor Dorothy and the gang are about to be reused, rehashed and recycled.

Following on the heels of the highly financially successful “Alice in Wonderland” ($1 billion worldwide) Hollywood is looking to cash in on older franchises — there’s even a new “Pinocchio” in the works. According to multiple reports, Sam Raimi of “Spider-Man” fame is set to direct a film starring Robert Downey Jr. as the Wizard during his days as a carney when he was taken to Oz and mistaken for a wizard. The film will be called “Oz, the Great and Powerful.”

There are other Oz-related projects in the works, like “Witches of Oz,” due out later this year. The movie follows the exploits of the grown Dorothy Gale, now a successful children’s book author, as

she moves from Kansas to present day New York City. Dorothy quickly learns that her popular books are based on repressed childhood memories, and that the wonders of Oz are very, very real after the Wicked Witch of the West comes after her. There are also plenty of rumors about a “Wicked” movie, based on the book and successful musical.

There’s also an animated film in the works called “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” due out next year that is directly based off the books by L. Frank Baum (see photo on left). There’s another movie in the works to star Drew Barrymore called “Surrender Dorothy.” Barrymore would play a descendant of the original Dorothy, in this case her great, great grand-daughter, who has to stop the original and not nearly as dead as we thought Wicked Witch of the West from taking over both Oz and Earth. Barrymore has said she wants to direct.

“Oz: Return To The Emerald City” is a Warner Bros’ Oz project. Return to Emerald City would have Dorothy Neil, a Chicago lawyer and granddaughter of the original Dorothy, transported to Oz with her boss’s daughter where they team up with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion to stop a new witch who threatens to destroy all the magic in Oz. Reportedly, this take originated back when comic book artist Todd McFarlane pitched the production company Thunder Road on an Oz film based on his very bizarre “Twisted Land Of Oz” toy line. Thunder Road passed on McFarlane’s take but were still interested in the basic idea on an Oz-update when “A History Of Violence” screenwriter Josh Olson pitched them a similar idea in a meeting. Thunder Road approached Warner Brothers, who snapped up the project. It is currently being rewritten and has no director attached.

Principle character sketches for Dorothy of Oz

The last Oz project is “Dorothy of Oz,” an animated musical film with a nice voice cast including Lea Michele of the popular television series “Glee” as Dorothy, Dan Aykroyd as the Scarecrow, Kelsey Grammer as the Tin Man and James Belushi as the Cowardly Lion. Based on a story by Baum’s grandson Roger S. Baum, Dorothy once again returns to Oz to help her friends stop the menace of someone known only as the Jester.

A couple of these films have a shot at being good. I really like Sam Raimi. But because of the overload of Oz movies coming out, some of these will be delayed, get lost in the shuffle, or just plain tank.

Some footage of “Witches of Oz.”