THE GREAT AND POWERFUL?

A debate has been brewing. 

It started with a terse tweet. 

Developed into a disagreement.

And is now a great debate:

Will OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL suck?

     The talk about Disney's long awaited prequel has been done.We are inside a week of it's release and soon we will have an answer to the above question. Chris (the South of this site), is on record with this Tweet: "I can't think of a movie I would rather see less than 'Oz The Great & Powerful' ." Not exactly a ringing endorsement from a man firmly ensconced in the key demographic. I informed Chris that I was, in fact, VERY excited to see it. He then went on record again with this Tweet: "youre an idiot." 

  

   Okay, I can understand thinking OZ won't be a 10. But for a film buff to have absolutely no interest in seeing a bright, shiny, new prequel to an all time classic makes no sense. Everybody should want to see this movie and everybody should want this to be great. So why would he be so uninterested? It may be one of the several  Red Flags: 

1. Who are y'all? 

Unlike most Disney releases, the plot of this film has not be discussed in great detail. Usually you can find every detail about a character in a Disney film easily, before the film is released. Now this is partly because of a looming plot twist (ahem Mila Kunis!), but this might mean this is not the next great Disney Franchise.

2. Tim Burton-ification. 

While a quick IMDB of Tim Burton reveals he has nothing to do with this movie, it reeks of his recent overly color-contrasting, slightly darker in retelling, cgi-schlock-fests (see: (but do not watch) Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) . A Burton-type film, in a lesser director's hands is even scarier than when Timmy takes it from start to finish.

3. That key demo thing. 

Kid re-viewings will play a big role in making or braking this film. The majority of stuff in here has to be for kids, it's Disney.  But for a film that's doing a nostalgia-modernization-crossover route: The ever-present, online, live-snarking, culture of today (myself included), is deciding what properties become huge franchises (Avengers) and what ones are D.O.A. (John Carter). If you can't get Chris and Me to the theater to see this in IMAX, 3-D, Smell-O Vision then it's not gonna be the next HARRY POTTER.

4. Franco Factor. James Franco has some great stuff (PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, Freeks and Geeks) and some junk (YOUR HIGHNESS, the Oscars). If 30 seconds into this movie you start to see Oscars Franco, walk out quick and get your crazy 3-D money back.

So what is the real reason my colleague has no interest?

HE HATES THE WIZARD OF OZ!

     Can you believe that? The kid actually hates THE WIZARD OF OZ! I mean, I know it's not a prevalent in the culture as it once was, but hating an all-time, flat-out, classic like THE WIZARD OF OZ is criminal. It's a great movie through and through: songs, costumes, make-up, writing, directing, acting, Auntie Em, Judy Garland, Toto, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, the Lollipop Guild, the mid-film Black and White-to-Color shift! Not to mention all the glory and splendor of RETURN TO OZ! 
   There are a hundred reasons this film has been relevant for about 75 years. How they could all be lost on any American is unknown. I am off to see the Wizard on March 8th, not only out of respect to a classic, but because if Disney can revive 75% of the WIZARD'S shine, we are in for a real treat.