Fresh Fork

W ICKED While some odd cinematography choices and some caricature approach to supporting characters might prevent  Wicked  to achieve true cinematic greatness, there's no way to deny it has the heart in the right place and everything works thanks to that crucial detail. Sustained by a great Cynthia Erivo as the ostracized Elphaba and a splendid Ariana Grande (whose comedic timing and bright charisma earn her the title of "best in show") and fabulous musical numbers done flawlessly, Wicked is way more than just an eye-popping musical. "Defying Gravity" or the party dance scene will tear your heart apart, while "Popular" and Glinda's "toss toss" moments will put a smile on your face - in fact,  Wicked  is a complete cinematic experience that deftly balances the respect for the source stage material with the cinematic liberties - thanks to the assured directing vision of John M. Chu, who clearly loves the story he's telling on-screen. Na...

he nominations for the Academy Awards 2024 were announced last Tuesday (January 23th) and while  Oppenheimer  leads as the most nominated movie of the year, there were a few shocking misses and some welcome inclusions.  In fact, last Tuesday's announcement came with a couple of surprises: no Greta Gerwig in Best Director for  Barbie  (something I had always predicted, but the internet wasn't ready for ),  Killers of the Flower Moon  missing Best Adapted Screenplay, but  The Zone of Interest  gets nominated there; two international films in the Best Picture lineup ( Anatomy of a Fall  and  The Zone of Interest ); John Williams got nominated for his score for the latest installment of  Indiana Jones  (like... REALLY?); Napoleon gets nominated in 3 craft categories;  Past Lives  makes the Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, but somehow misses Best Actress for Greta Lee...; No  Saltburn , no  Asteroi...