Sleights of hand and tricks of the eye, breathtaking visuals and powerful ballads, car chases and prison breaks… I saw three of the top-ranking movies in theaters right now within a short period of time, and they were all absolutely fantastic. Each film had distinctly different styles and aesthetics, some of which might cater to different audiences more than others, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of them, and here’s why (Don’t worry, no spoilers):
- Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
Despite my deep love for the musical Wicked and the anticipation that came with waiting a full year for the second to come out, Now You See Me 3 was actually my favorite of all three movies. From the very beginning to the very end, I was on the edge of my seat, thrilled at every plot twist.
The film is about 2 hours long and is rated PG-13. It stars actresses Isla Fisher, Ariana Greenblatt, Lizzy Caplan, and Rosamund Pike, as well as actors Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Justice Smith, and Dominic Sessa. While CGI was essential to maintaining the cinematic “wow” factor, the actors were actually trained in various types of magic, which they performed live on set, to make the film more authentic.
The plot follows a group of magicians, brought together by three clever young adults, in their efforts to serve justice to a South African heiress, who is manipulative and murderous. They blindly follow instructions from the secret society made up of the best magicians in the world, known as the Eye, and must trust each other and themselves, think fast, think ahead, and execute their plans perfectly in order to pull off the tricks that will lead their group to success.
This film, like its predecessors, was a justice story in which all four of the original protagonists, J. Daniel Atlas, Merrick McKinney, Jack Wilder, and Henley Reeves, plus the added protagonist from the second movie, Lula May, make an appearance. I was particularly excited about this, since the character Henley Reeves, who had not been present in the second movie, returned. In addition to those five iconic characters, three new “junior” magicians insert themselves into the group and insist upon making their mark.
While the new characters were interesting, the growing number of protagonists made it hard for any real character development to take place. While previous movies showed the Horsemen growing together as a result of their goal to join the Eye, this movie lacked any real change in the original Horsemen, and the newer characters actually seemed to be trying to discredit their older acquaintances. The introduction of younger characters felt forced, and it took away the dynamic between the characters that had been present previously.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t will appeal to people who enjoy action, mystery, and plot twists. It is exciting, visually captivating, and a great watch.
- Wicked: For Good
I love Wicked. The music, the plot twists, the deep friendship formed between women who come from the most different lives, the conflicting romances, the search for answers, for justice, and the life-changing decisions that must be made in moments. All of it is so enthralling and tells the most incredible story of unconditional love and forgiveness.
The movie is a little over 2 hours long and is rated PG. It stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh. The film is directed by Jon M. Chu and has received 14 award nominations.
Wicked: For Good is the second act of the Wicked story. Wicked came out last November, and we were forced to wait a whole year for the second part. The movies are based on the hit Broadway musical Wicked by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. The first act sets the stage in a whimsical land called Oz, where popular, ditzy, perfectly gorgeous Glinda is forced to room with Elphaba, a girl with strange magical talents that was born with unnatural green skin. As the two embark on their school adventures, they each grow individually and closer to each other as friends and start to see each other as complicated individuals instead of as stereotypes. The plot of the second act, Wicked: For Good, follows Elphaba as she embarks on a journey to free the oppressed animals of Oz and uncover the dark truths behind their leader, the Wonderful Wizard, using her unique magical abilities, and Glinda as she struggles to maintain an image of peace and prosperity in her new public positions while also grappling with the new loss of her best friend and fiancé and the manipulations of her previous mentor.
Personally, even before the movies came out, I have always enjoyed the first act of Wicked more than the second. I feel it has better music and a more inspiring plot, and I simply love the character development of the two girls in the beginning. What I love about the second act is the parallel to the original Wizard of Oz, the reconciliation between the two, and the love triangle. But, like the stage production, I simply did not love the second as much as I loved the first.
While there are some stunning ballads in the second, namely “As Long as You’re Mine” and “For Good,” the music in the second act faces interruptions and has a darker, less melodic approach. Additionally, two new songs were introduced to the film, which were not present in the stage production: “No Place Like Home,” sung by Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), and “Girl in the Bubble,” sung by Ariana Grande (Glinda). And while both these songs were pretty, they lacked the grandiosity and whimsicality of Wicked’s other music. There was meaning behind them, but they were out of place among “I’m Not That Girl” and “No Good Deed.”
The acting in this movie was fantastic, the music was chilling, and the visuals were breathtaking. It is a great movie for anyone, though if you haven’t seen the first movie, I would highly recommend watching it before Wicked: For Good.
- Zootopia 2
This movie was so cute, and I love the deep dive into the history of Zootopia, as well as any action with my favorite rabbit officer and her trusty sidekick. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are truly some of my favorite characters in fiction, and while I was scared this sequel would not do the first justice, as so many sequels tend to do, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
This movie is a little less than 2 hours long and is rated PG. It is a perfect animated movie to watch with younger children, though anyone who loves Zootopia will enjoy it. It stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Officer Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde, as well as Ke Huy Quan, Idris Elba, Andy Samberg, and, of course, Shakira playing the beloved pop icon Gazelle.
The film follows Officer Hopps, a rabbit, and Wilde, a fox, who are partners in crime-busting, as they try to track down an alleged snake presence in the city, which hasn’t happened since a snake attack many years ago. However, as they uncover more and more about the city’s dark past and the influence of the wealthy Lynxley family (the inventors of the machine that allows for the different climates within Zootopia), they realize the case is much more dangerous than they anticipated, and not all is as it seems.
It was incredibly fun to see the iconic duo working together again, but I also really enjoyed the fresh perspective on their relationship. In the first Zootopia, Judy was always ahead, dragging Nick along. It was a comical relationship where she got the things done, and he was grudgingly present to correct where needed and be the mood lightener. As they became closer, that dynamic didn’t change much. She was still the one to speak for both of them, and he was, in a way, simply along for the ride. While I love a strong female character who knows what she wants and goes for it, I also liked how, in this movie, they dove deeper into how Nick felt in reality about her constant disregard of danger or consequence in order to do what she believed was right, even when it wasn’t worth the sacrifice. While in the first movie, I consistently cheered for Judy in all her endeavors; I began to empathize with Nick more in the second. They dove into what being the strong female character costs and the pressure she felt to go all in every time, as well as what it means to be the sidekick and the stress and unwanted responsibility that comes with the role.
I loved this movie. That being said, there were a few issues I noticed. Firstly, many of the references were only funny or notable because of the first movie. For example, in Zootopia, we meet Duke Weaselton, a sleazy weasel who sells unlicensed films. His business is comical because of the animal takes on the movie titles we know and love in the human world (and also because he’s a stereotypical drug dealer type persona selling Disney movies). Wrangled, a play on Tangled, featuring a horse protagonist, and Wreck-It-Rhino, a Wreck-It-Ralph parody where Ralph is a rhinoceros. He makes another appearance in Zootopia 2, and it’s supposed to be funny again. While it is still a comical setup, it wasn’t new. There is also a cameo by Mr. Bigg, a shrew who represents a wealthy mob boss, which is hilarious considering his tiny size. He is one of the most beloved characters in Zootopia, and quite literally says to Nick and Judy in the first movie, “You come to me on the night my daughter is to be married….” But the cameo feels forced and is only meaningful because of the interaction they had in the first movie. There just doesn’t seem to be any new comedy in the sequel, which is a shame, considering Zootopia is one of the funniest movies out there, in my personal opinion.
Secondly, the issue on the table in Zootopia 2 feels a lot less real. An alleged crime, a messy investigation, and the pitting of the rest of the cops against Officers Hopps and Wilde take away from the genuine police investigation theme of the first and throw us into an underground revolution-type situation. While I appreciated the character development that came from the run from the law and from the Lynxleys that the two endured, it felt like a juvenile approach.
Each movie had its issues, but all in all, I enjoyed all three of them. Whether you’re more into musicals, magic, or mysteries, each film had a lot to offer, and for sequels, they were incredibly well done. So if you’re stuck on what to watch next Friday night, I recommend one (or all) of these three.