One Thanksgiving festivity that diverged from previous years was the release of Wicked, an adapted film from the renowned Broadway musical. I took part in viewing the launch of this motion picture, and as such, I have also witnessed the live-action Broadway musical. This has been one of the most transformative scripts crafted into the movie multiverse.
Not special to me, many other Green Level students also took part in viewing the movie. Throughout the discourse of social media, individuals grew unwavering excitement for the inevitable release and began preparing by dressing up as the two main characters Elphaba and Glinda, as well as analyzing previous Wizard of Oz movies, books, and history.
The emotional nature of this film enabled it to be immensely captivating. While watching, I felt myself moved by the film’s gravity and the denseness and complexity of each main character. Glinda, your stereotypical good witch, was driven by the desire to appear good, with many of her “selfless” acts benefiting herself over the wellbeing of others. Early throughout the nearly three-hour film, we see a distinct humanness in her that prompts her to act selfishly. She can shadow her selfishness due to her amiable mask. Elphaba scrutinized throughout her childhood, has grown accustomed to isolation, thus making her much gentler to the world around her.
The eventual bond we witness evolve on screen between the two distinct personalities is warming to watch. The magic of this movie, as well as the quality time I spent with my loved ones while watching it, was in large part one of my most cherished parts of Thanksgiving break. I believe this movie was released into the world at a crucial time.
Upon interviewing a culmination of Green Level students, one large takeaway from the screen capture was the dimension of the film, as well as the captivating cinematography. After interviewing Senior Mary Springer, who viewed Wicked with her older sister who attends Appalachian State University, she saw an opportunity to expand on their bond for musical theater after a long time apart. Springer emphasizes, “This was a very valued task because I got to spend time with her. I don’t believe it was so much the movie as it was just basking in one another’s company. We’ve always loved musical theater, and Wicked in general, so it felt full circle as the last time we saw it we were little and our lives looked entirely different.”
Inspired by Springer’s beautifully articulated words, movies hold the capacity to bring loved ones together. This was a uniform realization grasped by much of Wicked’s target audience.
One common disappointment stemming from the viewing was that the cinema only covered Act I of the play. Act II will be released nearly an entire year later on November 21st, 2025. This briefs the question of how much our lives will change an entire year from now and if we will be watching such with the same people we are now.
