To have and to Wicked, For Good and for worse (CREDIT: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Sharon D. Clarke, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Colman Domingo
Director: Jon M. Chu
Running Time: 137 Minutes
Rating: PG for Steamy Sensuality and Broom Fights
Release Date: November 21, 2025 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Oz is of course a wonderful and magical place, but it isn’t always filled with honesty. That is what Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) is desperately trying to tell us at the beginning of Wicked: For Good. Now that she knows the dark truth about what the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) are up to, she’s gone off into hiding into the woods as she plots to lift the curtain and free the animals. Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) is taking a much less revolutionary approach as an official representative of Oz, though she still holds out hope that she and Elphaba can reconcile. On top of all that, Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) is caught in the middle between these witchy ladies, Elphaba’s sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) is now governor of Munchkinland, her Munchkin friend Boq (Ethan Slater) is bristling at his position working for her, and a certain visitor from the Midwestern United States is about to get dumped into the middle of all this finagling.
What Made an Impression?: Another Way of Looking at Things: It’s a simple realization, but worth drawing out: the whole endeavor of Wicked on the big screen is a matter of shifting perspectives. Indeed, that was already true about this franchise when it previously existed in just book form and then as a stage musical examining a decades-old and oft-revisited property from exciting new angles. As someone who’s never read Gregory Maguire’s novel (or any of its sequels) or ever seen the show, I’m only catching a whiff of the panorama expansion that these big screen adaptations have established. But even that lack of perspective is another perspective! So I understand your frustration, Elphaba, when everyone else is unable or unwilling to see the bigger picture. And you too can have that realization! All you have to do is open your eyes to how much your eyes remain closed. We’ve Made Mistakes, Now What Do We Do?: Everything comes home to roost in this conclusive chapter, which is how things tend to go in conclusive chapters, after all. In this case that means we see a much more dour Wizard, a warier dynamic between friends and former friends, and a thoroughly less whimsical populace. That equals a significantly less fun outing compared to the first Wicked movie, though the upside is that the psychological depths are more acutely felt and impossible to miss. There’s a sense of inevitability that at times can come off as deflating but that also feels honest and necessary. Now’s not the time to soar but to carve out a compromise you can live with in an imperfect world. Is that a formula for keeping the fire of cinematic magic fully aflame? I have mixed thoughts on that matter, but the final warnings we’re left to reckon with nevertheless remain timeless.
Wicked: For Good is Recommended If You Like: Filling in the edges
Every week, I check the schedule of new albums coming out and listen to the ones that catch my ear. Then I make a note throughout the year of the ones that made a strong impression. And then to finalize my Best Albums of 2024 list, I re-listened to everything on that shortlist to confirm whether or not I did in fact like them enough to enshrine them among the crème de la crème.
As for my favorite new songs of the year, they can be hard to find, since I live in a city with reliable public transportation, and thus rarely drive, and thus rarely listen to the radio. So I hope that I’ll encounter some good ones on the albums that I seek out, or that they otherwise reach me via pop cultural osmosis. Also, I try to stick with songs that were released as singles, but it’s okay if they weren’t.
Anyway, here’s the music that happily stuck with me in 2024:
I’m glad that these people got to spend some time together (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)
Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.
Happy Middle of October, Everybody! I hope you’ve been spending plenty of time with your boos.
Anyway, I’m here to review the 971st episode of Saturday Night Live, which just so happens to also be the third episode of the 50th season. Stevie Nicks was the musical guest for the second time ever, but the first time in more than 40 years. As for the host, well, that was Ariana Grande, who’s now in the rarefied territory of having been the host and musical guest of the same episode, the host but NOT the musical guest of the same episode, and the musical guest but NOT the host of the same episode.
You may have noticed that Ms. Grande was promoting her starring role in the upcoming film Wicked, which is based on a well-known stage musical, which was in turn based on a novel, which was in turn inspired by another novel. With all that in mind, I’ll be reviewing each sketch in this episode by saying something like “That was wicked…” (Please feel free to imagine me doing so in a Bah-ston accent.)
Chloe and Ariana currently have their eyes closed in this photo. Are they making a wish? … Happy Birthday! (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)
Jeff “jmunney” Malone watches every new episode of Saturday Night Live and then reviews all the sketches and segments according to a “wacky” theme.
Here we go everybody, it’s time for another review of a new Saturday Night Live episode! And well, the third time’s the charm. (Or at least that’s the hope.)
Josh James Brolin has now hosted a trio of SNL eps, even though I’d kinda forgotten his second outing, though perhaps I shouldn’t have. Similarly, Ariana Grande-Butera (professionally, she usually drops the “Butera”) is doing a 3rd go-round as musical guest. She was also the host that second time, and she’s appeared in sketches all three times.
Because this episode originally aired on my birthday, I’ll be reviewing each sketch according to the template “Happy Birthday to…”
What’s the weirdest thing about hosting the Oscars? (CREDIT: Eric McCandless/Disney)
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Imaginary (Theaters)
–Love Lies Bleeding (Theaters)
TV
-96th Academy Awards (March 10 on ABC) – This year the Oscars start an hour earlier than usual!
–Password Season Premiere (March 12 on NBC)
–Apples Never Fall Miniseries Premiere (March 14 on Peacock) – I might check this out since Alison Brie’s in it.
–Girls5eva Season 3 (March 14 on Netflix) – Streaming switch.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett, Tyler Perry, Mark Rylance, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Michael Chiklis
Director: Adam McKay
Running Time: 138 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: December 10, 2021 (Theaters)/December 24, 2021 (Netflix)
Timothée Chalamet should have been in all of Don’t Look Up.
Or at least like 75% of it. I’m thinking the ideal situation would be that he’s a main character, but he’s barely in the trailer, if at all. So when he shows up, you think he’ll hang around for just a few scenes, but instead he gradually just takes over the whole affair. A miniature version of that is what actually happens in the Don’t Look Up that we did get, as he shows up about 2/3 of the way through and plays a fairly large part from that point forward.
What I’m trying to say is, instead of recreating the broad reality of people yelling at clear and present disaster, Don’t Look Up probably would’ve been better off primarily focusing on the peculiarities of random skater boys rolling through the apocalypse.
Past (and future?) That’s Auntertainment! guest Marissa Sblendorio has quite the hitmaking lineup for the latest Karaoke Korner: Ms. Ariana Grande, Ms. Carly Rae Jepsen, and Mr.’s and Ms.’s ABBA.
I didn’t listen to every new album that was released in 2020 – DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE! But I did listen to a few dozen; some were rockin’, some were poppin’, some were hippity-hoppin’, and a few even had some jazzy freakouts. Here are the 15 that most satisfied my ears and my tapping toes:
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (December 18 on Netflix) – Viola Davis plays the title role alongside Chadwick in his final role.
TV
–American Dad! Holiday Episode (December 21 on TBS)
–Jeopardy!: “Around the World with Alex” (December 21-January 1, check local listings) – 2 weeks of classic episodes of Alex presenting clues from across the globe.
Music
-Paul McCartney, McCartney III – Macca making more music.
-Taylor Swift, Evermore – This came out last week. Taylor keeps sneaking up on us with surprise releases.
Music Documentary
–Excuse Me, I Love You (December 21 on Netflix) – Ariana Grande in concert, hurray!
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Belushi (November 22 on Showtime) – A documentary about Belushi, John.
–Happiest Season (November 25 on Hulu) – Directed by Clea DuVall and starring a cast of some of my favorite funny people!
TV
–Animaniacs Reboot Premiere (November 20 on Hulu) – The Warner Brothers – and the Warner Sister – are back to run amok once again!
–Marvel’s 616 Docuseries Premiere (November 20 on Disney+)
–Saved by the Bell Reboot Premiere (November 25 on Peacock)
-The National Dog Show (November 26 on NBC)
Music
-Ariana Grande, Positions – This came out a few weeks ago, but I somehow missed it when that happened.
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