Oz the Great and Powerful (DVD + Digital Copy)

UPDATE (6/14/2013): Refrain from buying the single 3D-disc version, because you have the option of purchasing the 3D disc for $5.99 on DisneyRewards.com with the combo pack. I discovered this when I went online to get the digital copy with my combo pack. It is for a limited time though, so keep that in mind.WARNING: ***SPOILER ALERT*** Some things discussed in this review could potentially spoil some of the film for those who have not yet seen it. Therefore, if you have not seen it, read onward at your own choice.Okay, first thing is first: This review is NOT about the packaging decisions made by Disney for this set or their decision to sell the 3D version separately. I agree with most that it is corporate greed and is quite despicable, but that is not what I am here to review because most everyone can come to that conclusion themselves without people ranting about it endlessly in the reviews. No, this review is an actual critique of the film, so if you are here to get a sense of whether the film's (and thus this set's) actual content is something you're interested in, this review is for you. Naturally, I saw the film in theaters and am writing this review based upon my viewing of the film and observations made during that viewing. I shall attempt to go over the positives and negatives associated with the film in a fair way that can allow others who have not yet seen the film to draw their own conclusions from hopefully.Before I get into specifics, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize that, given the material the film is coming from and the ENORMOUS shadow it had to work in from the 1939 film, one should not judge this film overly harshly. I think we all know that no Oz film is going to ever fully eclipse the much-beloved and universally cherished 1939 film with Judy Garland and Margaret Hamilton. Hence, to even try to overcome such a monumental production is a fool's errand, but so too is the idea of judging any new effort to reboot the Oz saga by comparison to the 1939 film alone. I myself have been a lifelong lover of the 1939 film, ever since I was a small child, and it remains one of the most beloved movies in my collection to this day. I came into this film knowing going in that it would not likely overcome the sheer splendor and magic of the 1939 film, but I also came into it with an open mind and a curiosity to see how they could potentially bring the Oz story into the 21st century. This is how I would suggest all who have not seen it yet to go into it: go in with an open mind and with no preconceptions about the film as best you can.PROS:1) BRIDGING IDEAS FROM THE 1939 FILM WITH IDEAS FROM THE BOOKS: This film did an excellent job of paying homage to the original 1939 film in several ways (i.e. scenes in Kansas were in black and white while Oz was in full color, hints at Dorothy Gale's heritage and eventual coming, the presence and familial relation of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wicked Witch of the East, foreshadowing the Wicked Witch of the West's weakness to water, the classic green-skin variation of the Wicked Witch of the West's look made popular by Margaret Hamilton, Glinda's use of bubbles for transportation, foreshadowing the presence of Dorothy Gale's three friends in Oz, the Wizard's illusions that allowed him to use a projection of his head to speak with authority, etc.) while also addressing several things that were absent from the 1939 film and yet present in the original novels (i.e. Dainty China Country, mentioning of the former King of Oz, Quadlings, Winkies, etc.)2) ACTING: This is something that cuts both ways, as some actors/actresses were well-suited to their roles going in, while others clearly needed some time to grow into their roles. Examples of the former include Mila Kunis and Rachel Weiz, who give absolutely stunning performances as the Wicked Witch of the West (Theodora) and the Wicked Witch of the East (Evanora) respectively. I must take my hat off to Mila Kunis especially, who had HUGE shoes to fill in taking on the role of Theodora, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West, a role which had previously been immortalized by the performance of Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 classic. Kunis put a stupendous modern spin on the character while also paying homage to the foundations for the character that were laid by Margaret Hamilton more than 70 years ago, portraying Theodora in a way many girls like her today could empathize with initially while eventually transitioning her into the classic green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West we all know so well. The same goes for Weiz, who finally gives screen-viewers some insight into the character of the Wicked Witch of the East. She is portrayed as the elder and quite deceitful sister of Theodora who was adviser to and later murdered the last King of Oz so as to take control of Oz herself while framing his daughter, Glinda the Good Witch of the South, for the crime. Both delivered compelling performances that left me wanting to see more of them in the films to come, as did Michelle Williams, who also gave an outstanding performance as the Good Witch Glinda as well as her counterpart in Kansas, Annie, who is foreshadowed to be the mother of Dorothy Gale. I suppose the biggest test any actor or actress faces in portraying a character is leaving the viewer with the desire to see more of them in films to come, and I can definitely say these three more than cleared that bar definitely.3) VISUALS: This film WOWED me with the visuals and bright colors shown throughout the film. Just as its great predecessor did before it, the film showed the contrast between black and white filming with colorized scenery, and the result couldn't have been more appealing. The bright colors and scenery of the Land of Oz nearly jump right out of the screen at you, and the effect will likely have kids oooing and ahhing over it for sure. The picture quality is simply amazing (see the China Girl for a prime example of this).4) CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: While some may disagree with this, as an Oz enthusiast for over 25 years, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased by the character development over the course of the film. Some of the biggest and most well-done examples of character development in the film are that of Oscar Diggs (the Wizard) and Theodora (the Wicked Witch of the West). The film does a good job of showing the Wizard's transition from a petty con-man to the great and wonderful Wizard of Oz we were introduced to in the 1939 film. For example, we are shown that Oscar was originally a womanizing con-man and illusionist that had a dubious set of ethical standards. Over the course of the film, we see him mature and learn from his mistakes and their consequences (the hard way in some cases i.e. the transformation of Theodora). The other biggest example lies with the character of Theodora herself. We are shown the HUGE contrast with how she was originally compared to the version of her we are all most familiar with. In the beginning, we are shown she is a compassionate, beautiful young witch who has the best interests of Oz at heart. Having fallen in love with the Wizard upon his arrival in Oz, Theodora's heart is broken when her sister deceives her and convinces her that he has tried to court all of the three primary witches in Oz. It is at this moment of utter heartbreak that Theodora's tears leave burning scars on her face (foreshadowing her weakness to water that would one day be exploited by Dorothy Gale) and she is deceived into eating a green apple that her sister promises will remove all her heartache. This is however proven to be a deception, as the apple's effects cause Theodora's heart to rot and die, eventually disintegrating altogether. As a result, her face is distorted and her skin is turned a bright shade of green. Donning her now all-black attire including a black pointed hat, she assumes her new identity as the Wicked Witch of the West. Mila Kunis delivers a stunning performance to bring this character development to life for us, and it is a real treat to behold. These are just a couple of examples of the good character development over the course of the film.CONS1) ACTING: As stated above, this cuts both ways. While the bulk of the cast did outstanding, I will say there is one example where this was lacking in particular. That rested with the titular character (Oscar Diggs) and its actor (James Franco). There were times throughout the film that one could tell Franco was perhaps not the best choice to portray the role of the Wizard. Some examples include over-the-top moments of dialogue ("Zim-zala-bim! Begone coward! Fear my greatness!") and his at times awkward moments in the role. However, I do feel that by the end of the film, Franco had found his stride and was finally comfortable in the role, especially by the time of the film's climax in the battle for control of the Emerald City. The biggest times I noticed this awkwardness/woodenness was earlier in the film, and it is true that initially I felt that perhaps another actor may have been better suited to the role of the Wizard. But by the end, I do feel Franco has grown comfortable and competent enough to continue in the role and perfect his handle on the character.2) LACK OF A CENTRAL MORAL TO THE STORY: Whereas there was a clear lesson we learned alongside Dorothy during her experience in the Land of Oz depicted in the 1939 classic, it wasn't as clear in this film that there was a central moral to be learned from the story. Whereas Dorothy learned to appreciate and cherish what she already possessed in life, it is unclear what moral Oscar was to learn from his initial experience in Oz. I suppose we may learn that even though some of us may not feel important or powerful, our own personal strengths can make up the difference if we put our minds to it. Beyond that, I was left wondering what we as an audience were supposed to learn from Oscar's experience. It is clear he became a better man and finally learned from his mistakes in the end, but the overall lesson he was to learn was not entirely clear.3) USE OF STRENGTHS: One of the biggest gripes I had with the film was not in what it lacked, but in what it did possess but which it did not use enough in my estimation. A very big example of this was with the character of Theodora. While we are given a decent amount of screen time to get acquainted with her in her original form as Theodora The Good, we are not given nearly as much time to see her in her classical form of the Wicked Witch of the West. Mila Kunis gave such a wonderful performance as Theodora, and yet when she was at her best and clearly having the most fun with the role (that of her wicked form), we were not given nearly as much screen time to see her fully in action. While Evanora and Glinda have their face-off, Theodora simply flees the city to the West on her recently-acquired broomstick. While it is clear we will see them all again including the Wicked Witch of the West, I still wish they would have given her more screen time to further demonstrate her effectiveness in the role of the witch. This was not the only example of this, but you get the picture.4) OVER-RELIANCE UPON CGI: One thing that the 1939 classic proved was that it is possible to be highly compelling and visually stunning without Computer Generated Imagery. While the special effects in the film were quite attractive to the eye, there were times (especially over the course of the Wizard's journey through Oz) that it bordered upon overkill. The beauty of the 1939 classic was that we didn't have to have a lot of fancy special effects from computers to make us fall in love with the film. Not that all computer-generated effects are bad, in fact many genuinely did add to the visual beauty of the film. It is just a small complaint when they seemed a little over the top, such as when the Wizard was swept into the twister and transported by it to Oz.BOTTOM LINE: This was an excellent opening overall to a promising reboot of the Oz saga. As I noted in the beginning, no Oz-related film is ever going to fully eclipse the 1939 classic in the hearts and minds of the American public. However, considering the immense shadow cast over the film by the 1939 film, this film did a much better job than some would expect in measuring up in terms of quality and substance. It is easy to judge this film and others related to the Land of Oz by the standards of the 1939 classic, but that can at times seem a bit unfair, considering how monumental the earlier film is. If some are always looking for the perfection of the 1939 classic in every Oz-related film, I am afraid they will almost always be disappointed. If one can come into this with an open mind however, it is a HUGE treat indeed overall. For those that have not seen the film and are on the fence about it, I STRONGLY encourage you to give this film a shot. It puts a wonderful modern spin on Baum's classic stories, and that is something that is definitely to be celebrated. I am sure especially that somewhere, Margaret Hamilton is likely smiling about the new take on the character which caused her to be immortalized in cinema history.

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL 3D [2013] [3D Blu-ray + Digital Copy] A Dazzling Brand-New Classic! From The Producers of ALICE IN WONDERLAND!Feel the magic of ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ surround you as it soars off the screen and lands in your living room in this spectacular and stunning awesome 3D Blu-ray – the absolute best you can get to view in your home.Disney’s fantastical adventure, from the director of the ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy, follows Oscar Diggs [James Franco], a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics. When Oscar Diggs is hurled away to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot – until he meets three witches [Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams], who aren’t convinced he’s the great wizard everyone’s expecting. Reluctantly drawn into epic problems facing Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar Diggs must find out who is good and who is evil before it’s too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity – and even some wizardry – Oscar Diggs transforms himself into the great wizard and a better man as well.Cast: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs, Joey King, Tony Cox, Stephen R. Hart, Abigail Spencer, Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Tim Holmes, Toni Wynne, Rob Crites, William Dick, Gene Jones, John Lord Booth III, Suzanne Keilly, Shannon Murray, Ralph Lister, John Manfredi, Robert Stromberg, Channing Pierce, Brian Searle, Russell Bobbitt, Brandon Hamilton, Stevie Lee, Mike Estes, Phillip Huber, Chidi Ajufo, Talia Akiva, Blake Arnold, Cameron Barnett, Wayne Brinston, Colin Bryant, Ron Causey, Justin Chrzanowski, Michael Clossin, Zachary Robert Craft, Omar Diop, Neil Ellice, John C. Epperson, Vi Faulkner, Logan Fry, Derrick Gilliam, Jacob Godzak, Brice Harris, Hans Ihlenfeldt, Alexander Christopher Jones, Roy Kellerman Jr., Dennis Kleinsmith, Bob Jay Mills (uncredited), Jordan Rafael (uncredited), Ari Rufino (uncredited), Keith Schloemp (uncredited), David Schwager (uncredited), Stephen Tako (uncredited), Kevin Thompson (uncredited), David Waldman (uncredited), Filip Watermann (uncredited), Michael O. Watkins (uncredited), Matt Weinglass (uncredited), Jake Williams (uncredited) and Otis Winston (uncredited)Director: Sam RaimiProducers: Debbi Bossi, Grant Curtis, Joe Roth, Joshua Donen, K.C. Hodenfield, Palak Patel, Philip Steuer, Tamara Watts Kent and W. Mark McNairScreenplay: David Lindsay-Abaire, Mitchell Kapner and Frank L. Baum (original story)Composer: Danny ElfmanCinematography: Peter DemingVideo Resolution: 1080pAspect Ratio: 1.33:1 [Black-and-White] and 2.40:1 [Colour]Audio: English: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French: 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Digital, English: 5.1 Dolby Digital and English: 2.0 Dolby DigitalSubtitles: English SDH, French and SpanishRunning Time: 130 minutesRegion: All RegionsNumber of discs: 1Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home EntertainmentAndrew’s Blu-ray Review: Sam Raimi's epic fantasy prequel conjures up a new benchmark for 3D Blu-ray. Given the reverence so many fans have for the legendary 1939 M-G-M musical, it's no surprise that some consider any plans to do a prequel to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ to be completely sacrilegious.But somehow writer David Lindsay-Abaire and Michael Kapner and director Sam Raimi have managed to magic up a dizzying and manically inventive fantasy film that feels like a natural part of the universe Frank L. Baum created. By exploring the origin of the Wizard, this blockbuster prequel feels fresh and unpredictable, whilst also delivering plenty of nods and winks for fans of the original film, especially the Frank L. Baum's books.More delightful is the film's 3D presentation, which actually makes for a very entertaining experience. Though built on the backs of endless 3D gimmicks, there's a delirious energy to all the carnivorous plants, dive-bombing monkeys, surging rapids, toothy river fairies, jutting emerald crystals, and billowing fireballs to thoroughly demonstrate Sam Raimi's penchant for 3D showmanship. The camera leaps and swoops, glides and falls; the creatures of Oz charge and lunge, pounce and attack; cities and towns loom and extend into the distance, while endless fields of flowers, dark forests and sprawling mountain ranges disappear into the horizon. What Oz the Great and Powerful lacks in cohesion and inspiration, it tacks on with feverish, sometimes dizzying 3D, and it's clear that Sam Raimi's Oz was built to take full advantage of the format, from the ground up. The added assault on the senses even distracts from some of the film's bigger problems, making its 2D counterpart feel even flatter and less whimsical. Is the 3D version of the film the wonderful wizard Disney and the filmmakers hoped it would be? Perhaps in part, but it still falls short. It may take a sequel to prove Sam Raimi and company truly have something up their sleeves.Buoyed by game performances from all the principals and Sam Raimi's energetic direction, ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ is a fun slice of fantastical whimsy wrapped up in dazzling layers of 3D eye-candy. So, even if it doesn't really measure up to the original, it's still a whole lot of magical and exciting fun.Blu-ray Video Quality – Step aside ‘AVATAR’ there is a new king of 3D Blu-ray. Disney's stunning awesome encoded stereoscopic presentation of ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 3D not only sets a new technical benchmark for the format – the native 3D photography is so involving that it easily makes the film more enjoyable that the 'flat' version. The sheer depth of the image and the volume dimensions of everything is frankly totally awe-inspiring. Nothing about it feels forced, it just feels perfectly natural. Colour presentation is probably the most vibrant I have seen in a 3D presentation and fills the widescreen 2.40:1 at all times, at least it does from Chapter 8 when the action moves to Oz, prior to that it's 1.33:1 black-and-white. ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 3D 1080p imagery is truly magical.Blu-ray Audio Quality – The 3D presentations of the film are accompanied by what Disney is openly touting as a 'near-field' 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. This indicates that the mix has been optimised for 'smaller' environments – but don't worry, this is something that Disney has apparently done with a lot of its mixes in the past, albeit without the labelling and, as it happens, ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 7.1 channel soundtrack is a match for the reference-quality visuals. Admittedly, things start in a rather subdued mode, with the audio accompanying the monochrome opening being deliberately wedded to the front stereo spread. However, once our hero is sucked up by the tornado in Chapter 7 the full 7.1 mix explodes into life. Front and rear speakers are employed aggressively and consistently from that point onwards, building layer upon layer of audio in the sound field to dynamic effect.Blu-ray Special Features and Extras: The 3D version contains no supplements whatsoever on the Blu-ray disc itself. Supplements can only can be accessed through the Digital Copy Plus version of the film.Special Feature: Walt Disney and the Road to Oz [Digital Copy Plus] [10:00] The studio and Uncle Walt's history with Oz, which traces back to the 1930s (when Snow White hinted at the success of feature fantasy), Disney's acquisition of the rights to fourteen Oz books, an abandoned 1950s musical adaptation (The Rainbow Road to Oz), and other milestones on the long and winding road to ‘Oz the Great and Powerful.’Special Feature: My Journey in Oz, by James Franco [Digital Copy Plus] [22:00] This sort of a-day-in-the-life video journal is more of a James Franco-hosted production documentary than anything else, and that's perfectly fine. James Franco does everything from discussing the film to interviewing Sam Raimi to going behind-the-scenes to reveal how practical and visual effects were used to realise Oz.Special Feature: China Girl and the Suspension of Disbelief [Digital Copy Plus] [5:00] Oz's porcelain doll springs to life by way of on-set marionettes, computer wizardry and the voice performance of young actress Joey King.Special Feature: Before Your Very Eyes: From Kansas to Oz [Digital Copy Plus] [11:00] The design, development and creation of the lands of Oz the Great and Powerful, from the film's visual aesthetic to its costumes, sets, environments, locations and grand vistas.Special Feature: Metamorphosis [Digital Copy Plus] [8:00] Sam Raimi and company bring the Wicked Witch to sinister, cackling life with prosthetics that simultaneously accentuate, sharpen and mask the actress's facial features.Special Feature: Mr. Elfman's Musical Concoctions [Digital Copy Plus] [7:00] Composer Danny Elfman and the film's score.Special Feature: Bloopers [Digital Copy Plus] [5:00] Franco, Braff, Kunis and the rest of the cast ham it up.Finally, ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 3D never ascends to the heights of the original ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ and unfortunately a lot of critics of this 3D Blu-ray say that is certainly won't ever be hailed as a timeless classic, but to me it is a beautiful modern day classic of the original masterpiece in cinema history. So it will be totally wrong to give this 2013 film comparison, is almost totally unfair, but sadly a lot of critics are all unfairly in precisely doing that comparison, which is totally out of order and makes me very angry and totally incensed, as it is a totally beautiful well-crafted film and especially in 3D, whereas the 2D looks totally flat, that is a must to view in 3D. Another thing that is making me so angry is the comments of critics of this marvellous film, saying that nothing quite clicks into place [rubbish] especially the script, the cast, the visual effects, which to my mind is a very harsh comment and have obviously been watching a different film to me. On top of all that I feel Sam Raimi eventually finds his footing with ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 3D and hits a decent stride and finishes poised hopefully, for a sequel. The 3D version is even better and is a honestly a very exciting experience. Walt Disney's Blu-ray release is more consistent and satisfying experience of this film, and with an excellent video transfer, especially the terrific sumptuous 3D experience, and a very exciting strong 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio surround track. The 3D edition's extras are only available by way of Disney's new Digital Copy Plus online service, so that's a rather irritating hassle, but at least the content is still available in one way or another. All told, ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ 3D is a great and powerful prequel it could be, but it’s the Blu-ray debut and 3D AV awesome presentation, unite to become a formidable powerhouse. Very Highly Recommended!Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film AficionadoLe Cinema ParadisoUnited Kingdom

after missing this film in the Cinema, I ignored online reviews pre-ordered the 3d disk version (ps not lot of 3d in there but when it comes it pops off the screen better than some for 3d) for anyone who who likes watching Oz films in the past may find this reboot a little hard to watch and straight away I will say this is NOT a film you would want to show your under 9s as in subject matter in a way its more aimed at young adults (eg 11/12) who can grasp the subject of a broken heart,what a conman is/illusionist, can handle sudden & frightening close ups of screaming baboon faces, and whilst done in a light hearted way there's even a quick brush (if its ever possible) on the subject of genocide, but I must stress for the unenlightened it may just look like a lot of broken pottery, its for these reasons alone I would hesitate against showing to young children and in some ways it really should have a 12 rating.in a way you could think of this as a successful blend of once upon a time and return to Oz, than the original OZ whist light and airy use of technicolor sets and with the costumes to fit, below the surface is a much darker story, and to be honest if they had gone for a more adult audience instead of PG it could have been a better film all over because after watching the film again in a way it kind or makes you think the script writers may have spent a couple of hours looking at "alice: the madness returns" for inspiration then brushed over most of it again in the edits.As for the film however it first starts off like all oz films in Kansas (PS good old 4/3 ratio in sudo B/W, so please tell your younger views not to try adjusting your tv set) following the story of one washed up carnie illusionist Oz, who seems to be a bigger hit with the ladies than the crowds, enter his side kick (painfully miss cast) zach braff complaining about the poor takings (plus brushing on the subject of Oz being a bit of a Lothario)queue escaping from one of OZ's past conquests partners & Oz jumps into a helium Balloon and so starts the trip off to Oz. I will not give to much away away other than to say we shall finally meet the three witches before there first outing in OZ, (wicked this isn't) Theodora (mila kunis) Evanora (Rachel weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams - (who hands down plays the best acted roll in the film.) its at this point the film comes alive yet also leaves you feeling it could have been something a bit more.I would recommend this to any fantasy fiction fan who is looking for there fantasy fix, however because of the PG raiting some parts and lines had to be dummed down and because of it (either though being miss cast) or having to get past the sensor-board, things take on this hybrid bad guy feeling, believe me this is not one of Rachel Weisz finest moments, (yes I see a golden raspberries) you just don't get the feeling there's more to this character when in fact the story is crying out for a manipulative "Regina"for children over 9 I would give this a rating of 7 out of 10 (with supervision)for a more adult audience who I still feel would have been the better aim at because of the shortfalls in script and lack of darkness it gets a 6 out 10

A really great film and one of the better Disney live action movies. The 3d is used really well and special effects are great. As you would expect from Disney the production value is really high class. The only downside is that some of the acting is over the top to the point of being unbelievable. But the villain characters are really well played and hit just the right balance of over the top and believability. A fan of Oz or Disney or family movies will live this one.

A great cast playing well written characters with dazzling effects and a simple yet entertaining storyline. James Franco brilliant as always, playing a magician conman forced to put his tricks to the test.It was a very pleasant surprise, both story- and production-wise. 3D is the only way I imagine unlocking the movies full wonder.Somehow this title totally escaped us at the time of its release.Oh yeah, I'm sure kids will love it too 😝

Enjoyable and in places visually stunning. Watched it with daughters of 8 and 4 in 2d, the younger one being crazy about the wizard of oz. No really scary stuff. Youngest lost interest a bit. Eldest didn't get some of it with regards th the wizard's philandering and asked lots of questions, but she enjoyed it overall. Storyline reminiscent of Maleficent. I watched bits of it in 3D later. There are a few good 3D segments.

It's difficult to seperate this from the Wizard of OZ but you have to try. They are completely different stories; completely different films (perhaps with a couple of nods to the former). It's probably closer to Return to OZ (live action version)It's actually really rather good even if James Franco is pretty much unsympathetic throughout. Certainly it's easier to sit through than Burton's Alice in Wonderland.One of the better uses of 3D too.