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Rotten Tomatoes' Editor Matt Atchity on whether 'Oz the Great and Powerful' recaptures the wonder and magic of the original
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There are -- -- -- sticking with entertainment time for our weekly audience with a -- at city.
Who is -- excuse me as you well know is editor in chief of rotten tomatoes.
Dot com good to see you as always -- Rob thanks thanks for Arabic -- -- would one -- -- we don't want these big sort of what was at least supposed to be a blockbuster.
At this week.
The -- that great and powerful sort of -- of the ways it evolves from Disney is -- Disney I think.
Yes it is that is actually not not that at least from the reviews I've seen.
Not being receiving quite the way that Disney might have liked.
No but you know I think this movie's gonna do it Honda business this weekend.
The predictions have an up close to ninety million dollars believe it or not this was a -- -- friendlier than Jack.
And the giant slayer or Jack the giants are I've mostly like this movie the critics are -- are you know just on the right side a positive.
It's right at the dividing line between fresh and rotten -- the last I looked it was at 59% which is rotten.
But it it may go back out there it's it's an okay movie it's a lot of fun parts and it.
You know this is a magical story about not about the wizard Oz played by James Franco kinda how he got to that position.
I -- starts out a small town as a small town -- against which the way to the -- -- where he's hailed as this conquering hero was recovered seventy land free.
You've got good performances from your supporting cast here including -- lies.
And Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams I would say the biggest problem here when the two biggest -- -- -- -- think the James Franco slightly miscast here.
That he doesn't really.
Sell himself as this fast talking con man that they want us to be.
And then the second problem is it's hard to capture -- to recapture the sense of wonder of the original 1939 classic.
That attitude.
It weighs heavily here at it and it's it's hard to really recreate that you know there's a sense of wonder the original film that's really.
-- -- infectious and it doesn't quite show through here but nonetheless this is a fun film I think kids are gonna mostly like get bad.
I'm like Jack the giants there which was skewed a bit older.
I think this is going to be.
Just fine for some of the smaller kids and and I think it's gonna do really well the box office yeah.
I've read a couple of their of their reviews yesterday Mac I think it was salon dot com which did what seemed to be a pretty mean spirited view back James Franco not just saying is as you politely did that he wasn't wasn't necessarily perfectly cast in this.
But that it was a Marlon Brando light performance or something like that and then another on the Neil I think believe it was the New York Times review.
In which they said.
That this was -- one of the problems that they saw here.
Was that dead the female characters would generally portrayed as being very weak -- -- or just not very likable characters.
Where is -- -- the point of the original wizard evolves was.
Very much of the powerful -- -- women obviously.
Is it is the wrong approach to sort of review those films from of that more adult point of view.
I don't think so I I think it's OK to look for intelligent writing it even something that's that's for.
Kids -- you know look at the Pixar release like that those are movies that -- -- definitely aimed towards a younger audience.
But they're very smartly written so I think that that's fair game I don't know that I agree with that New York Times reed army yet you don't really like.
The two wicked witches but -- wicked -- I -- Michelle Williams character to be a relatively strong -- I don't know that I agree you know.
But I think it's a -- and you know -- I wouldn't be -- mean about -- James Franco but aren't you know he does at times feel like.
Kind of a younger boys in his father's close -- -- pretty time -- so I.
You had that that's kind of my take away from it but look is the movie still -- I thought ultimately it is a good time.
Right at a very -- point that wicked witches are not supposed to be.
Likable -- the other the other big release this year this year at -- the weekend I guess is dead man -- tell us about that.
I -- -- down is a story about Colin Farrell as a henchman for a drug runner -- played by Terrence Howard he falls for a girl who lives in his.
In his apartment building played by no we were pots.
She is of course the star of the first dragon girl with the dragon tattoo and this -- from that same director -- -- left.
-- it's his first English language film and I think the -- got a few problems the critics really don't like it the scores pretty low.
I it's in the thirties or forties.
Last I -- the high thirties.
The critics like I said you know they say that the -- -- doesn't work.
The stories very complicated there's some action sequences that don't really blog.
I found myself honestly kind of dozing off of this felt I was really disappointed.
What I what are the barrel Matt meaning he was so we'll talk a few well I'm when I say well I meaning in terms of bank ability I'm not hitting on -- Colin Farrell he just seems to have like sort of gone off the reservation or something.
Yeah you know cultural one of those guys that I think that when he's put in a role -- he doesn't have to carry the whole movie he's fantastic.
But if you're trying to get him to carry a whole film I think it doesn't sit right for whatever reason.
-- -- really only a handful of stars that can open a movie just based on their participation.
Guys like Tom Cruise guys like Will Smith some people come in and out of that list -- I think was right on the edge of that but.
I think that he's -- some projects that didn't do so while so he made -- lost its chance -- I think he's a fine actor when he's in the right -- all Fiat.
-- I would agree with you -- city editor in chief of rotten tomatoes.
Dot com not check out rotten tomatoes dot com -- all.
You'll viewing needs and guidance this weekend whether you -- going to the movies whether you're.
Streaming something -- one of those streaming services or are renting a dvd are rotten tomatoes will point you in the right direction is always great to see you must have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you to.
