Alex B Cann weekly film blog - 28th November

Alex reviews the week's big new release, Wicked, which is taking cinemas by storm & had a better opening weekend at the Box Office than Paddington in Peru or Gladiator 2.

There's only one cinema release to talk about this week, and it's had a bigger opening weekend than Paddington in Peru or Gladiator 2! According to Vue cinema bosses, the film adaptation of the hit theatre show has surpassed expectations since its UK release on Friday. Ariana Grande stars as Glinda, while Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba (more green than Grotbags). Part two has already been confirmed for next year, and I absolutely loved it. Don't be put off by the hefty running time, as I didn't check my watch once. I've watched episodes of The Chase that have felt longer! The opening scene in the colourful fields is beautiful, and I found the whole film truly mesmerising. But joining me this week is guest reviewer and Wicked superfan Stuart Clarkson, who watched it with me. He writes...

Wicked musical theatre fans, in particular, will love this big screen adaptation. It's well-documented that Ariana and Cynthia are fans of the stage show, and the director has taken great care to bring fantatics along for the ride. Many performers who've been in the theatrical version of the years appar as part of the ensemble in a lot of the numbers - and Broadway's original Elphaba and Glinda (Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth) even make a cameo appearance as The Wise Ones. There's a lovely moment in this sequence where they give Erivo and Grande a knowing and approving look - certainly something that will raise a smile among the Wicked obsessives. Look out too for composer Stephen Schwarz, who makes a brief cameo as the two lead characters are given persmission to enter the Royal Palace of Oz and see the Wizard.

For Wicked fans, you'll be pleased to hear the film has all the songs, all the famous lines of dialogue, and more! We dive deeper into some of the back story (extending the Act 1 running time to 2 hours 40), including a glimpse at Elphaba's childhood and an exploration of the plot to silence the animals of Oz. Some songs and scenes are lengthened - and if you already know the plot and the tunes, then you'll probably spend more time taking in every inch of the splendid version of Oz that sparkles brilliantly in this latest take on the magical world.

If you've seen Wicked in a theatre, you'll know that some of the effects are breathtaking. Prepare to be even more blown away by Jon Chu's magical sets and costumes on the big screen. The adaptation is true to the hit Broadway and West End original, but with so many added bells and whistles. From the bubble on which Glinda arrives to the spectacular Defying Gravity sequence, the transfer from stage to screen certainly hits all the right notes. Handily, if you can't wait for Part Two next November, the Wicked UK tour flies into Manchester's Palace Theatre next week - and runs from 3rd December to 12th January!

Thanks, Stuart! Next week, it's Moana 2, which is out this weekend.