Oz: The Great and Powerful
Blu-ray/DVD/Digital l Blu-ray/Digital l Blu-ray 3D/Digital l DVD/Digital
DIRECTOR: Sam Raimi
WRITERS: Mitchell Kapner, David Lindsay-Abaire
STARRING: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Zach Braff, Joey King, Bill Cobbs, Tony Cox, Bruce Campbell
Walt Disney Home Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2013

When we first heard back in 2010 that a new movie based on the fantastical tale The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum titled Oz the Great and Powerful was on the way with American Beauty and Skyfall director Sam Mendes and Robert Downey Jr. possibly attached, there was certainly intrigue, but there was also a whole lot of question as to the sanity of Disney. 1939’s The Wizard of Oz is a timeless classic, beloved by millions, and despite it being a remake in its own right (see older versions here) the thought of someone even trying to do anything set in the land of Oz seemed absurd. But as I said over three years ago, Baum’s world and characters are eternally ripe for reinterpretation.

Eventually The Evil Dead and Spider-Man director Sam Raimi became attached, then stepped away from the planned World of Warcraft movie to take on Oz. Some complications arose, as is always expected. Downey Jr. was replaced by Johnny Depp for the lead, then James Franco was eventually cast to replace Depp. Obviously things settled down eventually and the movie got made, but does it recapture the same magic that the ’39 classic had, or does it swing and miss?

For the past few weeks or so there’s been a debate raging on and on about whether or not bigger, more well-known names and titles should be using the crowd funding website Kickstarter to try and find help with financing their next project.

It began when Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas took to the site for help in making a movie based on his cancelled show, a movie that had been attempted numerous times and failed all of them. Kickstarter was the last resort, and it came through overwhelmingly as fans of the show chipped in and helped the project reach its $2 million goal easily. By the time the campaign was said and done, $5.7 million had been raised for the movie, and a new doorway was opened wide for filmmakers and others.

Not many gave a second thought to the Veronica Mars movie turning to Kickstarter for help; it wasn’t until recently that the debate truly ignited when Zach Braff, the star of the hit sitcom Scrubs and writer/director/producer/star of Garden State, decided to see if Kickstarter could help him make his follow-up to Garden State, Wish I Was Here. Not only did the movie also quickly achieve its $2 million goal, but it ignited quite the firestorm as many argued the merits of the successful or wealthy asking regular folks to pay for their projects to happen.

Oz The Great and Powerful
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriters: David Lindsay-Abaire, Mitchell Kapner
Cast: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff
Walt Disney Pictures
Rated PG | 127 Minutes
Release Date: March 8, 2013

Based on L. Frank Baum‘s Oz novels, Oz the Great and Powerful is a prequel to Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and an homage to the classic 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz.

Set 20 years before Dorothy clicked her heels, Oscar Diggs (James Franco) arrives in the magical Land of Oz where he encounters three witches: Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams).

Theodora is convinced that the small-time magician and scam artist is a great and powerful wizard of prophecy, destined to overthrow the Wicked Witch who killed the king of Oz. Oscar must follow the yellow brick road to Emerald City where he will reclaim Oz from the Witch and free its people of her vile and cruel ways.

Along the way Oscar encounters Finley (Zach Braff), a flying monkey in a bellhop uniform, and China Girl (Joey King), a living china doll whose home and family were destroyed by the Wicked Witch.

A new poster has been released by Walt Disney for Oz: The Great and Powerful. This particular poster is of interest because it features none other than the Wicked Witch herself.

The movie is based on the works of L. Frank Baum, looking at some of his characters’ origins. It’s directed by The Evil Dead and Spider-Man trilogy director Sam Raimi, and stars James Franco, Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, and Zach Braff. It hits theaters on March 8, 2013.

Be sure to click on over to the other side to read a synopsis and check out the new poster from Oz: The Great and Powerful.

Chicken Little
3D Blu-ray/DVD Combo
Directed by Mark Dindal
Starring Zach Braff, Garry Marshall, Joan Cusack, Steve Zahn, Amy Sedaris, Don Knotts, Patrick Stewart
Walt Disney Video
Release Date: November 8, 2011

Is the Chicken Little 3D Blu-ray the end of the world, as we know it?

Chicken Little falls into that same mediocre Disney animated film category as Meet The Robinsons and Bolt and the more recent Mars Needs Moms. The movie proves that good animation can only get you so far. Without a compelling story, enjoyable characters, or good jokes, the film ultimately falls flat. The heart and storytelling of Pixar are sorely missed in Chicken Little, which relies too much on outdated references and animal gags that don’t entirely make sense in the world they’ve built.