Movie Review: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Rating: PG (mild language, scary images, action sequences) Length: 130 minutes Release date: March 8, 2013 Directed by: Sam Raimi Genre: Family, Adventure, FantasyStars: 3.5 out of 5 The problem with origin films is that they often try to force a connection with a beloved...

How "Wicked" Keeps "The Wizard of Oz" Alive

The contemporary Broadway musical "Wicked" is the latest incarnation of "The Wizard of Oz" story. Since its inception in the late 1990s, "Wicked" has drawn in new audiences and brought renewed attention to the residents of Oz. For fans of the original movie, the musical...

Oz: Still as Magical as Ever

The imaginative world of Oz originally shaped by author L. Frank Baum comes to vivid life in the new movie "Oz the Great and Powerful," a prequel to the 1939's "The Wizard of Oz." When moviemaker Sam Raimi decided to craft a sequel to one of the most well-known fairytale...

Five Ways the Movie Industry Has Changed Since "The Wizard of Oz"

When the first scenes of "Oz the Great and Powerful" come on screen, they are in black and white, just like "The Wizard of Oz" a full seventy-four years before. The film changes to color after a tornado, also as homage to the original classic that inspired it. Although ...

Meet the New Characters from "Oz the Great and Powerful"

The iconic movie "The Wizard of Oz" is a landmark film that has stood the test of time and is still loved until today. Even in today's trend of flashy computer-generated effects, the simple stunts and special effects are still effective and don't take away from the magic...