“WICKED” IS A MUSICAL MASTERPIECE!

🎥🎞️Movie Review🎞️🎥 - WICKED [2024] - PG - Directed by Jon M. Chu. Written by Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox. Songs by Stephen Schwartz. Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. Budget $150 Million.

This film is a quasi-prequel to The Wizard of Oz. Following the death of the Wicked Witch of the East, Galinda [Grande], the Witch of the West, recalls the earlier life of Elphaba [Erivo] and the trials and tribulations she went through in her earlier years. Through many song and dance acts, an emotional story begins to unfold, presenting that Elphaba has had a hard life, being born with green skin and always been separated from her father and always a step behind her little sister, who was crippled at birth. Over time, she is exposed to going to a "school of arts" where she accidentally presents to the entire school that she has sorcerer-type powers [of sort] that catches the eyes of one of the leading members of the school faculty. During this time there is a political shift against talking animals, who were professors that taught many of the students in important subjects, forcing many of these teachers to leave the school. Later, after some training in her powers she is welcomed to meet the Wizard of Oz at the Emerald City. Elphaba realizes the truth about the Wizard of Oz and begins to rebel against the norms of the society that has been played as a "perfect society."

THE GOOD - Brilliant wardrobe choices and top of the line use of blue screen and practical effects. Singing seems live and dancing performances are well choreographed. The story telling and reboot of the original “WIZARD OF OZ” movie was brilliantly thought out and put to a proper screenplay. Outstanding use of lighting and cinematography!

THE BAD - There’s lots of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) casting within the large ensemble of extras in this film. Every other cut in the film shows a diverse breed of actors from straight, to gay, to transgender, to black actors galore. There is also a showing of “group inclusion” with bullying that hits deep against the leading actress. The bullying presented is very reminiscent of today’s issues with American youths in school ending with the obvious retort of a student whose “had enough.”

POSTMORTEM - This is a spectacular film. I’m not a huge fan of theater-stage type musicals and I was actually getting ready to walk out of the movie during the first 30 minutes. But the production suddenly twisted a direction that was more enjoyable to the male audience, giving a better story line to follow, building towards a disruptive plot line that brought the original film’s plot into view and makes you rethink the prior history; the back dealings that possibly occurred before Dorothy arrived to Oz. There are some tremendous, emotional and song performances by Erivo and Grande that are sure to win them Oscars in 2025.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ [4 of 5 Stars]

PEACOCKS "SPEAK NO EVIL" IS A SOUND THRILLER!...

🎥🎞️Movie Review🎞️🎥 - SPEAK NO EVIL [2024] - [R] - Peacock - Directed & Written by James Watkins. Screenplay by James Watkins. Produced by Jason Blum through Blumhouse Productions. Based on the book "Speak No Evil" by Christian & Mads Tafdrup. Starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Scoot McNairy, Dan Hough, and Alex West Lefler. Budget $15 Million.

A married couple, Ben & Louise [Davis and McNairy], are traveling in Italy where they meet a another married couple, Paddy & Ciara [McAvoy and Franciosi], who invite them out to their European villa for a week to relax in a quiet, ranch home for a time to reflect. Each couple has one child [Hough and Lefler] and they bring everyone together to breath in the fresh atmosphere. Ben and Louise find some small details that bother them throughout their stay, but Paddy has the ability to quell their fears and constant questioning of the little things they find. As time passes, Paddy becomes more and more aggressive, which threatens the visiting family and their child. Before anyone knows it, the visiting family falls into both mental and physical psychological danger, forcing them to try and outsmart Paddy and his plan to take over the mental stability of the family.

THE GOOD - Pristine and simple cinematography. Some of the overhead 4K drone footage is breathtaking. The sound and editing is top notch. I truly enjoyed the character development, presenting the strengths and weaknesses of all the mature characters being presented. Location spotting was perfect for presenting the story. This has to be one of McAvoy's best and sharp performances as a psycho, narcissistic powerhouse who seems to grow larger in mass as the temperament in the movie increases.

THE BAD - Not all of the film was apparently shot in 6K digital. There are some scenes that are washed out with a slight haze on the corners of the film. There was a lot of soft lighting [or natural light] that was used which increased the shadows on certain angles of the casts faces. Little use of steady-cams on some scenes that seemed to be short and rushed.

POSTMORTEM - This is a damn good film. The tension was high, so much so that I was on the edge of my seat throughout the intense scenes and there was a good closing at the end of film, ensuring that there would be no sequels. Franciosi was perfectly cast as a deranged wife who supported her husband to the edge of insanity. But supreme kudos to child actor Dan Hough, who didn't speak a word in the film, but delivered a dramatic, realistic  performance that helped seal the deal to present you a blistering dramatic film.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ [4 of 5 Stars]

RUN HIDE FIGHT [2020] IS A STUNNER OF A FILM!!!

🎥🎞️Movie Review🎞️🎥 - RUN HIDE FIGHT [2020] - R - DailyWire - Directed and written by Kyle Rankin. Produced by Amanda Presmyk & Dallas Sonnier. Starring Isabel May, Radha Mitchell, Thomas Jane, Eli Brown, Treat Williams, and Olly Sholotan. Budget $1.5 Million.

Zoe Hull [May] is an intelligent teenager who recently lost her mother. She was taught to track and hunt by her father [Jane], a military veteran, and is a proven survivor respected by teachers and most of the students at her school. On "Senior Prank Day" several mentally deranged students, many who have been bullied in the past by other prominent students as well as teachers, take over the school cafeteria by force, shooting and stabbing some students and teachers and forcing them to watch and record their terror on their phones. Images of the entire school shooting are presented online, as the school fails to act quickly enough to the shooters premeditated plans to kill many, spread dysfunction to their town, and escape in a fiery hell. In a moment of clarity while she could just run away, Zoe decides to re-enter the school and save as many students as she can; all while facing the demons of losing her mother to suicide.

THE GOOD - Casting was top notch. Isabel May performs at top level with a unique ability to shift emotions as the environment falls down around her. Some impressive low-budget effects, with solid directing during some intensely dramatic scenes. The sound was good. Cinematography was pretty impressive. Thomas Jane [also known to have once played "The Punisher"] plays a very believable military veteran and father, who sets out to take action to stop the school shooters.

THE BAD - For all of the violence, there's very little blood in the movie. Some of the scenes were shot in lower film quality and angles that keep the viewer from seeing the damage caused by the school shooters, which would have elevated the tension.

POSTMORTEM - This film is definitely a nail-biter. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, cheering the leading actress as she progressed through the school trying her best to warn the other teachers and classmates. I understand that for many who actually lived through an experience like this film, it might be hard to see, but the ending is worth all the misery that was presented throughout the film, especially with recent events where police forces acted too slow. This low-budget indie film was purposely made to stun audiences depicting real events that brought a dark clouds in our nations weakness with the lack of student safety during school hours. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 [4.5 of 5 Stars]

THE LAST ISSUE OF THE QSE.357 FOR 2024 IS RELEASED!

QSE.357 ISSUE 39 of 10/1/2024

52 Pages

ON THE COVER - Rachel "Wilder" Whaley
Promo Photo by Micro Photography

MAIN ARTICLES

A Busy Year for the QSE.357 - WE have tons and tons of never before released photos and liner notes from cast & crew members regarding several promo photo shoots and film projects. There are some great memories openly shared and a special look back at some issues from 2022 & 2023.

Studio Leading Actors - The QSE Awards for 2024 are out and statuettes are getting ready for delivery! The QSE Awards list is enclosed with a special category for teenage actor awards.

What to expect in 2025 - Every year the QSE.357 E-Mag changes format, always bringing you the best entertainment for all of our subscribers. Our opinionated publication is spreading out to many areas of the globe, presenting stories
from a large number of studios.

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