I Finally Watched Cats (2019)

  Wicked is a smash hit, and I loved it, I want to see it again in theaters and get the Blu-Ray as soon as I can when it is released, but seeing it become a smash hit over the holiday weekend reminded me of just how many musical movies get released this time of year, such as last year with "Wonka" and "The Color Purple", how musical movies are released during the holiday season all the time. My mind went back to movie musicals released during the holiday window and I remembered the one that baffled everyone from the moment a trailer was released, of course, I am talking about Cats which crash landed into a critical and box office disaster in 2019. With Wicked I went to the gravity-defying peak, so now it is time to tour the musical opposite Deep Valley which is considered one of the worst movie musicals of all time... five years after it hit the big screen this review is very timely. 

What can be said about the musical Cats that has not been said before? Some of the music is absolutely iconic, it was a smash hit and one of the works of Broadway mega-musical legend  Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, I have listened to a song or two but it is far from a musical I long to see or even listen to on its own. "Memory" is a very beautiful song but if I am listening to his work it is either "Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" or what many consider his magnum opus "Phantom Of The Opera" including myself.

This movie made me never want to see the musical on stage, yet also curious. I wondered if it fared better on stage. This movie is a disaster, some of the songs are fun, and some are sung quite well, I may look up a song or two from this, but my goodness I should have heeded the warnings of my friends. The original song made for the movie is nothing and as is the plot, the songs all stumble into each other, and nothing makes sense. The film goes from song to song, and I still have no idea what it is about. Some cats trying to be reborn, plots, attempted drowning, deceitful cats, contests, magic cats,, and burglar cats, old cats, forsaken cats, theater cats, a contest, evil cat who cheats, and new cats, there are just cats running around. No more then a second will pass before another song is thrown out, and it takes a whole hour for the main character to have a solo song or even share an ounce of her story and feelings. This movie left me with one feeling over and over, which was confusion.

Then there is the visuals, yes they are as bad as you have heard. Seeing them in motion with special effects and CGI made me laugh on more occasions then one. Adding to the absurd and confusing nature of this film, making me wonder how someone could do something, why they did that, or why something looked the way it did. This film is wild for all the wrong reasons. 

"Why are they singing now?", "Who is that?", "Why are they doing that?". I found myself laughing over and over at the pure absurdity of this film. From the use of a synthesizer that made the most unpleasant of sounds, to a villain who just shows up, and poofs people away for no reason. But there is no time to hang on plot because there are more songs to get to about one note felines that sometimes will never be addressed again. I found myself laughing at this film more then I should have but I could not help it, from the evil scheme of the villain, to the lack of any coherent plot, to some of the lines and one liners, to the action sequences, to musical numbers popping up every twenty seconds with the 15 whole songs performed in this film, to the crazy visuals. There is a scene with cockroaches with human faces that I am still trying to figure out, thus I laugh, I laugh because I will never understand.

And this movie has some incredibly talented people in it, Judie Dench, Sir Ian Maclellan, and so many others, but the subject material is where it all falls down. I have no idea if the stage version is better or if it is just more of this, and part of me wishes to never find out. If this is a faithful adaptation then I am certainly stopping my journey here. A song is never earned, a dance break never needed in this mess of a film, it can all be described in one scene, where James Corden cat is smacked in the nuts, that sums up the feel of this whole movie. This movie has no ideas what a musical is or what makes them special, the importance and care of adapting a stage show. The villain of Macavity played by Idris Elba is hilarious, and he just shows up at random and does just whatever, it makes me laugh every time, but every actor is taking this so seriously I can't help but laugh. Then there's Taylor Swift, yes that's a phrase that can be said about this movie and the song she wrote for this "Beautiful Ghosts" is indeed a song. The only thing of quality is that some of the songs are well sung and well performed, and they are but even though they are well sung, I feel no connection to these songs, and the creepy, yet hilarious visuals and effects distract from them. 

But would I watch this again? Yes I would, this is so bad it's good, perfect riffing material, "The Room" for musical fans. Even the worst of musical movies sometimes have a bright spot, this one makes my least favorite movie musicals look like the symphonies of Mozart. So bad its good, and I am sure I will not be forgetting this anytime soon. A so bad it's just bad, that I can't help but laugh., well acted and sung but has so much going wrong it's a wonder.

The Simple Yet Powerful Beauty Of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Meet Me In St Louis)

At first I intended to cover this classic 1944 musical movie, and I must say though there are some extremely outdated moments, and the plot is incredibly simple yet still has flaws and skips around too much for its own good, it is a classic for a reason, very much shows and reflects when it was made but still has elements that show why it is called a classic. Financially and critically successful in it's day and considered a classic work of one of the greats Judy Garland,  this romantic comedy about a family in St. Louis living life and finding love in some cases, that jumps throughout the year with multiple holidays, even Christmas. I do not consider this a Christmas movie because the holiday does not take the stage until the hour and twenty minute mark of this hour and fifty minute feature. The main source of conflict being romance as many classic musicals are, with a second element of conflict coming much later in. There are several iconic songs that even outlasted this film and made a name for themselves, some I will be listening to even after my viewing, the acting is superb, and the music is beautiful, and well performed. But that being said "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" originated here, the yuletide classic song that has been covered, played, and performed for decades  made its debut here and we have this musical to thank. Many know this song but few know that it all started here with this musical film, so let's look over this version and just how this song has transcended for countless Christmas seasons after. 

Esther, played by Judy Garland is looking over her home and life as her whole family will be moving from the life they knew to New York. Leaving everything behind, the boy she loves, her friends, and her life. She sings this tune to try and console her younger sister in this soft yet emotionally powerful moment. Even out of context this song is sang and played over the years, and I first discovered this version of the classic outside of the film it came from, but knew of the film. 

The song we have all heard countless times originated with one different lyric that changes the course of the whole song, made for the context of the story but one out of context I prefer over its replacement. What today in many versions of the lyric of "Hang A Shining Star Upon The Highest Bow" was at first "Until Then We'll Have To Muddle Through Somehow". Some of the other lyrics are different, namely to match the movie but they also fit out of context, namely talking about the year to come. Trying to have something to look forward to over the current problem the cast is facing, though it is mainly emotional it is still causing many of them grief. 

This song is beautiful and can easily and has been listened to out of context for decades. So much so that I would say the song is more popular then the movie itself. The song invokes a somber but simple wish, just wanting a good Christmas. Wanting to share company with loved ones that we don't see often, hoping to be together over the holiday and for years to come. Wanting to face the current struggles until those joyous days arrive. The song is festive enough yet still somber, planted in wanting to enjoy the holiday but also reality. 

This song has surpassed beyond its debut due to a simple yet sweet score, great lyrics, and good message behind it. Wishing a good season for oneself but also one's friends, wishing to be with them and nothing more. It is a sweet and simple song that has so much packed into it. There are so many versions to listen to but I find myself going back to Garland's masterful performance every Christmas. I find it so strong and I encourage you to give it a listen if you have not. The original lyrics packing an emotional and sometimes relatable punch. 

This simple and powerful yuletide ballad is more then just a wish, it is a gift worth one listen at least, and perhaps many more. 

Why Do Musicals Often Tie In With The Holiday Season?

 This time of year often means releases of musical movies both animated and live-action, new stories, sequels, and Broadway adaptations, sometimes even live shows on the big screen or broadcast on television. This time of year also brings countless Christmas specials, from the classics of the past to new ones trying to join them in the pantheon of yearly traditional rewatches. Most if not all of these, even episodes of nonmusical shows often sport one if not multiple songs, and of course many of the specials are musicals themselves such as "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer", "Satna Claus Is Coming To Town" and many others both old and new. But why is this? Why do TV stations and movies bring about musicals during the holidays from Disney's major releases even recently with "Moana 2" and "Wish", to "Wicked" and last year "Wonka" and "The Color Purple". Classics like Willy Wonka And The Wizard Of Oz are aired around this time, and musicals are synonymous with the holiday season. Now I may not be able to answer the question as a whole, but I am willing to give some theories as to why. 

Even "Elf" And "Christmas Story" have musicals that play local theaters and schools, go on tours, and now an animated version for "Elf" and live taped version that aired on FOX for "Christmas Story"

Money is the easy answer but some of these flop, but companies keep on trying because sometimes there's a smash hit that could be aired on TV or have a successful run "Wicked", "Moana 2" and "Wonka" being recent examples. It seems that the idea of a family picture taking the big screen this time of year could be a fun activity, and more often then that they happen to be musicals. Some from Disney others from other places. But it seems that adaptations that skew for older audiences also premiere to be available for an outing with friends such as "The Color Purple", "Into The Woods" and others of the past.  From "Cats" to "Annie" musicals usually use this window to either bring people together, more often then not families to show something fun to watch. A soundtrack to listen to, a story to relate to, that could make us laugh or cry. 

Musicals often at times give us something to walk away from, whether it is their message, the characters, acting, but more often then not their music. Songs meant to move or inspire. Many classic Christmas specials at least having one song to show the theme, get people into the Christmas mood, or be something to listen to again and again this time of year. Songs that display the themes and that we can connect to and enjoy. Songs like "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch", "Put One Foot In Front Of The Other", and "We're A Couple Of Misfits". Catchy songs that are fun to listen to while decorating the tree or shopping, songs to intertwine with the classics we hear on the radio, songs we remember fondly from the first time we heard them. For example how many people love the Heat Miser and Snow Miser songs from "A Year Without A Santa Claus" because of the special being not only aired so many years, but those songs being undeniably catchy. 

I know I have gone over the basics of yes studios wish to make money, some of these specials are timeless and part of the holiday, and why new musicals try to make their mark in cinemas this time of year but I have one more idea. I think musicals give us a gift. They give us feelings we can relate to most of the time if done well, unforgettable visuals and experiences again if done right, that stay with us. Whether to move or inspire, to encourage the dreamers to keep on dreaming. To inspire us to keep chasing our goals, no matter how outrageous they may be called. Songs that move and we listen to all through the next year at moments we need a lift, songs to entertain and inspire. Even bad musicals can have good music that are fun to listen to after the fact, and be so bad it's good watches with friends. Bringing us together to laugh at something while trying to find the quality in it. Going back to the good, when done well they last with us,, and stay with us long after they viewed. The benefit of movies or pro shots such as the one of "Waitress" that made the rounds this time last year and others that seem to do the same is that we can watch them over and over. Whether a rental, a streaming service, or my preferred way purchasing especially on DVD, we can pick up those moments over and over and remember why we fell in love with them. Or why they are so bad that they give us a good laugh we needed. 

Musicals can bring the family together to enjoy things, sometimes the plot can be as simple as a character with a dream and the musical can lift us to heights unrivaled. The music sometimes does the heavy lifting as long as the frame, though labeled as basic can be strong enough to support them. These songs whether to invoke the Christmas mood or to be watched any time of year because the musical doesn't have a yule tide setting stick with us. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "We Need A Little Christmas" are songs played and covered by countless artists during the holiday season and they began in musicals. "Meet Me In St. Louis" and "Mame" are owed all the credit for these classic yule tide ballads, and you could say this holiday songs even more recognized in the public eye then the musicals they came from.

Musicals are a valid form of media, and musical movies are a part of cinema themselves, and much like any other genre like action or comedy, there are duds. But the best of the best stay with us from their memorable lines, relatable narratives and characters, and especially their music. So seeing "Mufasa" and "Moana 2", and of course the Broadway adaptations, let them keep on coming as holiday traditions, to sit down in the seats at the movies and remember why we love musicals to begin with. Combine the wonders of the stage with the amazing things only movies can do, to tell stories that inspire and entertain. And when they are filmed they can be the gift that keeps being shared over and over on screens big and small for years to come 

The Animated Christmas Song That Was All Over My Social Media And Is Actually Amazing :Later Never Comes (Scrooge)

 The holiday season is upon us and that means movies, episodes of shows, and specials to celebrate the occasion. Watching old classics and trying to find new ones is a tradition of mine and fun to do while decorating, wrapping presents or just relaxing. In 2022 I discovered the animated movie musical that is exclusive to Netflix "Scrooge", a solid animated musical trip through the classic tale with some very enjoyable songs I listen to this time of year, but one song stood out. "Later Never Comes". This was all over social media for a while, which had me asking "Why is this animated Netflix Christmas Carol movie going so hard?". Let's dive into this deep, sad song, and see why it had me and so many others talking about it. 

This ballad is a tragic song about lost love and moving on, sung by Scrooge's fiance as she leaves him, knowing she can never compete with his love of money, Scrooge joins into the song as he watches with the ghost of Christmas past, unable to change anything, only sing his regrets as she leaves, making it a duet that his love is unaware of. Due to the movie being animated all of the time stops, freezing all but Scrooge and his love, leaving the beautiful and quiet moment to play out. 

The lyrics of the song are simple yet powerful, knowing the movie is aimed at families means the words are understandable for younger viewers but still capture a powerful emotion older viewers can resonate with. Whether as the one leaving because the love is no longer there, or the one who was too blind to see what was there until it was gone. 

This song is beautiful in score, and performance, the lyrics pack a punch and capture a real feeling in a genuine way. Starting off soft and quiet then builds into an emotion-packed song of someone letting go and someone who wishes they did not. The ballad soars in a grand scope that brings everything around it both physically and metaphorically to a halt, letting the listener sit at that moment. 

This moment has been done and shown too many times to count, with how often "A Christmas Carol" has seen adaptations, not even the first time it has been done in song. This version still stands on its own with its beautiful and soft melody that grows and soars, hitting the emotion needed to land right on the bullseye and make the impact it is aiming for. 

Even out of the context of the movie this song stands on its own and without the visuals, goes places. A song as stated earlier about letting go from both sides, showing that in some cases later never comes around when things could have easily been so different. Even if you don't watch the movie, which I do recommend as a good adaptation with plenty of good songs on top of this one, this song is worth a listen. It was all over social media because an animated Netflix musical went way harder than it ever needed too, and this song is the prime example. A great song that is worth listening to now, instead of later. 

How The Wicked Movie Defyed All Expections... Including Mine (Spoiler Free)

Yesterday afternoon I was able to see Wicked the day it opened, Friday, November 22nd, and the big reason why I decided to write today instead of right away is because this movie sat with me from the second the credits rolled, all through the night, and into this morning. I will talk about the finer details of this film later but for now. I loved it and here are all the reasons why.

From the moment this film begins it is beautiful, the shots, set, and costumes are so vibrant. The movie sets the stage and makes the world of OZ come alive which I am sure is done super well in the musical which I have not seen, so this movie is all I have to go off of. And if this film is all I have until I see it live and performed on stage, I have no complaints. The presentation of this movie is nothing short of fantastic in both moments of the song and as the story pushed to its next showstopping moment.

The visuals of this movie made me appreciate Jon M Chu's other musical movie "In The Heights" and I want to watch it again in the future, admitting it had a couple flaws but still looked well and had amazing music, and wanting Jon M. Chu to do other musicals. He knocked it out of the park with this and understands how to make movie musicals that don't try to outshine the stage version that came before but rather stand alongside it, and stand tall. 

I will not be touching too much on the music because I will be diving deeper into that but I can say every song, every performance works. Mostly all of the singing is great and the two leads, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo each bring powerful, standout performances, but so does the rest of the cast. Most of the songs are delights, and most of them are spectacles, for most of the movie I was speechless. The choreography was incredible, and it was filmed incredibly well and looked great, there are dynamic shots while still being able to see what is going on. The acting in moments comedic, or dramatic is almost always knocked out of the part, from the main cast and supporting, Grande and Erivo not just being the two roommates turned besties in the magical land of OZ, but rather encapsulating the roles in their own unique styles and standing out as their own performances of this beloved characters. Each player steps into the role and stands out.

The acting and singing were all done well, the songs we all know and love were adapted well and I have already been listening to the album at home. The movie has the visuals and music working hand in hand to create unforgettable moments, that are still in my mind even now. I was left thinking about this movie as I watched the credits roll and left the theater. 

There were a couple qualms I had with the movie, a moment or two, a song or two, and the movie is incredibly long. But those qualms melt away when the movie through acting and music hits gravity-defying heights in an adaptation that shows respect for the original while not being afraid to try a new thing or two. 

Wicked was never and still is not my favorite musical, but it is still a very important one. This film treats it with the importance it deserves, being a faithful adaptation. I feared this movie was not going to do well, knowing it is a part one of two, the length of the musical, and the nature of movie musicals usually making changes to try and be something more than what was on the stage. This was not, this was a good movie, a good musical movie. It keeps the balance between both and uses what makes musicals and movies great, never trying to be one over the other.

The pacing of this movie is done pretty well, there is a good amount of time for songs, not cutting even the overture for this, while giving scenes time to breathe. There are plenty of visuals and even a couple musical surprises that are super fun to see for those in the know, one of them at the very beginning being a blend of music and visuals that was nothing short of amazing The leads made these roles their own with stellar perfomances, supported by an incredible cast. The song and dance became a new example of what to do in a musical movie, the presentation breathtaking. The writing is powerful, and so is the music, this movie left me in tears at multiple points, even at some points by silent, quiet moments. I was never so glad to be wrong about something, I loved this movie, this may not be my favorite movie musical, but it is definitely in my top ten if not my top five, and be my favorite film of 2024. The musical movie I never dreamed of loving, but one I am so glad I do. 

More Then Just Popular: The Impact Of Wicked And Why It Still Defys Gravity Today

The Wicked movie is now but days away at the time of this post, reviews are sure to soon come, and the moment we have been waiting for is finally here. Advertisements, trailers playing, even ads for Xfinity, or pausing on streaming services. Advertisements, tie-ins such as popcorn buckets, food, different flavors, drinks, and merchandise are everywhere.. and yes most movies have many if not all of these things, you can chalk it up as part of advertising. This movie deserves all this and more, and here is why.

Even though I have yet to settle into a seat, watch the lights dim, and hear Elpha's tale, which is on my bucket list, listening to the music alone, looking up and looking around shows how big this musical truly is. It has been a massive hit since the days it debuted, a massive musical that has sold out houses for decades across the globe.  

This movie is a big deal because the musical is. This show explores what it means concerning the comparison of how others view you and how you view yourself. Seeing both sides of the coin from the moment the show begins, both leads often talk about being who others see them as, how they see themselves, and eventually how they see each other. This show dives into not only being more than what others see but how we choose to be seen, knowing that won't change how we are viewed. Songs such as "Popular". "What Is This Feeling?" and even "Dancing Through Life" show how some let their lives be shaped by how others feel, which changes when "Defying Gravity" brings the curtains down at the end of Act One. Refusing to live in what others see but rather shape your own story, even if that means being called a villain or being associated with something that isn't true. 

A huge song about no longer fighting for others' love but rather loving yourself, even if that means flying solo. But that is just Elpaba's story, and this show has two leads. The narrative shows Glinda go from superficial and shallow, to standing up for what's right and knowing the truth. She goes from being self-centered to caring for others, especially her beloved best friend. Though the citizens of OZ want to tell a tale about the Wicked Witch, she does her best to point them in the direction of empathy and towards the truth, from the first song. The show needs both to work but also encapsulates both sides a lead of a musical can embark on a journey. A lead either needs to want something and pursue it, or to learn a lesson and grow, Wicked has both, which is why both are on that iconic poster, one to push the plot forward and one to grow alongside it. 

 show with romance as many do have, but focuses on a different kind of love, a love between friends. A love that starts cold, and then grows into a warm but touching farewell as the pen ultimate number. This musical contains a sweeping score, memorable songs, and powerful lyrics at so many show-stopping moments. Moments the listener can admire, and others they can relate to. Moments of pure spectacles and other songs meant to empower. The songs have been covered, performed, and listened two hundreds of thousands of times over. 

Taking something familiar and flipping it on its head, flipping the script while giving it powerful ballads, I want songs and group numbers. This show is more than popular, it has now defied gravity for decades and will for years to come, never going to be brought down. 

The Wicked Starbucks Drinks And Other Wicked Based Adventures At Target

Photo Source: AOL.Com

I talked recently about Wicked merch for the upcoming movie, some I saw in the store, and a lot more I saw online. Today I ventured out, and I went to Target, looking for Wicked merch in person and for the display I saw when I was there a week ago. Wanting to see some of the merch in person as well as try the two Wicked Drinks from the Starbucks located in the Target as well. This is what I found. 

When I entered the store, the big kiosk dedicated to the movie was already torn down, only lasting about a couple weeks, it was replaced by the coming of Christmas. Even though it is early November, time and Christmas in retail stores wait for no one, thus the first hurdle presented itself before me. Now I had to search the entire store and see what gravity-defying merch I could find. 

As I wandered the store, I found multiple Lego sets, some different than I had encountered before, I found some costumes, some of those being Halloween costumes on clearance, others with the Wicked dolls. Across from the dolls was a Wicked board game which I have no idea how it plays, and next to them was a Wicked karaoke machine with a microphone. On my way through the candy aisle, I noticed Wicked Rice Krispy Treats with different packaging, and sprinkles on the treats as well. As I finished my shopping, purchasing none of these products, I knew it was time to go to Starbucks and buy the two drinks available, while in line I noticed some cool Wicked themed cups that were very well made. They were stainless steel and had some different designs, there was even a super small Wicked cup charm to collect, I was tempted to make a purchase but stayed the course.

The two drinks in question which I ordered the smallest size were Elphaba's Cold Brew and Glinda's Pink Potion, two very fitting drinks, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles, as I was purchasing them, there was even a Wicked themed Starbucks gift card that has the Emerald City on it, this movie is truly everywhere. 

When I arrived at home I sampled both drinks, let's begin with Elphaba's cold brew. This a chocolate frappuccino, with flavored whipped cream, and sprinkles. I am not a big fan of coffee but this drink could be for anyone who is, I had some sips and from an objective point of view, this is good iced coffee with a sweet flavor, just not for me. 

Next up was Glinda's Pink Poition, which when I sipped it reminded me of the mango dragonfruit refresher, and is made in a similar style to those popular drinks. This drink is bright pink unlike the green brew that I tried before it, and has sprinkles, milk, and whipped cream. I will definitely be drinking this again, this is the kind of drink I usually get from Starbucks and I loved it. I usually get drinks in this style and definitely want to order another one, So this one became a new favorite of mine, a drink I already love, combined with some musical theatre pizazz. 

That was my adventure and it ended with a great drink that I want to try again, and one I want to recommend. I saw some unique products in person and got to see the fun packaging and such even seeing some things I was not aware of, and I am sure as the movie comes closer and closer, I and many others wait with bated breath among teasers, premieres, press junkets, and more, I am sure I will come across more products and perhaps even try them, there is more Wicked content to come, so stay tuned and I hope your day is a showstopper.

The Wacky World Of Wicked Movie Merch

 The Wicked movie at the time of this post is less than a month away, and I will be reviewing it, and covering a great range of topics pertaining to the film, the music, and of course the musical itself. On a trek to Target as I find myself doing from time to time, the second I stepped into the store I was greeted by it. A massive display of merchandise and clothes for the upcoming mega musical movie, and even in the bargain section, merch pertaining to it, and I am sure there was even more placed in other areas of the store. I say this with full confidence because I checked the website and there was a dedicated page with 295 different products and a custom banner pertaining to Wicked, in my curiosity I went to Box Lunch and Walmart's websites, the former having almost 70 pieces of merch and the latter sporting over 1000. Walmart and Target have dedicated pages with banners, fun wording, and even online exclusive products or advertising other businesses that take residence in their stores. So I thought I would share my findings as I took a whole night last weekend to fall down the rabbit hole and see how much merch is tied to this upcoming mega-musical movie, and what it means. 

There are some products that are no-brainers, clothes of all kinds such as shirts, sweaters, slippers, and such, and because this is being advertised as a family movie for everyone, dolls, make-up, nail polish, and beauty products. Knowing the kind of character Glinda is, beauty products of both pink and green just make sense and fit with the movie, same with dolls, toys, posters, clothes, or even trimmed-down versions of the original novel that inspired the musical. All of these are expected with a massive movie release, shirts, pajama pants, posters, and of course Funko Pops, with some of them being exclusive to each store which is a given when it comes to Funko Pops.

Some of the merch is interesting but not completely out of the realm of possibility, such as bedding, luggage, and Starbucks drinks, one for Glinda and one for Elphaba, one pink and one green. Jewelry also makes sense as it seems this film is taking the angel of marketing towards women of all ages and trying to be the next Barbie, a musical Barbie, but without the Oppenheimer to balance for free marketing, instead not one but TWO Disney musicals right after marketed at families, Mufasa and Moana 2. 

Then there are some that leave me scratching my head, Starbucks having drinks makes sense, same with a blanket or even different types of clothes like a varsity jacket based on the school they attend, but then there are some I don't quite understand. Decor and posters, sure that makes sense but for some characters like the wizard I don't see moving as many posters as the leads, but then there's bedding, and pillows made to look like Elpahba's hat. But also online exclusive cake mix to secure a green or pink colored cupcake mix, otherwise it is a mystery between pink and green for cupcakes and cake pops and you only find out when you bake them. But then there is the mac and cheese, there is a pink and or green colored mac and cheese, that you only find out when you make it. WHY?! Some of these products I would classify as "flying too close to the sun" such as we don't have to slap Wicked on everything and entertain every idea. 

This was a brief summary because from clothes to blankets, toys, Legos, food, and more there is too much too cover in just one post. I may dive deeper and show even more, I encourage you to go to the websites and see this craziness yourself. It is too much to cover at once but may be revisited at some point. 

It seems Warner Brothers is trying to make this the family musical event of the holiday season, perhaps even over-trying to make it a good adaptation, we will have to wait and see until the movie comes out and I can review it, but it seems they know this musical movie adaptation has been a long time coming, is highly anticipated, but also they have faith in this taking off. From the Broadway show's reputation and popularity to the stars in the movie, there seems to be confidence in this film, which is nice but is only sometimes slightly misplaced. It is nice to see a musical getting this much merch outside of the Hamilton Funko pops, shirts, and posters, which most times are either online only or at the shows themselves. It is cool to see a musical get this much attention and excitement, and to be in a store like Target and Walmart, and have dedicated pages on their websites. A musical that is not an animated Disney musical getting dolls, merch, makeup, jewelry, and caboodles to carry them, much like Barbie, they are embracing the IP. An IP is not only a multimillion-dollar musical that is still running today but is based on a beloved classic property. Still, the mac and cheese is weird though

Avenue Q: The Foul Mouthed Puppets That Toppled Wicked

 At the time of this post, the Wicked movie is now less than a month away, and trust me, there is going to be a ton of gravity-defying content on this blog, from the music to the movie, and more surprises to come when the one short day in the emerald city arrives. But as I was scrolling on YouTube late at night, I watched a video documentary on how Wicked won some Tony Awards but lost some including Best Musical in 2004 to Avenue Q. It inspired me to talk about this puppet musical that poses the question "What if Sesame Street was rated R?" and covered topics of adult life. I have not seen a production of this show yet but I have listened to the album many times, there is some stuff that is classified as dated in this musical, and there are some jokes that have aged better than others, but there is plenty here that still works today. So I wanted to talk about the show in general before I get into the movie based on the mega-musical on the horizon and so many aspects both of the stage show and the film, I thought I would explore the show through smart marketing, pulled off the win and saved itself from closing. Also absolutely go watch the video, it is so well-made and informative. 

This show hits you from the beginning, the opening shows you everything you are about to get, jokes left and right that are not suitable for younger ears, even though puppets take the stage they are not here to teach you anything, they are here to cuss, talk about bills, love, life, and so much more. From songs about laughing at the misfortune of others, to not wearing underwear today, this show is wild. But then the show surprises you with moments and songs like "Purpose", "There's A Fine Fine Line" and "For Now" where the jokes either mostly or entirely subside and the show embraces its still very real themes. Felt puppets may be singing about unrequited love, finding one's place in the world, or accepting things as they are for now, but the topics in these cases are very real, reaching the listener and giving them something to walk away with. The moments the comedy which sometimes is absolutely hilarious aside and talking about very real things the listener could be feeling or has felt in their life.

The comedy pulls no punches and no topic is sacred, from race to sexuality, Avenue Q, aside from being extremely crass has the philosophy of "If it can be made fun of, make fun of it". But the jokes and themes can only carry so far, what about the music carrying them?

The songs have memorable lyrics whether in seriousness or jest, and infectious melodies. Whether a solo or a group number, these songs are catchy with a wide scope of instrumentation, and as someone who has only watched a couple clips but has spent most of their time with this show in the confines of the cast album, these songs are great. I may not stick with all of them, but the ones that stick really do stick. Whether landing a joke or having a moment to reflect on, the lyrics are mostly genius. Yes some of them contain super dated jokes, but some of the shorter songs entailing having a fake girlfriend, or once again simply not wearing underpants are still super funny. Some of the more edgy songs also have solid jokes, great wordplay, and pitch-perfect timing. Before the South Park team brought their troupe of singing Mormons to the stage with that South Park wit and style, this was the original low-brow musical. 

I love many of the songs and will someday have to dive deeper into them, but one I will explore in the future I want to touch on briefly is "For Now", as the show closes we are not given a big, bombastic, comedy driven piece but rather something more. We end on the note of accepting things we can not avoid, both good and bad, a very real moral that holds weight in varying stages of life, one about enjoying things big and small even if you don't hold all the answers. This song is so powerful and ends the show on such a quiet but strong note that I still think about this song regularly, and can never just listen to it once, it sits with me as the final notes are played, and if seen, the lights go out. In a quiet moment, the lead accepts his life and goes home, all the craziness that began with ACT One vanishes as each character one by one shuffle off stage to leave Princeton to sing the final notes. Truly showing how even the show, or in my case, the album was only for now, until my next trip to Avenue Q on a car ride or while relaxing. A show that holds so much more than what is shown at face value, enough that it was able to stand against, and coexist with the biggest musical in the world at the time. 

Source/Instrumentation: How Wicked Lost The 2004 Tony Awards, Wait In The Wings Youtube Channel, Youtube Video

Will The Warriors Become A Broadway Musical?

 This past weekend saw the launch of Lin Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis's new concept album based on the 1979 movie of the same name, "The Warriors". About a gang, this time all female, making their way back home with a target on their backs when they are wrongfully blamed for killing another gang leader. I have been listening to the album, and it is going to take a while for me to process my thoughts and give a full review, but someday I will, it just might not be anytime soon. Aside from perhaps building to that by looking at a couple individual songs later on down the road, I thought I would explore a fascinating aspect of the musical. The nature of its release. It is a concept album, as the whole story is right there in the album, with no word of a coming stage adaptation. 

The reviews are a tad mixed on this one, and my early feelings are the same, as mentioned earlier it will take some time before I give a full review, but it is nice to compare my feelings with others as I go on this journey. I am still wondering if this will see the stage, and thus is the question and central theme of today's post.

There are a couple options, it could stay just as a concept album, it could come to the stage, or it could come to the stage and have new songs, changes to the story, and cut songs, all with potentially different performers and more with a release of an official cast album. There are many paths on this road, and it's hard to say where the story of this album begins and ends, it could stay as is or go beyond that. Hamilton was originally going to be a concept album as well before it came to the stage and became what we know it today, but that does not mean this will follow in Hamilton's footsteps. 

From an outsider's perspective who only sees flashes through pop culture, the news, and social media, it seems Lin Manuel Miranda has changed and moved on at least for now. He has directed a film, worked on multiple movies, and there are upcoming movies that he has had a hand in. He was in Ducktales and made several appearances on TV, wrote a poetry book, and more. There is a chance he could return to the stage someday, but that might be later down the road. I would love for him to direct more musical movies because, with Tick Tick Boom, he proved that he can use his knowledge of music to make a great musical movie.

He has worked on and will probably work on more Disney musical films, maybe even collaborate with them on a stage version. Who knows? I know I sure don't.

So at the end of the day, we have no idea of where this album will go if it is to the stage or just as is. But what we can judge and see is the artists we follow trying something new, changing, and going different ways. Even if they do or don't return to where they got their name, they carry that style, and why we followed their work into their new projects. Some will be hits, some will be flops but that is art and the nature of creating. Until then all we can do, is watch, listen, and grow ourselves. 

The New Wicked Poster, The Run Time, And The New Trailer

 

There is a ton to unpack, I have been slacking when it comes to covering this upcoming musical event. The movie is one of the biggest musicals of all time, I am so far behind that this is the latest poster, and the last time I covered this topic, there was one poster and there are now more than ten. There have also been some clips, trailers, and information given. So even though I have not been covering this in the most detail, I wanted to talk about a couple of the most recent pieces of news that dropped as we are now about a month off from the film release. 

The first thing I wanted to address is at the top of this post. It is a recreation of the classic Wicked poster as many musical fans can see. I am okay with this, but it does feel like the marketing team is trying so hard to make this movie as big as possible by harkening back and showing they know where this product orginated, most of the recent YouTube videos label it as "The musical event". The problem is that it is trying to recreate and be new at the same time and by doing that, it falls short as both. And speaking of making something as big as possible...

Interviews and press releases have now revealed that the run time of this movie will be two hours and forty minutes, which is just five minutes short of BOTH acts of the stage version with an intermission included. This movie is part one of two and that run time is concerning, to say the least. Wondering if there would be new songs which is less of a possibility because the album that is dropping the same day the film premieres does not show any new songs. There is a chance the new songs are hidden and will appear online or on a CD later, and are just not included to have them be special for the movie, or an expanded album could be dropped later. This is a small chance we could only see the song list of songs we are familiar with and we could get some surprises, or it could be a faithful adaptation, which the latter is what I am leaning towards. 

Finally, there was a new trailer, one that focused on showing songs, namely "Popular", "Dancing Through Life", "What Is This Feeling" and of course "Defying Gravity". The choreography and visuals looked amazing, the director of this film did the film version of "In The Heights" and the musical performances along with the visuals were the strongest part of that film. What was shown looked good and will probably be performed well both in a musical sense and visually, the shots looked dynamic and grand, fitting for such a huge musical. 

I am excited and concerned, excited by what I have seen, and even seeing the post replicated shows a deep respect for the source material. My concern is the run time and if things are going to be padded out, overexplained or just extended, only because it as almost as long as BOTH acts of the orginal. This is a part one, and that makes me wonder how long part two will be, and what may be added and expanded there. This looks like the musical segements are going to be great, and with that run time, unlike "In The Heights", it does not seem many if any songs will be excluded. The visuals look breath taking whetehr in moments of music or in pure display, and the singing so far, sounds good. 

There is alot to hope for in this movie, there are just a couple things that coneern me, that I hope wash away by the time the final note is struck and credits roll. I really hope my doubts are proven wrong and this is a truly great movie, I am hoping.  

No One Mourns The Wicked: A Powerful Start To A Powerful Tale

As the film draws closer, as more trailers and teasers drop, I want to continue to explore the mega-musical smash, that has lasted through decades from which this film owes everything to its existence. What can be said about Wicked that hasn't been said, the songs performed, covered, and played still all these years later, the show still plays and tours and is beloved by many. For many this show opened the door to the wonderful world of musicals for them, for me, I have never seen it live, yet. I plan to and hope to see it live someday, it is a musical bucket list item for me. All I have is the album and the movie, so I wanted to dive into some of my favorite songs from Wicked here and there as we prepare for the movie we are all waiting to see if it can defy gravity or if it will crash and burn. 

The show begins at the end before the tale unfolds, the threat is slain and the heroes rejoice, all while using the fallen villain as an example showing the path of evil leads to a lonely, unloved, unfulfilled life. But even as the ensemble sings how the wicked walk a lonely path, seeds are planted, and a sad origin is shown, Glinda already showing us small snippets that this story has more underneath than what people see, showing how there are already twists and turns in this tale from the moment the curtain rises. 

Everything the audience knows about "The Wizzard of Oz" is thrown out the window by the end of this song, which starts in the realm of familiarity is then thrown out the window to show this is not a mere adaptation, but rather so much more. It is not just the text from the page or reenacting the film, it is a show that raises the question before the first song wraps up "Was the villain truly all that bad?" by showing the sad circumstances of the moment she came into this world, and continues to explore that very question through the entire show, to leave the audience to answer the question themselves. 

The score and lyrics are strong, and the use of solos, mixed with the ensemble are woven together to form a song that will send chills down your spine. A mass choir stating what they see and know, celebrating the loss of the vile villain before them, as Glinda musically sets the stage for the true story to unfold. The moments in the album even of spoken dialogue do not break the pace but rather feel like you are listening to the whole scene as it was presented live. 

The sweeping chorus of voices interwoven and building up, taking time for solos, and Glinda interjecting with her pieces fit together and the way they combine with the amazing score leaves the song in the listener's mind long after it finishes. This song is a great opening, it grips the listener with a powerful start as the story begins, and I assume the show is the same. This song starts the show with a question, it begins showing its theme and building its morale from the very start, and it is all wrapped in a fantastic song. A sweeping score, and strong and powerful lyrics, all sung in a way that welcomes you into a world that is familiar yet so different in so many ways. This song is great, no one may mourn the wicked, and this song shows this show has so much more, then what you see even from the moment it starts. 

My Shot: The Hamilton Mixtape Version

 Perhaps it's because we are only a couple weeks away from the release of his next album, or the upcoming movie "Mufasa" in which he made the music, yet surprisingly he did not return for the upcoming "Moana 2", but I have been thinking about Lin Manuel Miranda's work lately. As we prepare for his new concept album that has rumblings of potentially making its way to the stage, I decided to listen to remixes, covers, and of course the original songs from Hamilton, his last show to tread the stage. One place I have been spending my time listening to songs whether when working or relaxing is the Hamilton Mixtape and the Hamildrops, both I have covered in great detail and love just as much as the Broadway show they came from, which I love to the moon and back. Today I decided to look at the first song that greets the listener after the intro, "My Shot".

Lifting only the chorus, everything else around it is set to fit the modern day, modern problems of glass ceilings, ambivalence, giving up, and finding motivation in all ways. Performed by The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Nate Ruess, this collaboration is a thrill from start to finish. Ever since this mixtape dropped this was one of the songs I have listened to most, not unlike "My Shot" in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. The song's kinetic energy, causing motivation while speaking on not giving up carries from the original to this remix, full of powerful lyrics, an amazing background track, and using only pieces of the song to make something new. 

The song taking pieces from the original and changing it into a song about expectations, and chasing your dreams in the face of them is just as inspiring as the song this remake came from. The lyrics and melody work together to create a high energy, hyping up the listener and preparing them to face whatever is in front of them. This song is a great workout song, and it really pushes the listener to push beyond their limits. 

The song's message is the same as the one before it about not being limited to your environment, but this is not a simple copy-and-paste job. The song uses references that the audience can relate to such as a Spider-Man lunchbox and deeper issues like glass ceilings, having to hustle to make it, or being labeled simply for being who you are even at a young age. The song shows the wrongs but how to face them, whether having what you need or having to think outside the box, that the essence of not throwing away your shot is in your mindset, using what you have to chase your goals. 

This song is such a good listen, inspiring but also just super entertaining. One night I was over at a friend's house and he was playing some NBA game on his XBOX and this song was even in that. The song is super well made and is just an all-around great listen, whether to hype you up or something good to keep your mind moving as you run your day-to-day errands. Whether to inspire or just for some fun, this remix is one shot, you will not want to throw away.

Broadway Remixes And Covers: First Burn

 Going from Lin Manuel Miranda's first major work to the one that put him on the map, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite Hamilton remixes from the Hamildrops collection. "First Burn" is a take on the song "Burn" performed by other actresses who also stepped into Eliza's shoes and had to sing about her grief. The song is about heartbreak, betrayal, and writing oneself from the narrative is remixed beautifully by four others and turned into a song that is simply unforgettable.

Pieces of the original song are stitched throughout this interwoven with new lyrics and powerful ones at that. "Heaven forbid someone whispers 'He's part of some scheme", Your enemy whispers so you have to scream. I know about whispers, I see how you look at my sister". Lyrics such as that pack an emotional punch that carries the same weight as the contemporary it came from that started on the stage. This remix has so much emotion in it, being great in the context of when it was released as well as on its own. 

This song stands out as its own song and can be listened to by fans of Hamilton and those who only know of the show through pop culture. This song is a great listen, the instrumentation matches the lyrics in a perfect harmony that makes me want to listen to it again and again.

This song packs so much power into it, the slow and somber nature of it shows someone who is truly heartbroken. The four voices harmonize perfectly and balance so well to make every part of this song linger with the listener even after it has wrapped up. The emotion captured never leaving and growing until the song ends in a frustrated cry for someone not to apologize, but to grow, learn, and change. Begging someone to see what is right in front of them, return home, and be with those who love them, for they matter most. Cutting off any counterargument with countless "Don'ts" in the song, leaving no room for excuses, not dwelling in pity or wanting an apology but rather for the offending party to listen. Using some of the original lyrics mixed in for that extra layer of empowerment and relatability. 

Capturing Eliza's heartbreak and rage in a new way, still staying true to where it came from while becoming a new song entirely. I hope more musical-based songs do this, I would love to see new songs, that are inspired, use lyrics and themes, or do both like this. I would love to see songs inspired by the amazing pieces of music from SIX, Come From Away, Waitress, and so many others. Songs that capture the characters feelings and expand them to connect just as much with the listener or even more than the song that came before it on the stage. There are so many outlets to inspire, move, and relate that I do not want it to stop at the Hamildrops from almost ten years back now. Hamilton is still the only show I know of that has released a mixtape and many remixes monthly as a sequel. Meanwhile, plenty of shows come out, and many of them make a solid mark that they are being listened to, covered, and seen by thousands.

Some shows like SIX and Waitress release a second album with cut songs or different performers but I feel like something amazing can come from collaborating with other artists to make new pieces of media to connect with the audience. But until then, I have amazing songs such as this. 

When Your'e Home: The In The Heights Movie

 The year was 2021, and movies were still getting back on their feet. Some companies decided to skip the wait for theaters and just drop them on streaming services, some decided to charge prices for a limited time for this, and others just released movies on both platforms and for no fee. One such film in this dual-release format was the long awaited musical movie adaptation of "In The Heights" having only one trailer before everything shut down in early 2020. This movie was not controversy-free, a film claiming to represent all aspects of Hispanic culture, but leaving out several ethnicities and Afro-Latinos from the cast. The movie might have performed well on streaming but when it came to the big screens it bombed financially, receiving mixed to positive reviews. 

When this film first dropped on HBO MAX back when it was called that and not just MAX, I loved it. I watched it about four or five times, and it was only available for about a month until it was added much later for a longer stretch. The story had some changes and kept some things the same, so I was left seeing this not so much as a full-on adaptation, but rather keeping some of the music, and doing its own thing. As time passed and a rewatch or two after some time away, I found myself liking some parts of the movie, loving some parts, and being confused by others. Some aspects I found way better from the stage version, and other decisions where I felt like something was attempted to be fixed that was not broken to begin with. 

For example, songs are removed which makes sense to help the movie fit a run time, but even with that this movie runs at over two hours, and some storylines are cut down or removed, but this involves things not making sense or characters being killed off for no reason. Some of the story changes work incredibly well, and some of them are being kept work but some don't. They change the song order as well, sometimes working and sometimes not. For example, the lottery ticket plot from the original flows naturally and becomes an interesting plot point, but isn't even addressed, changing the order and meaning of my favorite song "Paciencia y Fe" into this look back at Abuela's death right before she dies, but then why have the lottery ticket in the movie at all? Killing off Nina's mother leads nowhere, and then there's Benny.

Much like the stage show, so much is going on, there are so many plots, and some of them are never resolved, mainly Benny's, you never know his outcome, and he is a character you spend over half the movie with. The plot can be heartwarming, and touching, as well as have real moments, but then also be baffling at the same time. They add Sonny's father for one scene and all it does is pad out the run time, some of the emotions hit a strong chord, but then some don't like Usnavi's fight with Vanessa during the blackout. For every good change or good performance, there is one in the writing and plot that leaves me beyond confused. Some lyric changes also baffled me and did not fit as they reference songs the characters did not sing, or songs that were cut. 

The instrumentation is also a mixed bag, sometimes it fits perfectly and other times it is way too soft, and tries to be different. But what do I like about this?

The performances and acting are phenomenal, and most of the music is incredible. The songs are well shot, well performed, and have amazing choreography. The way they are filmed, using a solo, duet, or ensemble is incredible, most of the songs hit it right out of the park. Even with my qualms with this version of "Paciencia y Fe" in terms of the changes made and where it is placed into the plot, I love the way it looks, it is shot wonderfully and is gorgeous, made into a visually striking scene. And that goes for so many of the songs, the actors knock them all out of the park, "In The Heights", "Benny's Dispatch", "Breath", "It Won't Be Long Now", "96,000", "When You're Home", "The Club", "Blackout" and "Finale" all stand out. There are a couple numbers I am simply okay with but most of them, are unforgettable. 

The visuals are so impressive. They are gorgeous, this is a very well shot movie, and even with the moments I may disagree with, this movie looks so good. Every song and dance looks great, the emotion driven home, and the movie just pops in terms of set, setting, and the visuals. The movie looks great, and sounds great. I often find myself watching this film once a year for the high moments over the lows, and the musical numbers are a high point. The movie drives home emotions well in some ways, and works, just too much is going on for everything to stick a landing, and some things do not even get a landing to stick. I enjoy the comedy, the day to life and down to earth nature of the plot and storyline of the movie. I enjoy how the movie is very emotionally driven and is just about people working, going to school, living life and how they feel. Whether in relationships, with friendships, or on their own, even through their own found family and community. 

The musical numbers are so impressive that I love seeing them, sometimes even rewinding to watch them over from the top. This musical also came at the right time, things were uncertain and life was far from going out with friends or even going to the movies. Get a well shot, great looking, and great sounding musical movie day one as the movie heathers, was much needed. It is a visually stunning movie that makes every song stand out, both through the music itself and the great visuals that accompany it. Whether changing to setting to the surreal to convey the emotion on a different scale, or doing a giant dance number in a public pool, each one hits, and can be a great listen on their own as an album. 

The acting is incredible as well, emotion-packed, whether comedic or serious, the acting is amazing. I just wish the material was better, there are more than seven plot lines going on in this movie, two romances, lots of dreams, and multiple emotional conflicts, to the point where as mentioned earlier they are not all resolved. But there is still plenty of good in the movie, great acting, great music, and it is visually a marvel in scenes both big and small, well acted too. The editing is also fantastic, the visuals re amazing, in shots both long and short of all kinds. 

I would say watch the movie at least once and perhaps listen to the soundtrack alongside the Broadway version. Funny enough the Broadway version also has too many plot points, but much like that the music is incredible, and it is fun to see where Lin Manuel Miranda started. This movie has enough good music, some good acting, a couple of the plots are well done, and is charming enough for a watch, at least one, I think I can find myself watching this every once in a while, sometimes all the way through, and sometimes just for the musical performances. 

In The Heights: (The Orignal Cast Album And Seeing It Live)

 Before there was a musical movie adaptation, there was a musical for the movie to make that adaptation of, there was just a musical. A musical about a bodega owner, a man who worked at a taxi dispatch, a woman just wanting to move on, some salon owners, a woman who has dropped out of college, her parents, one of them who may or may not be a tad racist, and an elderly grandmother who watches over the entire neighborhood and loves to play the lotto. A musical about dreams, friends, family, and what it means to be home. A show packed with lessons sometimes big and obvious, sometimes, simple and small being tucked away within the span of a couple lines or a short song. I listened to this original Broadway cast recording all the way through many times, and sometimes just picked my favorite songs, and even saw a live performance of it in 2019.  So before we hit the big screen, I am going to dive into the original that started it all. 

The music in this show has incredible range on all fronts, whether it is the big and grand opening, the emotion-packed solo songs, or super energetic group numbers. Some songs are quiet and soft, many of them super energetic whether using one singer, a couple, the whole ensemble, or a little bit of all of the above, starting small and growing to a big energetic spectacle, the variety songs might not always bring a winner but when it does, it really does. 

Having seen this show live in 2019, listened to the album countless times, and watched the movie more than once, I am very familiar with the narrative and the music. 

My favorite songs are "In The Heights", "Breath", "Benny's Dispatch", "It Won't Be Long Now", "96,000", "Paciencia Y Fe", "When You're Home", "Blackout", "Sunrise", "Hundreds Of Stories", "Carnival de Barrio", "What You Know", "Champagne", "When The Sun Goes Down", and "Finale". There is so much range in the songs, whether it is the tempo or style, ranging from solos to duets, to a mix that begins as a solo and grows to having the whole ensemble making a big and grand group number. I love the music of this show so much, there is so much emotion in the music, whether it's comedic or heartfelt, a love song, or a song about chasing your dreams, the emotional range is also amazing in this show.

This show just captures the feeling of the season of Summer, aside from lyrics that point out the time of year such as "We start July..." (thus why I am spending the end of June and most of July covering this musical and such), there is so much about the heat and weather, being home, seeing family, and even seasonal favorites like frozen treats and fireworks. The show has such a good feeling through its music of being home, it really knocks it out of the park with many of the songs that hit close to home with their relatable emotions and characters, each member of the cast feeling like someone you know or even see yourself in. 

Unfortunately as amazing as this show is, there are some low lows to accompany these high highs.  One massive problem is the amount of things going on in this show, there are two love stories, family drama, a huge cast each with their own dreams, a motherly figure who watches over them all, wanting to leave, and more. Even as the story pushes into act two, more plot points and storylines are added as the narrative keeps going, never stopping, and leaving some things paper thin or even worse, unresolved. There are a couple stories that take time, and get the audience invested in them, but then just have no ending, and it feels like time wasted. This also spans into some of the music, giving each character a minimum of one song, leading to some songs feeling unearned and just there to fill the space, not giving them much purpose, the world and environment are almost too fleshed out. What I mean is one of the strongest points of this show also ironically leads to one of its weakest. The world feels so alive to the point that the characters, storylines, and environments feel real, and they should since Washington Heights is a real place, putting a fictional story with real themes in a real location, but it sometimes feels bloated and has so much going on that you can only be so invested because ones attention is being pulled in so many directions, sometimes even multiple storylines are addressed in one scene. 

These flaws are very glaring, but the amazing music, and the good charecter moments do outshine the bad. There are plenty of strong character-driven moments, especially with Nina, Benny, Usnavi, and Abuela Claudia. Their songs carry emotional weight, whether light-hearted or emotion-packed to great lengths to make this show memorable. One could even say, great heights. Not all of the music shines but the ones that do stand head and shoulders, making great listens in the context of the show or on their own. The show has a set identity and sticks with it, standing strong in many areas narratively, with some amazing music to carry those moments. Soft and quiet, or big and grand, using the whole ensemble in many skilled ways. This show is at least worth a listen, and you will see this a great listen during the summer, or all year round. This show captrures the perfect summer feeling with so many great high energy numbers, and has so many moments that make this a good time still overall. I recommend seeing it live at least once or giving it a listen once, definitely before the movie, starting with the Broadway cast album. Turn the lights up on this tale of Washington Heights, and you just might see why this musical feels right at home, especially during the summer season. 

The 77th Annual Tony Awards

 It's that time of year again, the time when I talk about the Tony Awards, my favorite performances, and the show as a whole. Hosted once again by Arianna Debose after she absolutely crushed it last year this year.. has a lot to talk about so let's dive in shall we? I will not recap it beat for beat but rather what stood out to me, both good and bad. But first congrats to all the winners and "The Outsiders" for winning best musical. 

The funny part is the amount of obstacles I had to overcome just to watch this year. First I paid for a month of Paramount Plus like I usually do, but this year the version that held the Tony Awards was not both versions but rather the more expensive AD-free package. Secondly that I missed some of the performances and awards presented due to a severe storm warning and alert in my state so I missed an award, a speech or two, and basically all of Suffs. But from what I did see, this was an okay show this year, very middle of the road. 

In terms of hosting Ariana Debose did a good job, the opening number had a good message but also was a bit of a mixed bag. She did well with the hosting duties but the set this year was super odd. The set was super minimalistic and barren aside from two giant Tony Awards on display, which helped some performances but made some of them a tad head-scratching. For example "Water For Elephants" just had all these steel beams and "Suffs" just walked in place on a barren patch of stage while "Hell's Kitchen" and "The Outsiders" took advantage of the said environment and added a couple backdrops and really set the scene. 

Some of the performances were amazing, while some were just okay, the speeches were very inspiring and it was great to see awards going to all sorts of shows instead of a clean sweep. After watching the awards and performances the shows I find myself wanting to see and hoping for a tour are, Merrily We Roll Along which I already love among many other great Sondheim works, Hell's Kitchen, and The Outsiders. The show did it's job because I wanted to listen to many of the albums from these shows and find new favorite songs and stuff to add to my playlists, and maybe even want to see some more than just the ones listed. 

Of the speeches, I loved Jonathon Groff's and was so happy he won. Kecia Lewis, Shania Taub, and Daniel Radcliff just to name a few, all of the speeches were great, and it was nice to see the wins passed around multiple shows instead of a clean sweep. The only show that semi-swept was Merrily Which cleaned up in all but one of its nominations, but seeing a Sondheim show win especially one that was once so universally despised is nothing short of amazing and earns no complaints. Of the performances my liberties were "Hell's Kitchen", "Merry We Roll Along", "The Outsiders" and "Tommy" but I will never turn down a giant epic performance of pinball wizard. If it was any other song I would have been just fine with it, but Pinball Wizard sealed it for me. 

There were a couple of baffling moments as well, whole groups of winners filmed out in the lobby, some performances taking place in the lobby like Jay Z, Brooke Sheilds wearing crocs, the lack of set, and talk of the insiders tipping the winner of the night to "The Outsiders" due to its large number of producers. With all that aside it was just an okay night, with some enjoyable performances, and I want to see "Hell's Kitchen", "Merrily We Roll Along" and "The Outsiders" as soon as possible, one great aspect of the Tonys is showing people shows they can go and see. I have the albums to all three of these shows as well as "Illonoise" and "Suffs" saved to my library now, for future reviews, and to find new favorite songs to listen to on repeat and add to my playlists. I found some new stuff to listen to, saw some great performances, saw some shows I want to see live now, and saw some great speeches. An all-around fine night.

The Hamildrops

 Since I just finished talking about The Hamilton Mixtape, I decided to talk about the Hamildrops while I was on the topic. Beginning in December of 2017 and releasing once a month in 2018 except in the month of July of 2018, once a month a new Hamilton cover or song inspired by it was dropped. This was an intended sequel to the Hamilton Mixtape which was just discussed on this blog so why not go through them.

the eleven songs featured as they did not do a song in July are:

The Benjamin Franklin Song: The Decemberists 

Wrote My Way Out: Nas, Dave East, Lin Manuel Miranda, Aloe Blacc

The Hamilton Polka: Weird Al Yankovic 

Found/Tonight: Ben Platt, Lin Manuel Miranda

First Burn: Ari Afsar, Julia Harriman, Lexi Lawson, Rachelle Ann Go

Helpless: The Regrettes 

Boom Goes The Canon: Mobb Deep

Rise Up Wise Up Eyes Up: Ibeyi

A Forgotten Spot (Olvidado) : Lin Manuel Miranda, Zion y Lennox, De La Ghetto, Ivy Queen

Dear Theodosia Reprise: Sara Bareilles

Cheering For Me Now: John Kander, Lin Manuel Miranda 

As you see a couple can be found on the Hamilton mixtape but were given extensive music videos namely Wrote My Way Out And Theodosia Reprise though this time the song is performed by a different musician, since Sara Barellis did not perform it in the mixtape,  so only one song carries over. Looking at the other ten songs all of these are a great extension of the Hamilton Mixtape and a great to listen to alongside it, after it, or on its own. 

Many of these songs really stand out on their own, whether it is covered in a way that stands out in a whole new way like The Hamilton Polka or a punk rock version of Helpless. All of these are great listens, all in different styles, some fast-paced and energetic others slow and relaxing. Cheering For Me Now sounds like a big showstopping number in the style of a traditional musical. Found/Tonight is an excellent mashup of two musicals in such a soft and sweet way, same with Dear Theodosia Reprise being soft and amazing. A Forogtten Spot (Olvidado). being energetic and entirely in Spanish, and then there is  First Burn.

Using all of the other Eliza actresses to do a remix of one song I already love to the moon and back, is simply amazing. The instrumentals, the harmonies, and the new lyrics all work together to make a song that really keeps the strong emotion of the original while shining in a way all its own. 

I love all of these songs and they are worth at least one listen, but I find myself tuning into them for a great change of pace with an amazing variety in so many styles. From rock, to pop, to polka and more. All of these songs are great listens alongside the mixtape when you want some Hamilton fun in a different way. These both are great supplementary material for people who have listened to Hamilton over and over, taking what worked and making something new while keeping why we loved the songs, to begin with. Whether it was using a couple lyrics or the entire song but in a different style both the mixtape and the Hamildrops are wonderful listens full of different genres while the emotions behind the music stay relateable 

The Perfect Balance Of The Hamilton Mixtape

I was just in the mood to talk about this, that's it. We all love Hamilton and this is much like the month Hamildrops that came out monthly for a year's time, which was an added surprise. Seeing other artists take on Broadway songs and add a new style and flare while keeping the themes of what made the songs great. Only holding on to some of the lyrics or the chorus but then adding new lyrics and stories around these well-known songs. Harkening back to days when Broadway hits would be performed by popular musicians outside of the theaters and even with some slight changes, and has been here and there such as the Sara Bareilles Waitress album or Owl City performing "Waving Through A Window", but not as common of an act as it once was. So I wanted to dive into this and see what made this mixtape truly something worth listening to, and why it works on levels for theather fans and music enjoyers at the same time. The Hamildrops will have their time to shine another day in another post, for today I am going to focus on just the Hamilton Mixtape. 

For the musical enjoyers, it has demos of early songs that didn't make it into the final show from the rough drafts of the long process the show underwent, but also cut songs. That alone is worth preserving to get a peek into pieces of the show that didn't end up making the cut but were originally there. 

The remixes are amazing when "My Shot" greets the listener right after the intro, showing what this album is made of. Showing plenty of remixes that stand on their own, building off of a chorus or lyric to make something new. Singing about immigration, struggles, creating, working hard, and many other themes that make for great inspiration and a great listen. Hearing some of the songs as covers is also great to hear different musicians takes on the songs we love from the show even with multiple artists on one song.

The different instrumentals show how the lyrics can even fit into different styles, how the instruments in "Satisfied" or "It's Quite Up Town" sometimes the song stay the same or make only slight changes to fit a broader topic or audience like in "Wait For It".  So on top of cut songs which are a cool piece of history to have in this historical musical mixtape, there are also covers and remixes. So many of the songs also just flow into each other so well that you hear pieces of the previous song as it flows into the next, which is one of the reasons why I rarely put this on shuffle. 

Sometimes songs can be slowed down to change their style entirely or change a lyric of two. 

My favorites and go-to listens are always "My Shot", "Wrote My Way Out", "Congratulations",  "Immigrants We Get The Job Done", "It's Quiet Up Town", "Burn" and "Who Tells Your Story" with only one song in the album that I skip "You'll Be Back" and often comedic and amazing song in the show is ruined by Jimmy Fallon, yes some of this is due to me thinking he is not funny already but it just doesn't work. There are so many songs that have so much heart in this album whether it is performing the song in a new way or adding something with pieces of something great to make some just as great in a new way, then there's this. It is just him being goofy and I feel like anyone else could have captured the comedy and charm of the song while still making it fun without being this obnoxious. Every other piece of music presented here is great. 

Overall this is one of my favorites to pop in every once in a while, when writing, running errands, or just relaxing, this album is a must even for new Hamilton fans who caught it on Disney Plus due to the word of mouth and the pro shot, this is simply amazing. I love going to this for creative inspiration and to just unwind, it is an album packed with variety and all the songs but one is worth your time. Seeing songs that did not make it in, seeing new takes, and whole new songs, this album has a bit of everything. 

The New Wicked Trailer

 A new trailer for the first half of a two-part musical epic has dropped, and I am here to talk about it once again, the movie comes out around Thanksgiving and lasts almost four minutes long, what did I think? Well, let's defy gravity and dive into it shall we?

The trailer this time was one step forward and two steps back, now that it is done trying to hide the fact it is a musical, we got two songs and what seemed like a couple dance numbers. Most of the trailer for this musical movie consisted of talking and showing big scenic and dramatic shots and building up the story. We got a few looks into "Popular" and then another peek at "Defying Gravity" maybe some shots of "What Is This Feeling?" or "I'm Not That Girl" but only in visual not in song, the former two being the only ones displayed in the trailer we were presented today in a musical format.

I will say it feels like this trailer showed the entire plot of the first movie, it showed the beginning, some plot, and what seems to be dire straights. Revealing the villain's hands already and their identities, showing the characters growing close and apart, all while one song played. If any more trailers come I feel like we will have seen even more of the film. The only thing that seems held close to their chest is the music and performances, showing two solo performances and no group numbers. 

That interests me as the director's previous musical film "In The Heights" when it was given a trailer seemed to show the big group aspect and save the duets and solo far for the movie, which I find interesting just to see the differences. Mostly plot and dialogue were shown and now the stage was set, with only small morsels of "Defying Gravity" and "Popular" that felt like blink-and-you-miss-it showings. I wish more of the musical aspect was shown instead of showing only about ten seconds and trying to focus on being this big and grand, epic story. 

This trailer has me still cautiously optimistic, it shows promise and the visuals are very striking, it just seems that it is trying to be something more than a musical, and trying to have these big, emotional, epic moments. The only problem is a big epic story with emotional moments already exists, it's called the stage version. 

Are Biopics Musicals?

 We have seen countless movies based on famous people's lives but one trend is musicians, whether it is Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, Elton John and so many more. But it is not just the big screen the stage has seen shows cataloging the life of musicians and featuring songs from their career, such as Cher, Carole King, and Gloria Estefan which I have seen. So today I wanted to ask, do biopics count as musical movies?

Biopics have been on a range of famous people and historical figures but I wanted to focus specifically on those concerning musicians, as those are where songs and music are shown the most. There are plenty of musicals on stage, at least one per year if not more that either tells the story of a musician's life while showcasing their music, such as Tina Tuner, but those are different than musicals where they use popular music to advance a story. Though both are classified as jukebox musicals, Mama Mia or Moulin Rouge use popular music and fit it into places that push the plot along in a fictional story that uses the music to convey its emotions, almost like fitting pieces into a puzzle. 

The movies mainly show musician' struggles and how they overcame the odds to be where they are now while showing how their popular songs came to be, and are performed, much like how musicals of that same vein do. In terms of plot either one could be on stage or as a movie and have a vast amount of similarities, but there is one major difference.

Most of these biopic movies do not stop the movie to show the song, they will show a small snippet of the song and only have one or two songs performed in their entirety. Whereas on stage the songs are numerous and the show stops to shine a light on them and let either a shorter or the whole song be performed depending on the moment in the show. Many Broadway shows try to put in as many songs as possible from the musician's career shorter versions of the songs are performed to give a fun sample of the song you know and check it off the list. When I saw "On Your Feet" which is the Gloria Estefan musical, many of the songs were cut down to put in as many as possible, same as when I reviewed the album for the Carole King musical, "On Your Feet" even having a medley at the end to add even more songs. 

When I watch these movies based on famous musicians it seems the focus is more on them as a person outside their music career and how the music got made. It seems to focus more on the events surrounding the song and then gives you a small version of it. Most of them end with concerts which then are the big emotional focal points and showcase multiple songs in a rapid fire way. Emulating the excitement of seeing a concert live to help balance with all the emotional storytelling shown in the movie and show the song in its entirety as a reward for watching where the lead is in their life now and for going through the struggles presented in the film.  

On stage, the balance comes from trying to not be just a concert, but rather present a story in the musical format. The stage version has to find the story and song balance, while still having enough times where the music can shine and so it can be labeled as a musical. The live stage musical has a different set of standards than a movie, it is just interesting to see the similarities and how the two have as much in common as they do different. I hope to keep exploring this idea and topic, diving deeper, and keep searching around until I have a definitive answer or opinion. Until then I say they are different until proven otherwise. I say this because the music is often not used as much in a movie as it is on stage, and is often shown as a reward rather than move the plot along. 

Predicting The Wicked Movie

 At Cinema Con there was some footage shown of the Wicked movie, and it had me speculating, this movie has had audiences predicting and speculating long before it even had a trailer. There is so much riding on this adaptation of one of the biggest musicals in theater history. So I thought until the next trailer or teaser comes around, that I would use the information given and shown, throw my black hat into the ring, and see how much I get right. When the movie does come out, it will be fun to look back at this and see how much I got right and what I did not, as a sort of time capsule, so here are my guesses as to how the Wicked movie will turn out when it hits the big screen this November. 

So from what we know from the Super Bowl trailer I went through, and some articles that have come out before and since, this movie will be in two parts, the singing is live, we know the cast, and a release window but not a specific date. Some footage was shown at Cinema Con and it seemed to garner some buzz but much like everything there, not much has made it to the public eye and was just used to generate buzz, so mission accomplished.

going off of that information we know, here are my predictions for what the movie will turn out to be. The safest guess is that Act One is a movie, and Act Two is a movie, including every song from the show doing a rare adaptation of not cutting any songs. Depending on run time I would not be surprised if a new song or two is added to get that Best Original Song Oscar nomination. The visuals will be big and grand adding to the musical numbers. Each one will have visual flare and be big, stand-out moments for the show. I wonder if the movie will open with "No One Mourns The Wicked" or if like the director's previous work "In The Heights" the songs will be shuffled.

I do not think the show will appear in the order of the way events play out on stage, there is a possibility for some original performances, remixes, or new songs for promotions and the credits. I would not be surprised if there was a pop version of "Popular" and "Defying Gravity" during the credits when they roll around. 

I feel the order of songs will be shuffled around if "In The Heights" is anything to go off of. I also feel that songs will feel different, by that I mean different pacing, perhaps even different lyrics, and different instrumentation. To go off of "In The Heights" once more, the instrumentation in that was very quiet and subdued, trying to create real and relatable moments, and I wonder if songs like "I'm Not That Girl" will sound more like sad songs you hear on the radio then somber solo Broadway ballad. 

I could see the final chords of "Defying Gravity" leading to a "To Be Continued" if they want to be clever an "End Of Act One" before the credits. That moment leaving the audiences wondering how the rest of the tale will unfold, but with all the extra run time allotted to having two films, I wonder if more original songs are going to be added to spice things up, which I hope is not the case. This movie has been so long in the making, that I feel playing it safe is truly the best option, I am already questioning the part one and part two format. 

But those are my thoughts and predictions while we all wait for that footage, or a new trailer to come, my guess for certain for a new trailer will drop at San Diego Comicon and if it does, I will be here to discuss it. 

The Tony Award Nomniations And The Mufasa Trailer

 The time of year is here once more. Time to see what musicals will take home the gold and which ones will get fan reactions saying they deserved more. The awards are not here just yet, but the nominations are, roughly a month early, this also means for people like me who can not see these shows until they go on tour due to not living in New York that hopefully some cast albums will be released, giving me and many others a taste of these shows by giving us the songs that are featured in the shows. But we also got a new trailer for a musical movie, so I wanted to address that too.

The Tony Nomniations

I don't feel very equipped to make predictions as I have listened to very few of these shows let alone seen them, but I have listened to Back To The Future and as mentioned before, awaiting cast album releases for many of these. Hell's Kitchen leading the pack and I intend on listening to that musical as soon as possible, but there are some movie adaptations sprinkled throughout from Back To The Future, Water For Elephants, The Outsiders which was a book and movie, and even The Notebook. I am interested to see how Water For Elephants and The Outsiders turn out, the latter being a book and film I was familiar with due to the school, the former is new to me. 

Suffs is in the mix, bringing some more historical musical theater to the stage, but the nominees for best musical and best revival are quite small compared to some years. I am used to about three or four more nominees in the best musical category and maybe one or two for revival. All I hope for is a show where the awards are spread around and not a complete sweep one way, last year was a great example of that. And of course, I am looking forward to the performances, speeches, and more from one of my favorite awards shows. I am excited to hear Hell's Kitchen and Water For Elephants the most and eagerly await many of these songs to be shown to those outside New York. The news of the host, date, and time are sure to come but now we know the lineup for the night and some of the performances we are going to see, and I as usual am quite excited. 

The Mufasa Trailer

At first glance, I was not going to talk about this, but then I saw, the words at the end of the trailer that said "With Original Songs By Lin Manuel Miranda" and I was very surprised. I was wondering why he was doing music for this but not Moana 2 which is due just a month before this movie debuts.

In terms of the trailer it looked like nothing to write home about, just the young Mufasa running around in an original story no one asked for. The antics looked similar to The Lion King, just set in the past, and visually just looked bland like the movie that made so much money it caused this one to come to be. I am not a fan of the live-action Disney takes on classic films, I feel the originals when it comes to Renaissance films are good enough, I like when they remake a super old film to remove the parts that reflect a more ignorant time, but for the musicals from the 90's I always ask, just why? With the news of Moana getting one and it is barely ten years old, and all of these classics, it makes me sad to see the industry as well just disregard the credibility of movies just because they are animated. Animated movies can move someone just as much and just because it is animated should not be labeled as just for kids, if they are good enough to be put on the big screen, there is a quality behind them for everyone. 

Seeing Lin Manuel Miranda shift from making really good animated soundtracks to making songs such as "The Scuttlebutt" and doing only live-action, shifting from Encanto and Moana, not even doing the sequel to do live-action adaptions has me scratching my head. He has made some really good songs with Disney but these live-action outings and his not returning to follow-ups to what he has worked on before, have me just questioning.

In terms of musical movies, we have already had Mean Girls 2024 this year, and we still have :

. Moana 2

.Joker Folie A' Deux

.Mufasa

.Wicked Part One 

Moana 2 is the one I am most concerned about due to Wish falling flat but also that so little has been shown, there has been only a logo, and a static image, with a release date. No trailers, no songs, not even a teaser, and this movie is fast approaching, making me fear Ai could be involved as well, which I hope is not the case. Either way, this Mufasa trailer only left me not impressed and asking way more questions then I thought I would. 

Steven Universe "Mr. Greg" : It's Over Isn't It?

 Now in the last post I mentioned that I have two go to examples when talking about musical episodes of shows, and well, this is the second one.  Now Steven Universe, being one of my favorite animated shows of all time is no stranger to having stand-out songs in its episodes. But this one is different, though the show is known for having characters break into songs from time to time, and music plays a huge role in it, they do not do it episodes, some house one to two songs. This episode I count as the musical episode because of the themeing, as well as holding the most songs in the series in a single episode at six songs, one even being a reprise. 

This one sees Steven's father Greg becoming super rich, so they leave the quiet beach town they know to take a trip to the very New York City inspired Empire City. Bringing Pearl who loved Steven's mother as well, brings out some drama that needs to be confronted, and what way to do so then in song. Leaving the episode wrapping up with a solid emotional conclusion that leads into the rest of the series. 

The visuals are stunning as usual for the show, but stand out wonderfully in this episode in particular. Bright lights, purple skies at night, and cityscapes, all done with soft colors, the visuals changing with some of the songs to make them stand out even more. 

The songs lead this story along wonderfully, from small and sweet, to fun, to big, grand, and powerful. The stand-out song for this episode is "It's Over Isn't It?", Peal's powerful and sad solo ballad. Emotionally stunted, left with nothing but question marks and not knowing where to go, left only with bitterness and sadness. Her resentment towards Greg in full force, the song sweeping and soaring, conveying strong but relatable emotions, the visuals working hand in hand to make this moment so memorable, the clouds, the purple skies, the lights of the city and quiet air of the balcony. Accompanied by powerful instrumentals, this song stands strong within the episode and on its own.

But the other songs are no slouches either, providing great emotional closure, or just being fun. The songs can either be short and sweet, full of some fun moments and a couple jokes or maybe even one to cause a tear or two to escape your eye. A couple of the songs in this episode can warrant some very strong emotional responses, all packed tight into this episode paced perfectly, and none overstaying their welcome. The structure of the episode works out wonderfully giving a solid beginning, middle, and end with a very satisfying conclusion. 

The setting fits for a musical episode, taking part of the cast out of their environment and showing them somewhere we have not seen in the show yet, and even before they leave the way the episode is presented sets up for an unforgettable musical journey. The songs follow the cast from home to the big city and back, making the musical structure stand out on its own. Beginning as other episodes do with a song, but then having a fair number and in a new locale to show the auidence that this stands out as a the musical episode. Having a song at the beginning that gets a reprise before the credits roll, the music style harkening to that of tradition musicals, and the visuals all setting the tone and keeping it perfectly.

This episode is amazing on a wriitng, musical, and visual stand point. It fires on all cylanders to stand head and shoulders as one of the series best, for adressing plot points, using emotions the audience can relate too, and giving an experience all in a package that leaves the watcher sastified. The music standing out in the context of the show or on their own for isolated listens, and a really wonderful messege about moving on and forgiving, makes this one, a true showstopper