REVIEW: OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

It's been a while since we've seen old James Franco in something big.  I tried to think back....and flashbacks of the Oscars, ones that I've tried to suppress for going on three years now.  After a bit of crying and some warm milk I felt better and thought of what movies he'd been in; "Rise of the Planet of the Apes."  He and the girl from "Slumdog Millionaire" were perfectly fine in that...but they were both completely upstaged by the main ape that ignited the revolution: Andy Serkis as Caesar.  I'm sad to report, ladies and gentleman, that James Franco has once again been upstaged by a motion-capture monkey, this time voiced by Zach Braff.

Franco better realize this trend before he signs up to do a "King Kong" remake, and perhaps take some lessons on how to be less of a stiff when the cameras roll.  We all can recall the charismatic showman who appeared behind the curtain at the end of the 1939's "The Wizard of Oz."  He, in his rather underrated role, had more energy than poor Franco could emit   Once I see "127 Hours" I'm sure he'll be redeemed in my eyes.

"Oz" opens up cleverly in black and white and a smaller film ratio, like last year's Best Picture winner "The Artist," except this time it only stays like that for roughly fifteen minutes.  The exposition begins, and we see Franco is a rather unlikable magician, capable of pulling off some fairly astonishing feats.  Zach Braff is his assistant Frank, one of those humble fellows who puts up with the boss's crap because he has nowhere else to be.  After giving the wrong girl one of his notorious music boxes he uses to ploy every pretty face, the atypical strong man boyfriend and secret-drunk clown come to kick his Oz, but he hops in an air balloon that conveniently stopped by, and gets whisked off to another land via tornado, which at this point might be a better alternative then going through the TSA.

There's your little introductory wrap-up, and I won't go in to what Franco encounters in the magical land, which is gorgeous CGI by the way.  That's one thing I can't argue with the film at all, it looks completely fantastical and majestic, maybe what 1939 viewers felt when they were in the original film.  Detailed trees of every color, even multicolored horses, and yes, there are a few rainbows Franco and his quirky posse of Finley the Monkey, (voiced by Braff; get it? He's still his assistant even in Oz) and a frail, adorable China Girl.  There's also a strong supporting cast of some equally attractive ladies, Michelle Williams retaining some of her Marilyn mannerisms to play the light, airy Glenda the Good Witch.

"The Wizard of Oz" has basically become synonymous with American cinema, so it's surprising it's taken Disney this long to hop on that train.  The film has a very classic, storytelling vibe that Sam Raimi brings, and that was enjoyable.  It's nowhere near the cash-grab it could have been labeled, and once you settle into Oz, it becomes a thoroughly colorful and amusing ride.  So grab your red ruby slippers (oh wait, never mind, those are trademarked by Warner Brothers) and take the family to enjoy some quality film making.

Rating: 2.5/4 stars