Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of November 17, 2025
Wicked For Good
Rated PG for some suggestive material, action/violence, and thematic material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
In Theaters
Last year, many of the early viewers of Wicked were stunned to learn that the movie they were watching and enjoying was only the first act. Now, a year later, the second act and finale to the musical is hitting theaters, just in time for Thanksgiving. There is very little exposition in the beginning and the movie jumps straight into the fray with Elphaba wishing to take on The Wizard and her best friend Glinda wishing to play both sides to improve her own ambitions. This installment also focusses largely on the Wizard of Oz tie in as Dorothy is introduced as a weapon to stop Elphaba, and her travel companions are each created and introduced (big surprise – we already knew them) and the war against the witches commences. There seemed to be a spin on the film designed to be relevant to today’s politics, but it is subtle enough to be a friendly discussion point for movie nerds rather than an in-your-face liberal slant. As you would expect, the songs you know from the stage musical are all very-well produced here and pack a much-needed emotional punch. They did throw in a couple new songs, which I could have done without. Which leads me to my only problem with this project. I firmly believe they could have done this in one three-hour film rather than two projects. They’ll obviously make more money this way, but it would have been a much better, and possibly Oscar-winning movie, had they done it that way. Wicked For Good isn’t strong enough to compete for the big awards and might only have a chance for actress awards that might focus on the entire scope of the project, rather than the individual film on its own merits. But there was enough fat to trim here to make it a viable contender, if done as one, much longer film. But then again, dollars matter much more than art, and this film stands as living proof. A-
Rental Family
Rated PG-13 for some strong language, thematic elements, and suggestive material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
In Theaters
Brendan Frasier (The Whale) plays an actor living in Tokyo, who discovers unusual work for a “rental family” company, who rents him out to become a part of people’s inner circles. As he begins to intertwine himself into their lives, the lines between reality and acting are blurred, bonding him in a special way to the individuals he is hired to befriend and help. There’s a lot to like in this drama, from its quiet comedic turns to its tear-inducing emotional heft. Sure it’s a bit sappy, and in that way a little manipulative, but you really don’t mind as you try to empathize with not only Fraser’s character, but also with the lives of the people he is employed into as well. And Fraser is quite perfect for this role. His size makes him stand out in his environment (quite literally) and his expressive face that poses confusion combined with compassion, lends itself nicely to the part. Sometimes the movie goes a little too deep into distraction, such as his boss’s personal life, in order to make more sense of the employer, and sometimes the drama seems a little forced, but when Fraser is with his pretend daughter and his pretend old man friend, you feel like there is an adventure waiting to be had that not only pays the bills, but is also satisfying for the soul. Overall, I found the movie to be a touching and enjoyable experience that struck a chord similar to what I felt after watching Lost in Translation years ago. B+