We open on a suburban cul-de-sac, with an official looking spokesman holding a clipboard. Surveying the neighborhood, he poses a challenge: “Is United right for your move? Ask yourself: do you want: A. a seamless professional move? Or B. your possessions set on fire?”
He continues making his way around the circle, while moving vans are unloaded behind him: “A. technology experts to set up your home network? Or B. raccoons to run amok with your electronics? A. portable containers to move yourself? Or B. complete chaos?”
The man stops in front of a home with clothes, household items and open boxes strewn across the property. We see another man stomping out a fire in one of the boxes as another pursues a raccoon.
Our narrator concludes, “If you answered A, call United. If you answered B–” The scene cuts to motion graphics of United’s service, with the logo and tag, “There’s moving–and there’s moving United,” closing out the spot.
“Clipboard” is one of two :30s in the United moving services package directed by Trevor McMahan of Rabbit for Grey Worldwide, New York.
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More