Marci Miles of Reelize Reps, Chicago, has been named to handle the Midwest for Los Angeles-based Rhythm & Hues.….Bicoastal Cohn + Company and New York-based Nadel@ Cohn + Company have signed Mark Andrews of Where’s The Boards?, Los Angeles, for West Coast sales….Los Angeles- based visual effects house KromA has secured independent rep Grace Silverstein of Reel Grace, Santa Monica, to handle the West Coast and Texas….Andrea Marcucci of Agent 99, New York, is now handling East Coast representation for editorial, visual effects and design shop Version2. Editing, New York….Sovereign, the Santa Monica-based music and sound design shop recently launched by composer PJ Hanke, has hired Arrianne Braverman for representation on the West Coast. Executive producer Katie Jones continues to rep Sovereign in all other territories….Sales rep Victoria Venantini has joined Holbrook Management, the New York-based independent repping firm that handles the East Coast for bicoastal Moxie Pictures, Finger Music, West Los Angeles, Blind, Santa Monica, and the New York shops Consulate, cYclops and foreignfilms@cYclops….Global Production Network (GPN), Los Angeles, has inked an exclusive deal to handle U.S. representation for Aussie filmmaker Jane Smith’s Sydney-based production services company Filmsmiths Australia…. After wrapping additional photography on the Warner Bros. feature Constantine, DP Jeff Cutter is once again available for commercial and music video work via United Talent Agency (UTA), Beverly Hills, Calif….
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