Ranking the 25 Films I Watched Throughout My Hispanic Studies Classes

Noche de fuego (2021)

¡Buenos días, todos!

I hope you're all doing well! It's been a hot minute since I posted because I've been really busy in school. That's all over now as I recently graduated with a minor in Hispanic Studies (I have a post on my major coming up, but it's taking a while)! 

To celebrate, I thought I'd commemorate all of the films I watched for my various Hispanic Studies classes! Which...was a lot. I mean, one class was specifically a Hispanic film class (where we watched 13 movies), but the other 12 were sprinkled around. There are so many other stories I could talk about (having taken Hispanic Theater and Hispanic Literature classes), but because this is Movies Meet Their Match I thought I'd start with films. Therefore, I'm going be ranking all 25 of the movies that I watched! Which, if you've been around for a while, you might have been wondering about from my yearly wrap-ups.

Even though I was trying to keep it short by only talking movies, this post is still ENORMOUS. So feel free to skim and skip around based on what sounds interesting to you!

How this will work: I'll provide a brief summary (written by yours truly so not all that official, haha.) and then thoughts on why it is ranked where it is.

This was harder than I thought. I have my strong dislikes and my ABSOLUTELY LOVE, but in the middle they're mostly on the same level.

All of these movies have varying levels of content, but I'm mostly going to be talking about what the story's significance was to me. On some, the content is why it is so low in the ranking which I will mention, but that's usually tied into other aspects. If you have any questions about the age ranges for any of these movies feel free to ask and I will provide details!

25. El conde [English title: The Count] (2023)

Premise: Chile's dictator Augusto Pinochet is actually a vampire. This has lead him to live longer so he's faked his death a few times. Now he doesn't want to live so his family is waiting for him to die and to get on with it his children hire a nun to exorcise him.

Hated it. Most of my class hated the gore and violence, but I was most upset about the assault. Yes, but it's probably shown as a bad thing...not really. This woman is raped but it's all set up as she gave in to the seducing eventually, with this whole ecstasy sequence and I was over it. I was very triggered. 

I think this has some creative ideas (Pinochet as a vampire! Who are other historical "vampires"?), but I did not like the plot at all. So much so that I stopped watching it and was doing sudoku while it played in the background. Just now I had to look up what actually happened to write the summary (thanks Wikipedia for the stark reminder that YEP, STILL HATE IT). My sisters and I joke about repressing things (it's a movie reference but I'm blanking right now on what movie...) but it's true. I do not want to think about this one, so moving on.

24. Memorias del subdesarrollo [English title: Memories of Underdevelopment] (1968)

Premise: While many left Cuba between the Revolution and the Cuban Missile Crisis, wealthy writer Sergio stayed. This collection of his memories is his disgust at the mentality and cultures of the people there in contrast with actual footage of things that happened.

I get the point now, but I feel like there should be a huge disclaimer of YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LIKE THE MAIN CHARACTER. He is one of the most despicable people ever. And that's the point. Because he's supposedly lamenting all of these people who are "underdeveloped," but it is HIS memories that we're seeing, so he's the one who is "underdeveloped." Maybe that is a spoiler. But I feel you can appreciate it better if you know that going in.

I mean, Sergio is wanting to emulate Hemingway, if that tells you anything.

This is the only movie I've seen from Cuba, I think? So I appreciate that. This is a critique in so many ways, I just don't think I was ready for it. 

23. El buen patron [English title: The Good Boss] (2021)

Premise: Julio Blanco is owner of a prestigious scale factory. He is known in the business world as being a good boss, but in reality he is cruel. In order to gain awards, he starts getting involved in the lives of his employees. Meanwhile, someone he fired is fed up and wants to put the scales back in balance.

I watched this for extra credit. And, again, a character that you're not supposed to like is the main person we're watching. Which is my least favorite plot device. I am never going to get invested if I don't have a reason to root for the character! It has made me say, "That's Javier Bardem!" every single time I now see Javier Bardem in something. This was the first time I went to a cool independent movie theater in my college town, so I appreciated the excuse to go there.

22. Madres paralelas [English title: Parallel Mothers] (2021) 

Premise: Janis is a photographer who after getting involved with an archaeologist decides to raise her baby on her own. She bonds with a young girl who gives birth the same day she does, but after Arturo denies being the child's father, this leads to uncovering more secrets that Janis does everything in her power to keep buried.

I had such a hard time summarizing this because the things that are important to me in this film aren't the plot, but side stories that I wish HAD been the plot. This movie was made under a time-crunch because it was talking about issues happening in Spain at the time (finding the bodies of people who disappeared during the Civil War), but...it needs more editing. I was so bored watching this that I kept zoning out and instead thinking about how to re-cut it. Because do we need that many sex scenes? No. 

This has an interesting perspective on loss and hanging on to the past. I'd guessed what was going to happen through my theological studies, whether that was purposefully put in there or not.

An interesting one for the LGBTQ+ community, but I was put off by the age difference because I think Ana was still a minor? Also the adultery between Janis and Arturo is not what I'm here for. 

21. Retablo (2017)

Premise: Segundo is apprentice to his father who makes elaborate retablos--decorative boxes that display a scene inside them. His father is much revered for his artistry, but Segundo senses tensions. The stories that are on display are not the only stories being told and when Segundo finds a secret retablo he is conflicted on where his loyalties and love lies.

This one is important, but it's rough. I'd heard about it a lot from my professor before watching it and had it hyped up, so much that I thought it was about something else. The LGBTQ+ aspect is important, but I don't think it's that beneficial to the community. However, just because it isn't positive doesn't mean it's not realistic, and this looks at rural life, being trapped in tradition, and facing cruelty. I don't support all of the decisions here, but I think we can agree the society sets the characters up for failure.

My favorite part of this movie was the discussion we had in class where one of my classmates asked "What we would do if we were Segundo?" An essential question for everyone to grapple with who watches this.

20. Ixcanul (2015)

Premise: Maria is tired of her life below the mountain growing coffee---where she is about to be married off---and yearns to go North. Desperate to escape, she comes up with a plan where the boy she likes will take her to the U.S. when he runs away. Betrayed and now left with consequences, her mother asks for help from the gods within Ixcanul, the volcano where she lives.

The ending was so solid, really connecting so many elements from the beginning. I just HATED the beginning. The whole first half. I wish that we had started from half-way through? I get that there are supposedly important elements for the story, but I just don't think that we needed to see it on screen and we could've gotten exposition. I'd been so annoyed at this movie that I had been making lists on my computer while "watching" it until the middle. Then there was pay-off after pay-off that it was like watching a train crash but the story couldn't go anywhere else. And, ironically, that's when I couldn't tear my eyes off the screen.

The dynamic between Maria and her mother was so fascinating because Maria's mother will do absolutely everything for her daughter, but usually makes a decision without Maria's input. You can see that they love each other, but there are in a cycle of tensions that they continue to create. It also was really cool to hear the language Kaqchikel.

19. Neruda (2016)

Premise: Politician and poet Pablo Neruda is under warrant for arrest but no one can find him. Policeman Óscar Peluchonneau is assigned to find him and to do that decides to study Neruda's life and poetry. As Neruda continually evades him, Peluchonneau despairs that this is just like a story and struggles to break the ending that he sees coming for him.

This one was well-made and a different style than I'm used to seeing in Hispanic films (noir! We had a whole discussion about that. Even though I was the only one of my classmates who had watched a noir movie before. Old movies for the win!), but I just really don't like the figure Neruda. I was rooting more for Gael García Bernal (as you do). It was interesting to see how other people reacted to Neruda, even though I was screaming at the screen at one point that they shouldn't be.

Along with being noir, it is also a psychological drama in Peluchonneau's mind. The poor dear.

18. Todo sobre mi madre [English title: All About My Mother] (1999)

Premise: Manuela is a transplant surgeon in Madrid. After a surgery she never wanted to see, all hope for her future is gone. She decides to go back to the past and fulfill her son's wish of contacting his father. Through that, in Barcelona she finds an old friend and relives the past through helping a woman who is pregnant by her son's father.

This is an important movie (it's on 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list, along with Memorias del subdesarrollo.), it just isn't my favorite. I get the cultural significance, but I don't think I'd want to watch it again because, even though it was a small part of the plot, the transplants hit me really hard as I know people who might have to be on a transplant list some day. I feel like I was missing something from it because I haven't seen All About Eve (where the title comes from) or A Streetcar Named Desire, which are big parts of the plot. Who knows, maybe I'll watch it again after I see those respective films. 

It's commentary on the AIDS/HIV epidemic which was so huge but because it was before I was born I feel like people tend to hush it up? People also tend to act as if the LGBTQ+ community is a new thing, but it really isn't, and the presence of trans characters in this film shows part of that. I would SO MUCH prefer this to be the token LBGTQ+ movie than Rocky Horror. This gives a compassionate look at these characters while also showing what it's like to live in a society where your options are limited. Manuela is such a kind-hearted character and I admire her so much.

I cried just at seeing Barcelona because at the time I was watching this I knew someone there.  

17. Pájaros de verano [English title: Birds of Passage] (2018)

Premise: Zaida and Rapayet go through the rituals of becoming a couple, but when Rapayet becomes involved in drug trafficking, and the traditional values and rituals are put to the side.

This one is a cautionary tale. In my class I remember talking about the similarities between this and The Odyssey, but when I went back through the slides it only had the question of "how is it similar?" and none of the answers. And I don't remember the answers. Or much of the plot, as is shown by my very weak description of the premise. I also don't really remember why it is titled the way it is (...I think it was the dance that Zaida did?). All in all, of all the movies on this list, I remember this one the least, which is why it's low in the ranking. So I probably should watch it again. 

It's about losing culture which is important because so often the stereotype of Hispanic countries is about gangs, but that's stepping away from what the culture actually is, which is the travesty.

16. Ya no estoy aquí [English title: I Am No Longer Here] (2020)

Premise: Ulises defines his life by his Kolombia style. Through a split timeline, the film follows Ulises's struggles for work in NYC as well as his old life in Mexico. From dancing in subways to sleeping on rooftops, Ulises feels the loneliness of not having his community---Los Terkos---all while trying to not get sent back home, even though that's where he longs to go.

I think about this one a lot. About Kolombia and cumbia and style and what it means to dance. This movie looks at how gangs aren't always bad, but when kids are in a space surrounded by violence then that forces them to become the biggest oppressors. This had the potential for exactly the kind of story I adore, but then took a different turn. Not that the result was bad, I just was disappointed from where I thought it was going. But it did it's job in making me think about it from time to time.

This was cool to watch because I'd just been to New York, so getting the perspective of the Hispanic culture there was a different angle than I'd just seen, but familiar at the same time. It's also a critique on the U.S. and how it is not as accepting as those moving there would hope for it to be.

15. Los reyes del mundo [English title: Kings of the World] (2022)

Premise: A group of boys have been living on the streets of Medellín, and though only two of them are related, the whole group is family. When Rá learns he can get his grandmother's property---seized by the years ago by the government but is now being returned---the boys start their way across the country to try to find home.

This one is so stinking rough. It's about kids who have no supervision and do whatever they want; one's heart breaks at the loneliness because even though they have each other, they don't have a future. They imagine a utopian world of white horses where they are the kings, but they have to deal with the dangers of this world, first, and the government and systems are set-up to make them fail. This is a kind of a world where the only kindness they receive is at a brothel.

The punches that this delivers were UNCALLED FOR. I'm still upset. The pobrecitos. For some reason the Columbian accent was harder for me to understand which I was very surprised about. I liked Laura Mora Ortega's directing and would love to watch more of her work (which reminds me to get started on the show Cien años de soledad...).

14. Roma (2018)

Premise: Cleo works for a wealthy family in the Roma neighborhood in Mexico City. The film follows her struggles: facing judgement for being Mixtec, caring for children while dealing with her unhappy employer, and her own unsatisfying relationship.

AKA the one that won so many awards. When I watched this I was so confused, as was my entire class. Once we had our discussion I think I understand it more? It is culturally significant (again, so many awards!) but it's not my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I think it deserved the awards. I just also think that there are many on this list that ALSO deserve awards but didn't get the attention because they weren't directed by Alfonso Cuarón.

What is my favorite, is the Billie Eilish song about it called "When I Was Older." Cannot recommend enough. 

If it wasn't apparent before this, I should say for those of you who haven't watched Hispanic films, the plot structure is very different than most Hollywood films. There are not the typical plot points, therefore the premise is difficult to describe. When we watched this for class I remember some people struggling with it being black and white, but my old movie watching came in handy and I was not put off at all.

13. Bardo, falsa crónica de unas cuantas verdades [English title: Bardo: False Chronicle of A Handful of Truths] (2022)

Premise: Silverio is a writer who splits his time between the U.S. and Mexico. The film follows bizarre moments in Silverio's life and imagination that walk through the history of Mexico and current issues as well as the history of Silverio and his wife as they deal with the grief of losing a child many years ago.

This one is teetering on the line of "okay" and "I LOVE IT." It's so weird, guys. And some of the segments are a little too weird for me, like the child who has Silverio's head. And the most disturbing sex scene of all time. But the rest of it?? The airport scene lives rent-free in my head and is one of my favorite things ever. "America is a continent not a country, *starts swearing*" Say it louder for the people in the back! I also love the ties to Julio Cortazar's "Axolotl." And the theatricality of Mexico's history that is so tongue-in-cheek. And the most realistic flying dream of all time (the cinematography!! Totally should've won an Oscar).

So yeah, I'd actually really recommend this one, and I'm going to firmly say now that it is in the "I LOVE IT" camp. Just be prepared (especially because the sex scene has no build-up. I get the symbolism, I just have no desire to watch it.)

I was also taking a Hispanic history class at the same time and seeing all of the Hernán Cortez references I felt very knowledgable.

12. Güeros (2014)

Premise: After some trouble, Tomás goes to live with his brother Sombra in Mexico City. Tomás's idol is Epigmenio Cruz who recorded the song on the tape that Tomás carries with him everywhere. Sombra, his roommate, and Tomás set out across the city, navigating zoos and student uprising to try to find Epigmenio Cruz. 

This one seems so casual compared to all of the others. But it's also the exact kind of story that I love? Sibling roadtrip? Not leaving town but discovering more about yourself? Looking for something that's lost? I don't know what it is. Besides the close up making-out that takes way too long (Chloe the editor at work again), I have no complaints about this movie. It's a vibe.

The thing that I love about these movies, too, is that there is so much to discuss because the answers aren't given. Things are left up in the air. In my Hispanic Film class, for each of the 13 films we spent two 75-minute class periods on it. THAT'S how much there is to say about these, but even then it isn't always enough. Like with this one. I would love to delve into each and every spot that they stop. So I wrote a paper that included this film. The only reasonable solution, you know.

11. Lo que arde [English title: Fire Will Come] (2019)

Premise: Benedicta's son, Amador, is recently released from prison. In the wilds of Spain, while it is away from prying eyes, everyone is still suspicious of Amador due to his history of arson.

I was in a bit of a fever dream watching this because it was 8AM and I had been up late coding. But I vibed with it so hard, it made me write a blog post. So even though I don't really remember much about it (hence the short description), I remember loving the colors and the cinematography. I also remember not understanding what they were saying and was thinking that I was just tired, but I feel justified in my confusion because according to Wikipedia this film is in Galician, not Spanish. 

Meanwhile all of my classmates hated it and I don't get why. It follows the idea that if you put someone in a box, labelling them and refusing to see who they really are, eventually they will succumb to that label.

10. La llorona (2019)

Premise: After a court case against Enrique Monteverde that ended in his favor, him and his family are stuck inside their house due to the protestors outside. It's no better inside as mysterious and supernatural appearances of water start to occur in his house. What he doesn't know is that the newly hired maid is not all that she seems.

If you're going to give me horror, my number one rule is that it has to mean something; it can't just be for the purpose of scaring people. And this does exactly that. It asks questions such as: what is justice? Who's telling the truth? What does it mean to trust people? All while being deliciously creepy in a poignant way of Guatemalan myths. 

If you've seen the movie Coco (2017), then you've heard one song about the pain of La llorona (which is one of my FAVORITE songs of the entire movie). If you are interested in a more creepy aspect of that same pain, then this film is for you. I also love the cameo of Rigoberta Menchu. Which is my reminder to read the book about her life.

9. Noche de fuego [English title: Prayers for the Stolen] (2021)

Premise: Ana lives with her mother in a small town, where they work harvesting poppy seeds. In the world of drug trafficking and more, Ana's whole childhood has had the fear that something bad is going to happen, but she's got her friends by her side, and with the words of her teacher she dreams of a better world.

The reason the English title is the most different than the Spanish title is because it was originally a book written in English called Prayers for the Stolen - by Jennifer Clement. Based on how much this story has my heart, I should read the book.

This one is very similar to Los pajaros de verano, but I think it's better done. Maybe because it's told from the perspective of a child? The fear that this movie is absolutely soaked in is heartbreaking, but the friendships between the girls are what carry it. I did a whole presentation about this movie and therefore I love it.

8. The Boy from Medellín (2020)

Premise: Musician J. Balvin prepares for a huge concert in his hometown of Medellín, Colombia, and contemplates whether he should address the politics of the country.

This is a documentary and it is the fault of this that I am always listening to "Mi Gente" and "Obra de arte" as performed by J. Balvin. This is such an interesting look at what it means to be a celebrity and when to use your voice. Because whether you speak up or you hold back, people are going to be angry at you. So what do you do?

This one is so high in my ranking because when I finished watching it I was in a really positive mood. Which isn't usually what happens with these movies, haha! I mean, you can't listen to "Mi Gente" and "Obra de arte" without smiling.

7. El abrazo de la serpiente [English title: The Embrace of the Serpent] (2015)

Premise: Just as a river splits into many different branches, this story splits into the different branches of Karamakate's life, both past and present. Past: Theo seeks Karamakate out as a guide to explore. Present: Evan seeks Karamakate out to help him find a sacred plant. Karamakate can't remember what happened last time, and goes to find his memory.

I originally thought this one was interesting, that's all. Now it's low-key become my "Roman empire." I think about it all the time, not only in my Hispanic studies classes but in theology, too. I love that this has over 10 languages. I love the double timelines. I love the commentary on "explorers" and "scientists" and what it means to protect.

The one thing I don't love so much is the ending because I don't quite get it? My professor was really excited about explaining the parallels between this and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), but I hate that movie, so I wasn't buying it. All in all, the environmental commentary is excellent and I could be here all day talking about it.

6. Argentina, 1985 (2020)

Premise: Lawyers Julio César Strassera and Luis Moreno Ocampo take on a huge court case: a trial against the military dictatorship of Jorge Rafael Videla that ended two years ago. The idea that the government can get rid of anyone they don't like---"los desaparecidos" (the disappeared ones)---is a threat hanging over both Julio and Luis's lives.

If there was ever a movie whose setting FELT like a year, it's this. This feels like 1985. I mean, I wasn't around to see 1985, but that's what I think it felt like. 

I think I mention this every time I talk about a court drama movie, but I always expect it to be boring? Yet it never is. What sold this movie is the relationships. Julio has such a different dynamic with each member of his family, and I loved them all, but especially the quiet curiosity of his son. This kind of has a real-world-yet-Avengers-esque aspect of "let's build a team" that I LOVE. The clips from the actual trial, too, are incorporated so well. The fact that it blends together so well is another testament to how this movie feels straight out of 1985.

5. La teta asustada [English title: The Milk of Sorrow] (2009)

Premise: A woman suffered horrendous abuse from the invasion of a guerrilla group, and her pain transferred to her daughter Fausta through the very milk fed to her. Fausta is now processing her grief and fear, coping to protect herself yet causing different health issues. She starts working for a famous pianist to earn enough to bury her mother.

If I were to describe this as briefly as possible, it would only take two words: GENERATIONAL TRAUMA. This is seeped in magical realism that is looking at how to deal with that trauma. And it was kind of my first encounter with magical realism, not in the form of horror like La llorona. My classmates and I, separately, all had to pause and say, "wait a minute, a potato??" In the movie's world it is not considered strange but accepted as part of the magic.

I lead a class discussion in this (I think I went waaaaaaay over time) about self-protection vs. self-harm. Fausta needs a hug more than anything, but she also needs a way to not be afraid, and one's heart just aches for her throughout the movie.

4. No (2012)

Premise: In order to prove to international powers that Chile is not under a dictatorship, the people are getting to vote to answer the question, "Should Pinochet remain in power?" The two sides, "YES" and "NO", will each get a TV campaign to answer the question. Many are despondent, thinking that this is a formality and no matter the results, "YES" will win, but René is hired to run the "NO" campaign and is determined to convince the people otherwise.

In contrast to El Conde---also directed by Pablo Larraín about Chile and Pinochet---it's notable that I love this one so much. I think a factor is because we never really see Pinochet and instead are looking at the basic lives of the people who have been hurt by him. This uses a different political tactic than one usually sees: hope. It's genius and such a fascinating look at psychology and sociology.

And as a bonus, René's relationship with his son is precious. And it's Gael Garcia Bernal, so who are we kidding.

3. Volver (2006)

Premise: Raimunda has a lot going on: the consequences of her daughter's self-defense, running her friend's restaurant, her aunt's funeral, and on top of it all, a return from the dead. Alone, she tries to do everything for her daughter that her family didn't do for her.

I can't geek out about this movie enough. I was deliberately mislead to what it was about and that kind of made my experience all the better. It's about generational trauma and trying to stop it while also seeing what returns (the verb "volver"). I loved the Don Quijote references.

Penelope Cruz is STUNNING. I love how this focuses on the role of women, from opening with cleaning tombstones to running a restaurant, to grieving, to protecting one's family. I just dig this so hard. I go back and forth on whether I like No or Volver better, but today I'm in a Volver mood.

2. Los lobos [English title: The Wolves] (2019)

Premise: Lucia and her two sons have just come to the U.S.. Lucia does not have money for childcare so she leaves Max and Leo alone while she works, and they amuse themselves with stories of unstoppable ninja wolves and the hope of going to Disneyland. However, the scariest dangers might not be the adventures of their imagination, but the real world.

MY BELOVED. *sobs* This was the first movie I ever watched for a Hispanic Studies course and I immediately fell in love. It's reality and story telling and immigration and trying to survive all while kids are hoping for Disneyland. It's so hard but I love it.

I think it also hits hard because my first Spanish teacher back in High School looked SO MUCH like the actress for Lucia.

If you are interested in watching any film from this list, for a first Hispanic film, please please please watch Los Lobos. I don't think I need to say anything if you watch this. You will understand.

1. La noche de 12 años [English title: A Twelve Year's Night] (2018)

Premise: From 1972-1985, Uruguay was under a dictatorship. While those who were under the government suffered, even more so did the men who were imprisoned for those 12 years. Of nine people who were hostages, this film looks at the captivity of three of them: José Mujica, Mauricio Rosencof and Eleuterio Fernández Huidobro.

I can't tell you how much I love this movie. I wrote a whole essay about it and could write more.

This is far from an easy film to watch, which is why I recommend the more light-hearted Los Lobos for people just starting with this genre. La noche de 12 años is chock-full of torture, both mental and physical. Yet that doesn't make it any less worthwhile, because the persistence of the main characters is what gives me hope in this world.

Loneliness. Memory. People being treated with the utmost cruelty and my heart screams out THIS IS WRONG. Regardless of what these people did. Watching these horrors has made me want to be a better person.

This movie is actually the reason that I'm writing this post. The characters represented in this movie were real people. And one of them, José Mujica, passed away a couple weeks ago. I admire his persistence and humility and am so honored that I got to see his story told through this film.

Over winter break, my sister and I were summarizing the movies we'd watched in 2024 (as you do), and I started talking about how disappointed I was in the movie cover for this masterpiece. The one that I have above is pretty good because the words look like cells of a prison, but I wanted that included more. So I redid the poster.

And I'm pretty happy with the result. But of course, I'll have to rewatch the movie to confirm this is accurate...which, giving myself another reason to watch it, may have been my goal all along.

WHEW. That was a lot. If you made it through this monster post, thank you! 

Have you ever watched a movie for a class (the best kind of homework, am I right?)? Have you seen any Hispanic films? Have you seen any of these movies? If not, which of these sounds most interesting to you? Which do you think would be your least favorite? Have you ever wanted to remake a movie poster? Do you dislike vampires as much as I do? I'd love to hear all of your thoughts!

Until next time, my friends!

Chloe the MovieCritic

A Boy Working on a Song, Ex-Wives, Shakespeare in Backstreet Boys style & More // Broadway Ramblings

Hey friends!

My previous experience and impression of Broadway only came from this movie, of course.

If you guys didn't know, I'm obsessed with stories in all shapes and sizes. I mean, hanging around this blog for any amount of time will demonstrate that. I've talked about books, movies, and tv shows, but something that I don't chat about a lot is my love for theatre. Whenever Shakespeare comes up I usually mention that I see plays all the time, but today we're going to full-on let loose for the wonder of theatre. This is because I've just had an incredible opportunity.

I saw shows on Broadway. 

It. Was. Amazing.

And no, this is not a late April fool's day joke.

I went with my school and got a credit to see 8 Broadway shows. Best spring break ever, am I right? I'm so grateful for everything that went into that, so we're going to do my favorite thing and analyze them briefly.

I don't know what I am going for here, so this post is more of a way for me to decompress than anything super organized. I'll probably run out of adjectives, so sorry if they repeat. This is spoiler free for the plays because the magic is all about seeing it for yourself! I'll just talk about my thoughts on the plot without giving away the plot. And I'm going to obsess about lights/sets/costumes, but I won't say what they are specifically. I'll give a quick one-sentence premise for each of these plays in case you haven't heard of them!

Because I'm not emotionally stable enough to rank them, these are listed in the order that I watched them. All these Playbills are from the website, and the lyrics are mostly just what I remember them, so they could be wrong. Paraphrase. Maybe some of you can sing along? Warning: this post is very long. I considered breaking it into two parts but decided that if I did that I would lose steam and never finish the second part.

Water for Elephants

Cool poster, right? Cool elephant? I won't admit how long it took me to see the people, but it was a while....

Premise: A man reflects on his life, how he found an escape from his grief working as a vet for a circus.

Y'all, what a show to be my first Broadway show. I wouldn't wish for any better.

This has only been open for a few weeks (I saw it while it was still in previews, it just opened actually a few days ago!) but I hope it's open for a long time because they have put so much work into this spectacle. It's circus meets Broadway, and if you thought The Greatest Showman was amazing, then try seeing insane tricks performed live.

But we need to backtrack for a quick sec. My roommate's favorite TV show is The Flash so I've been watching it for a little over a year. My thoughts there could take up a whole post so we won't go into it, but that's where I know Grant Gustin. And I had a slight obsession with all of Sebastian's (his character in Glee) songs this summer, so I knew he had an amazing voice. That's the sole reason I wanted to see this, but I didn't realize that I would start crying the second he came on stage and say his first few words. 

I quickly made myself stop so I could actually see the show.

Like, guys, we were really up high so I couldn't even see his face, but my brain had a reaction of its own when it heard him. So I did not expect to bawl, but it was only the first of several times.

The reprises in this show?? The music isn't on Spotify yet so I'm just guessing here, but I think it's called "Easy"? THAT theme was all I want in a musical. I want to do a whole post on musical themes sometimes, but that song in and of itself is a masterclass. There was a funny Richard III reference, but I also was reminded of Hamlet in one part.

This one isn't my top favorite when it comes to plot, though. Just because we can't condone cheating on a partner. This tries to throw lots of "BUT!--"s into this, however I still can't support it. This show is kind of the reverse of The Greatest Showman because it deals with issues inside instead of issues outside; that comes in the form of abuse. Especially animal abuse, but there is also abuse when it comes to the people running the circus. I admire their bravery to call this out! I just don't think it justifies a relationship coming about in that way. The fact that it took three people to hold Grant Gustin back, though? Loved that. I know you've got to get through a lot in a short show like this, but I think there could be a little tweaking. It's based on a book and also has a movie version, so the show probably dealt with the source material the best it could. I loved the show, these are just notes that I'm making as a wannabe writer for how I can tell stories.

        "Act surprised when you see the stars in her eyes

 As if you don't have them memorized."

Yet this is one of the most gorgeous lyrics ever and it took my breath away.

I have a hatred for "dream sequences" in musicals (thanks Rogers and Hammerstein), but there is a dream sequence here that is by far the best I've ever seen in a musical. It was horrifying but gorgeous and AAACCKK.

Now I need to talk about the ensemble. THEY WERE FANTASTIC. I lost count of the number of tricks they did. They flipped, threw each other, slide, swung, you name it. They were all I could talk about. And they didn't have any harnesses?? They were just doing those things?? I don't know how. I also love the way that the presented animals. The mixture of acting and puppetry was magnificent. I cannot stress this enough.

Just the movement in general was so well planned out. How Jacob (we're switching between character and actor names I guess) started out so stiff which was a stark contrast, then softened and became more like the ensemble? I adored it.

Quick shoutout to Camel and Walter for being dears, and the choice for the double casting for present and past!

I cannot recommend this show enough.

Tl;dr:

What I came for: Grant Gustin

What I stayed for: The brilliant acrobatics

(I'll be using this tl;dr format, but just to be clear, I also stayed for what I came for, because what I came for never let me down. I just want to credit the amazing surprises.)

Kimberly Akimbo

Premise: Having a disease that makes her age quickly is hard enough but Kimberly's moved to a new town on top of it all.

What I liked about this was the moving set. It just moves on its own! Which I now see is pretty standard for a Broadway show, but after having watched Water for Elephants where everything is moved by hand I thought it was cool. And it is also very systematic and streamlined which suits my math brain just fine.

Other than that, this was my least favorite of the whole trip. Some people on the trip really liked this, but by the time I watched this I'd experienced: a short night of sleep followed by two classes, two flights (one of the them overnight/a redeye and I don't sleep on planes well) and already seen one show that day. All without a break. So I may have been falling asleep in the first act...

I struggle with "modern" musicals, meaning those set in this time, slice of life, whatever you call it. Because why is everyone singing?? When I told my mom that, she compared me to my grandpa, and that made my day. I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if there wasn't any singing? Because there wasn't really a reason for there to be singing? The vocals were impressive, I just didn't like the out-of-the-blue aspect of it. "Hello Darling" reminds me of a song about a camp something that starts "Hello mother, hello father." The disease song was the one that made me chuckle. The band being above the stage instead of having an orchestra pit was really cool! I kept watching them.

The relationships in this show were uncomfortable for me. The foursome all with crushes on each other was slightly amusing, I'll give them that. Both Seth and Kimberly were absolute sweethearts, I just didn't love the flow of their relationship. For so long I was vibing with it but not at the end. I know the character ages are the same, but knowing the actor ages was weird for me? It seemed unrealistic. Seth was my favorite and I will protect him, guys. Now that I think about it, I liked his song! 

Having been homeschooled my whole life, school stories also don't interest me? Almost all of the jokes fell flat for me. So that might be part of it. It does call out ableism which I thought was important!

There are a lot of untied ends in this show, which is part of "it's real life!", but it was unsatisfying because there weren't consequences. The message of this show is something I'm sure that my sister would adore. It's one of those premises of "I don't have long to live, so what am I going to do with it?" and I don't agree with the conclusion most often. It's just not what I view life to be, but others do and that's fine. There are a few exceptions to me liking this message, like Living (2022) (which I've already raved about twice so I won't bore you again) and Groundhog Day (1993) (which is the opposite "I have forever to live, so what am I going to do with it?" but comes to the same conclusion). The projections at the end were cute, though!

This isn't to say it's a bad show (it's still on Broadway for crying out loud), I just am not a fan. It's known for one aspect that I still can't figure out how they did. It was really cool, I just kept thinking, "That can't be good for the floor."

Tl;dr:

Not the message I'm looking for in a story, but it could be the one you are looking for! I will watch a good set movement.

Hadestown

I'm sure those of you who know this music realize that's one of the things I was referencing in the title. I'll just leave you to guess the others.

Premise: A retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Aka the show I've been waiting for. It was everything I wanted and more. So much so that I'm having a crisis right now about trying to reorganize my favorite musicals.

I can't remember if I've talked about this before on this blog, but I have quite the story to go with this musical, so I'll dive right into it. When we were little, my older sister LOVED Greek myths. She had this book called D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths by Edgar Parin d'Aulaire and Ingri Parin d'Aulaire that she read so many times. And as you do with obsessions, you try to get other people invested in them, too. So she convinced me to read it. I was a little weirded out the whole time until I got to one story and it traumatized me. The thing is, the illustrations in this book are gorgeous, but also grotesque in their beauty. I swore off Greek myths (and actually any myths) forever.

Flash forward a few years, I'd heard about the musical Hadestown and while I don't love Greek myths, I'd recently rewatched Hercules (1997) and had actually enjoyed it, so I wasn't opposed to the idea. It was amusing because in the same week I'd been singing something which my little sister didn't know I knew and she'd been singing Hadestown which I didn't know she knew. She got very exited and wanted me to listen to it, so we started. While playing cards, as you do. I'm terrible at multitasking when it comes to games because I am very competitive so I'd been very focused and hadn't listened at all. Until we got to "Wait for Me". I started paying attention (because how can you NOT with that song??) then started to get a sneaking suspicion that I knew this story even though I didn't recognize the names. I then determined it was the very story that put me off of myths, whoops. We didn't finish it then, but I never really picked it up again.

In 2021 I kept getting ads for Hadestown because it had recently reopened on Broadway. "Living it Up" was living it up in my head, so I started listening from the beginning and LOVED it. But didn't finish. I'm well versed in the first act, but just couldn't make it any farther and it was starting to be that I wanted to experience it one day for myself and didn't want to spoil the surprises, even though I knew the story. I was fully committed to loving it by Jan. 2023, but I just couldn't get myself to finish it yet because I was savoring it by that point.

My school announced this trip in May 2023 and I was interested but not fully committed until Oct 2023. Sometime between those dates I'd looked up what shows would be playing in Mar. 2023 but wasn't interested in any of them. Nov. 2023 rolled around and I looked shows up and WHOA there were a lot of amazing things. 

That's when I found out that Jordan Fisher was going to be Orpheus when I was there. 

You guys don't know how much I love Jordan Fisher. I watched him and loved him on Liv and Maddie, he's my favorite character in the To All the Boys series (John Ambrose forever!!), his version of "You're Welcome" with Lin-Manuel Miranda makes me incredibly happy, etc. You guys get the picture. I usually scream whenever he appears in something when I'm not expecting him. And now I loved Orpheus, so putting the two of them together was going to be dazzling. 

So I've been screaming about it to anyone and everyone ever since. And now I've finally seen Hadestown starring Jordan Fisher. Which I will start raving about once I find the right words.

"Once upon a time there was a railroad line..."

Wrong words, but we'll go with it.

I don't know why I didn't realize that the band is on the stage? They are so lively and really push the energy. I also didn't realize that the muses also always hang out and mostly live to bother Eurydice.

WHICH SPEAKING OF, LOLA TUNG.

I'd heard that Lola Tung was going to be Eurydice, so a few weeks ago I'd watched some of The Summer I Turned Pretty, but wasn't a fan. She was born for Eurydice. Her movements were phenomenal. You truly believed she was racked with hunger and understood every choice she made. Every time she said "Orpheus" broke my heart with all of the meaning piled behind it. She looked scared and desperate and fierce and wounded and resilient all at once. How is it possible to be all of those things at once?? Her singing was absolutely gorgeous and the chemistry with Jordan Fisher was incredible. They were the perfect embodiment of the two characters who have only been in my head until now.

I'm used to André De Shields from the recording but I got to see Lillias White as Hermes. And March 17th was her last day with the show. I was so close to missing her (and Lola Tung is now apparently gone, too?? FOR SHAME BROADWAY). I'm so relieved we got to see her because she. was. outstanding. She was such a sturdy presence to narrate while also being a little cheeky and having this energy that was paced so well. If anyone deserves the title "queen", it's her.

Both Persephone and Hades were incredible, too (I had such serious chills after just hearing Hades's voice). It's their fault I cried because I made it through so much but then after they got me started I couldn't stop.

The ensemble, again, was breathtaking. This is a very small group, only about 5, but they pack a punch. I was talking about this with one of my peers, but Hadestown is on another level. All Broadway shows make you go "wow, that's amazing!" but Hadestown makes you think "I want to do this." For me that was watching the ensemble and seeing what an impact they make being a living, breathing wall. They are the structure for this play and I was thinking that there could be no greater honor in my artistic life than being one of them.

Because I'd heard so many of the songs before I was so curious to see what is happening during those songs. The context explains a lot, but what really sells everything is THE LIGHTING. I don't have words for the power of the lighting in the show. While listening to the soundtrack I'd thought "I wonder how the do XYZ" but I couldn't fathom the show-stoppers that they put forth in the lighting. You have to see it to understand but it is a masterpiece. I want to be a writer, but from seeing the lighting in this show it made me want to create stories that have a visual aspect, not just words on a page.

If I could create something half as good as Hadestown, my heart will be content. The message is an anthem for storytelling and I could talk about it forever, but I'll wrap it up.

Tl;dr:

What I came for: Jordan Fisher

What I stayed for: Lola Tung and Lillias White

Six

This cover is fine, but it's not the cast I saw which is a shame because the cast I saw was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Premise: The six wives of King Henry VIII battle it out to see who was worst treated and should lead this group.

Hmm, an almost better premise would just be the opening lyrics: 

"Divorced, Beheaded, Died. 

Divorced, Beheaded, Survived."

Talk about epic. This is so much stinking fun.

During the trip I was trying---instead of ranking them---to give each musical a "Best" category, kind of like the Oscars. But then they kept overlapping so I can't really decide. Anyway, Six gets some credit for lighting and costumes. And how I was grinning the entire time. Well, there's one song that breaks you a little bit, but besides that I was so happy.

I've wanted to see this forever and it goes with the list of not letting me down.

I saw 7 musicals last week but only three songs have been living rent-free in my head. "Chant" and "Wait for Me" from Hadestown and "Don't Lose Your Head" from Six. Which I wouldn't have expected.

What can I say, I think Anne Boleyn is adorable. Sorry, not sorry. Her song gives such a bubblegum pop sound and I adore it. She reminds me of Paper-Star from Carmen Sandiego, but not as feral. Maybe mixed with Snow White? That combination doesn't even make sense to me but you just have to see her to understand. She's the most Enneagram 7 character I've ever seen in my life and I want a doll that's her in her costume and also tell her gently that there are other ways to have fun.

"Sorry, not sorry 'bout what I said

I'm just tryna have some fun

Don't worry, don't worry, don't lose your head

I didn't mean to hurt anyone"

But she's not my favorite ex-wife, because I don't have one. I love them all equally. So that means you guys get to read my thoughts on all of them.

Catherine of Aragon is such a boss. I have mixed feelings on her inspiration being Beyoncé and Shakira. Beyoncé is perfect, it's Shakira that is the interesting choice. I get that they wanted to use Shakira so they could use Spanish because Catherine of Aragon is from Spain so yay it all works out! Umm, Shakira is from Colombia which speaks Spanish but is not Spain. I don't think it's a bad thing, it's just something to be aware of! Anyway, I loved Catherine of Aragon for her no-nonsense attitude and commanding presence. She's got a "come at me, bro" attitude.

Jane Seymour was splendid (the Little Shop of Horrors reference was funny and I don't even know that show) and I love her softness. She's got a huge claim to back up and she is so graceful. I love that she takes a well-known phrase and COMPLETELY flips the meaning. She is stunning. For the gal I saw portraying her I think it was her debut? She was perfect.

The gal who played Anna of Cleves was so giggly and it made me giggly, too. She could be tough when she wanted to be, then would dissolve into laughs and that resulted in being who my roommates and I talked about the most. She was a joy to watch and lived it up despite being rejected. She seemed to be having the time of her life and I was right there with her.

Kate Howard is the one who broke me and all of that was due to her performance and the choreography. She'd been kind of quiet the whole show and then her song seems like another pop song until it starts it hit when all the emotions change. It really shows you the importance in perspective and the nuance she delivered was so well down. I also just love how she flips her pink ponytail around.

Catherine Parr wears blue so of course I was going love her. She's so delicate and strong at the same time and I can't figure out how she does it. She portrays another internal struggle and you cheer until you realize it's just a song. It's a break from reality in the suspended disbelief and, long story short, it's glorious. Both bookends for the queens do such a good job of commanding attention and the way Catherine Parr deals with the others? She's fantastic.

This show was a party and goes on the list of how I nearly lost my voice from cheering.

(I would shout the amazing actors but my Playbill is in my room where my roommate is on the phone and I don't want to disturb her)

Tl;dr:

All six queens are legends.

&Juliet

Premise: William Shakespeare's wife Anne Hathaway doesn't like the ending to his newest play, so they work on rewriting Romeo and Juliet together with modern jukebox twists.

Being the Shakespeare nerd that I am, I was stoked that I got to see something connected to the Bard.

I didn't realize that this was a jukebox musical? When the started the first song I thought it was a joke until it kept going. I loved that they flipped the meaning on so many of these songs either in tone or the context! In the first half there weren't as many songs as I knew but I was bopping along a lot in the second half.

The ensemble here was one of the biggest I saw! I loved all of their street moves! And speaking of them, the costumes in this show were SO FUN. I loved the Shakespearean influences with modern take. Basically, I want all of these costumes to be my wardrobe.

The little details like May's crown? I loved that they would play with it and it conveyed their feelings.

Which speaking of, I loved May and with all of Shakespeare's cross dressing, gender fluidity feels right. I did not like the going behind the back and the usual "but it's love!" aspect of miscommunication because SO MUCH could've been solved by just talking about it. And I already gave the spiel about how I feel about cheating on a partner once in this post. For this one, yes, you just met that "partner" today, which maybe grants you a little flexibility because everything was going so quickly? And while I thought the song timing was perfect for May, I didn't love everything that was happening.

François was DARLING and he needs the biggest hug. I will give him that he was really, really, REALLY trying to do his best, so I don't fault him at all. People just keep throwing themselves at him and I was like "Give him some space!"

As I mentioned before, there were things that I didn't like about this, for sure, but every complaint I come up with I think if Shakespeare was alive today, then yeah, he'd probably write this story. He's famous for misunderstandings and miscommunication. And he's known for being bawdy and rowdy. Which explains Angelique and Vance's relationship but I could've done without it (and Vance's costume was not my favorite at all). I didn't love the clubbing being the solution to all of the problems but I appreciate that they changed Juliet's age. And the calling it out was HILARIOUS.

In contrast, my absolute favorite relationship was Shakespeare and Anne. They were the heart of this show with figuring out which way it should go. And when I say that I mean, one of them was figuring it out. Shakespeare is such a plotter he knows exactly where he wants it to go while Anne was such a panster and seeing them interact and struggle with each others styles was PERFECT. Ode to writers, my friends. And cowriting. (He also kept quoting himself which was a MOOD. Egotistical mood, yes, but when you're Shakespeare I'll go with it.) And as my sister and I are trying to cowrite something Shakespearean and musical I just wanted to watch it with her.

Speaking of writing, THE PLOT TWISTS. You could probably see them coming if you tried (again, it all felt like Shakespeare would really do it) but I was vibing too much to do that. So I was blown away. There were little things that I'd connected that I'd just felt very satisfied about (being a plotter I could see where Shakespeare was trying to hint at things) but the one caught me completely off guard.

I loved the references to the play itself like acknowledging Rosalind. Though I wanted more Benevolio because the two seconds we had of her was not enough but was brilliant.

One of my favorite parts, too, was listening to one of my companions laugh behind me because he laughed at all the places I wouldn't have expected.

Tl;dr:

I won't argue about the Shakespearean approval because I'm so amused by Will and Anne themselves. And I now want to breakdance and hang off of a chandelier all while keeping an eye on François. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Premise: The descendants of the original series struggle with living up to their parents reputations and Albus and Scoripus alarm everyone by becoming friends.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MAGIC, THIS IS IT.

If Water for Elephants is "Circus meets Broadway", then this is "Magic show meets Broadway". The engineering that went into this show to do everything blows. my. mind. I don't know if it was light or projection but they made the air vibrate. VIBRATE. Have y'all ever made the air vibrate? They also made some of the most realistic looking natural light that I've ever seen?? How?? They had fire, water, you name it.

All I want to do is scream about every detail, but you have to see it yourself to believe it.

I mean, it's not like I hadn't been warned. I really had been. My advisor actually went on this trip two years ago and when I brought up that I was thinking about it she insisted that I go and see this show. That's how much she enjoyed it. And I'd read the script itself (and talked about it here on the blog!) and enjoyed it enough, but it's really meant to be seen live. Reading the script I'd often rolled my eyes because "You can't do that on stage". It was simply too ridiculous.

THEY PROVED ME WRONG.

THEY FULL ON DID IT. 

There's this scene in particular with a bookcase and they pulled it off. Against every odd in the universe, the pulled it off?? SO COOL.

It seemed to start so casually for how epic it would build too? It was like, oh a train station. Then only later committed to knocking the socks off of every audience member. Such a deceiving little show and I adore. I adore.

Also there is a giant nest on the building next to the theatre. A. Giant. Nest. So this theatre and Walter Kerr for Hadestown get props best outside decorations.

The only non-musical I saw yet it holds up just as well as any of the showtune show-stoppers.

I mean, the sheer dramatics of the ensemble. It was so Extra (TM) and I was there for it. Every single movement is followed or preceded by a dramatic cape swirl and while that has a double purpose for hiding interactions for set and prop placement, it is also so over the top in the best way. When my friends on the trip asked what role out of any of the shows I would want to be, I said I just want to swoosh my cloak.

With that, too, set movements and representing the passage of time (IYKYK) was genius. Moving staircases make you feel like you are in Hogwarts. And it could've gotten boring so quickly, but the emotions of the actors SOLD IT.

Scoripius was my favorite as we all expected but Albus also needs a hug. Albus was played so much angrier than I'd read him and it worked so well! I remember being really mad at Harry in the script, but while his actions are not right, the actor we saw portrayed the stress so well? You just want Harry and Albus to see each other's perspectives and it hurts. Stories that hurt are the best. The double casting was so ironic in parts. I also got to talk to one of the actors which was amazing...

It's been a couple of years since I read the script, so I didn't remember a lot of it? More than I thought! And they did such a good job of keeping it engaging whether or not you knew the story!

Speaking of, they also changed some things. Added some nuance. And I was here. for. it. I appreciate both versions and because of that appreciated the changes that went into this. It's okay to have different versions of a story and to let a story develop on its own to reach different people.

Tl:dr:

Hollywood could never. Movie magic is no match for Broadway and theatre magic.

Wicked

Premise: Giving the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz a backstory where she and Glinda were in school together.

I finally know what this is about! It's only been around for 20 years, so it's about time.

I'd known very few things about this show, but what I thought was the big finale was apparently only the finale of the first act? Everything in the second act was a huge surprise and I did not think they would go there.

There are so many fascinating themes of prejudice, whether about skin color or race that you wouldn't expect in the wonderful world of Oz, and that's the whole point, it's breaking the wonder to make you question what's really going on. It has themes of the horrors of colonization and for some reason I didn't see that coming? I did not realize that these were the messages of this show.

Elphaba's desperation to stop everything being her motivation? Such a unique take! I'm sure people have talked about this in a way that is much more eloquent than I can do. And I didn't expect her relationship with her sister to hurt so much. She's so relatable and I usually get annoyed with characters who lose their tempers quickly, but I always understood why she'd been pushed too far. Maybe part of it is she's always sorry, too, so she takes that responsibility but never just blames it on "well, I have a temper". Her connection with the one professor? That was so sweet! I also have been that student so many times, so it made me quite happy.

It makes you think about morally-grey vs. morally-green vs. what if we're all just color blind? The line "no one mourns the wicked" BROKE ME early on.

Glinda was such an interesting character and I can imagine her being played in so many different ways. The stereotypical blonde, but she can lie which is her asset and her disadvantage? She fits the role of politician so well but she feels deeper than just being "popular". I can't place my finger on what it is. She seemed aware but also clueless? She is the embodiment of having a perfect world broken and realizing it was never perfect at all.

I'm not sure what I think of Fiyero. He doesn't get a ton of time on the stage, but he always was carrying nuance. I think he symbolizes being who people want you to be, and I hadn't thought of those pressures for his circumstances before?

I called one (1) of the twists within the first second that it appeared, so I'm proud of that. One of my friends on the trip called what I felt like was the biggest surprise and when she pointed out the foreshadowing I couldn't believe that I missed it.

I probably shouldn't have watched this the same day that I saw Harry Potter because I was having trouble suspending my disbelief for the stage magic. I had seen real magic happen, so a metal bubble was not convincing. But after the first scene I was able to slip into the right amount of letting the magic come to life.

Continuing with the theme of Extra (TM), why was there a dragon on top of the stage? A dragon THAT MOVES? But is never ever part of the story?? Like, everything starts with "at the hour ---- of the dragon clock", but that is the only time it was ever mentioned? Don't get me wrong, I'm here for it. I just wanted to know why. I guess that's what Broadway does for you.

And now to get to my big comment about this show. I struggled with this show because I always struggle with villain backstories. There's something about knowing the ending that makes me feel hopeless about the characters because you know where it's going to end up. I don't mean that I can't watch or read stories where I know the ending (y'all I LOVE Anna Karenina and I knew the ending going into that), but that the author has to force the characters to reach a predetermined fate. You know that everything they choose will lead back to the end. And I don't like that. I don't like feeling trapped like that (and it's why I struggle with the Star Wars prequels).

BUT, this is all to say that Wicked is one of the best villain backstories I've EVER experienced. I didn't realize I was anxious about it until everything ended and I thought "WAIT A MINUTE, that was sooooooo well done." I was very content on that score.

Another place that I was struggling is that I'm too much of a fan of the universe to take alterations lightly. It's hard because it takes so much inspiration from the OG book, but at the same time, I was like "that isn't cannon!" when they incorporated characters but gave them different trajections? And yes, I know that's the point of retellings. It felt weird that they were in college? I ADORE the movie Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), which gives a different origin story for the Wicked Witch of the West, so it was hard to get beyond that. I probably shouldn't love that movie as much as I do, but it's true.

Sorry, guys, I don't usually get this perplexed about changes.

I really did enjoy it, it's making me rethink a lot of things! And I think I'd like it better on a rewatch because I'd be able to understand where it's going and pick up a lot more things.

"Defying Gravity" is hyped for a reason. It's amazing.

My chest felt empty when the show finished, and that's what the best stories do to you.

Tl;dr:

Thought-provoking about the meaning of the word "wicked", but I also love Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) so it's okay to have different versions of the same story.

Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Premise: Returned from being wrongly imprisoned, newly named Sweeney Todd vows revenge in this cautionary tale.

I SAW AARON TVEIT.

GUYS. HE WAS IN FRONT OF ME SINGING.

*dies*

Footage of how I felt.

Ahem.

My mom has sung the line "Sweeney Todd the Demon! Barber! of Fleet! Street!" for about as long as I can remember and I knew the premise (even deeper than I gave above) but (or because of that) I wasn't that interested in it. But it was around the same time that I learned Jordan Fisher was going to be Orpheus I learned Aaron Tveit was going to be Sweeney Todd for a limited run right when I was going to be in NYC. And my one hope is that I would see both of them. I'm so grateful to my professor that I did.

Do you guys know how much I love Aaron Tveit? (Editing MC realizes I said almost the exact same thing for Jordan Fisher...) Probably not because I don't think I've talked about this, but Enjolras, and more specifically Aaron Tveit's portrayal of Enjolras, is my favorite part of Les Mis. His energy is what I aim to be in all aspects of my life, especially schoolwork. It's become a tradition that by the end of the semester I start to listen to "Paris / Look Down" on repeat to listen to him yelling about when the barricades will arise. So yeah, I'm a fan.

Seeing him live was incredible because he was so growly with his singing. One of my fellow students on the trip didn't love the idea of him, a famous tenor, taking the role of a famous baritone, but I loved it. He was so creepy. So. Incredibly. Creepy. His glare??

The lighting also contributed to this because, hello, it was FANTASTIC. The red lights. That's all that needs to be said. The other red stuff was a little toooooo real for me, so I had to stop looking after awhile when that would happen.

This isn't a show that you enjoy because it's a cautionary tale, but it was one of the best quality shows that I saw. It's Broadway, so the quality for all of them is out of this world, but the strings they pulled with the singing and orchestra and lighting and everything being so exactly on time. For example, with one song Aaron was singing and it was so lovely vocally and then I realized a song about knives shouldn't be this pretty. As opposed to Kimberly Akimbo, maybe I could get behind this because it's a period piece. To clarify, I do not get behind the actions but that's the point--no one does!--but can appreciate the story that's being told.

I also saw Joe Locke for a fraction of a second (okay, it was probably 10 seconds) and instead of the crying reaction I got from Grant Gustin I was squirming in my chair and shaking and squealing on the inside because he's so precious. I don't know what happened because the next time the character appeared it was Joe Locke's understudy and Joe never came back. So best wishes for him! But I was kind of relieved as the show went on because his character Tobias was so complex but I wouldn't want to watch my darling Joe make those same decisions. It would wreck me. I don't doubt that Joe does it wonderfully well, I just wouldn't be able to handle my sweet Charlie (his character on Heartstopper) doing that.

Though it would've been cool to hear him sing "Not While I'm Around" because that goes into the category of one of the most gorgeous songs in existence. While watching it I was thinking that it was so pretty, but also very concerned. Concerned because the relationships in this show are so iffy. We'd already gotten a weird guardian/ward relationship and I did not want that to happen again with Toby just being the other way around. Upon consideration, I don't think it's like that. This song is a sincere pure love. *goes to research types of love* I'm no expert from my quick Google search but I think this is pragma or storge? Anyway, it's soul wrenching and I love it. Keep it on repeat, please and thank you. (at least until I start to cry...)

Speaking of Les Mis, has there ever been such a Marius-like character as Anthony? At first Anthony was reminding me of Antonio from Twelfth Night (basically the same name and a captain? Hmm...) but then the Marius aspect really took over. And I stan a sweetheart like him but I will also say, hun, you. just. saw. her. so. help. me. But then I sigh deeply and see what we can do for him. In an adorable grand gesture he got her a bird. The symbolism of the bird in the cage was so interesting and I kind of wanted more of it!

But guys, the solution to "but I don't want to get married!" is not "get married to someone else."

Speaking of those gross relationships, I have a story about watching it. I'd known this one guy was a slime ball and snake but then he went too far. And I was horrified. At the same time one of the girls on the trip who was sitting right behind me started softly laughing and giggling and losing it. I was doubly horrified because how could you laugh at that?? I confronted her about this later and the reason she was laughing? Me. Apparently I had gasped in disgust and as she knew the story already, my reaction was so extreme that it sent her into stitches. 

One big plot twist I saw coming because I know Sondheim. But the rest of it, how in the world did he come up with such a bizarre plot?? Mr. Sondheim, RIP, but were you okay? Do I even want to know?

Now for the pièce de résistance: Sutton Foster.

I can honestly say I have never seen an actress like Sutton Foster. The way that she committed was so over the top and so brilliant. My biggest role that I've been in (which I keep meaning to write a post about, sheesh) is a character that people laugh at. While, as P. T. Barnum is credited for saying, "The noblest art is that of making others happy.", it can be very humbling to be the character that is only there to be made a fool. So I get what it's like to be in that headspace. And as far as characters go, I do not know an equivalent for Mrs. Lovett. I have no clue what she knows and what she doesn't know? She can accept horrible events in the blink of an eye; she comes up with demonic ideas; she wines that her pies are too dusty; and she can say "eat up, Deary" and make you wonder how much she cares? She is SUCH a fascinating character who could be one-dimensional but Sutton's commitment to the bit, if you will, made me question everything I know.

Sutton was phenomenal.

She also made Aaron break. Yes, I've heard people say that's planned, but I don't think so. She just is so radiant that you can't help but laugh when she commands you laugh. Still, you don't get breaks in character like that in a movie, so that's what live theater is for.

Tl;dr:

What I came for: Aaron Tveit and Joe Locke

What I stayed for: Sutton Foster

That's all folks! 

Thank you so much for reading if you made it this far! How many of these shows do you know, whether by music or movie version? Have you ever seen anything on Broadway? What's your favorite theatre experience you've had? What do you guys think my ranking of these is? Based on my thoughts can you guess which are my favorites?

What are your thoughts on prequels, backstories, or retellings? Thoughts on a tenor playing a baritone? Do you know any of these actors I've raved about? Tell me anything that stuck out to you in this post because I'd love to chat!

Hope you guys are having a great start to April!

Chloe the MovieCritic