Wicked
If the build-up to the oncoming Christmas holidays has you craving sparkles, pizazz and unyieldingly magical entertainment, then the big screen adaptation of Wicked, one of the most popular Broadway musicals off all time, will not leave you wanting when it comes to fantasy and magic.
Bringing hugely successful musicals to the screen can be an arduous task for any director, but Jon M. Chu is well experienced when it comes to bringing the raw energy of a stage production to the cinema screen.
If you enjoyed the movie version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights, and the infectiously upbeat Step-Up sequels, then you'll know that Chu can deliver.
Ariana Grande takes on Kristin Chenoweth’s role as Glinda the Good Witch, while The Color Purple's Cynthia Erivo puts her stamp on Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West, original played by the inimitable Idina Menzel.
Split into two parts, Wicked is an origins story of the Hollywood classic The Wizard of Oz, with part one focusing on how Glinda and Elphaba become close friends on their youth, with the eternally good Glinda empowering and protecting Elphaba who is seen by the community as green-skinned outsider.
Like other stage-to-screen musical adaptations, such as Hairspray and Mamma Mia!, Wicked is the kind of flick you can enjoy on a night out with your friends.
A spectacular and powerful experience that defies gravity (sorry, I couldn't resist!), Wicked is an absolute must-see!
The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa's Sleigh
Released throughout Europe as 'Niko: Beyond the Northern Lights', this funny little Christmas flick has been brought to the screen as a collaboration between multiple Nordic production companies and a very talented team at the Galway-based Moetion Films.
With exquisite and truly magical animation that won't fail to capture the imagination of your little ones, The Magic Reindeer is a simple yet affecting animated adventure that doesn't have a Disney-sized budget, but manages to shine with its own unique and spirited charm.
The action here follows little Niko, a young reindeer with a dream he wants to make a reality, by joining Santa’s elite Flying Forces on Christmas eve. But Niko isn't the only one with ambitious dreams of joining Santa's sleigh crew, with Stella, an equally fired-up rival, entering the competition to spice things up.
As you'd expect, both Niko and Stella lock horns in their bid to become the big man's newest flying ace, but their plans are put on hold when Santa's sleigh is stolen one night and Christmas looks set to be cancelled.
Setting out on a perilous mission to retrieve the magical sleigh, Niko and Stella must learn to set their differences aside and work together if they are to save Christmas for everyone.
An enjoyable little film with lovely animation and robust performances from the voice cast, The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa's Sleigh will delight the kiddos in the run-up to the Christmas holidays.
