Watch Oz: The Great and Powerful

Oz: The Great and Powerful is a 2013 fantasy movie that serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. Directed by Sam Raimi, the movie tells the story of a small-time magician named Oscar Diggs (played by James Franco) who is whisked away from Kansas to the enchanted land of Oz. There, he encounters a trio of witches - Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams) - and discovers that he might be the prophesized wizard who is destined to save Oz from darkness.

The movie begins in black and white, paying homage to the iconic 1939 classic, with Oscar Diggs performing as a magician in a traveling circus. He is a charming but selfish man who is always looking for his next big break. After a mishap involving a strongman, Oscar is forced to flee in a hot air balloon and finds himself swept away by a tornado. He wakes up in the colorful and magical land of Oz, where he is greeted by a beautiful witch named Theodora, who believes him to be the prophesized wizard who will vanquish the Wicked Witch and restore peace to Oz.

Despite his reluctance, Oscar decides to pose as the wizard and embarks on a quest to defeat the wicked witch. Along the way, he meets several interesting characters, including a talking China Girl and a flying monkey named Finley, who become his loyal companions on his journey. He also teams up with Glinda, the good witch of the South, who helps him understand his true potential as a great and powerful wizard.

The movie is visually stunning, with vibrant and colorful landscapes, intricate creature designs, and impressive special effects. The costumes and makeup are also noteworthy, especially for the witches, who are each distinguishable by their unique outfits and distinct personalities.

James Franco delivers a solid performance as Oscar Diggs, portraying his character’s gradual transformation from a selfish and superficial conman to a hero who genuinely cares about the people of Oz. His interactions with the other characters - particularly the charming banter between him and Finley - provide some of the movie's funniest moments.

The three witches are also well-played, with Mila Kunis as naive and passionate Theodora, Rachel Weisz as the power-hungry Evanora, and Michelle Williams as the wise and gentle Glinda. Each witch brings a different dynamic to the story, and their complex relationships with each other add depth to the plot.

One of the movie’s strengths is how it handles the classic characters and story elements of The Wizard of Oz. While there are plenty of nods to the original movie (such as the iconic ruby slippers and the yellow brick road), Oz: The Great and Powerful never feels like a carbon copy. It does a good job of creating its own world, while still paying tribute to the original source material.

Overall, Oz: The Great and Powerful is a visually stunning and entertaining movie that offers a fresh perspective on the beloved world of Oz. While it might not have the same timeless appeal as The Wizard of Oz, it's still a solid addition to the franchise that is worth watching for fans of the fantasy genre.

Oz: The Great and Powerful is a 2013 fantasy movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 10 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 44.