afatchineseboy

Zootopia 2 corrects the ‘cop-a-ganda’ record of the first movie with punny style Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde re-evaluate their platon-ish relationship – with policing as a means of creating positive change in the world

Yesterday, I saw Wicked: For Good and Zootopia 2.

One was an unnecessary sequel about the plight of animals, brought to life onscreen in garish colours.

The other was Zootopia 2.

Here's my Critic's Pick review of Disney's best sequel in years.

www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/film...

this doesn't change the way I think about narrative, but just a pondering. Because Will Parry keeps talking about how moved they were by girl in the bubble and how they're glinda, so sure, yes.

I wonder if in the blockbuster, we forgive disjointed plot for these powerful moments - in a similar way to dance, but in a container that still favors narrative though in a sloppier way.

Superman - which has a kind of meandering second act, but sticks the landing in act 3. Or the Fast and the Furious films (wicked is better than these), which at it's peak succeed for sequences of action.

I think about Captain America: The Winter Soldier, a movie that doesn't really have clear character arcs, but is really popular because of it's overall tension and well choreographed combat (a theatre artist in Hamilton tried arguing to me that Cap is a dynamic character but hmmm...). I think about

it all, if sometimes having incredibly effective moments versus a cohesive linear plot is also something that can lead to commercial success? this isn't something I'm interested in pursuing in my own work, I just think I'm always interested in the populist response to things

Purely looking at the moments alone, I found the moment after For Good incredibly moving (the stuff through the door was like a nicer version of the Bear season 2's ending), the Wicked Witch of the East stuff really well put together and No Good Deed to be standouts. But I wonder - with the MCU of

is linear. Whereas in dance the container is based on moments. So then, why is Wicked part 2 incredibly popular? Is it Gay Avatar/MCU - where fight sequences (songs in Wicked's case) are what people are really watching it for? Or are these moments more than the sum of it's parts?

gave me pause. This friend who messaged me said that Wicked succeeds not because of it's linearity, but because of moments it lands very effectively - beyond Defying Gravity. She compared it to contemporary dance (a form I'm starting to work in). I don't know if I buy this myself because the form

(still not great, but I never have the ick when I see the musical. i'm a little let down, but never more). maybe it's because theatre is a more abstract form for me versus film (we have to imagine Oz beyond the set, versus in the movie the Emerald City is fully revealed in CGI). But still, this DM

Because Wicked is a linear plot, framed with rising/falling action, this perspective doesn't ring true for me. Even though it's act 2 is wonky, I think I buy the sort of non follow through of No Good Deed more in the musical versus the movie.

A colleague Dm'd me about this saying that Wicked succeeds as a piece of subtextual fiction for her rather than cathartic fiction with a linear plot, especially from her perspective as a sapphic. I'm not queer, but I wonder if this holds true for other queer folks who've seen the movie.

In No good deed (absolute banger), Elphaba vows to be more wicked. We don't see this in the action of the movie - though in the OG, she kidnaps dorothy after this, which i guess is more wicked than her mild/ineffective activism. She immediately gives up as soon as she finds out fiyero is dead.

I'm still thinking about Wicked part 2 and how frustrated it made me versus the musical (which also has a weak act 2, but feels less frustrating somehow).

Really impressed with Oleanna two nights ago and the nuance Anthony Goncharov found in his precise direction. Closes this weekend (and don't let Mamet stop you from going. The work is really good).

I think people were upset because there was a lot of anonymity around it and it's jury and it was hard / confusing to know whether or not any of that jury had seen your show. The lack of transparency further fed the usual feeling of sour grapes from not getting nominated.

Toronto theatre awards being back with no controversy and being taken seriously is indicative of 2025's world state

Column: The Stratford Festival of theater rediscovers a beating Canadian heart This summer’s slate includes “Annie,” a very Canadian “Anne of Green Gables,” the thought-provoking “Forgiveness” and a very moving “Winter’s T…

"With some judicious cutting, Anne of Green Gables strikes me as a very viable Broadway show." V nice notice for Kat Sandler - and Caroline "star of the Stratford summer" Toal - from Chris Jones in the Chicago Trib. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/30/c...

Fantastic four being mediocre was made up for by my favourite Toronto theatre Redditter reappearing the the sub. God bless her.

TORONTO FRINGE poster, with a red brick background. Text proclaims: "You asked, we listened! "Atrium Bar open until 12am midnight July 12 & 13. "Late night serving hours for closing weekend!"

Tonight's silent disco range, I've heard, will cover both Old Flame Brewing and The Young Centre, so dancers will have multiple rooms in which to get their groove on. #FringeTO

15 @toronto-fringe.bsky.social shows in and faves are Zeitgeist, Potato, Potato and Iris (though this is ENTIRELY based on what was pulled today. If you see Iris, I really encourage you to pick the ring box, because you get something special and magical, ESPECIALLY if it's the 11 o'clock number).

Sold out @toronto-fringe.bsky.social show got out of Michael Young Theatre @ 11:15pm tonight. Young Centre bar was closed. Patio must close @ 11pm, fine. But why forego $1000s in drink sales inside? Crowd stayed until forced out @ 12am. Does Soulpepper even WANT the #FringeTO community there??

I always telling @aislingmurph.bsky.social to shred every show she sees so that's my #deathwish

we miss you on reddit.

christopher hoile claiming to speak for "most children" is my favourite review of 2025

The Last of Us season 2 failed Ellie in service of safe TV Craig Mazin laughing at Ellie being incompetent is the last straw

www.polygon.com/analysis/602...

Hard agree.

It’s one of Shakespeare’s so-called ‘problem plays,’ but in the hands of the Stratford company it’s a must-see production Director Antoni Cimolino’s “The Winter’s Tale” places complete trust in the material and in the skill of its cast. The result is astounding.

It’s one of Shakespeare’s so-called ‘problem plays,’ but in the hands of the Stratford Festival, it’s a must-see production.

My first four-star review out of this year's Stratford opening week, now up @thestar.com.

Don't miss this one!

the other 9 (not in order) are probably...

Butcher
Salesman in China
Brantwood
Is God Is
Sunset Blvd
The Inheritance
Fat Ham (broadway)
Prince Hamlet
School Girls (The African mean girls play)

Maybe in my top 10 shows of all time

I think in the game I could accept it more because you travel with Dina a lot and you hear banter and them connect about little things. Theres downtime in exploring the queer bookstore and stuff. So yeah, curious.