So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Today - after a 1 year wait - I finally watched The Great Gatsby (cue: "Gatsby? What Gatsby?").  After a 5-hour intermission since le fin du film, I've decided that it satisfies my general expectations.

Firstly, the the casting was perfect. Excuse me for the following run-on sentence: Tobey Maguire was a spot-on bystander/narrator-Nick, Elizabeth Debicki (and her meter long torso) absolutely encapsulated Jordan's essence, Joel Edgerton (aka Owen Lars) and his slitted snake-eyes embodied Tom Buchanan, Isla Fisher was a classic, wild and pitiful Myrtle (I'll never watch Confessions of a Shopaholic the same way ever again), Jason Clarke was a horrifyingly terrific Wilson (kudos to the makeup artist), Carey Mulligan WAS stunning as the beautiful and foolish Daisy (she also pulled off the accent really well), and finally, Leonardo Dicaprio (or as my family likes to fondly call him: 'Leo Dicap') stole the entire show as Gatsby. Gatsby's initial proper appearance is one of the top 10 best moments of the entire film; fireworks were going off behind him, he looked dashing in his suit - Luhrmann executed it perfectly. Is 'Leonardo Dicaprio' not one of the most beautiful names of all time?

Luhrmann treated the COSTUME DESIGN of the film with the respect and prudence it deserved, so the costumes unsurprisingly turned out as one of the most satisfying aspects of the film. The set design, too, was quite spectacular - that golden harpsichord! The opening credits of the movie are just incredible (Gatsby's logo!) - trust Luhrmann to find some way to incorporate some modern and extravagant embellishment any adaptation of a classic. The trailer itself already gives us a generous dosage of the flamboyance of the jazz age.

Luhrmann certainly did everything in his power to emphasize the green light (a bit overdone, honestly), Dr. Eckleburg (chilling!! "towards death" *and we see Eckleberg*) and most of the stellar quotes (again, literally spelling them out was a tad trite), and all the actors did a swell job. All in all, I'm content with this adaptation, in terms of loyalty to the book; nonetheless, I suppose this story is one I prefer to see in print, told in Fitzgerald's masterful prose, rather than on screen. There were undeniable perfect-moments, though, including the one depicted in the still below. In 143 minutes, we are amused, dazzled and broken-hearted all at once. Try not to melt everytime Gatsby looks at Daisy.

Personally, I was not very much affected by the fact that Luhrmann decided to film The Great Gatsby in 3D, and I know that there would be an omission of certain fabulously filmed and custom-made-for-3D scenes had Luhrmann decided to stick with 2D (the film would have been a booming hit anyway).

Sadly, the soundtrack was a letdown. Too much Lana Del Rey (seriously... lana del rey + intimate Gatsby-Daisy scene = wrong) and too little jazz - classic for Baz Luhrmann to edge towards Jay-Z (well, Jay-Z's music would be the soundtrack to all of a 21st century Gatsby's parties, and plus Jay-Z himself produced the film).

The Great Gatsby is a profound tale, regardless of how it is told, and has/will touched/touch generations. We are ultimately all, to some extent, believers in the green light.

I don't want to be a good man... I want to be a great one

ALERT: THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS 

I just got back from watching Oz: the Great and Powerful (aka much needed Franco time, aka much needed diversion, aka much needed reassurance of the legitimacy of 3D in film).

Time seriously whizzes by; I remember when there only existed a frail IMBD page of this movie, and now it's out! Next thing you know the movie adaptation of Child of God (seriously two of my favorite people smushed in one; Franco + McCarthy) will be out! Next thing you know I'll be 50! Lord.

Anyway, first off: THE SOUNDTRACK IS MARVELOUS! At times it resonates with the Star Wars theme, and even (strange: this could be just me) One Day More, but all in all it is extremely Elfman-ish (listen to the Charlotte's Web score and you'll understand) and he did a beautiful job incorporating circus-like/spooky/new-world elements into the score.

Music is fantastically used in this movie; Oz begins with his lame music box that 'his grandmother gave to him' and then we delve deeper into Oz, where the lilly pads resemble piano keys and the vines are wind chimes.


THE MAIN IDEA: Nothing is what it seems to be
Then entire world of Oz is proof enough of this theory - it is implied that Franco Oz winds up there after yelling at the heavens to give him a chance (which was a line, I must say, Franco could have put more effort into delivering). And it just so happens to be named after him, just so happens to offer the opportunities he did not have in 'real life' (fabulous parallels between Annie & Glenda, wooing May (!!!!!!!) and Theodora, not being able to help the little girl walk yet curing the China Girl...).

So nothing is what it seems to be! Glenda seems like the witch of death until she takes off her dreaded cloak (but to be honest, I always thought there was something sketchy about green-sequin-clad Rachel Weisz/Evanora). The China girl seems teeny weeny until she single-handedly delivers the magic wand to Glenda. Oz seems like all he desires is gold until he pulls his greatest act. And... what is the land of Oz? Just a figment of Oz's imagination to seize the girl of his dreams and become the great (or as Glenda later puts it, good) man he always wanted to be? Side note: the battle over greatness/goodness is a discussion for a later time; I think I touched on it enough in my East of Eden review.

Then again...

It is what it is if you believe it to be.

And this is the entire point of Oz sustaining his wizard status, and his purpose for remaining in Oz.

Overall, this movie was wonderful! Yes, this is a biased James Franco fan speaking. Still, the 3D was incredible at times (HONESTLY), the entire cinematic scope (the bubbles, the colors, the magical land of Oz) was beautiful, and the story was extremely well-rounded. It had all the necessary ups/downs/plot exploits.  Fantastic use of special effects (the opening credits especially)! Mila Kunis, may I add, was a fabulous screecher. 

There are many reasons to watch this movie - Franco  to admire the special effects used is definitely the top of the list!