Wicked: For Good is the near perfect follow-up to last year's box office hit

Promotional Art for Wicked: For Good

After the masterclass in musical theater adaptations that the first Wicked movie was last year, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Wicked: For Good. Not only was I excited to see how they expanded on the second act of the musical, but my absolute favorite BANGER of a song is in this one. And I am happy to report the Wicked team (broom)sticked the landing!

And as a result, I have been changed for good.

One of the biggest critiques of the musical is a valid one: Act 2 is rushed, choppy, and has a couple of plot holes compared to the relatively flawless Act 1. It was one of the main reasons I was excited when it was announced that Wicked would be split into two movies: it would give the production team a chance to expand on this part of the story and fix the issues. And fix them they did! The pacing is perfect, the additions gave the characters so much more depth, and the tone shift doesn't feel anywhere near as jarring.

Everyone still plays their parts to perfection, as the dramatic irony of Dorothy's arrival in Oz slowly creeps forward. Like in the musical, they never show Dorothy's face, and I think this was for the best. This isn't her story; in fact, everyone would prefer if she had never shown up in the first place. It's a fun way to counter the Wizard of Oz expectations and focus on the story at hand.

The costuming and makeup work deserve to win the Oscar. This is doubled when it comes to the design of the Tin Man. His costume, combined with a few CGI effects in his joints, and makeup, was so perfectly done that it was hard to believe there was a human inside of it. It truly looked as if he were made of tin, and I hope there are a ton of BTS features explaining how his look came together.

Overall, the film exceeded my expectations. It fixed the problems of the musical, added in so much of what I wanted, and made me fall in love with the land of Oz all over again. I guess if I have to say one thing I felt they should have done differently, it would have been to find a singing double for Michelle Yeoh because she really should not have tried to sing. But if that's the only real thing I would change in the movie? I'd say it's a sign they once again defied gravity - and will justifiably fly all the way to the top of the box office.

However, I can't talk about the musical without also talking about the songs, so here's a review of every song in the movie. There are a few minor spoilers, so be warned. If you're looking to avoid them, bookmark this and come back after you experience them.

• Every Day More Wicked - I loved what they added to this song, especially as the musical DOESN'T start with it. It slips in so well after the first scene and truly emphasizes the propaganda Madame Morrible has used to put Oz in a chokehold.
  

• Thank Goodness/I Couldn't Be Happier - Ariana Grande's ability to portray so many conflicting emotions at once truly deserves an Oscar. And I am still shocked to be saying that after I hated her casting when it was first announced. I was truly impressed not only with her soprano, as I was with the first movie, but with how well she shows the fight between Glinda's shallow nature and the depth she earned over the course of the first movie.
  

• No Place Like Home - The scene this song is in comes with an emotional gut punch I didn't see coming. Yet, the song itself felt way too simple compared with the rest of the songs in the musical. It felt like they were trying a little too hard to make the Wizard of Oz reference, so they didn't give it the needed emotional depth.
  

• The Wicked Witch of the East - It has been years since I have seen the musical, and as this was the song they didn't include on the OBC album, I honestly forgot it exists. And while it has so much plot importance, and Marissa Bode does an amazing job with it, I wish they had done a little more to the song itself. I would have loved to see Nessa come to terms with her own wickedness a little more dramatically.
  

• Wonderful - Adding Glinda to this song makes it better. The Wizard's songs are both important to understand who he is, but his motivations in taking over Oz. In shifting it to a duet with Glinda, it helps the audience understand why Elphaba would be willing to give the Wizard a second chance, and while she's shattered when his true nature is once again revealed.
  

• I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) - Not a lyric was changed, but this song hits SO different with the changes to the story. I wasn't expecting to shed tears for this one, I never had before. But I think this version shows how shattered Glinda is better than the show ever could.
  

• As Long As You're Mine - I swooned. I knew these two were going to rock it, but I was truly NOT. READY. It will be playing on repeat as soon as the album drops. And I truly need Sexiest Man Alive Jonathan Bailey in more musicals, please and thank you.
  

• No Good Deed - Okay, this is my favorite song in the musical, and IT EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. They added some visuals in I did not expect, which made this gut-punch of a song hit even harder. It will be living rent free in my mind for all time.
  

• March of the Witch Hunters - THE ANGER. THE RAGE. I have NEVER seen it come across so well. I was terrified on Elphie's behalf. I honestly forgot Ethan Slater was playing Boq with this one, because of how feral his anger was.
  

• The Girl in the Bubble - This song needs to be added to the musical ASAP. It does WONDERS for Glinda's characterization, and I think adding it to the stage show would actually help put to rest a lot of the critiques that have followed the show since it first came out.
  

• For Good - A classic. My high school choir sang this song every year at graduation. The final duet between Glinda and Elphaba is a tear-jerker, as they say their goodbyes. However, unlike the musical, there is still a lot of movie after this - and honestly, that's for the best.