Hollywood Popular Artists

Jul 13th 2012, 16:00

By Meg Malone

Just as we hoped after seeing the debut poster last week, we didn't have to wait too long to get a closer look at director Sam Raimi's upcoming film, "Oz: The Great and Powerful." Disney released the trailer yesterday, and based on what's here, Raimi's take on author L. Frank Baum's imagined world is certainly captivating.

After an opening sequence in black and white (which side note, but does it remind anyone else a bit of scenes from last year's "Hugo," with the early-days-of-film look and magician content?), Oscar Diggs (James Franco) takes the next tornado to Oz, and that's when things get really intriguing.

For all the dusty gray in the original poster, the trailer doesn't hold back on stunning visuals once Diggs makes it into Emerald City territory. The rich colors pop right off the screen, from the crystal blue sky to the lush botanical surroundings to mysterious little creatures that remind me of those things Lockhart unleashed on Harry and company in class one day in "Chamber of Secrets" (anybody?).

This is our first chance to not only get acquainted with the Raimi-Oz world, but also to really see the characters. No longer do we need to squint at the poster to see James Franco there in his balloon, but also we get to see the three witch sisters played by Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz. We'll probably get to learn even more about their characters in the future, but to continue with the visual emphasis, it's worth noting that their costumes are definitely worth getting excited over. From from that giant hat Kunis wears when we first see her to that gorgeous white dress that Williams dons as Glinda, it'll be great to see how the rest of Oz is also outfitted.

Finally, the inside the cyclone shot has solidified my fear of both hot-air balloons and tornados, so may I suggest finding another mode of transportation to the theater when "Oz: The Great and Powerful" is released on March 8, 2013.

Like what you see in the "Oz The Great and Powerful" trailer? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!

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