A Visually Stunning yet Emotionally Hollow Reimagining of the Wizard of Oz
James Dolan's Sphere has transformed classic films into immersive spectacles, and its latest offering is no exception. The Wizard of Oz, now rebranded as "The Wizard of Oz at Sphere," is a dazzlingly supersized and grotesquely manipulated version of the 1939 classic. The event, which unfolded on a 160,000-square-foot LED screen with 16K resolution, left audiences in awe, but its emotional resonance was lost amidst an onslaught of visual effects.
The production design is stunning, with beautifully crisp landscapes and buildings that feel uncannily real. Sepia-toned Kansas is starkly handsome, complete with razor-sharp bales of hay, lifelike barnyard chickens and cows, and an expansive copper sky overhead. Even the tornado sequence has been amplified, giving a truly immersive dimension to Hollywood's adaptation of Frank L. Baum's fairy tale.
However, when it comes to the cast, the digital wizardry falls short. The actors are upconverted in terms of resolution but lack skin pores, leaving them eerily smooth and plastic. Dorothy and her trio look like they've been placed on a sticker-book figurine, with a loss of gravity to their movements. Toto, too, seems digitally fuzzy.
The background actors are also compromised, with A.I.-enhanced loops making them stand out in ways that feel unnatural and unsettling. It's deeply distracting to see them staring straight into the camera with dead-eyed smiles. The film's emotionally poignant climax is similarly affected, with each of Dorothy's companions fading in and out of focus as she talks to them.
While Sphere's A.I.-augmented version of The Wizard of Oz is a great spectacle, it needs to work on enhancing human connection through storytelling. For now, it's a show that is more about the visuals than the emotional impact.
James Dolan's Sphere has transformed classic films into immersive spectacles, and its latest offering is no exception. The Wizard of Oz, now rebranded as "The Wizard of Oz at Sphere," is a dazzlingly supersized and grotesquely manipulated version of the 1939 classic. The event, which unfolded on a 160,000-square-foot LED screen with 16K resolution, left audiences in awe, but its emotional resonance was lost amidst an onslaught of visual effects.
The production design is stunning, with beautifully crisp landscapes and buildings that feel uncannily real. Sepia-toned Kansas is starkly handsome, complete with razor-sharp bales of hay, lifelike barnyard chickens and cows, and an expansive copper sky overhead. Even the tornado sequence has been amplified, giving a truly immersive dimension to Hollywood's adaptation of Frank L. Baum's fairy tale.
However, when it comes to the cast, the digital wizardry falls short. The actors are upconverted in terms of resolution but lack skin pores, leaving them eerily smooth and plastic. Dorothy and her trio look like they've been placed on a sticker-book figurine, with a loss of gravity to their movements. Toto, too, seems digitally fuzzy.
The background actors are also compromised, with A.I.-enhanced loops making them stand out in ways that feel unnatural and unsettling. It's deeply distracting to see them staring straight into the camera with dead-eyed smiles. The film's emotionally poignant climax is similarly affected, with each of Dorothy's companions fading in and out of focus as she talks to them.
While Sphere's A.I.-augmented version of The Wizard of Oz is a great spectacle, it needs to work on enhancing human connection through storytelling. For now, it's a show that is more about the visuals than the emotional impact.
I mean, the special effects are insane! like, have you ever seen anything like the tornado sequence? it's like being right in the middle of it all 
but...I don't know if it really worked for me emotionally. I was kinda expecting Dorothy to be more relatable, you know? not just a CGI person with no skin pores 
and can anyone explain what they mean by "upconverted in terms of resolution"? is that even a thing? 
. And don't even get me started on the background actors... it's like they're trying too hard to be realistic, but end up looking all weird and robotic 
. It's a shame, because with some tweaks, this could've been something truly special 
.
. Don't need all this fancy tech to make me feel like I'm in Oz 
. Less CGI = more magic 
.
But what really got me was how beautiful the production design is... it's like a work of art. However, when it comes to the acting, I just didn't feel anything 
. The actors look kinda weird with all that upscaling and the background extras just stood out too much - it felt like they were staring straight at me! 
And don't even get me started on Toto... he looked so fuzzy! 
Overall, I'd say it's a great show for the visuals, but I wish they could've done more with the storytelling and character development.
. I'm still waiting for someone to make a cinematic experience that hits you right in the feels without relying on CGI overload 
. The visuals are insane, I'll give them that - Sepia-toned Kansas looks gorgeous and the tornado sequence is like whoa... but it's just a bunch of fancy tricks to distract you from how empty the emotional impact is. And don't even get me started on the cast, they look so stiff and plastic... I mean, what happened to some nuance? The background actors are super weird too, all these AI-enhanced loops that make them stare straight into the camera like zombies 
. It's just a bunch of shiny surface stuff, not a real movie.
. And don't even get me started on the background actors, they just didn't feel right 
. I mean, I'm all for A.I. enhancements and whatnot, but it's gotta be balanced with some real human emotion 
. The show was cool and all, but at the end of the day, it felt like just a bunch of fancy lights and effects 
.
and don't even get me started on toto he looked like a weird pup 
anyway i guess it's cool that they're trying new things but we need more substance in the storytelling department 
those LED screens and 16K resolution are straight fire 
, you know? The actors are so smooth and perfect that it's hard to connect with them on an emotional level. And don't even get me started on Toto 
. Still, I'm all about the spectacle 
for me, it's one thing to see something beautiful on a giant screen but when the actors start looking like dolls 
i lose interest fast. and don't even get me started on the background actors... ai loops are not the answer 
. still, 160k sq ft screen is INSANE 
. The cast looks so... plastic 
I mean, where's the humanity? 
and don't even get me started on Toto 
he looked like a fuzzy toy! 
anyway, still 10/10 for the production design 
.