Between “Wicked” and “Moana 2,” audiences are flocking to theaters in record numbers to get their eyes on two of the holiday season’s biggest movie musical events. “Moana 2” turned in one of the biggest opening weekends for an animated movie ever, while you can’t take a step outside your door or glance at your phone without being smacked by a piece of “Wicked” promo. It’s no surprise that viewers want to spend their time and money seeing these feel-good films, to unite with family and friends for a dose of cinematic happiness after one of the most quarrelsome years in recent memory. (Not to mention that all of the commotion is reassurance that theaters have indeed bounced back after the worst of the pandemic.)
But what about those of us who don’t mind feeling bad, maybe even a little sick to our stomachs? Those of us who find some solace in staring the uncertainty of the future square in the face while still enjoying some delightful song-and-dance numbers? For all who don’t care to maintain a cheery disposition as they leave the theater and face the wintry cold, there is Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The End,” a wildly ambitious film sitting at the pragmatic side of the movie musical spectrum. In his first narrative feature, Oppenheimer — a two-time Oscar nominee for his stirring documentary work — builds a world that’s as stylized, moving and filled with familiar faces breaking into song as any other theatrical event this season, with one significant difference: His film is about the end of the world.
