Hello, faithful readers! In this installment of The Bock’s Office, I’ll be doing things a little differently. Many times, I will see a slew of movies all at once in the theater, and I thought I’d share that full experience with you in my most recent viewing of what I believe to be the perfect pairing of the year.

All six hours of it…

“Gladiator II”

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In the year 200, the Roman Empire is thriving in terms of conquest, but the majority of its citizens are by no means experiencing those spoils of war as the wealthy and powerful exploit every facet of society.

The one equalizer is the spectacle that is the gladiator arena where the masses are entertained by fights to the death among the enslaved from all corners of the world.

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A new entrant named Hanno (Paul Mescal) begins working his way up the ranks after being brought to Rome from the North African province of Numidia, with his combat skills nearly unmatched.

However, he carries a secret with him that could shatter the configuration of the empire — if he lives long enough for it to matter.

With Mescal as the young hopeful driven by vengeance for his shattered life and Pedro Pascal as the noble general Acacius, the spirit of Maximus Decimus Meridius lives on in their duality — good men who refuse to accept being the pawns of the debauched and deranged leadership of the day.

In that same vein, imagine Commodus being duplicated into two equally awful and entitled personas, and you’ve got an idea of the co-emperor siblings Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger).

Connie Nielsen makes a welcome return as the lovely Lucilla — now the beloved wife of Acacius —whose lineage keeps her in the vestiges of privilege but without any of the prestige that she might see as a man. Not that she’s allowing that to stop her from doing right by the people of Rome and working the levers of power in the only way she can.

It’s also worth mentioning that Derek Jacobi returns from the first film as Senator Gracchus, indicating that there is still hope for order rather than the chaos that the ruling class seems to want to exacerbate.

Then there’s Denzel Washington as the ambitious, boisterous, cunning gladiator manager Macrinus — the ancient world’s answer to Don King — who takes advantage of the stupidity and cruelty around him to maneuver society in his own way.

Initially presented as a small part of the proceedings, don’t be surprised when his ruthlessness takes him to new heights that you didn’t expect.

He may be less than scrupulous, but hey, you do you, bro.

While the historical inaccuracies are many, if you’re watching a movie about second-century Rome where the primary language is English, you can’t really care that much about a true recreation of fact so much as an interpretation.

The rousing 2000 action film didn’t exactly leave the door open for a sequel, yet director Ridley Scott makes his original work matter more with this look at how the empire only grew worse as it went. If “Ben-Hur” and “Spartacus” gave the original its inspiration, having more mythos to build on only benefits this follow-up.

To be clear, it’s not a “Godfather” situation — enough time has passed in the making of each movie, compared to Coppola’s two-year gap, and enough characters are different that it’s wholly a new feel in terms of story and atmosphere despite emulating a landmark piece of work from yesteryear.

Rather ironically, if you ask me…

Yes, Scott and screenwriter David Scarpa want to present this as a continuation — and ultimately it is — but it also stands on its own merits with cinematographer John Mathieson outdoing himself in the depiction of the oversaturated color palette in the halls of power and the stark light of the arena that juxtaposes such a dark activity.

The pulse-pounding musical score by Harry Gregson-Williams takes its cues from Hans Zimmer but also manages to stand out separately.

Scott may take some liberties with the facts — such as the timeline that only needs a glimpse at Wikipedia to determine its veracity —but you can’t deny that he masterfully immerses us in the time period.

You feel the anger of the downtrodden and likewise the arrogance of the rulers — because two caesars sporting blond curls are so much more unbearable than one — as well as the fetid stench of a world that is still notorious nearly two millenia later for its legendary levels of corruption, nepotism and rewarding of the incompetent.

The costumes and set pieces are glorious, and while much of the violence is hand-to-hand — as gritty as you’d expect — the large-scale battle scenes are so well-done — the highlights being the sacking of Numidia, the ships on the open sea and their smaller likenesses within the Coloseum — it’s easier to forgive some of the weaknesses.

CGI rhino, yes.

CGI baboons, nah.

It’s understandable why the fakery is necessary, but it’s not quite as engaging as the tiger scene from 24 years ago.

However, that also speaks volumes about a movie made for today’s audiences that has a drastically different demographic than its predecessor.

That blend of tangible props and sets combined with computer-created spectacle is the line that most filmmakers must straddle whether they like it or not.

And as the man who gave us “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” Scott knows how to maintain that equilibrirum better than most.

If you revere the film that put Russell Crowe on the map, you will pick up right where you left off in that admiration. If, like me, you always found that movie overrated, you may just have a newfound appreciation for it.

I did, anyway.

Intermission

After getting out of the first half of this double feature, I assumed I’d have time for a meal only to find I only had about 20 minutes before I needed to get settled for the second part.

My dinner was a slice of bacon and pineapple pizza and a chocolate chip cannoli, and it dawned on me how appropriate this was given what I was watching.

The entrée was an Italian dish at its base but topped with delicacies that likely weren’t part of the culinary creation upon its creation until someone thought of mixing them all together.

See what I did there?

And as for my dessert, it was sweetness upon sweetness, both crunchy and gooey, with a mix of flavors that brought each other out all the more.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that a cannoli is one of those rich foods that you can easily overindulge in and regret it after the fact, but if you eat just the right amount and refrain from being a pig in one sitting, you will be more than satisfied.

You’ll see why that was a significant observation as I recap the second half of my cinematic experience.

“Wicked”

In the land of Oz, Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) has lived a life of neglect and scorn due to the unexplained green-hued skin she’s had since birth, as well as some odd abilities that have only served to keep her an outcast.

When her younger sister (Marissa Bode) enrolls at the renowned Shiz University, Elphaba is tasked with looking after her sheltered sibling, only to unintentionally become a student herself when she catches the attention of Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the school’s head of sorcery.

An innate talent for magic can’t save her from being forced to room with the irrepressible Galinda (Ariana Grande-Butera), whose ego won’t allow her to accept that Elphaba may be more special than she has always believed herself to be.

As the two become reluctant companions, they learn far more about the world than their academic setting would normally allow — including the destiny they never knew was in front of them.

Having portrayed Harriet Tubman and Aretha Franklin to name a few, Erivo’s career is shaping up to be not unlike the late great Chadwick Boseman with a growing résumé of iconic roles. Playing someone whose entire identity has been determined by her complexion, she brings an extra depth to Elphaba, who — unnecessary spoiler alert — is well on her way to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.

It’s about more than skin tone, of course, and Erivo’s witty and wily demeanor combined with her vocal prowess allow her to own the role.

She’s more than matched by the Princess of Pop as the sickeningly sweet Galinda — yes, that spelling is correct — a well-meaning plastic person who still has a kind heart, albeit a brain that keeps her from comprehending that she’s not the center of the universe.

Ari’s capability for playing cute but aloof comes into play perfectly here as the future “Good Witch” shows that queen bees operate on an entirely different plane of existence in running the social scene.

Case in point, her immediate infatuation with Fiyero Tigelaar, Prince of Winkie Country (Jonathan Bailey) based solely on his title. Though the laidback royal who’s slumming it among the college crowd has eyes for a different girl…

The members of this love triangle make up much of the runtime while we’re on the Shiz campus, though strong supporting performances abound between Bode as the sadly overlooked Nessarose, Ethan Slater as the Munchkin suitor she begins seeing, and Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Galinda’s catty entourage.

As for the adults, Peter Dinklage provides the voice for Dr. Dillamond, a brilliant teacher who happens to be a goat and starts to see less and less respect as the school year continues.

You know — a scapegoat.

Alternately, Yeoh is perfectly sly as the revered dean who takes Elphaba as her sole student, seeing greatness in here.

And, uh, we certainly can’t forget the brief but brilliant appearance by Jeff Goldblum as the man who gives Oz its name.

Or is it the other way around? Or is there more to the story? Well, now that you mention it…

There’s a wealth of source material at play here, so pay attention: this is a movie musical based on a stage show based on a novel that serves as a prequel to the 1939 film inspired by the series of books by L. Frank Baum.

Whew, glad I only had to type that and not say it in one breath.

One of the great American fantasies already had feminist influences by its original creator, but things took a new turn in the 90s with Gregory Maguire’s revision that showed the one-dimensional villainess in a more sympathetic light.

You wouldn’t know it from Margaret Rutherford’s cackle in the beloved MGM movie, but it ain’t easy being green, especially when it’s not the only stigma you’re carrying. The point being is that those who are demonized often tell a different tale than those who call them evil.

The Broadway hit that heralded a new era of musicals — and also immortalized Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth — has been ripe for an adaptation since its first show, but the question was how to do it right.

And if you’re wondering if Hollywood screwed this one up, the answer is a refreshing “not really.”

Is it flawless? Not quite, but that’s just one nitpicking theater kid’s opinion.

Is it a reworking that makes the most of a new medium? Most assuredly!

Besides having more time to explore details in Maguire’s book that didn’t make it into the stage version, the film version keeps the stage sensibilities that we associate with musicals — where everyday life is interrupted by a song and dance number involving everyone — most notably in Fiyero’s extended “Dancing Through Life,” a paean to blissful ignorance set in the coolest library you’ve ever seen.

Hey, there’s a reason they hired the guy who directed two of the “Step Up” movies before graduating to “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights.” I see you, Jon M. Chu!

Galinda’s attempts to mold Elphaba in her image are memorably showcased in the catchy but purposely grating “Popular,” though it’s the show-stopper “Defying Gravity” that had the potential to make or break this feature, and thanks to some restructuring, it’s precisely the emotional explosion it should be.

The expectations have been high ever since this project was announced, and while development hell was a possibility, all it took was a little courage from producers to go forward with it the correct way with the correct people.

“Glicked”

Last year saw the surprise phenomenon of “Barbenheimer,” the viewing combination of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” an example of adept marketing by Warner Bros that made a pair of solid movies with nothing in common beyond their studio and release schedule all the stronger as a pair.

And while “Gladiator II” and “Wicked” come from different makers — Paramount and Universal, respectively — their theatrical debuts nonetheless tie them together in the annals of cinema history.

The fact that both of them are updates to beloved existing IP doesn’t hurt, but it’s more than that.

While summer 2023 was ruled by a doll discovering her humanity and a scientist rushing toward a legacy he would eventually regret, Thanksgiving 2024 is the season for a slave toppling a monstrous imperial system and a smart girl coming into her own despite the machinations of an equally unjust society.

Read into that what you will.

The two components of “Glicked” — not the best portmanteau but not the worst — sync up the way they do because, like “Barbenheimer,” on the surface, it’s a violent historical epic for the guys and a Technicolor silly singalong for the girls.

Yet both of these movies are more substantial than they appear, going well beyond the target audiences to say something meaningful about where we’ve been and where we’re going.

Again, it’s up to you to interpret whether you think one these stories are set in the past or somewhere else in time and space.

Just know they are linked, whether or not either Scott or Chu realized it during or after filming.

Watch them in the order I did, watch them in the opposite configuration, watch them separately, whichever suits you best.

Pro tip: Take a break, however you watch them. I speak from experience when I say your butt will thank you.