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in_the_blue...I went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Tim Burton, I love you.
There. Got that out of the way. I saw the trailers for this movie about a dozen times and thought: "This movie is going to suck. I will hate it." Well, I have news for you: it was just the trailer that sucked.
So Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka channeling Mr Rogers was something else. It was a complex portrayal, really, and I'm jumping the gun. Let me start with first things first.
The visuals are incredibly delicious and absolutely spectacular. They have a very Edward Scissorhands feel to them. But almost more importantly, the story follows the book. It doesn't leave anything out. There are a few added things, but not enough to make purists go "oh, bah, that ruins it entirely" (at least not in my opinion). The kids were all cast very well and gawd, Freddie Highmore, you about brought tears to my eyes in the scene where Charlie gets his birthday chocolate. What a kid. What a nice little actor! (He was great in Finding Neverland too, so I don't know why this surprises me.)
I think that Tim Burton might have been the perfect person to put this movie to the screen. The story is a moral tale of warning for bad children, but it almost doesn't feel like that and that alone. In fact, it almost feels like what happens to the kids is just a side thing: the real star is the factory itself. The Loompas are done pretty well; they're kind of creepy little dudes all sharing the exact same face (Deep Roy) but their songs about the kids are absolutely hysterical. Tim Burton's really good at adding nods to other films and genres; there are lots of little Easter eggs of that sort sprinkled throughout this movie.
Johnny Depp. Yeah. In the trailers, I wondered what the hell he was doing, but now I know. Like I said earlier, it was actually a really complex portrayal of a character who is really fairly one-dimensional in the story. They added just a little bit of Willy Wonka backstory and though it didn't add a whole lot, it didn't detract either. Gave Christopher Lee something to do, though.
So I thought it was pretty good. It certainly exceeded my expectations. The other 2 adults I saw it with both liked it. Hannah said it was "okay" and that Violet Beauregard turning into the giant blueberry "made her want to barf." I think she would have been happier staying home and playing Game Boy. But she didn't hate it; she just doesn't want to see it again.
That's okay.
And those are my first impressions.
In HP news, I went over to Borders to stand in line for my ticket to stand in line later for Half-Blood Prince. I'm #155.
I feel like I have the Golden Ticket. Ha ha ha. I like it when worlds blend.
See you all after I'm done reading. Spoil me and die, suckahs.
Tim Burton, I love you.
There. Got that out of the way. I saw the trailers for this movie about a dozen times and thought: "This movie is going to suck. I will hate it." Well, I have news for you: it was just the trailer that sucked.
So Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka channeling Mr Rogers was something else. It was a complex portrayal, really, and I'm jumping the gun. Let me start with first things first.
The visuals are incredibly delicious and absolutely spectacular. They have a very Edward Scissorhands feel to them. But almost more importantly, the story follows the book. It doesn't leave anything out. There are a few added things, but not enough to make purists go "oh, bah, that ruins it entirely" (at least not in my opinion). The kids were all cast very well and gawd, Freddie Highmore, you about brought tears to my eyes in the scene where Charlie gets his birthday chocolate. What a kid. What a nice little actor! (He was great in Finding Neverland too, so I don't know why this surprises me.)
I think that Tim Burton might have been the perfect person to put this movie to the screen. The story is a moral tale of warning for bad children, but it almost doesn't feel like that and that alone. In fact, it almost feels like what happens to the kids is just a side thing: the real star is the factory itself. The Loompas are done pretty well; they're kind of creepy little dudes all sharing the exact same face (Deep Roy) but their songs about the kids are absolutely hysterical. Tim Burton's really good at adding nods to other films and genres; there are lots of little Easter eggs of that sort sprinkled throughout this movie.
Johnny Depp. Yeah. In the trailers, I wondered what the hell he was doing, but now I know. Like I said earlier, it was actually a really complex portrayal of a character who is really fairly one-dimensional in the story. They added just a little bit of Willy Wonka backstory and though it didn't add a whole lot, it didn't detract either. Gave Christopher Lee something to do, though.
So I thought it was pretty good. It certainly exceeded my expectations. The other 2 adults I saw it with both liked it. Hannah said it was "okay" and that Violet Beauregard turning into the giant blueberry "made her want to barf." I think she would have been happier staying home and playing Game Boy. But she didn't hate it; she just doesn't want to see it again.
That's okay.
And those are my first impressions.
In HP news, I went over to Borders to stand in line for my ticket to stand in line later for Half-Blood Prince. I'm #155.
I feel like I have the Golden Ticket. Ha ha ha. I like it when worlds blend.
See you all after I'm done reading. Spoil me and die, suckahs.
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no subject
Date: 2005-07-16 02:50 am (UTC)I gotta say, I went in Very Apprehensive(tm) about JD's performance, having read several pieces on the film that said he was channeling the (Freak) King of Pop...I was so relieved to see that was not the case! I thought his performance was nicely nuanced...I may be the only person of my generation who feels this way, but I didn't like Gene Wilder in WW (though I loved him in Young Frankenstein)...I thought he was too manic.
Anyway, happy reading!
no subject
Date: 2005-07-16 03:03 am (UTC)You're not. I hated him in Willy Wonka. In fact, I pretty much always hated that version of the movie. That's probably part of why I was so skeptical about this remake. I should have had more faith.
You want me to get you a copy of the book tonight? I'll call you and ask in a bit if I don't hear from you here.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-16 04:11 am (UTC)The other thing I forgot to say about the movie...between the Zorro preview and Charlie, I came home wanting to see Pirates of the Carribean again...I know *you* will understand. Heh.
Movies
Date: 2005-07-17 07:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-16 08:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-23 06:24 pm (UTC)Charlie and the Chocolate Factory did indeed kick ass. Wonka needed to be portrayed with a perfect balance of "childlike whimsy" and "mentally unhinged". Mike Teevee seemed like the weakest character in the books, as far as likelihood for getting one of the golden tickets went . . . a child who eats tons of chocolate, a child who's greedy enough to make their father turn over a factory to unwrapping thousands of bars, a gum-chewer who changed their goals to chocolate, the main character . . . and a kid who just watches a lot of television. Adding the hacker element was a wonderful touch, no question about it.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-23 08:35 pm (UTC)Maybe I will, all by myself.