Charlie & The Chocolate Factory?

[Knightshade Dragon]

The movie is scoring well so far at RottenTomatoes, who else is headed to see it today?

[Calvin]

Today I go to see Wedding Crashers.

Is the Island out yet? I liked the first Charlie movie, but I think Johnny Depp looks like some odd sort of sexual predator in a very bad way in this movie.

[WinoMcCougarstein]

I will probably go see it tomorrow.  I love strange movies, I dont know if it gets any stranger than this one.

[Laner]

Today I go to see Wedding Crashers.

My condolences.

[Calvin]

Today I go to see Wedding Crashers.

My condolences.

Why? It looks hilarious, has two of my favorite dumb comedy actors in it, and I am thoroughly looking forward to it. Far more than the popular, hyped up Charlie remake.

Don't send me your condolences, I'm a happy camper.

[depward]

I will probably go see it tomorrow.  I love strange movies, I dont know if it gets any stranger than this one.

Agreed.  I <3 A Clockwork Orange.

That being said, I want to watch both Charlie and Wedding Crashers.  Firstly, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman woman is in Wedding Crashers, so that's a must see.  Because I mean, she's an attractive older woman!  And then I can't miss a Tim Burton movie.  So I'll watch both eventually.

[Kevin Grey]

Is the Island out yet?

Island comes out next week.  I saw the sneak preview last weekend and I thought it was awful.  I honestly thought Bad Boys 2 was better but I think that's because I enjoy Bay most when he's not trying to handle serious material at all.  The Island, like Pearl Harbor and parts of Armegeddon, shows that Bay really doesn't know how to handle material with any level of restraint.  I'm sure plenty will enjoy it (it does have a nice, completely derivative car chase) but I think that there was so much unrealized potential really made me dislike it far more than I would have otherwise.

And it has the most obnoxious product placement I've *ever* seen in a movie.  Its almost obscene.

[CrayolaSmoker]

Just got back from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  It's... odd.  Entertaining, funny, and... odd.  Elfman's work is great, and the Oompa Loompa pretty much steal the show.  That, and the 2001 bit.  There's also a cameo that I'm shocked they haven't stuck in the previews - what is he NOT in nowadays?

Nowhere near the classic the previous film incarnation is, but a very fun and... odd... diversion.

[the Nightbreeze]

a car chase? On an island?

does that concept bother anyone else?

[Calvin]

I just got back from The Wedding Crashers. I freaking loved it. It was hilarious and suprisingly well done, well acted, and reasonably thoughtful. A wonderful stupid summer comedy.

[Knightshade Dragon]

HAHA!!  Willy Wonka was a blast!  I loved it!

[Belgedin]

Is the Island out yet? I liked the first Charlie movie, but I think Johnny Depp looks like some odd sort of sexual predator in a very bad way in this movie.

He's no Gene Wilder, that's for sure. Wilder = The Bomb.

[ElijahPrice]

Is the Island out yet?

Island comes out next week.  I saw the sneak preview last weekend and I thought it was awful.  I honestly thought Bad Boys 2 was better but I think that's because I enjoy Bay most when he's not trying to handle serious material at all.  The Island, like Pearl Harbor and parts of Armegeddon, shows that Bay really doesn't know how to handle material with any level of restraint.  I'm sure plenty will enjoy it (it does have a nice, completely derivative car chase) but I think that there was so much unrealized potential really made me dislike it far more than I would have otherwise.

And it has the most obnoxious product placement I've *ever* seen in a movie.  Its almost obscene.

I can't imagine taking Scarlett Johansson and Ewin McGregor too seriously in a Michael Bay film.  They just aren't action heros.  Personally, I think SJ is way over-rated actress.

[whiteboyskim]

I'll write up more in the coming days as I'm starting work on my Best/Worst of 2005 List, but right now Charlie and the Chocolate Factory just scored the top spot on my Best of 2005 list. So far. And this is coming from someone who hates every, single frame of the original crap movie. Longtime ardent fan of Gene Wilder, fucking hate the original movie with every fiber of my being.

So why is it that I fell so hard and fast in love with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Consistent characters for starters, especially the more exaggerated ones like Augustus and Wonka himself. Terrific family dynamic for Charlie and his family utterly missing from the original. The creation of a hilarious backstory for Wonka that actually improves the story without detracting from it, something few other "flashback origin" sequences get right. Brilliant Oompa Loompa musical numbers, amazing set designs, a perfectly cast Charlie who, despite seeming mature beyond his years, never makes you stop believing he's a child (I'm looking at you Dakota Fanning and Haley Joel). The way Charlie "gets" where the magic comes from throughout the factory, which lets Wonka believe in him because of his love, not because he didn't steal some gobstopper.

My grade: A

As I said, I'll write up more later. Magnificent film. Color me stunned beyond belief.

EDIT: Oh yeah, My Fair Lady thinks it's one of the best movies she's ever seen.

[AgtFox]

I talk about it on this blog post.  I'm not going to put it on the top like Mitch did because I still think Batman Begins was better, but it is right up there.

[whiteboyskim]

I talk about it on this blog post.  I'm not going to put it on the top like Mitch did because I still think Batman Begins was better, but it is right up there.

Dude, it's been a tough battle all night for me between this and Batman Begins for the top spot, just so you know where I stand.

[WinoMcCougarstein]

I didnt like it as much as the original.  The factory as a whole looked neater, but I didnt like Depp as much as Wilder.   All in all, I enjoyed it, but not as much as the original.  The oompa loompa songs were rediculous.   And maybe you noticed, the oompa loompa model was the midget from Big Fish.  Ohhh, I thought Christopher Lee did the best in this movie, that guy just looks so damn sinister.

[Rob_Merritt]

I really liked it. I'm a huge fan of the first one and I hate Tim Burton so I figured I'd hate Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. However it work for me. I was surprised I liked it.

[Knightshade Dragon]

I should hope so Rob...otherwise your icon as a constant reminder would be somewhat ironic.

[GGMark]

I am a fan of the orginal.  I liked this one as well.  I personally thought Depp did a great job as Wonka.  I have heard a lot of people say they didn like the Oompa songs, but neither Burton, of Elfman had anyting to do with that.  The songs were all written by Roald Dahl.  I thought it was great.

[Laner]

I thoroughly enjoyed the songs.  I was worried that it would either attempt to recreate the original movie's songs, or skip them altogether.  After the first few bars of the first song, I didn't think about the previous movie's tunes at all - between the hyper-show-tune production, great sight gags, and the kids wondering why it all seemed so pre-planned, it was very entertaining.

[CrayolaSmoker]

Lots of praise.
My grade: A
Magnificent film.

 :shock:

[TheMissingLink]

The Wedding Crashers was an enjoyable movie.

Now, to find a date or someone to watch "March of the Penguins" with me...