Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

[Beefy]

Very much in the same boat as Burton's remake of Planet of the Apes, the movie has some nice moments but is an overall misfire.  Depp is good, though now Wonka's character has been fleshed out and no longer remains the enigma he was.  The oompa-loompas were cool, but the songs were completely unmemorable.  The children are all cast well but are given no real opportunity to shine.  Also, when they are introduced, they look like they've been airburshed, a living version of that Website we all got freaked about with the glamour shots of toddlers.  The pacing is uneven and the film doesn't hold nearly the weight or sense of wonder as the original.  It's worth a matinee, but not much more.  I expected more from this group of talented individuals on this particular project.

[Gamplayerx]

Is it all original songs or are there ones from the first movie?  Is it a musical in the same sense?  What the heck is up with Depp's teeth?

[nallen]

I saw it this afternoon, and honestly enjoyed it quite a bit.  it seemed to move a long quite briskly, and the style certainly made you think tim burton.   I liked the air-brushed kids look, it made them seem like creatures more than kids, really acentuating that they are vile little things.   The songs where well done but didn't rise to the memorable level.   

overall, i enjoyed it, and since i really don't go out at night, of course it was a matinee.   

[Gamplayerx]

Is it all original songs or are there ones from the first movie?  Is it a musical in the same sense?  What the heck is up with Depp's teeth?

[ReBurn]

These reviews are just too long.  Got a Reader's Digest version?

[Beefy]

Is it all original songs or are there ones from the first movie?  Is it a musical in the same sense?  What the heck is up with Depp's teeth?

New songs.

I don't think it was a musical in the same sense.

You'll have to watch the film to find out about the teeth.  That would be a spoiler.

[VikingJuice]

These reviews are just too long.  Got a Reader's Digest version?

Music:  barely adequate, the only song I liked at all was the opener with the grand Wonka spectacle
Fun: minimal
Creativity: you've seen one Burton film you've seen 'em all
Pacing:  slooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow
Overall:  weak as hell.  Catch it on DVD or better yet, HBO

PS.  All new music. 

[nallen]

With reviews like that guys you'll never get quoted on a movie ad!

And the teeth are a part of the plot.  You'll just have to go see the movie Gampo.

[DownSouth]

I'm waiting for the eo000 review.

[nishi]

i significantly disagree with beefy's first statement. burton's planet of the apes movie made me want to put my eyes out with a shrimp fork. there were big sections of this movie that i enjoyed very very much.

the children are creepy and annoying, even with airbrushing, and they should be. the scenes with charlie's family are much more true to the book than the earlier movie and i liked them much better.

the look is burton but the look suits the book. the opening scene where you see the chocolate being made is kind of creepy. since chocolate manufacturing is not creepy, in general, i liked that.

the songs are not memorable. on the other hand, you don't have to scrub your brain in order to get them out, like that fucking oompa loompa song. also, they are all different... unlike that fucking oompa loompa song.

the exit via squirrels for the annoying rich child is fantastic.

it could have more energy - i think they relied too much on the visuals and not enough on character tension to move the movie along and that's why it drags. i would have liked to see more of a transition from willie wonka being afraid of the children to him sort of being able to tolerate, and then later like, charlie.

however, johnny depp is very funny in this; charming, goofy, and odd. it's an entertaining movie, unless you have hugely high hopes for it. i had moderate hopes and for the most part, they were met. it's easy to see how someone might be disappointed in it. but we're talking about a hollywood interpretation of a children's book. a great children's book, but... still. it's hollywood, no matter how alternative mr. burton might have started out.

i don't expect really much of anything from hollywood, and i usually only go to see matinees. i didn't expect great film, which is good, since i wouldn't have gotten it. it was a fun movie. the squirrels were creepy enough that i wouldn't take a little kid, unless i was prepared to handle squirrel nightmares for a while.

and if you hate It's a Small World, After All, you'll love the way mr. wonka introduces himself to the children. it's obvious that tim burton hates It's a Small World..... and i was seeing it with someone who used to work for the The Mouse, so that increased the bang for the buck.

[Gamplayerx]

Now that's a review!  Thank you, Nishi!

[nishi]

you are welcome, the hampla! additionally, since you were asking about the teeth - this is the only film that *i* have ever seen that features a POV from inside someone's mouth, looking out.

that's all i'm sayin' about the teeth.

but also, he's got a good thing going with a squeaky rubber glove noise. you don't find that in films very often either.

[Gamplayerx]

I saw a news segment talking about the teeth and the backstory, but I'll not ask for more clarifcation in case it's huge spoiler country.

[kelbel]

Hah not the orginal.

[Alice]

A.  It followed the book better.
B.  You can't compare it to the original - especially the musical numbers.  The first movie was a musical, this one is not.  It's like comparing the Phantom of the Opera to ALW's Phantom.
C.  Johnny Depp was phenomenal.  He was the Willy Wonka that I had always envisioned when I was a kid.

I loved it. 

[Beefy]

Of course you can compare it to the original.  And the book.  And other Depp/Burton projects.

This film completely lacked any sense of wonder and barely any malice.  Just because it stands closer to the book doesn't mean it's a better film.

I'm glad you all enjoyed it, but I my opinion remains that it is a barely excusable matinee.

[Jessie]

Still haven't seen it but I still want to.  Maybe I'll catch it one night this week with Timothy, since I'll be moving all weekend.

[Beefy]

this is the only film that *i* have ever seen that features a POV from inside someone's mouth, looking out.

Am I remembering correctly that Little Shop of Horrors did it?

[Alice]

this is the only film that *i* have ever seen that features a POV from inside someone's mouth, looking out.

Am I remembering correctly that Little Shop of Horrors did it?

Yes sir.  Novocaine with Steve Martin also did it.

[VikingJuice]

this is the only film that *i* have ever seen that features a POV from inside someone's mouth, looking out.

Am I remembering correctly that Little Shop of Horrors did it?

Also in Empire Strikes Back from the mouth of the Space Slug on the Asteroid escape.

Now that I've had more time to digest, I think the dialogue was substandard too.  The only things you get from Wonka are these mildly odd comments.  It's like he was channeling Edward Scissor Hands' brain to do Wonka.  I know he's supposed to be emotionally stunted and distant but geez, it was almost identical. 

I think some of you that like Depp would like him no matter what he did or how he did it, I personally think he mailed it in for this movie.

[Alice]

I think some of you that like Depp would like him no matter what he did or how he did it, I personally think he mailed it in for this movie.

I actually really did not like Depp much until Pirates.  Then I started to be able to appreciate him a bit more.  But I am not one of his #1 fans.

Mailed it in though?  You can't blame the man because he didn't have as much dialogue as you'd hoped for - that's not his fault at all.  And Edward Scissorhands was shy and unsure of himself, he basically played a 5 year old kid.  Willy Wonka was not shy and was not unsure - he was a little odd, of course, but that's how Roald Dahl intended.  I don't think he was the same at all.

Now if we want to talk about Denzel Washington playing a cop/bodyguard for the 100th movie in a row, then you'd be dead on.

[ReBurn]

I think some of you that like Depp would like him no matter what he did or how he did it, I personally think he mailed it in for this movie.

I actually really did not like Depp much until Pirates.  Then I started to be able to appreciate him a bit more.  But I am not one of his #1 fans.

Mailed it in though?  You can't blame the man because he didn't have as much dialogue as you'd hoped for - that's not his fault at all.  And Edward Scissorhands was shy and unsure of himself, he basically played a 5 year old kid.  Willy Wonka was not shy and was not unsure - he was a little odd, of course, but that's how Roald Dahl intended.  I don't think he was the same at all.

Now if we want to talk about Denzel Washington playing a cop/bodyguard for the 100th movie in a row, then you'd be dead on.

If I was an LAPD detective I would be just like him in Training Day.  But only if I got to do Eva Mendez like he did.

[nishi]

I think some of you that like Depp would like him no matter what he did or how he did it, I personally think he mailed it in for this movie.

I actually really did not like Depp much until Pirates.  Then I started to be able to appreciate him a bit more.  But I am not one of his #1 fans.

Mailed it in though?  You can't blame the man because he didn't have as much dialogue as you'd hoped for - that's not his fault at all.  And Edward Scissorhands was shy and unsure of himself, he basically played a 5 year old kid.  Willy Wonka was not shy and was not unsure - he was a little odd, of course, but that's how Roald Dahl intended.  I don't think he was the same at all.

Now if we want to talk about Denzel Washington playing a cop/bodyguard for the 100th movie in a row, then you'd be dead on.

i think i've seen.... i just checked. six of his films included charlie. i think he's a very interesting actor and i think he's enormously handsome, but that doesn't mean that i automatically like anything he does. oddly, i can find someone handsome and still think rationally about their work. i liked the movie, but not because he's pretty. he's much prettier in other films. and while i liked him in this, i've liked him better in other things, but that doesn't mean that i think he sucked in this.

he did some nice work. and i agree with alice - willy was very different from edward scissorhands.

[Beefy]

oddly, i can find someone handsome and still think rationally about their work.

You big liar.

[ReBurn]

willy was very different from edward scissorhands.

Speaking of which, how did Edward Scissorhands go to the bathroom?  I'm sure that he would have cut off his willy.