Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.....

As a child I remember things being alot different than they are now. I grew up in an era where children actually played outside more than they sat in front of the TV or played video games. A time when kids spent time watching "Saturday Afternoon Film Festival" or "The Magic Kingdom" on Sunday nights to get an entertainment fix. A time when we didnt have 300+ Disney movies and every Harry Potter movie that had come to life through J.K. Rowlings on our shelves. I was three years old when "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" came out...and over the course of my lifetime, it has always been one of my favorites. I grew up, became a mother...and low and behold we came into a time where u could actually BUY the movie of yr choice, not just wait for it to come on as some rerun on the tellie.
I have probably watched "Willy Wonka" 500 times over the course of my life, maybe more. My KIDS have probably watched it at least that many times as well...
(who's counting?) All in all it has always been a family favorite...from my parents, my brother, my kids...all of our friends...
Imagine my delight when I heard about a r e m a k e !!!!!!
Now, Johnny Depp.... *deep breath*
This man has been someone I have had an overwhelming crush on since I was a wee teenager. I have seen every movie he has EVER made...dozens of times... Its not just his good looks, but the boy can act...he has a gift that I dont see many modern day actors possess. He also has the ability to stop girls aged 14-60 dead in their tracks. I read somewhere that he has managed at 40, to have a following that spans generations. I mean, who else has 16 yr olds(believe me I have a 17 yr old daughter so I know firsthand) swooning....as well as their 30-40 something mothers who have been in love with him since THEY were 16?
So I waited. And waited. And waited.....
To see something about this movie. The remake of a lifetime.
And now, finally....it is here.
I see the previews....and Johnny Depp looks plastic and fake. He looks like a loon who excaped from the loony bin. Im a lil taken aback and I wonder....did they wreck one of my favorite movies???

Now, I'm a firm believer in giving anything(or anyone) a chance....
You can't judge a book by it's cover, a person by his clothes....or a movie by the
preview...

I know that this movie has THREE things that give it the potential to be ASTOUNDING...
1. Johnny Depp
2. Tim Burton
3. The "Willy Wonka" factor.

I wanted to see this movie on opening night, at IMAX. (I go to most movies that I really want to see in this fashion...midnight opening night with a group of friends) Well, needless to say....I had a "date" with my friend James(who I might add is 30 and only saw Willy Wonka for the first time 3 yrs ago!!! Talk about DEPRIVED CHILD!!!) and didnt get much sleep the night before it opened so I opted to NOT go.
This past weeekend I saw a show about the making of "Charlie" on MTV with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. They started by talking about what a GREAT job Gene Wilder had done in the original movie. They said that they couldnt mess with perfection, and they had no intentions of trying to mimick it...because they thought they would fall short. So, instead...they decided to take it in their own direction and follow the book more closely.

So, last night (FINALLLLLLY) my x Mike and I went to the Palm's Casino http://www.palms.com/ to see it at IMAX. I sat down in awe of how huge this screen was. Mike was laughing at me...he said "Miss Sammie, you are like a little kid when u are happy and excited...I wish u could see the look on yr face." All I know, is that I was ANXIOUSLY awaiting one of the most anticipated moments of movie going pleasure that I have felt in a long long long time. Moments pass...and suddenly the screen comes to life. What lays before me is one of the most wonderful movies I have ever seen. Yes, u heard that....EVER!!!!!
Johnny Depp does an astounding job!!!! The set is WONDERFUL and it transports u to another time and place. Everything is so amazing....but perfect. Burton didnt overdo it with modern technology...Depp didnt overact it, and every character is exactly as u remember it as a kid. It was like watching it for the first time, all over again. Im enthralled. I dont want to move, I dont want to miss a moment. That magical warm feeling washes over u as it did in the original. You feel like u are lost in a different time and space.....you feel like a part of this movie... and in all actuality...u are. We all are. It's people like us who have made this movie a success over the generations... People like us who couldnt get enough of this story about a poor boy who loves his family. People like us who have made creative people like Tim Burton and Johnny Depp remake a classic knowing Wonka followers will come out in droves to see it. And it worked. Not only are shows SOLD OUT....but they have remade a classic that will itself become a classic...one that I know I personally will probably see another 500 times!!!!
So if u havent seen it, grab someone u love and GO see it. I personaly reccommend IMAX which takes something larger than life and actually MAKES it larger than life!!!
ENJOY!!!!!

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings"