Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

This weekend I watched Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - the new Tim Burton film. I'm a big Tim Burton fan - even though he wrecked Batman. That's okay, though - since Chris Nolan is fixing that. But Burton is at his best when he's allowed to play and the story is light, bizarre, comical, and has a brooding and fairy tale undertone. (see Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish).



I haven't laughed at a movie this much in years. Johnny Depp was hilarious as Willy Wonka - and this guy certainly has range (as quirky as it may be). Come to think of it, I can't recall a role of Johnny Depp's that I didn't like. I certainly can't picture what he must be like in real life, so I would guess that's a good sign of a talented actor.



I remember this book from when I was a young kid, but I don't remember a lot of it. I remember the golden tickets, and the Oompa Loompfa's (sp?). It seems to me that Burton has updated the tale radically and added some genuinely unique dialog and musical numbers. The essence of the original is still there, though.



This is where Burton needs to be... this is his comfort zone. The weird, odd, strange, creepy, but always human and touching stories are Tim Burton's strongest medium.