Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

I realize that I am coming to this discussion just a *little *bit late, but the fact that we actually saw a movie in a theater is nothing short of a miracle. Granted, it was the bargain $2.oo per show theater, but it was only the third time my kids have been in one. They have seen tons of plays but movies at the theater have been few and far between.

Let me tell you right up front that I have *big* issues with my favorite childhood books being made into movies. I cried (as an adult) after I watched how they wrecked A Little Princess (which is one of my all time favorites.) How could they make it a Girl Power kind of movie? Blech! I fear The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe coming out. I am a purist. I want it to be the same as the book. I want them to cast it correctly-you know, like the pictures in my mind. But, I told the kids if they read the books *and* loved them as much as I did, *and* had a picture in their minds then I would take them to the movie. They sped through the books and of course told me what I wanted to hear and so I'll take them.

But, I digress. As a child I thought the movie Willy Wonka was magical. I loved it when it came on TV every year. But, even then it bothered me that Charlie broke the rules in the movie when he clearly didn't in the book. Why would they have awarded Charlie the factory when he was as guilty as the other children? When I heard they were making a new one I was excited. Yet when I saw pictures of Johnny Depp he just looked weird and un-Wonka like.

So, all my baggage aside, do you want to know what I thought? I loved it! I loved Depp as Wonka. He was hilarious. I liked it so much more than I thought I would from hearing reviews. I thought it was cast perfectly and I was so amused by his childhood memories...even though they weren't in the book. Love the headgear!! I loved that they corrected the Charlie thing this time and made him a fine young boy all the way through, worthy of a chocolate factory.

My message must be getting through to someone because in the movie Annsley leaned over to me and said, "I see what you mean about books and movies, Mommy. That factory doesn't look at all like I pictured it in my mind." I guess maybe they are ready for Narnia after all.