The Yak Shack Forum

I went to CATCF today and it was great :D

I have to preface this by stating I really didn't like the the original and the Oompa Lummpa's have always freaked me out.  Also I would not consider myself a Tim Burton fan by any means, I thought Nightmare Before Christmas sucked and I even went to see it at the theatre the first day it came out because I thought it looked great.  I did like Sleepy Hollow, but again my approval was probably harder to win because of both of the factors I stated.

Anyway I thought it was great, there was a couple songs by the Oompa Lummpa, but they were not the ones we all think of from the original.  Also I am not anti Depp or Pro Depp at all so no advantage there, but JD was great.  He was funny and quirky throughout the whole movie.  I thought I had read somewhere negative reviews of Deep Roy's performance, but I didn't think there was anything bad about it.  Charlie was good and the other kids played their parts very well to really get across the persona they are supposed to reflect.  I read the book maybe in 3 grade or something, too long ago to remember so I can't tell you how it compares for accuracy if that is what you are looking for.

I really have to say I liked it more than I thought, and it has a nice story ending in comparison to the original movie (again I assume this one reflects how the book ended, but I don't remember).
I wouldn't characterize it as a dark movie, maybe just because the background of most things (other than the inside of the factory scenes) reflects a nighttime or industrial type of setting.

All in all it was funny, witty, quirkey, and just well done overall.  It is certainly worth paying the cost to go see it while it is still in the theatre.  If you are in the mood for a few laughs it is a great and entertaining option.

Again my disclaimer if your looking for book accuracy I don't remember so someone else will have to put their 2 cents in on that, and yes you will notice most of the props, costumes, etc used in the card set, a few I didn't notice, but they are there.

Now get back to your HP book ;)

oh im happy that you enjoyed it, I didnt realise it would be out already! and i CANT believe that we dont get it here in oz until September  :( no fair

I just went to see this movie yesterday with my two sisters, brother and niece and I have to say I loved it. Johnny Depp did an excellent job as Willy Wonka and Freddie Highmore was a terrific Charlie. The other children and parents were also very good. I loved David Kelly in this film he was amazing as Grandpa Joe. I loved the way Deep Roy played all of those oompa loompas and the songs were very different. Danny Elfman did a wonderful job with the music on this film and Tim Burton has another hit to me  ;D

Okay, I just want to say that I loved the new "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"  :rofl: ;D

So Deep Roy plays ALL the Oompa Loompas?  That's pretty interesting.

Yep, he plays all of them (except for one or two fake ones ;)).

I, too, saw the film with Wendi. I liked it a lot. I was very much afraid that 1.) The trailer was showing all the funny scenes and the film would just turn out to be okay OR 2.) My expectations were way too high (when that happens, I usually end up getting disappointed by the film ... as has happened to me in the past). My fears were not confirmed at all! I thought everyone did a great job in their roles very convincing ... with the exception of Mike Teevee. I kinda thought he was overacting and kinda weird. I liked the parts of the film that were added. It gave the film much more depth. All in all it's worth seeing in the theatre and owning (rather than renting ;)), imo!

Just got back from seeing the film tonight as it was the national release in Australia today. All I can say was that IMO it was brilliant. Johnny Depp did a stand up job as usual as the oft creepy and just plain crazy Wonka! Before anyone asks no I did not even see a slight resembelance to Michael Jackson and really wish people would stop saying they could compare him and Jackson. Err Wonka doesnt like kids so that settles that.  ;D
I know she wasnt featured heavily in the film but for what it's worth Missi Pyle was great in this. Her expressions were just priceless. The kids also were really good and played out their roles perfectly. Deep Roy was also extremely good as the Oompa Loompas. Nothing much else to say but this was definetely one of the funniest movies I have seen all year if not THE funniest.  :rofl:

COOL!!!

I cant wait to see it, going tonight so it should be fun!  ;D Glad u liked it Arwen

Cool Trey. Hope you enjoy it. Im going again tonight with some more friends so hopefully I'll like it as much this time round.  :D

Well I LOVED Charlie & the Chocolate Factory....and I must say that it is 10 times better than the original!!!

JD was awesome  ;D...he played Willy Wonka as he should be played..in the first film wonka seemed like a nut job to me and really quite scary...but in this movie he comes across as completely different..a tad quirky and not fully sane, but genuine and very funny! I loved how the story delved into Willy Wonka's past..there was alot more depth to the character.

Freddie Highmore was fantastic and a MUCH more likeable Charlie than the kid in the first flick!! He and Depp seemed to gel together as they did in finding neverland and made an incredible team. All of the other kids were pretty good, I especially liked Julia Winter I thought she was great as Veruka Salt. Grandpa Joe was a classic  :D

The only thing that did disappoint though was the oompa loompas...I thought their songs were great, but they just seemed a little too small..very minature compared to what they should be..

All in all a wonderful movie....im hoping to go and see it again next weekend  ;D

Also a BIG BONUS for me was getting to see a preview of the HP and the Goblet of Fire. The trailer was spectacular and almost overshadowed the movie haha. I think it was pretty similar to ones I have seen over the net...but it looks so much better on the big screen....there were a lot of 'oh's and ah's' in the cinema so im pretty sure it was a surprise to many and that they didnt know the film was coming out this year.

Someone commented to me that they thought that it would have been better if they had spent more money on it!!!

I had heard it had cost about 2/3 of all 3 LOTR films so I find that an odd comment to make, I enjoyed it - the colours were so vibrant that they filled you up - as though I'd eaten 17 bars of chocolate*

*don't try that at home kids

I saw it yesterday since it finally opened here in NZ. I loved it and cannot wait to see it again. I probably prefer this to the original, though it's been awhile since I've seen the former. And I don't see why I can't like both. JD was brillant--he was so quirky and funny. I absolutely loved all his facial expressions. He's an actor that can do anything. All the kids were great---Freddie Highmore was wonderful--and David Kelly was a perfect Grandpa Joe. Beautiful art direction and I still have the "Willy Wonka" song stuck in my head  ???

As for it costing more money, I belive it already cost US $150 million which is quite a lot (though a lot was apparently spent in all the previous tries to get this). Burton spared no expense for the movie--a real chocolate river, real squirrels trained to crack nuts, etc...

Can't wait to see it again and again....

No kidding?  That's so neat!  I'll have to look up stuff about the making of the movie.  I would love to know more.

I'd love to see a making of this movie... surely you are pulling my leg Alyssa?

I saw it tonight (finally!) and thought it was brilliant! Johnny was fantastic as the 'not quite there' Wonka and Freddie Highmore and the other kids were great. Perfect casting all round :D And I loved Chris Lee as well, like Trey said, it gave alot more depth to Wonka's character. Although I had to keep myself from saying 'Saruman' at first ;)

I loved all the references to other movies... anyone NOT notice the Edward Scissorhands one? ;)

Alyssa - the river was real enough, but it was not chocolate. I read somewhere what it was, but I can't remember. Here's some interesting facts for you guys anyways:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/trivia

One of my friends refused to see it because he was freaked out by the Ooompa Loompa songs in the original - I can't see how he could fail to love the songs here though! I thought that they were one of the best things in the movie.

All in all, the embellished ending made this a 5 star movie all round! Fingers crossed that they make the sequel as well :o=

*I also saw the trailers for GoF, Wallace and Gromit and the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as well, all three of which looked BRILLIANT so that was a nice bonus :D*

Stop it - you are ruining my dreams

Sorry Roz ;D But of you look at the imdb facts, some of the props in the chocolate Room were real though ;)

Slightly annoyed at the Americanisation of some of the words though... CANDY? :P

And inflation is a bit of a worry - in the book, he found 50p, now - its 10 pounds ::)

Ok, so I was very gullable about the river and squirrels.  :rofl:  The word candy is Americanised?  You don't use that word?

No - it's worse than that it was $10!

The film was set in cosy Americanised Britain, even the postboxes were American style mail boxes and I nearly died with laughter at "Candy" being said constantly in an English accent (it's all wrong to the ears, if someone says Candy it should be said in an American accent) especially at poor Helena Bonham Carter - who naturally has lovely teeth and a far back (posh) English accent.

Kelly you aren't gullible - you just WANTED to believe

Oh, I so want that world to be real!  I think I figured it out, you say sweets instead of candy?

It depends, "sweets" are usually childrens candy, boiled sweets, chews lollipops etc, but chocolate is simply chocolate, it's never described as anything else - what about in Aus Jo?

I looked at my post and thought it looked a bit rude - it wasn't meant to be, all I meant, like Roz said, was that listening to American terms said in a British accent was very weird ;) Its just CatCF is synonymous with Britishness for me - when I read this as a kid, I just thought taht it was so British :) Candy, taffy - is this British? We never use this in Australia... I can't recall anything else at the moment.

Americanised Britain? Oh dear... is there something you American members haven't told us? ;)

The term 'lollies' is more popular here in Australia, its used to describe all the sweets taht you mentioned Roz - the term sweets is rare and candy rarer. And yep, chocolate is just... chocolate :-*

Oh, I wasn't offended at all.  In fact, keeping the British terms would have been fine by me.  I'm not sure why movie companies Americanize everything either.  We aren't that dumb that we can't follow along!  ::)  I love how the HP movies keep the British terms.  And they SHOULD.  I can't wait to hear someone say "snogging" in the GOF movie!  BTW, I also say chocolate for chocolate instead of candy.  I didn't catch it in the film.

I thought the river was real chocolate, but fake is pretty good--better than a computer one.
The squirrels were trained--the imdb page says for the scene when they pounce on Veruca and I'm sure I've read elsewhere that the nut-cracking ones are also.
But having lots of the other lollies/candy be real is still pretty cool.

Ive just got back from seeing this movie, and wow, it was hilarious. Being a chocoholic there was no better way to spend my birthday  ;D JD was great, I kept looking at his face trying to see him behind his character but it was quite hard, he played WW so well...but those braces, they had to hurt  ::)

So I went to go see CATCF last night again with a couple of friends and they darn well showed the film in clsoed captions! I wasnt even told when I bought my ticket.  >:() It got really irritating as the funniest lines were written down the bottom of the screen before they were even said which really took away from the film. They also messed up the lyrics to the Oompa Loompa songs big time so all in all I really wasn impressed. When the credits began playing it had in brackets (ominous, eerie music begins)..I dont want to whinge but try sitting through that for 2 hours.  :rofl:
In the end though after the screening the manager of Greater Union came in and made a formal apology to everyone and handed out a free ticket to any film for any time within the next year!  ;D
So Im not going to count this experience as it really wasnt enjoyable but the free ticket was a lovely gesture.  :)

the free ticket was a lovely gesture and I'm glad they did something as they really should have informed patrons of the captioning when tickets were purchased.
I can't wait to see it again but with my two jobs I have no mornings off and the evening showings are bound to be sold out for awhile, especially since school holidays is soon. However, I do intend on seeing it at least twice more before it leaves the theatre.

I wonder when its scheduled for a DVD release? Also why do Aussies and New Zealanders get the films so late after the US and UK? I just noticed Corpse Bride is out in USA this week and we get it on October 27th. How bizarre. I dont know if I really want to see corpse bride but I just noticed that the gap in release dates is astounding.  :o
Anyway back on topic, I reckon I can squeeze this in a couple more times just before the holidas then just hold off for the DVD release. But its such a wonderful movie.  ;D   ;D  ;D

I may be showing my ingorance here, but why would a movie have closed captions?  As far as I know we don't have that here.  I have a deaf friend from college and she used to get me in to movies for 1/2 price by pretending that I was deaf too (bad, I know) ::) .   Do you have seperate movies for the hard of hearing?  The most I've seen is ear phones to amplify the sound.

Well this was the first time I had ever seen a CC film but when I enquired I was told it was a  session for the deaf or hearing imaired. No one attending though appeared to be either of these so there was alot of complaints that the subtitles should just be turned off. I was completely unaware we even showed CC films in the cinemas over here as well.  :-\

How irritating!! >:() I would have been in the lobby throwing a fit (my patience doesn't go far these days)! 
I thought the movie was great ;D I laughed more than my kids did.   :rofl: I think a lot of it was directed towards an older audience.  And what can I say about JD!!! :o He's so great!!! (Can't wait for the next "Pirates"!!)Although, my 5 year old son fell in love with Violet.  He wanted to see it again just to see her!!! ;)

Glad you and your family enjoyed the film! thats so cute about your son falling in love with Violet.  :P Violet (Annasophia Robb) was my favourite of the kids in the film as well as Mike Teevea.  ;D

At least it wasn't in Braille.

LOL!!!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Good point John.  :rofl:

We have just come back from seeing the movie. It was a very good movie but as Scott said it is not as good as the original . I t might just be us but we both hated the ending

But Jd was great
i think the movie was designed for a much older audience than the first .

When you see a little girl in the aisle across from you crying and begging to go home  it kind of takes the joy of the movie away

Was the child scared McGonagall? lol sorry I wasnt sure what you meant in your post.   :P If so the film  is strictly PG and if the girl was say around 5 then her parents should be scrutinizing more carefully what they let their children see.
Sorry to hear you didnt like it as much as the 71' version. The 71' version always scared me so I see this is a new and fresh adaptation that grips my attention more.
I loved that ending - very clever IMO.  :rofl:

i think the problem is that the parents think the movie will be along to same lines as the first and are not expecting the differances

I found the 71' version to be incredibly scary. Especially that boat ride...*shudder*. But in this version I just thought everything was wonderful and at least kids can see that nothing particularly bad happened to the children. If you hadnt read the novel and saw the 71' version then who's to say what happened to them? Honestly though it is in a way teaching morals...err I think. :P
All I mean is parents need the scruitinize more what they should or should not be allowing their children to see. I know Im 17 and obviously have no clue but thats just my opinion..  ;D

I don't get release dates either. Here in NZ we've gotten some films much later, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But other movies like Red Eye (to name a recent one) we got like only one or two weeks later. Many big movies (War of the Worlds, Batman) have opened the same date. Though since movies open here on Thursdays instead of Fridays, we sometimes get them first (i.e. star wars). But then there are some movies we get first (Wallace and Grommit, for example and Kingdom of Heaven I believe. We also got Layer Cake before the US). I wonder if some of it is so the stars can do promotion in different places, but they manage for big movies (see above two) so that obviously can be done.
I think some movies that do really bad in the US never get realeased internationally (or very limited), but the release dates often (usually) don't make sense. Considering how big a problem piracy is becoming, you'd think simultaneous (or at least close) release would be beneficial for the studios.
I'd like someone to explain the logic to me as well.

I think actually America gets a bad name because we all think that you can't handle other cultures, whereas the actual truth is that no one gives you the opportunity ;)

In truth they'll probably reshoot the film with the words french kiss or something for you - they shot the Philosopher's Stone bits twice so knowing film studios you might miss out ;) but don't worry you have "contacts" who can always send you the UK edition DVD if needs be ;)

 :D Well worth seeing. My daughter is a huge Depp fan. My son laughed all the way through the movie :rofl:.  The orginal was good for its time but this is for the "now" generation. 8)

I saw it today and I thought it was very good. ;D

I still catch myself stopping everything that I'm doing when the kids play this movie!!  ::)
I can't help it!! Depp is amazing!! 8) His expressions are... I can't even think of a word right now to explain!!!   ::)

My kids watch it a couple of times a week it seems.  I'm now trying to get a few Charlie costume cards because of it.  ::)  The parts that make me laugh everytime is when Depp does the Oompa Loompa call with his tongue, and both times he runs into the elevator.  :rofl:

 :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: ME TOO!!! 

I have a few of the cards. I still look at the auctions to see if I can find a great deal!! I'll eventually have that set, also!  ::) :P

Johnny Depp is just so brilliant and actor every time he is so brilliant. His wonka was terrific ;D