"He's Still Looking For That Chocolate Factory...It Consumes Him."

Sylvana and I went and saw the much maligned "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" tonight, and I, for one, am shocked and appalled. How long will the plight of the Oompah-Loompah people be ignored? First the Darfur region of the Sudan, now wherever the hell it is Oompah Loompahs come from...if there's no resources to exploit, the white man is nowhere to be found. Can you hear the cry for freedom even now? Let my Oompahs go!

Seriously, though, I think Johnny Depp did a great job. I mean, he had some Sideshow Bob-sized shoes to fill; it was brave of him to even try to, and I think he pulled it off...he seemed like less of a child molester than Gene Wilder, and arguably had wackier hair. And anyone who can steal a scene away from Deep Roy (how did he not get into porn with a name like that?) deserves an Oscar.

As with most Tim Burton films, the cinematography and the set design are incredible, and really add a whole other layer or dimension to the work.

Other things that make this movie good, or, dare I say, genius...well, genius might be a stretch, but still really good (don't read if you don't want to know):

1) Repeated references to the fact that the Oompah Loompah songs seem a litlle too polished to be improvised.

2) Chocolate bar replaces Monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey

3) The Puppet Burn Ward...hi-larious!

4) Willie Wonka spouting off 70's catch phrases, such as "keep on truckin'", "let's boogie", etc.

5) The Oompah Loompah psychiatrist

6) I'm sure there are more...go see the movie yourself, for Christ sakes.