list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory/230281/default.aspx Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Year: 2005
Director: Tim Burton
Plot: Director Tim Burton brings his unique vision and sensibility to Roald Dahl's classic children's story in this lavish screen interpretation. Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp) is the secretive and wildly imaginative man behind the world's most celebrated candy company, and while the Wonka factory is famously closed to visitors, the reclusive candy man decides to give five lucky children a chance to see the inside of his operation by placing "golden tickets" in five randomly selected chocolate bars. Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore), whose poor but loving family lives literally in the shadow of the Wonka factory, is lucky enough to obtain one of the tickets, and Charlie, escorted by his Grandpa Joe (David Kelly), is in for the ride of a lifetime as he tours the strange and remarkable world of Wonka with fellow winners, media-obsessed Mike Teavee (Jordan Fry), harsh and greedy Veruca Salt (Julia Winter), gluttonous Augustus Gloop (Philip Wiegratz), and ultra-competitive Violet Beauregarde (AnnaSophia Robb). Over the course of the day, some of the children will learn difficult lessons about themselves, and one will go on to become Wonka's new right hand. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also stars Christopher Lee, James Fox, and Noah Taylor; the book was famously adapted to the screen before in 1971 under the title Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, with Gene Wilder as the eccentric candy tycoon. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 121
Number of Lists: 111
Number of blog posts: 9
Number of discussion threads: 4
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:14:58 GMTCharlie and the Chocolate Factory2005Tim BurtonDirector <a href="/players/P____83666/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Tim Burton</a> brings his unique vision and sensibility to <a href="/players/P___159540/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Roald Dahl</a>'s classic children's story in this lavish screen interpretation. Willy Wonka (<a href="/players/P____18682/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Johnny Depp</a>) is the secretive and wildly imaginative man behind the world's most celebrated candy company, and while the Wonka factory is famously closed to visitors, the reclusive candy man decides to give five lucky children a chance to see the inside of his operation by placing "golden tickets" in five randomly selected chocolate bars. Charlie Bucket (<a href="/players/P___367699/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Freddie Highmore</a>), whose poor but loving family lives literally in the shadow of the Wonka factory, is lucky enough to obtain one of the tickets, and Charlie, escorted by his Grandpa Joe (<a href="/players/P___121741/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>David Kelly</a>), is in for the ride of a lifetime as he tours the strange and remarkable world of Wonka with fellow winners, media-obsessed Mike Teavee (Jordan Fry), harsh and greedy Veruca Salt (Julia Winter), gluttonous Augustus Gloop (Philip Wiegratz), and ultra-competitive Violet Beauregarde (<a href="/players/P___376791/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>AnnaSophia Robb</a>). Over the course of the day, some of the children will learn difficult lessons about themselves, and one will go on to become Wonka's new right hand. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also stars <a href="/players/P____41362/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Lee</a>, <a href="/players/P____90268/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James Fox</a>, and <a href="/players/P____70078/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Noah Taylor</a>; the book was famously adapted to the screen before in 1971 under the title <a href=/films/38456/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</a>, with <a href="/players/P___116771/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Gene Wilder</a> as the eccentric candy tycoon. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide121Tag Target (>10)111943http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t88174r1ifz.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Charlie_and_the_Chocolate_Factory/230281/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/3/13/41014.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/13/2009 3:00:43 PM
Body: Even if you love the original Escape to Witch Mountain, you have to welcome a remake. The 1975 sci-fi Disney film has some very dated special effects — though the visible wires used to “levitate” a handgun and a harmonica give it a campy charm — and it’s not exactly the well-respected classic that The Black Hole or Old Yeller is, anyway. So, better a remake (or “modern re-imagining”) of a slightly beloved movie, which has already been redone once, to give The Rock another fulfillment of his Disney contract and utilize all the “perfect” digital effects now available. While it seems that eventually all Disney live-action classics will be remade, potentially rendering obsolete the careers of Dean Jones, Kevin Corcoran and those ugly kids from Mary Poppins, there are some that may, like Witch Mountain, deserve to be recycled. Disney has previously erred in reworking films like The Absent-Minded Professor (Robin Williams is no Fred MacMurray) and The Shaggy Dog (Tim Allen is no MacMurray, either, nor even is he Tommy Kirk), and it’s mistakenly producing new versions of Swiss Family Robinson and 20,000 Leauges Under the Sea. But there are so many other films, most forgotten, that would better lend themselves to remakes. Here we’ve selected 10 such classics, all but one live-action features, and we welcome you to suggest any others you may wish to see updated and/or re-imagined. The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) With the western genre not quite dead anymore, it would be nice for Disney to bring back the comedy western. Of course, The Apple Dumpling Gang could be modernized, too. Either way, the story of three orphan children who enlist two bumbling bank robbers to steal their gold nugget would delight a new generation of kids who might not necessarily appreciate Don Knotts the way we did. Cast Jim Carrey in the Knotts role and Jack Black as his partner (originally played by Tim Conway), have them try to outdo each other’s slapstick performance, and you’ve got a huge family hit. The Black Cauldron (1985) This animated feature was so unpopular that it pretty much ruined the reputation of Walt Disney Pictures for a few years. Rated PG, and way too dark even for the studio that brought us Pinocchio, the adaptation of Lloyd Alexander’s fantasy novel had initially been threatened with a PG-13 or R rating. Nearly 25 years later, kids are a little tougher and could easily tolerate a live-action version that’s somewhere akin to Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Phantom Menace (a CGI “Gurgi” would be very similar to Jar-Jar Binks). Tim Burton should obviously direct the film, because he worked as an artist on the original, and he’s currently working for Disney anyway. The Cat from Outer Space (1978) Few people seem to hold this movie in high regards, despite audience’s apparent favor for talking animals and stupid sci-fi plots. But a modernized telling of a feline alien’s visit to Earth could be a blockbuster by being even worse than the original. Add more slapstick (in an LOLCats sort of way) and more special effects and this could make even more money than E.T., which seriously seemed derivative of The Cat from Outer Space anyway. And after this becomes a hit, Disney should continue digging in its catbox and remake the very strange and very obscure Three Lives of Thomasina. Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) If Hollywood can dare redo Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then Disney can surely remake Darby O’Gill and the Little People without too much protest. And like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this remake shall retain the source novel’s title. Of course, Darby O’Gill and the Good People does sound a little plain, so maybe getting right to the idea with Darby O’Gill and the Leprechauns as a title would be better. In any event, Sean Connery should come out of retirement to switch roles and play the titular old man who meets a bunch of Leprechauns. And perhaps Daniel Craig for Connery’s original role? Okay, new title: James Bond and the Other James Bond in Little People Are Forever (or Little People Never Die, or some other combo of 007 title referencing Leprechaun’s immortality). If this does well, Disney can also go ahead and redo the little-people-filled The Gnome-Mobile. In Search of the Castaways (1962) Here’s the genius idea Hollywood’s been seeking for almost 50 years: remake the Jules Verne adaptation In Search of the Castaways, a musical adventure with tons of disaster film elements and a perfect role for Miley Cyrus (isn’t she this generation’s Hayley Mills, in a way?), who could sing a new version of “Castaway.” The ice slide scene would be great in 3-D, by the way. Midnight Madness (1980) Remaking this cult classic might upset a few fans, but even those of us who love the original should be able to appreciate an updated version if it’s done right. There could always be more scavenger hunt movies, whether they’re fresh or recycled. And if Disney can find enough good, young character actors to fill the teams, nobody should even miss Eddie Deezen, David Naughton or Stephen Furst. Have Judd Apatow produce the thing and cast all his regulars, for instance. Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) should reprise his role, though. The Million Dollar Duck (1971) This family comedy about a duck that lays golden eggs is not very good, and it probably didn’t help its box office that a better film featuring golden-egg-laying fowl (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) opened on the very same day. But a good remake of bad movie isn’t a bad idea, and in this economy the story of a struggling family that gets a burst of financial luck (via strange science) might work as a relevant fantasy. Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) This forgotten Kevin Corcoran + monkey classic is kind of like Coraline, but there’s more circus stuff, the kid’s parents don’t suck (though he’s told they don’t love him), there’s a primate friend instead of a talking cat (though both animals are classic Disney devices) and it’s live-action and not 3-D. Do children still dream of running away to the circus? If not, then a remake of this movie could both reinstate that wish and present it as a terrible substitute for a real family all in the course of 90 minutes. The Ugly Dachshund (1966) Between the success of Marley and Me and news of an upcoming Marmaduke movie, it may just be the perfect time for a remake of a movie about a disastrous Great Dane who thinks he’s a little wiener dog. Put Brad Pitt and Anglina Jolie in the Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette roles and you’ll really, really piss off Team Jennifer by out-grossing last Christmas’ biggest hit. The World’s Greatest Athlete (1973) The story of an African who is brought to the U.S. to be a college track star may not seem like a big idea for a movie in the 21st century. But make that African a Tarzan-like white kid who can outrun a cheetah (and who isn’t The Flash) and you’ll have people laughing your film out of theaters. Or, you’ll somehow have a monster hit. Either way, we wish Disney would have the balls to remake this unrealistic movie, especially if they can get Usain Bolt to be the protagonist’s main competition. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:00:43 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/13/2009 3:00:43 PMEven if you love the original Escape to Witch Mountain, you have to welcome a remake. The 1975 sci-fi Disney film has some very dated special effects — though the visible wires used to “levitate” a handgun and a harmonica give it a campy charm — and it’s not exactly the well-respected classic that The Black Hole or Old Yeller is, anyway. So, better a remake (or “modern re-imagining”) of a slightly beloved movie, which has already been redone once, to give The Rock another fulfillment of his Disney contract and utilize all the “perfect” digital effects now available. While it seems that eventually all Disney live-action classics will be remade, potentially rendering obsolete the careers of Dean Jones, Kevin Corcoran and those ugly kids from Mary Poppins, there are some that may, like Witch Mountain, deserve to be recycled. Disney has previously erred in reworking films like The Absent-Minded Professor (Robin Williams is no Fred MacMurray) and The Shaggy Dog (Tim Allen is no MacMurray, either, nor even is he Tommy Kirk), and it’s mistakenly producing new versions of Swiss Family Robinson and 20,000 Leauges Under the Sea. But there are so many other films, most forgotten, that would better lend themselves to remakes. Here we’ve selected 10 such classics, all but one live-action features, and we welcome you to suggest any others you may wish to see updated and/or re-imagined. The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) With the western genre not quite dead anymore, it would be nice for Disney to bring back the comedy western. Of course, The Apple Dumpling Gang could be modernized, too. Either way, the story of three orphan children who enlist two bumbling bank robbers to steal their gold nugget would delight a new generation of kids who might not necessarily appreciate Don Knotts the way we did. Cast Jim Carrey in the Knotts role and Jack Black as his partner (originally played by Tim Conway), have them try to outdo each other’s slapstick performance, and you’ve got a huge family hit. The Black Cauldron (1985) This animated feature was so unpopular that it pretty much ruined the reputation of Walt Disney Pictures for a few years. Rated PG, and way too dark even for the studio that brought us Pinocchio, the adaptation of Lloyd Alexander’s fantasy novel had initially been threatened with a PG-13 or R rating. Nearly 25 years later, kids are a little tougher and could easily tolerate a live-action version that’s somewhere akin to Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Phantom Menace (a CGI “Gurgi” would be very similar to Jar-Jar Binks). Tim Burton should obviously direct the film, because he worked as an artist on the original, and he’s currently working for Disney anyway. The Cat from Outer Space (1978) Few people seem to hold this movie in high regards, despite audience’s apparent favor for talking animals and stupid sci-fi plots. But a modernized telling of a feline alien’s visit to Earth could be a blockbuster by being even worse than the original. Add more slapstick (in an LOLCats sort of way) and more special effects and this could make even more money than E.T., which seriously seemed derivative of The Cat from Outer Space anyway. And after this becomes a hit, Disney should continue digging in its catbox and remake the very strange and very obscure Three Lives of Thomasina. Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) If Hollywood can dare redo Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then Disney can surely remake Darby O’Gill and the Little People without too much protest. And like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this remake shall retain the source novel’s title. Of course, Darby O’Gill and the Good People does sound a little plain, so maybe getting right to the idea with Darby O’Gill and the Leprechauns as a title would be better. In any event, Sean Connery should come out of retirement to switch roles and play the titular old man who meets a bunch of Leprechauns. And perhaps Daniel Craig for Connery’s original role? Okay, new title: James Bond and the Other James Bond in Little People Are Forever (or Little People Never Die, or some other combo of 007 title referencing Leprechaun’s immortality). If this does well, Disney can also go ahead and redo the little-people-filled The Gnome-Mobile. In Search of the Castaways (1962) Here’s the genius idea Hollywood’s been seeking for almost 50 years: remake the Jules Verne adaptation In Search of the Castaways, a musical adventure with tons of disaster film elements and a perfect role for Miley Cyrus (isn’t she this generation’s Hayley Mills, in a way?), who could sing a new version of “Castaway.” The ice slide scene would be great in 3-D, by the way. Midnight Madness (1980) Remaking this cult classic might upset a few fans, but even those of us who love the original should be able to appreciate an updated version if it’s done right. There could always be more scavenger hunt movies, whether they’re fresh or recycled. And if Disney can find enough good, young character actors to fill the teams, nobody should even miss Eddie Deezen, David Naughton or Stephen Furst. Have Judd Apatow produce the thing and cast all his regulars, for instance. Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) should reprise his role, though. The Million Dollar Duck (1971) This family comedy about a duck that lays golden eggs is not very good, and it probably didn’t help its box office that a better film featuring golden-egg-laying fowl (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) opened on the very same day. But a good remake of bad movie isn’t a bad idea, and in this economy the story of a struggling family that gets a burst of financial luck (via strange science) might work as a relevant fantasy. Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) This forgotten Kevin Corcoran + monkey classic is kind of like Coraline, but there’s more circus stuff, the kid’s parents don’t suck (though he’s told they don’t love him), there’s a primate friend instead of a talking cat (though both animals are classic Disney devices) and it’s live-action and not 3-D. Do children still dream of running away to the circus? If not, then a remake of this movie could both reinstate that wish and present it as a terrible substitute for a real family all in the course of 90 minutes. The Ugly Dachshund (1966) Between the success of Marley and Me and news of an upcoming Marmaduke movie, it may just be the perfect time for a remake of a movie about a disastrous Great Dane who thinks he’s a little wiener dog. Put Brad Pitt and Anglina Jolie in the Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette roles and you’ll really, really piss off Team Jennifer by out-grossing last Christmas’ biggest hit. The World’s Greatest Athlete (1973) The story of an African who is brought to the U.S. to be a college track star may not seem like a big idea for a movie in the 21st century. But make that African a Tarzan-like white kid who can outrun a cheetah (and who isn’t The Flash) and you’ll have people laughing your film out of theaters. Or, you’ll somehow have a monster hit. Either way, we wish Disney would have the balls to remake this unrealistic movie, especially if they can get Usain Bolt to be the protagonist’s main competition. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Tim_Burton/Re_Hate_to_say_it_but/39/37847/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Tim Burton
Post Date: 12/2/2008 1:58:12 PM
Body: I try to pretend Planet of the Apes never happened. I had mixed feelings on the newer Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I really like Gene Wilder's interpretation, and grew up watching that over and over, but I really did enjoy Depp's crazy and slightly off kilter interpretation of the role--perhaps truer to the book. Its hard to beat out nostalgia. Definitely agree about Roald Dahl and Burton... just heard today that Burton has started to work on a film version of The Witches. I can't wait to see how creepy it is. [quote user="csprague"] Big Fish is possibly one of my favorite movies of all time. i think it's beautifully made and the story is so imaginative, plus I can see a little bit of the tension Burton must have felt in his own life with the reality and fantasy. I can say that I wasn't a huge fan of Planet of the Apes, I just didn't really enjoy it much, and I really loved the old ones. We used to watch marathons of them when i was a little kid. But, I absolutely love the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I think Johnny Depp was hilarious and I enjoyed the world he made so much. I think Tim Burton and Roald Dahl were a match made in heaven. [/quote]
]]>Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:58:12 GMTseelyTim Burton12/2/2008 1:58:12 PMI try to pretend Planet of the Apes never happened. I had mixed feelings on the newer Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I really like Gene Wilder's interpretation, and grew up watching that over and over, but I really did enjoy Depp's crazy and slightly off kilter interpretation of the role--perhaps truer to the book. Its hard to beat out nostalgia. Definitely agree about Roald Dahl and Burton... just heard today that Burton has started to work on a film version of The Witches. I can't wait to see how creepy it is. [quote user="csprague"] Big Fish is possibly one of my favorite movies of all time. i think it's beautifully made and the story is so imaginative, plus I can see a little bit of the tension Burton must have felt in his own life with the reality and fantasy. I can say that I wasn't a huge fan of Planet of the Apes, I just didn't really enjoy it much, and I really loved the old ones. We used to watch marathons of them when i was a little kid. But, I absolutely love the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I think Johnny Depp was hilarious and I enjoyed the world he made so much. I think Tim Burton and Roald Dahl were a match made in heaven. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Tim_Burton/Re_Hate_to_say_it_but/39/37496/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: csprague
Post To: Tim Burton
Post Date: 11/20/2008 2:39:12 PM
Body: [quote user="seely"] ...I haven't really liked Burton's last few films. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Big Fish', and thought perhaps it was a bit of a maturing in his filmmaking, away from the cartoon-ish qualities of a lot of his earlier film and more towards a magic-realism approach (though he always had elements of that). However, everything since then has to me almost felt like a regression of sorts--Corpse Bride seemed a bit of a rehashing of Beetlejuice/Nightmare Before Christmas, and Sweeney Todd? Well, I just plain didn't really care for it, though I thought the cast carried it through fairly well. Maybe I'm just being over-critical? Thoughts? [/quote] Big Fish is possibly one of my favorite movies of all time. i think it's beautifully made and the story is so imaginative, plus I can see a little bit of the tension Burton must have felt in his own life with the reality and fantasy. I can say that I wasn't a huge fan of Planet of the Apes, I just didn't really enjoy it much, and I really loved the old ones. We used to watch marathons of them when i was a little kid. But, I absolutely love the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I think Johnny Depp was hilarious and I enjoyed the world he made so much. I think Tim Burton and Roald Dahl were a match made in heaven.
]]>Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:39:12 GMTcspragueTim Burton11/20/2008 2:39:12 PM[quote user="seely"] ...I haven't really liked Burton's last few films. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Big Fish', and thought perhaps it was a bit of a maturing in his filmmaking, away from the cartoon-ish qualities of a lot of his earlier film and more towards a magic-realism approach (though he always had elements of that). However, everything since then has to me almost felt like a regression of sorts--Corpse Bride seemed a bit of a rehashing of Beetlejuice/Nightmare Before Christmas, and Sweeney Todd? Well, I just plain didn't really care for it, though I thought the cast carried it through fairly well. Maybe I'm just being over-critical? Thoughts? [/quote] Big Fish is possibly one of my favorite movies of all time. i think it's beautifully made and the story is so imaginative, plus I can see a little bit of the tension Burton must have felt in his own life with the reality and fantasy. I can say that I wasn't a huge fan of Planet of the Apes, I just didn't really enjoy it much, and I really loved the old ones. We used to watch marathons of them when i was a little kid. But, I absolutely love the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I think Johnny Depp was hilarious and I enjoyed the world he made so much. I think Tim Burton and Roald Dahl were a match made in heaven. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_July_7_Foodie_Heaven/625/32210/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 7/7/2008 6:32:58 AM
Body: Moving along from the depressingly bleak visions of man struggling to survive after the apocalypse, let's spend some time examining films that revolve around humankind's love of food in all it's myriad forms. We all know at least one scene from a film that involves food (from the orgasm sandwich in When Harry Met Sally to the beggars feast in Viridiana or the Chinese restaurant Christmas dinner in A Christmas Story etcetera), but let's discuss those lesser in abundance films in which the entirety of the plot focuses primarily on food. Recently, Ratatouille seemed to bring out the gourmand in a lot of people (similar to what Big Night did more than a decade ago) while No Reservations just seemed to turn everyone's stomachs. Waitress brought about renewed interest in the realm of baking (pies in particular) and Tim Burton's re-imagined Charlie and the Chocolate Factory once again sent everyone's sweet tooth into a diabetic coma. While it could be argued that every zombie movie could be among this list, the best horror movies involving food have been Dumplings, which after watching has made the sound of someone slurping soup make my skin crawl, Blood Feast, which is a more visceral and straightforward version of Fried Green Tomatoes (without all that sappy crap), and of course Attack of the Killer Tomatoes in which food finally gets its revenge on us. On the documentary side of things we have Super Size Me and King Corn (and maybe the faux-based-on-real-events-exploitation-book-adaptation-movie Fast Food Nation). Lastly, some of my guilty pleasures have to be Waiting..., an amazing expose into the behavior of over-worked and under-paid restaurant employee's. Pieces of April, which centers around the amazingly stressful preparation of Thanksgiving dinner. What's Eating Gilbert Grape? which is surprisingly all about food when you think about it (preparing meals for his obese mother, the gentrification of small towns by Wal-Mart-like supermarkets and fast food restaurants, and the main character working in a grocery store and delivering "ice cream" to the local bored housewives). And The Last Supper which turns family dinners into Liberal Judgement Day. So now, where's the beef? I mean, what are some of your favorite foodie flicks?
]]>Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:32:58 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme7/7/2008 6:32:58 AM Moving along from the depressingly bleak visions of man struggling to survive after the apocalypse, let's spend some time examining films that revolve around humankind's love of food in all it's myriad forms. We all know at least one scene from a film that involves food (from the orgasm sandwich in When Harry Met Sally to the beggars feast in Viridiana or the Chinese restaurant Christmas dinner in A Christmas Story etcetera), but let's discuss those lesser in abundance films in which the entirety of the plot focuses primarily on food. Recently, Ratatouille seemed to bring out the gourmand in a lot of people (similar to what Big Night did more than a decade ago) while No Reservations just seemed to turn everyone's stomachs. Waitress brought about renewed interest in the realm of baking (pies in particular) and Tim Burton's re-imagined Charlie and the Chocolate Factory once again sent everyone's sweet tooth into a diabetic coma. While it could be argued that every zombie movie could be among this list, the best horror movies involving food have been Dumplings, which after watching has made the sound of someone slurping soup make my skin crawl, Blood Feast, which is a more visceral and straightforward version of Fried Green Tomatoes (without all that sappy crap), and of course Attack of the Killer Tomatoes in which food finally gets its revenge on us. On the documentary side of things we have Super Size Me and King Corn (and maybe the faux-based-on-real-events-exploitation-book-adaptation-movie Fast Food Nation). Lastly, some of my guilty pleasures have to be Waiting..., an amazing expose into the behavior of over-worked and under-paid restaurant employee's. Pieces of April, which centers around the amazingly stressful preparation of Thanksgiving dinner. What's Eating Gilbert Grape? which is surprisingly all about food when you think about it (preparing meals for his obese mother, the gentrification of small towns by Wal-Mart-like supermarkets and fast food restaurants, and the main character working in a grocery store and delivering "ice cream" to the local bored housewives). And The Last Supper which turns family dinners into Liberal Judgement Day. So now, where's the beef? I mean, what are some of your favorite foodie flicks? http://www.spout.com/blogs/jj79/archive/2008/6/9/30997.aspx Post By: JJ79
Post To: JJ79 Blog
Post Date: 6/9/2008 2:02:16 PM
Body: I was morbidly curious about this re-imagining by Tim Burton, considering I can't get certain songs from the original out of my head no matter how much I try. "Cheer Up Charlie", "The Candyman Can" and "Pure Imagination" are the highpoints to the original film, along with the first glimpse of the chocolate room we get. Willy Wonka is not a family film; it's dark, it's potentially scary, it promotes bad behavior. But it is a staple of television. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory still isn't a family material. It's supposedly closer to the novel, but in this case, I don't think it's better. To be sure, I think the original movie has zero flaws, no reason to remake it. This seems like Burton threw everything in the same pot just because he could with little regard as to whether he should. Johnny Depp, one of the truly great actors of our time, plays the candy maker so completely over the top that everyone else has to run to keep up. Not just the actors, but also the set designers, the costumers, the visuals...it's like a race. Depp keeps going above and beyond just to see what he can get away with. Frankly, and bluntly, he's a complete freak, from the way he mumbles almost everything, his aversion to children (see the first time they step into the factory) and his general creepiness factor.I kept hoping and praying he would break out of "icky" mode at some point; he doesn't. I was hoping we'd get a spiffed up rendition of "Pure Imagination" or something to liven up the entire flick; we don't. Even bringing vibrant colors to the screen after a half hour of depressing gray doesn't help. It's a visual explosion, but like an overdose of candy, it becomes too much for far too long. The major problem is that the entire film wants to say something about father/son relationships. Put bluntly, the storyline doesn't work. It's much more effective as a story about Willy and Charlie (or Wonka and the other children...his punishment of them as a means to changing their behavior). I just don't buy Wonka wants his father's approval that badly or his need for a family. Take out the flashbacks, Christopher Lee's Wonka Sr. and the STUPIDLY insipid ending where the family moves their shack into the factory and there's a good movie there. As is, aggrevatingly below par.
]]>Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:02:16 GMTJJ79JJ79 Blog6/9/2008 2:02:16 PMI was morbidly curious about this re-imagining by Tim Burton, considering I can't get certain songs from the original out of my head no matter how much I try. "Cheer Up Charlie", "The Candyman Can" and "Pure Imagination" are the highpoints to the original film, along with the first glimpse of the chocolate room we get. Willy Wonka is not a family film; it's dark, it's potentially scary, it promotes bad behavior. But it is a staple of television. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory still isn't a family material. It's supposedly closer to the novel, but in this case, I don't think it's better. To be sure, I think the original movie has zero flaws, no reason to remake it. This seems like Burton threw everything in the same pot just because he could with little regard as to whether he should. Johnny Depp, one of the truly great actors of our time, plays the candy maker so completely over the top that everyone else has to run to keep up. Not just the actors, but also the set designers, the costumers, the visuals...it's like a race. Depp keeps going above and beyond just to see what he can get away with. Frankly, and bluntly, he's a complete freak, from the way he mumbles almost everything, his aversion to children (see the first time they step into the factory) and his general creepiness factor.I kept hoping and praying he would break out of "icky" mode at some point; he doesn't. I was hoping we'd get a spiffed up rendition of "Pure Imagination" or something to liven up the entire flick; we don't. Even bringing vibrant colors to the screen after a half hour of depressing gray doesn't help. It's a visual explosion, but like an overdose of candy, it becomes too much for far too long. The major problem is that the entire film wants to say something about father/son relationships. Put bluntly, the storyline doesn't work. It's much more effective as a story about Willy and Charlie (or Wonka and the other children...his punishment of them as a means to changing their behavior). I just don't buy Wonka wants his father's approval that badly or his need for a family. Take out the flashbacks, Christopher Lee's Wonka Sr. and the STUPIDLY insipid ending where the family moves their shack into the factory and there's a good movie there. As is, aggrevatingly below par. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/3/25/26596.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 3/25/2008 4:00:59 PM
Body: MTV asks the question: Who is the next Dakota Fanning? Because now that the Princess of Precociousness is growing older (she recently turned 14), we apparently need to find a little girl to fill her old kid-size shoes. The most obvious suggestion is Dakota’s little sister, Elle, but MTV also mentions Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s AnnaSophia Robb as possible contenders. However, considering that Robb is actually a couple months older than Dakota, she makes the least amount of sense. The truth is, the next “Dakota Fanning” (or “Jodie Foster” or “Drew Barrymore” or “Shirley Temple”) will come along when we aren’t necessarily looking, just as Dakota did with I Am Sam. But that is mostly a moot point anyway, because the conclusion of this MTV story is that Dakota hasn’t actually gone away — she is, herself, the new Dakota Fanning, or at least still the same old Dakota Fanning, alive and acting. While she had seemed to disappear after the controversy over her 2007 Sundance film, Hounddog, she’s actually in a bunch of movies coming out this year, including The Secret Life of Bees and Winged Creatures. And she’ll likely continue getting starring roles well through her official exit from childhood (keep on counting down, creeps). (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:00:59 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com3/25/2008 4:00:59 PM MTV asks the question: Who is the next Dakota Fanning? Because now that the Princess of Precociousness is growing older (she recently turned 14), we apparently need to find a little girl to fill her old kid-size shoes. The most obvious suggestion is Dakota’s little sister, Elle, but MTV also mentions Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s AnnaSophia Robb as possible contenders. However, considering that Robb is actually a couple months older than Dakota, she makes the least amount of sense. The truth is, the next “Dakota Fanning” (or “Jodie Foster” or “Drew Barrymore” or “Shirley Temple”) will come along when we aren’t necessarily looking, just as Dakota did with I Am Sam. But that is mostly a moot point anyway, because the conclusion of this MTV story is that Dakota hasn’t actually gone away — she is, herself, the new Dakota Fanning, or at least still the same old Dakota Fanning, alive and acting. While she had seemed to disappear after the controversy over her 2007 Sundance film, Hounddog, she’s actually in a bunch of movies coming out this year, including The Secret Life of Bees and Winged Creatures. And she’ll likely continue getting starring roles well through her official exit from childhood (keep on counting down, creeps). (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/2/14/25150.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 2/14/2008 4:09:59 PM
Body: A brief, deliberately vague review of 'The Nines' I have always been interested in this philosophical concept, as well as Plato's 'Cave Parable, 'which has been worked into some of my most re-watched cinematic outings of the past few years (The Matrix, Fight Club, Old School -- OK, maybe not that last one).As a writer, I love the kind of Charlie Kauffman-lite vibe this film has going for it, much like 'Stranger Than Fiction,' but I think much more complex. Ryan Reynolds, who I know many are hot-and-cold over, really displays some heretofore untapped range in three separate roles. Hope Davis is always a welcome addition to any film, but --wow -- where did Melissa McCarthy come from? Have not seen an episode of Gilmore Girls, I suppose I am late to the game, but she is amazing in situations that must seem heart-breakingly true to life for her.John August, who previously wrote Go and is a frequent Tim Burton collaborator (Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride), makes his debut as director and shows a real flair, working with three distinctly different styles, tones, film stock, etc. I have been purposefully vague about the plot, for I think that should be left for discussion. The best part of the film for me was not really knowing much about it going in. I have since discovered a few helpful theories behind things that I would be willing to share for those who found it as intriguing as I did, but was also hungry to dig deeper into the meaning of it.
]]>Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:09:59 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog2/14/2008 4:09:59 PMA brief, deliberately vague review of &#39;The Nines&#39; I have always been interested in this philosophical concept, as well as Plato&#39;s &#39;Cave Parable, &#39;which has been worked into some of my most re-watched cinematic outings of the past few years (The Matrix, Fight Club, Old School -- OK, maybe not that last one).As a writer, I love the kind of Charlie Kauffman-lite vibe this film has going for it, much like &#39;Stranger Than Fiction,&#39; but I think much more complex. Ryan Reynolds, who I know many are hot-and-cold over, really displays some heretofore untapped range in three separate roles. Hope Davis is always a welcome addition to any film, but --wow -- where did Melissa McCarthy come from? Have not seen an episode of Gilmore Girls, I suppose I am late to the game, but she is amazing in situations that must seem heart-breakingly true to life for her.John August, who previously wrote Go and is a frequent Tim Burton collaborator (Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride), makes his debut as director and shows a real flair, working with three distinctly different styles, tones, film stock, etc. I have been purposefully vague about the plot, for I think that should be left for discussion. The best part of the film for me was not really knowing much about it going in. I have since discovered a few helpful theories behind things that I would be willing to share for those who found it as intriguing as I did, but was also hungry to dig deeper into the meaning of it. http://www.spout.com/blogs/mswallack/archive/2008/1/24/24301.aspx Post By: MSWallack
Post To: MSWallack Blog
Post Date: 1/24/2008 2:25:59 PM
Body: This was a very well done movie that succeeded just right in approaching the beloved original without forcing a viewer to constantly compare new to old. Yes, it is essentially the same story as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory but the additional plot elements thrown in that really change the focus of the film so that, paradoxically, this movie is much more about Willy Wonka. Also, Johnny Depp's portrayal of Willa Wonka is very, very different from Gene Wilder's (incidentally, too many people forget the air of crazed malice that Wilder's Wonka evidenced several times in the original) and isn't nearly as creepy as it might appear from some of the trailers. Depp was absolutely fabulous. We took our 5 1/2 year olds and they loved it (there were a few brief "scary" moments for them, but not enough to detract from their enjoyment).
]]>Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:25:59 GMTMSWallackMSWallack Blog1/24/2008 2:25:59 PMThis was a very well done movie that succeeded just right in approaching the beloved original without forcing a viewer to constantly compare new to old. Yes, it is essentially the same story as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory but the additional plot elements thrown in that really change the focus of the film so that, paradoxically, this movie is much more about Willy Wonka. Also, Johnny Depp&#39;s portrayal of Willa Wonka is very, very different from Gene Wilder&#39;s (incidentally, too many people forget the air of crazed malice that Wilder&#39;s Wonka evidenced several times in the original) and isn&#39;t nearly as creepy as it might appear from some of the trailers. Depp was absolutely fabulous. We took our 5 1/2 year olds and they loved it (there were a few brief &quot;scary&quot; moments for them, but not enough to detract from their enjoyment). http://www.spout.com/blogs/go-ape/archive/2007/9/22/20041.aspx Post By: Go-Ape
Post To: Go-Ape Blog
Post Date: 9/22/2007 7:56:23 AM
Body: This was just not worth my time, but of course the fact that it is a Tim Burton movie means that not only do I have the 2 disc edition of the DVD, but I have a bloody huge poster on my ceiling too. It also means that upon it's first day of release, I went to an old fashioned cinema, the closest to me at the time, and saw it at the first showing of the day in the midst of a large number of over excited, screaming children. I could have lived with that, had the film been enough to impress me. I know that this was not strictly speaking, a remake of the original film, rather a second adaptation of the book. I am also well aware that this film sticks far more closely to the book than the 1971 version ever did. But I still love that film and I still dislike this one. The film looked great, but I was expecting so much more from Burton especially seeing as he was working with Johnny Depp again, Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands...these were such excellent films and then they go and make this!I don't know what I was expecting when I went to see this film, but I don't know that I had any right to expect it given the Planet Of The Apes fiasco. But I'll still be eagerly waiting for Sweeny Todd, another Burton-Depp colaboration, and I'll be seeing it on the day of release and keeping my fingers crossed that it takes Burton back to his roots and that he'll have something fantastic hidden up his sleeve for us.
]]>Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:56:23 GMTGo-ApeGo-Ape Blog9/22/2007 7:56:23 AMThis was just not worth my time, but of course the fact that it is a Tim Burton movie means that not only do I have the 2 disc edition of the DVD, but I have a bloody huge poster on my ceiling too. It also means that upon it&#39;s first day of release, I went to an old fashioned cinema, the closest to me at the time, and saw it at the first showing of the day in the midst of a large number of over excited, screaming children. I could have lived with that, had the film been enough to impress me. I know that this was not strictly speaking, a remake of the original film, rather a second adaptation of the book. I am also well aware that this film sticks far more closely to the book than the 1971 version ever did. But I still love that film and I still dislike this one. The film looked great, but I was expecting so much more from Burton especially seeing as he was working with Johnny Depp again, Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands...these were such excellent films and then they go and make this!I don&#39;t know what I was expecting when I went to see this film, but I don&#39;t know that I had any right to expect it given the Planet Of The Apes fiasco. But I&#39;ll still be eagerly waiting for Sweeny Todd, another Burton-Depp colaboration, and I&#39;ll be seeing it on the day of release and keeping my fingers crossed that it takes Burton back to his roots and that he&#39;ll have something fantastic hidden up his sleeve for us. http://www.spout.com/blogs/jaysprout/archive/2007/9/8/19524.aspx Post By: jaysprout
Post To: Film & Video Are My Life
Post Date: 9/8/2007 3:51:00 PM
Body: It had been well over 20 years since I saw a movie this many times at the cinema at full price. I realize most kids probably wanted to be Charlie but I want(ed) to be Willy. It's impossible to say Depp or Wilder play the character better. Wilder's portrayal was certainly mischevious and mysterious but Depp's downright naughty - almost malevolent and sadistic in a way that borders on Hannibal Lecter ... another character we somehow root for. Like the original, this is a masterpiece. It is not a remake, however, so if whether you loved or hated the version with Gene Wilder, you still want to give this a try. This totally redeemed Tim Burton for that Planet of the Apes piece of shit. Last, but certainly not least, this is the latest in a recent streak of greatness for Christopher Lee. I hope that doesn't mean he's going to die soon. He's certainly a national treasure (yes, I'm claiming him for the USA).
]]>Sat, 08 Sep 2007 19:51:00 GMTjaysproutFilm & Video Are My Life9/8/2007 3:51:00 PMIt had been well over 20 years since I saw a movie this many times at the cinema at full price. I realize most kids probably wanted to be Charlie but I want(ed) to be Willy. It&#39;s impossible to say Depp or Wilder play the character better. Wilder&#39;s portrayal was certainly mischevious and mysterious but Depp&#39;s downright naughty - almost malevolent and sadistic in a way that borders on Hannibal Lecter ... another character we somehow root for. Like the original, this is a masterpiece. It is not a remake, however, so if whether you loved or hated the version with Gene Wilder, you still want to give this a try. This totally redeemed Tim Burton for that Planet of the Apes piece of shit. Last, but certainly not least, this is the latest in a recent streak of greatness for Christopher Lee. I hope that doesn&#39;t mean he&#39;s going to die soon. He&#39;s certainly a national treasure (yes, I&#39;m claiming him for the USA). http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/comedy/MemberTagFilms.aspxcomedy
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