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Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory
Cert: PG
Starring: Johnny
Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Anna Sophia
Robb, Jordan Fry, Julia Winter, Philip Wiegratz
Director: Tim
Burton
Running Time: 115
minutes
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When
Tim Burton declared that he was to make a new version of Charlie
And The Chocolate Factory, it sounded like a match made in heaven;
Burton’s mastery of gothic visuals combined with the spooky,
kooky, and downright un-pleasantness of the original story seemed
like almost too perfect a grouping. And fortunately for ‘old
skool’ Dahl fans like myself, Mr. Burton has produced the
goods.
The story centres around Charlie (Freddy High-more), a poor boy
who lives with his even poorer family. Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp),
on the other hand, is a mysterious eccentric who makes the best
chocolate and sweets in the world in his secret factory. Charlie,
naturally, adores Wonka’s chocolately goodness, although
his family are only able to buy him one bar per year, which he
gratefully scoffs down on his birthday.
Nobody has been allowed inside the factory for many years, although
for reasons initially un-beknownst to us, Wonka decides to send
out five golden tickets, concealed randomly inside chocolate bar
wrappers, which allow the lucky finders to spend a day in the factory.
To Charlie’s aston-ishment, his annual chocolate bar produces
the fifth and final lucky ticket. Once there, he watches as the
other four ticket-finding kids fall foul of their own greed and
nastiness.
After meeting Charlie’s financially impoverished family,
and indeed those belonging to the four other spoilt brats, the
film progresses into the factory, where we are treated to Burton’s
usual lavish visuals; everything from the Gondola that takes them
down the river of chocolate to the Oompa Loompa musical numbers
is quite simply remarkable. As the strangely cloistered Willy Wonka,
Johnny Depp is as peculiar as he has ever been, although often
very humorous with it. The four other ticket finders are subjected
to imaginative yet inevitable demises, with Veruca Salt’s
departure probably being the most amusing, not to mention deserved.
Tim Burton has taken the spirit of the much-loved book and made
it his own, without detracting from its original message: that
giving children too much of what they want can be disastrous – unless
of course it’s love. Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
is colourful, amusing, and at times, rather unpleasant. Which,
I’m nigh on certain, is exactly how Roald himself would have
wanted it to be. Great fun. |
The
Dukes of Hazzard
Cert: PG15
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William
Scott, Jessica Simpson, Jonathan Davies,
John O Brien, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson
Director: Iain Softley
Running Time: 114
minutes
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Following
on the tradition of Starsky & Hutch, The Dukes Of Hazzard
is again a remake of a 1980’s TV show, packed to the
brim with the kind of action that made the original show so
popular; sporty cars and sexy blondes wearing ever-tighter
denim shorts, namely. But is it actually any good? Well…Erm…
The ‘story’ involves the self-indulgent cousins Bo (Seann William
Scott) and Luke (Johnny Knoxville) Duke trying to save Hazzard County from
the evil schemes of Boss Hogg (Burt Reynolds). Daisy Duke (Jessica Simpson)
helps their cause by filtering information from the hapless Deputy Enos
(Michael Weston). This aside, it’s all pretty much about the car.
Of course, the movie was never destined to set itself in stone as being
a classic, and some of the car stunts contained throughout are very impressive
indeed. It provides a suitable nostalgic nod to fans of the original series,
and is fun enough to generate a new fan base of young kids in love with
fast, bridge-leaping cars. However, beyond this, it is something of a monumental
task to find anything else of merit within the film’s 106 minutes.
As anybody who saw Men In Black II will attest to, it is hardly a revelation
that Johnny Knoxville is not a great comedic actor; good delivery and comic
timing is a world away from hurting yourself in an amusing ‘Jackass’ manner.
Seann William fairs slightly better with the material offered by a weak
script, and at least offers a small element of chemistry to the pair’s
otherwise stagnant relationship.
If I was to be unkind enough to pick out the one major defect in the film’s
production (which, funnily enough, I am about to), I would have to point
a venomous finger at Jessica Simpson. She has the charisma of a broken
bar stool, and even less acting ability. It becomes increasingly apparent
as the film progresses that the filmmakers have kept her lines to an absolute
minimum, which in itself tells pretty much the whole story.
As the credits roll at the end of The Dukes Of Hazzard, the audience gets
to see some of the mishaps that occurred during the making of the film.
Sadly for the film makers, however, is that watching the cast cock-up their
lines is actually funnier than watching them get them right.
Good fun for kids perhaps, but even the most ardent Dukes Of Hazzard fan
would struggle to put up an argument capable of salvaging the film’s
credibility. |
The
40 Year-Old Virgin
Cert: 15
Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener,
Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogan
Director: Tim Story
Running Time: 116
minutes
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Andy
Sitzer (Steve Carell) works as a stock supervisor in an electronics
store. He lives alone, with nothing but his action figures
to keep him company. His life, to be quite frank, is one of
quiet, celibate desolation. His workmates, who naturally think
that he is a bit odd, invite Andy to a poker game, and before
long, the conversation turns to sex. Learning of his rather
limited experience in this particular field, the group pity
him and his situation, and vow to help him finally lose his
virginity.
Steve Carell will already be well known to fans of Anchorman,
where he stole many a scene as the stunningly dumb Brick Tamland.
He also played Ricky Gervais’s part in the American remake
of The Office. Unlike these previous encounters of him, however,
his character here is often far more intellectual than many
of those who surround him, although his lack of knowledge in
their all-conquering reason of life makes him out to be the
imbecilic no-nothing.
Carell gets great support from the rest of the cast, most prom-inently
from Paul Rudd, who as a workmate obsessed with his ex-girlfriend,
decides to try leading a life of celibacy himself. Jane Lynch
is also fabulous, playing a boss who makes consistently startling
sexual advances towards him.
Despite being crude, childish and bursting with cheap gags,
The 40-Year-Old Virgin is at the same time sweet, life-affirming,
and genuine. Of course, there are plenty of jokes at Andy’s
expense, yet we sympathise with him whilst laughing at him.
The endearingly strange Trish (played by Catherine Keener)
helps Andy realise that he’s been missing out on love
more than sex, but as sweet as this sounds, manages to do so
in the most bewildering of fashions.
It’s Funny, stupid, yet full of heart. A must-see for
comedy fans. |
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