The Smarmy Carny

This post has been re-posted at Random Fodder, Novac's personal blog.

I'm embarassed to say that I haven't seen any of the Oscar-nominated films in any of the major categories this year. Such is life with two small children and few babysitters.

The most major category that I have seen a nominated film in is for original screenplay: Match Point. If it hadn't been Woody Allen, I wouldn't have seen that, either.

The other categories in which I have seen films? Art direction, costume design, makeup, sound editing, sound mixing, and visual effects. I have seen every movie in the visual effects category, and two of the three were a couple of my least favorite movies of 2005.

King Kong was simply unbearable. If I find out that one of my friends is going to rent King Kong, I'm going to schedule a dentist appointment instead. Horrendous. And then there's War of the Worlds . . . popcorn movie from start to finish. This is a great movie for radio and also for movie special effects teams, but it just doesn't make for an exciting movie.

The nominated movies I have seen are Match Point, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, King Kong, War of the Worlds, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Star Wars: Episode III. I know, I know . . . not the highest quality selection of 2005, but when half your movies are intended for children under 8, what are you to do? Still, I was quite pleased with Charlie and the Chocoalte Factory and The Chronicles of Narnia. Match Point was good, except that we've already seen this Woody Allen story as just a portion of the superior Crimes and Misdemeanors. Star Wars III was my favorite SW prequel. Harry Potter, King Kong, and Tom Cruise can all just go away.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is "Rated PG for quirky situations, action and mild language."

I saw this movie opening weekend and absolutely loved it. Burton was clearly the right choice to put this book on the big screen.

And "quirky situations" is the understatement of the year. Several people have suggested that the "quirky situations" rating is MPAA's way of telling you that your kids may be on drugs.

Willy Wonka

The newly released Charlie and the Chocolate Factory trailer is certainly worth watching. I really can't wait for this movie's release. This trailer shows us a bit more of the children than the teaser did.

Happily, the movie seems to retain the Willy Wonka disdain for the horrible children. I can only hope that Depp will be given lines as great as Wilder's, such as "Open your mouth a little wider when you talk."

I particularly enjoy the transformation of Mike Teevee from the gun-slinging television-obsessed child to the violent video game addict. I'm usually not a huge proponent for alterations on the silver screen, but that one not only more accurately depicts what Dahl was trying to point at, but it also is more prevalant today than ever before.

One other thing that makes me happy is that the chocolate river actually looks like chocolate when Gloop falls into it.

Nonetheless, I still think that the teaser was more fun, particularly because of the music. Possibly an altered Oompa Loompa song?

I'd like to see a Gene Wilder cameo in there somewhere, but I don't see any such credit listings yet. I did notice that Christopher Lee will have a role (and likely a small one, based on the character name).

Good times. Can't wait.