Nathan Park

Happy 20th anniversary to this film! The coming-of-age themes of this movie are so much more apparent now that I can look back on it as an adult.

When I first heard the initial announcement for this movie, my thoughts were immediately cynical. “Great, another origin story movie for a character from a preexisting franchise so the studio can make a quick profit.” Not to mention the odd casting choice of Timothée Chalamet as Wonka. The one glimmer of hope I saw was the title card for the movie’s director. Paul King? The same as Paddington? Now you have my interest. So, on a whim, I decided to give Wonka a watch on Max. And boy, after watching it, I’m now wishing I had seen it in theaters. If you told me six months ago that I’d be laughing, and even welling up at a Willy Wonka origin movie, I’d say you were a madman! Even though it is technically an origin story film, the movie wastes no time in the backstory of Willy’s backstory. Paul King’s characterization shines from the very first musical number, with Willy’s imagination rivaling his naivete and niceness, thus setting the conflict for the film with the introduction of Bleacher and Scrubbit. I love how Paul King uses cliché. Cliché in the sense of the audience generally knows where the story is going (e.g., Willy signing a contract that puts him in eternal debt), but still managing to subvert your expectations when the cliche happens by doing it in an exaggerated way or in a way that doesn’t pad for time (making the fine print incredibly long, and having Willy “skim” the fine print because he can’t read). It’s brilliant, and King’s writing chops shine clearly shine from his work on Paddington. As for the soundtrack, the music is more than just catchy; I have not heard a soundtrack with such unbridled, unadulterated optimism since I saw Matilda the Musical live or The Greatest Showman. For at least thirty minutes after finishing the film, I was prancing around the house singing, “Well, there’s chocolate, and there’s chocolate…” 🎶 Finally, I marvel at this movie’s ability to tie in all the loose ends of the narrative arc, both within its own movie and the movie that it leads up to, the Gene Wilder adaptation of the book. How does Willy come up with the golden ticket idea? How does he strike a deal with the Oompa-Loompas? This movie addresses all of it and it leaves you feeling satisfied. Wonka is clever, whimsical, and fun all in one. I recommend this movie to anyone who is in need of a good pick-me-up, especially if you’re a fan of the original book, the Mel Stuart film, and even the Tim Burton film.

This is one of the greatest 2D platformers you will ever play. Quote me on that.

Trippy yet down-to-earth. Nihilistic but thought-provoking. Serious and funny. Fantastical while honest. This film is truly everything, everywhere, all at once, and it is unlike anything I've ever seen! You will laugh, cry, cringe, and stare in awe. Warning: If you have epilepsy, I do not recommend watching this film as there are many flashing lights.

Katamari hasn't changed one bit... for better or for worse. I bought the Switch version on sale to relive some nostalgia. That said, the game is more of an HD port rather than a remake. Part of the game feels dated, especially without an autosave feature. The controls are still very wonky and challenging to this day. Most of the time I felt like I was fighting the controls more than I was fighting the game. Despite everything, there's something satisfying and charming about rolling around and picking up everything with the Katamari. The verdict: Buy it cheap, good luck with the controls, and just have fun.