It's a Small Small World catches fire - we can only hope

Rating: 9/10 (10 October 2005)

This film translates so well to IMAX, where I saw it with with my 12-year-old son. There is no question that a film adapted for IMAX just adds so much! Besides the classic Tim Burton look, it takes you right into the film as opposed to simply watching the film. But the real scene stealer, the man of the show, of course was Johnny Depp.
There is not one movie in which he plays a part that doesn't cave to his on-screen charisma. It is so obvious that Johnny loves to act and loves to act in fun, character-driven roles. Every look, swing of the hand, and grimace has intelligent nuance and meaning behind it. This brings such a robust, well-rounded attitude to the character of Willy Wonka, and frankly, one that only a parent could love.
His dismissal of the kids, not so much the words other than the "what would it matter" or the "stop mumbling" lines, but the looks he gives, the "smiles" or grimaces, the wave of his hand when he first starts the tour, all reminiscent of a parent who has, well, had enough for awhile and really doesn't like kids all that much anyway.
But how about his lascivious look at Violet's mother? Johnny Depp can look at me anytime like that - so sexy - he becomes an adult right there...or,the crazy loon look when they were going "up and out"? Only Johnny Depp can channel his other characters, like Hunter S. Thompson (Raoul Duke from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) in the jungle scene especially peeking out from beneath his hat, walking in that unique Raoul Duke - wait a minute Raould Dahl/Raoul Duke - whoa - way (yes, he does the swagger in the jungle) or trying the green bug slime (andrenachrome anyone?), or Edward Scissorhands (papa? sniff sniff) and get away with it as only Johnny Depp can. It's almost like a separate Johnny Depp sub-culture that permeates all his films now - and I like it!
There were lots of adult jokes ("don't touch the squirrel's nuts, that makes him crazy"), or "try some of my grass". There were drug references like the repeating of the same thing (hmmm, grass?) and the phasing out (hmmm, grass again? or just tired of the kids...). And if you are a parent sandwiched between kids and older parents, you will get the old people jokes. (My son couldn't stop laughing at his look when visiting his father - he says I get the same look on my face when visiting my mom or dad).
I also loved the "white hair" look - there were absolutely no adults over 21 in the crowd but me, so I was the only one laughing when he held his new white hair up and looked at it with that look that only those of us who have lived through the first white hair go through. Which brings me to the Good morning, star shine line - immediately Hair - which just cemented for me the idea that this movie is geared to 40-somethings.
My son saw a lot of me in Johnny Depp's performance which meant to me that the performance itself was recognizable as a disgusted parent speaking with that "I'm going to kill you but we are in public now" teeth talk which is so familiar to many, especially those around grandparents and kids too much and are starting to be not overly fond of either.
Interestingly, the elevators were hilarious - I used to have nightmares about elevators going in all directions and I was speechless when I saw it in this movie. That, along with the boat ride - heck you can almost see the Disney ride! There were obvious references to that stoner of a movie, 2001 A Space Odyssey,and in my opinion, when the puppets are singing a la "It's a Small Small World" Disney ride which bursts in flames (we can only hope), and I even thought "The Fly" with the teleporter, along with, or course, "Hair". The "relatively new" puppet hospital and burn centre, the pink sheep, can't see them as kiddie jokes, and his braces/headgear - oh yeah, so reminiscent of my 70's teenage years (although I too have oddly perfect teeth as do my all my 40 something cousins). And the platform boots/"Prince" get up...so 40 something.
I'll tell you, at the beginning I half expected Vincent Price to pop out during the chocolate making scene - wow, how Edward Scissorhands. And frankly, the hut and the snow - Fiddler on the Roof meets Beetlejuice. Actually, the TV scene set reminded me of "The Prisoner (the 60's show). I bet there is a ton of stuff I am missing but I only saw the movie once so once I see it again, maybe I will post some more if I see anything else! And maybe have a glass of wine before...
A kid's movie? I don't know, really. My son caught the adult jokes because he would look sidelong at me each time they happened (like the squirrel's nuts joke) which he has been doing lately now that the jokes aren't flying over his head like they used to when he was younger. Johnny Depp is not a child's actor per se, but a smart kid can appreciate some of the things he says and does, as most adults can. This movie seems to be riddled with inside, 40-something culture knocks - no one in the theatre laughed until someone laughed at us because they were all too young to relate.
Definitely one of the smartest movies around - and much as I love chocolate, I wish to never get fat and stuck in a tube or be rolled around for de-juicing. New nightmares to add on to my collection of sideways elevator rides.