By Leila Schneider
The new “Wonka” movie starring Timothée Chalamet made its debut in theaters on December 15, 2023. Serving as a prequel to the classic “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” the film explores Willy Wonka’s younger years before becoming the owner of his factory. However, it depicts Wonka in a different light, portraying him as a curious and optimistic young man rather than the strange and mysterious character we know. The movie unveils the history behind Wonka’s love and passion for chocolate making. Despite Timothée Chalamet not having tackled a role with continuous singing and dancing before, he showcased his high school theater background through his part in this musical.
The funny and heartwarming movie earned an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The New York Times described it as “a bright, light movie — in palette and temperament — that’s stuffed with talented performers who seem to be having a pleasant time, even when pretending to be meanies.” Watching this movie, I couldn’t help but smile due to the happy energy that is constantly expressed. It truly was an uplifting and touching experience.
In the movie, classic songs from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” such as “Pure Imagination,” were brought back, along with new additions like “Scrub Scrub” and “You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This.” The Oompa Loompa characters also made a return, shedding light on their origin and their relationship with Wonka. It was fascinating to see the connections with the original movie and how elements were incorporated to create this new story.
