Chocolate is Addictive!

Had a great weekend! Mary Lynn and I cruised into Chicago to get her hair done ( her most excellent stylist, Shellie, has moved to Orlando, but she was back this weekend for a family do and was able to squeeze in a session with MLM). Then we were going to have a late lunch, early dinner at our favorite Greek restaurant, Pegasus, but Shellie suggested we try Costa's (both in Greektown along Halsted, of course), so we did. It was excellent! Great avgolemono soup and the best mousaka MLM's ever had. I got the lamb with artichokes and it was just perfect! Recommended!

Then we went to see Charlie and the Cholocolate Factory and had a wonderful time! We've always been big fans of the 1971 Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder's wonderful, personal, interpretive performance, so we were anxious to see this new take on the story. Well, it is just marvelous! The casting of all the characters is perfect with a natural balance in all the performances. Johnny Depp's Wonka is just amazing - filled with a child-like wonder, an innocence of the world, yet totally in control of his factory and all that goes on there. On the other hand, we see a guy with issues. When his guests mention something or ask a question that triggers an event in Wonka's past we see his eyes glaze over and we dissolve into a flashback of sometimes horrific events that would keep most people on an analyst's couch for decades (in fact, Wonka does go through some analysis with his own Sigmund Oompa-Loompa!)

All the Oompa-Loompas are played by Deep Roy, a 4'-4" tall character actor and stunt man who's been in films like Big Fish, Return of the Jedi, and Planet of the Apes. His characterizations are duplicated digitally up to 165 times for the big music numbers. The music and songs are great - all written and performed by Danny Elfman, another favorite of ours, with production numbers that would flabbergast Busby Berkely!

Anyway, we plan to see it again soon, and encourage you all to do the same.


Mmmmmm, chocolate!