Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Zac Weber

I will never forget the mixed feeling of mystery and awe of watching this film as a kid. The acid-dipped boat ride is one of my favorite movie sequences of all-time. It's seemingly impossible to escape Gene Wilder's good vibes.

Wee Hunk

I watched this as a kid, and it was an emotional roller coaster for me. Roald Dahl wasn't afraid of exposing kids to some of the darker elements of life. Neither was Gene Wilder. Very mercurial and unpredictable. One of those films that NEVER needed a remake. Johnny Depp just turned him into an inaccessible weirdo.

Ethan

This is a very entertaining family movie that was kind of creepy at the time and then Tim Burton made it even more creepy with his remake. It's really creepy actually, but entertaining.

mfg

my childhood blinders prevent me from seeing any flaws in this movie.

A.B. II: The Return

Without question, this should be the measuring stick by which all live-action family film should be judged. I've watched it countless times as a child and as an adult, and it still feels rich in imagination, enchantment, musical quality, and sharp wit. The performances of the children are all wonderful, and the great Gene Wilder has never been better.

Michael Harbour

It's really kind of a sketch of a movie but maybe it's not such a bad thing to just hit the highlights. And Gene Wilder is a treasure. The movie would fail without him.

AKFilmFan

It's not entirely accurate to the book, but who cares? Full of genuine imagination, great songs (incl. Wilder's standout "Pure Imagination"), & a great sense of wonder. Along with The Wizard Of Oz, one of the essential fantasy films that every child should watch. For kids that don't watch this, we know exactly who's to blame! "The mother and the father!"

Richmond Hill

A loose adaptation of Dahl that captures some of the impish tone of the original novel despite the imposition of largely unmemorable songs that stall rather than propel the narrative.