The Golden Ticket

I didn't want to like it, please believe me. I only went because my seven year old granddaughter wanted to go. I do a lot of things because my granddaughter wants to do them. So this was no surprise. And I don't like the star of the movie very much. I didn't like the original version of this remake either! So when the movie started, I was all set not to like it. But the first thirty minutes drew me in. I began to care about Charlie. I knew I was in trouble. There was a place in the movie where I thought I would be vindicated, but then those little people started singing these really groovy songs and I hated myself as I started to groove along with them. In spite of everything, I really liked that movie. At the ticket counter I asked for tickets to "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (which is not the name of the current movie)... but she knew what I meant. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" has a lot of layers to consider. Ultimately, though, it is about the one kid with a good heart who had one chance in life to do something really special. And he got the golden ticket. My readers know me... I can't help but get all churchy on this ... but really ... aren't there people who come to visit our assembly who are ready not to like it? They've been talked into it by a friend or maybe they're here to make a parent happy. They're prepared to hate religion (good thing), but then they encounter Jesus Christ. Some of them are spoiled by the things of this life and they end up suffering the ill effects of thier misplaced love. I think there are a lot of "Charlie"s out there, though. People who don't have a thing to hold onto. People who have been down and out for so long that there seems no other way. And when they see Jesus with their hearts they realize they've found the golden ticket. The ticket to a new life with all new dimensions. Well... I didn't mean to like it. And for the record, Johnny Depp is weird and really creepy in this movie. But I might have to learn some of those moves the oompa-loompas were laying down. You never know when you might end up in a charismatic church where you can put those to good use.