Having missed too many movies that I�ve wanted to see over the years, I finally succumbed to the Netflix craze. Don�t ask me why, but I started with Sid & Nancy, a film I had already seen when it was first released in 1986. I�ve always wanted to watch it with my daughter, Leigh, so she could get some idea of what the REAL punk scene was like, and this seemed to be as good a time as any. Halfway through the flick, the DVD started to skip, and then it froze. We had to fast forward through an entire scene before we could get the DVD to work properly again.
The same thing happened with the next movie I watched, Reefer Madness: The Musical. However, I didn�t have any problems with Monster�s Ball or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and felt hopeful that the problems with the previous DVDs were isolated incidents that wouldn�t be repeated any time soon. Silly me.
Last night, I wanted to watch a movie in bed, so Daniel popped Life is Beautiful into the DVD player while I made myself comfortable. It was very frustrating to discover that I couldn�t read the subtitles, which were white and often displayed against a light background. I�ll try again some other time in a different room where I can sit closer to the television set, but last night I felt like doing my movie viewing from a reclining position. Daniel ejected the Life is Beautiful DVD and replaced it with The Pianist.
Because of the subject matter (a Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II), this movie is painful to watch, and I had invested quite a bit of emotional energy into it when the DVD began to sputter and stop. Fast forwarding didn�t help this time, so I had to give up and accept that there would be no movie watching from the comfort of my bed this night. Grumble.
There are currently sixty movies in my queue, but the fact that three out of the six DVDs I�ve rented from Netflix had this skipping/stopping problem does not exactly inspire confidence in the service. Has anyone else had this kind of trouble?
Since I mentioned Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I have to say that, as much as I love me some Johnny Depp, I prefer the Gene Wilder version of the film. In my opinion, Wilder�s portrayal of Willy Wonka was brilliantly understated, while Depp�s Wonka is a bit over the top. That is not to say that I didn�t enjoy the remake. It is visually stunning, and there was much that I did appreciate about Depp�s performance. Also, the music is fun, although I like the original Oompa Loompa songs better. Actually, I like EVERYTHING about the original Oompa Loompas better.
For some reason, my oldest daughter, Rebecca, was (and still is) afraid of the original Oompa Loompas. She finds them to be very creepy. (She�s also freaked out by E.T., but that�s neither here nor there.) About a year ago, I felt mischievous, and sneakily switched the wallpaper on Rebecca�s laptop to this picture of the Oompa Loompas. Then I sat back and waited for the shriek that was soon to be heard. Hey, at my age, you gotta get your cheap thrills whatever way you can.
Anyway, in my search for Oompa Loompa photos, I came across a Craigs List advertisement for Free Oompa Loompas � As Is, and an Oompa Loompa dating service. There truly is something for everybody to be found on the Internet.
Back to Netflix � I�ll next be looking forward to watching Ray and Walk the Line, but the movie I really can�t wait to see is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. DVD release is scheduled for February 28th, and is listed at the top of my queue. Listen up, Netflix. The DVD had better arrive in playable condition or this means war!
Song of the Day: Oompa Loompa Song From Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
OOMPA LOOMPA DOOMPADEE DOO
I'VE GOT A PERFECT PUZZLE FOR YOU
OOMPA LOOMPA, DOOMPADAH DEE
IF YOU ARE WISE YOU'LL LISTEN ME
