Weekend Cooking: Wonka

My husband and I are going to go and see Wonka later today. We are going to a brand new cinema which has only been open for a few days in a suburb around 30 minutes away. While we are there wll go to a new branch of the coffee shop where we had our first ever date!

It kind of surprised me but from the first moment I saw the trailer for this movie I knew I wanted to see it.It is the movie  remake that I didn't even know that I wanted to see. In fact, until I saw the trailer I had no idea that it was even being made!

I am not really sure what it is about this clip that made me want to see it so badly.I remember watching the Gene Wilder version and liking it well enough. I didn't particularly love the Johnny Depp version. I will be back later with my thoughts on the Timothy Chalamet version.

But first here's the trailer:

And we're back! And what's my take on the movie....it was a fun way to spend a couple of hours. I am not sure I was expecting it to be as much of a musical as it was! 

This is in effect a prequel to the first Wonka movie, and tells the story of how Willie Wonka came to own the chocolate factory. There are no golden tickets here, but there are plenty of nods back to the original movie including the Oompa Loompa song. Here there is really only one Oompa Loompa, played in a really fun way by Hugh Grant. 

In some ways this is a very black and white movie when it comes to the good guys and the bad guys. The existing chocolate owners are definitely on the bad side, and Wonka and his friends are definitely the good guys. There are lot of familiar faces on both sides, including Olivia Colman as Mrs Scrubit and Jim Carter from Downton Abbey as Abacus, the former accountant.

Another famous face was Rowan Atkinson as Father Julius. I was a little surprised to hear the kids in the theatre recognise him as Mr Bean, even after all these years.

All in all, this was a fun story telling us how Willy Wonka came to be the character that we know and love from the later movies! I will say we had some M&Ms during the movie. By the time that the movie finished, I was all chocolated out because there is lots and lots and lots of chocolate in the movie!

Going to watch this movie was a lovely way to spend the afternoon, especially as a respite from Christmas preparations!

I just wanted to thank everyone for your participation in Weekend Cooking over the last year.

Next week, I am planning to announce my cookbook of the year and recipe of the year! If you would like to join and share you favourite cookbook and recipes of the year please feel free to do so.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season, whatever it is that you celebrate. For me, that means  Merry Christmas!

Weekly meals

Saturday -  

Sunday -  Christmas Dinner with the family

Monday - Pressure Cookie Spaghetti Bolognaise

Tuesday - Pork chops with mash

Wednesday - Asian glaze Salmon

Thursday - Mac and cheese

Friday - Takeaway

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page