I couldn't stop smiling while watching this. For those two hours, I felt like a kid again, soaking in every ounce of charm and peculiarity Wonka's universe had to offer. I grew up a huge fan of the original (not so much Burton's) and I never thought the feeling I get while watching could be replicated, and that's not to say Wonka fully succeeded, as it did take a while to fully immerse and convince me, but I'm surprised at how close it came. I loved this. And seeing the array of actors I grew up watching on British television succeed made it all the more enjoyable.

Comparisons between Gene Wilder and Timothée Chalamet will and have been made, which I dislike. It would be nearly hard to replicate a performance of Wilder's stature. But Chalamet stands on his own two feet, providing a new, more childlike, innocent perspective on the iconic character. Which I think he accomplished admirably.

It's ridiculous, strange, and, of course, Whimsical (the adjective that everyone is using to describe it, which is accurate). The songs are wonderful in every way. It may be too much for some, coming out as excessively heartfelt and over-the-top. But the film meant a lot to me, and I'm so delighted that kids today may grow up with it instead of Burton's nonsense.