Went and saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today. I rather enjoyed it. I pretty much saw it as Johnny Depp acting weird for two hours.
You're going to think this is weird, but it actually reminded me a lot of Edward Scissorhands. Willy Wonka and Edward were both emotionally stunted shut-ins who had no idea how to interact with the real world. Throw in those flashbacks where the father is played by a much-beloved horror movie actor.... I wonder if Tim Burton realized the similarities.
But I liked it. Danny Elfman did a great job with the Oompa Loompa songs. That's definitly on my short list of soundtracks I want to buy.
It's kind of hard not to get caught up in the Oilers fever that's sweeping Edmonton right now.
You see, back on Monday, that's when all the free agents' contracts expired, so all this week, hockey teams have been snapping up free agents like crazy. And, thanks to the new salary cap and collective barganing agreement and all that, a lot of really good players have suddenly become affordable. In the past two days, the Oilers have managed to grab some of the best in the NHL. It's crazy.
Acutally, I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately. I don't like sports very much, but I enjoy the business of sports. We just lost a whole hockey season to this lockout, and people are still curious about the aftermath.
I still kind of believe that it's going to be like when there was a baseball strike about 10 years ago. Remember that? The last half of the 1994 season and the first half of the 1995 season were wiped out. Major League Baseball had to fight long and hard to get the fans back.
I'm not the only that figures that's going to happen this season with the NHL. A lot of analysts say that here in Canada, we'll have an easier time, because we've always loved our hockey. But in places where hockey's never been popular, like Nashville, they're really going to have a tough row to hoe.
(I'm suddenly reminded of a Rick Mercer quote: "[Gary Bettman] took hockey out of 'cold' places like Winnipeg and Quebec City and put it in 'cool' places like Nashville and Phoenix." When you read it in your head, remember to use Mercer's trademark sarcasm.)
Anyway, just like MLB, look for the NHL to start doing all kinds of gimmicks to bring back the fans. Which may not be a bad thing.
Many in Edmonton are lobbying to make the Heritage Classic an annual event; a keystone to a kick-ass winter festival. That's just the kind of gimmick the NHL might endorse.
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