Today was generally solid. I saw some temples this morning (including a 53m golden, reclining Buddha), went to a couple classes this afternoon, ate some wonderful ice cream this afternoon, and headed down to Siam Square tonight, with one destination in mind:
The Hard Rock Cafe, Bangkok.
(sorry about the terrible picture… one of these days, I swear, I’ll buy a tripod!)
And mmm. After eating a LOT of Thai food, I can’t tell you how good it was to sink my teeth into something. Almost all Thai food takes the form of various small pieces– chicken, vegetables, etc– stir-fried together. It’s tasty and all that, but there’s nothing like the sensation of actually using those pretty front teeth for something other than smiling for the random pictures that random Thai students have been taking of me (yeah… how about that). A bacon-cheeseburger. Cooked medium-rare. a thick, juicy beef patty, cooked to amazing pink perfection…
God, it was good.
Since we were in the area, we walked through the nearby shopping center, and ended up going to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory again.
On balance, it’s a fine movie. To be honest, I’ve never been that taken with the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and a second viewing re-affirmed my original impression: like candy, there’s no point to the movie, other than simply being enjoyable. Maybe there’s something about the importance of family, somehow tied into that sappy, imaginary little ending where father and son exchange an awkward hug and suddenly birds are singing and Oompa Loompas are dancing and the world is suddenly free of violence and famine and civil wars and aids and separatist factions and stampedes and floods… Sorry cousin, doesn’t happen. If you eat too much candy, you just end up with a stomach-ache.
The filmmaking was typical of Tim Burton– outstanding art direction, the characters quirky but flat, hit and miss acting, hit and miss Elfman orchestration, and a generally well-crafted atmosphere.
But enough of that. I did see a couple of beautiful cars tonight, such as this Lotus:
Mmm. Yeah. That’s what I thought!
I don’t know why I think this, perhaps someone told me, but I think in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book the character of Willy Wonka was a lot “darker” than how he was portrayed by Gene Wilder. Perhaps it was a from reviewer, well, whoever, but I heard praise of Burton for making his Willy a little darker and more similar to the book. Certainly Johnny Depp did a lot to make it “darker.” Whatever all that means, who knows, but I do think that the message/metaphor of “eat too much candy = stomach ache” or “too much = bad” is better portrayed by a darker character who is “teaching” it.
Wow, first semi movie review, I’m taxed…
Wow, you’ll see the entire country by semester break at the rate you are going. I saw that same reclining Buddha when I was there. He’s huge!!! Miss ya!
the burger sounds good, but why have one when you can have many? Thats right, i’m talking White Castle baby! Its fun returning to the mid west for a family wedding to have such awesomeness waiting for you!
God. Driving 1,500 miles for sliders was insane enough. 10,000 miles? Forget about it!