Two of the first three Hollywood films my late mom introduced me to when I was a tween were musicals, My Fair Lady (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965) so naturally I have a soft spot for musical movies. I do have to admit though that I have not seen the original films of The Color Purple (1985) and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) by Steven Spielberg and Mel Stuart, respectively. I was hoping I could catch them before I watch the latest adaptions, but not sure I’ll have the time given the slew of FYC screeners I still have to watch.

In any case, I am looking forward to seeing these two, so here are the latest trailers of both movies:

THE COLOR PURPLE – December 25 (theatrical release)

A decades-spanning tale of love and resilience and of one woman’s journey to independence. Celie faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

Based on a 1982 novel by Alice Walker, it was first adapted for the screen by Steven Spielberg. Then it became a Broadway musical in 2005, which is the base of this latest cinematic adaptation. I still somewhat recall the moment Fantasia Barrino sang Summertime on American Idol which led to her winning AOL in 2004. Well, she had played the lead role on stage, so it’s cool to see her reprise the role in this film version.

Per this EW article, filmmaker Blitz Bazawule initially hesitated adapting this classic story as it’s been done before, but when he went back to Walker’s book, which he described as ‘truly is an endless well,’ he said that ‘…with this adaptation he could visually expand on Walker’s ideas in a way that no iteration had done before.’ I for one am looking forward to seeing this with fresh eyes without the ‘bagage’ of the adaptations that came before.

The set pieces, costumes, choreography, music, etc. look fantastic, not to mention the stacked cast that includes Taraji P. Henson, Aunjanue Ellis, Colman Domingo, Danielle Brooks, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Ciara, Jon Batiste, and Halle Bailey. Woot!!

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WONKA – December 15 (theatrical release)

With dreams of opening a shop in a city renowned for its chocolate, a young and poor Willy Wonka discovers that the industry is run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers.

I’m a huge fan of the Paddington movies, especially Paddington 2 which I still regard as a perfect film. So when I heard that writer/director Paul King is behind this latest musical adaptation, I was intrigued. I have to admit I was never really interested in seeing the original with Gene Wilder as Wonka, nor the 2005 version with Johnny Depp who looks utterly creepy to me.

I’m not all that familiar with Roald Dahl’s books either, the only two movie adaptations based on his works I’ve seen are Fantastic Mr Fox and The BFG which I mildly enjoyed. Yet the trailer of this one sold me as it looks positively wondrous and Timothée Chalamet looks charming and playful as Wonka.

LOVE seeing Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa, a fictional pygmy who works in Wonka’s chocolate factory. Given the movie has already opened in the UK, it’s been a hoot watching all the interviews of Chalamet and Grant, who’s often grumpy in press junkets. In his interview with Metro UK, he even said it’s as if he were wearing a ‘crown of thorns’ as he had to wear a camera rig around his head for the CG effects, ha! Loving this cast too: Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, and Olivia Colman. I pretty much watch anything w/ Colman!

P.S. I’ll be going to the theatrical press screening of Wonka on Monday, can’t wait!!

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What do you think of these two trailers? Are you looking forward to seeing these two movies?

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