While browsing through the shelves of videos at the local video store my mind was whirling as to what video I felt like urging everyone to see. I walked past all the old favorites like “The Wizard of Oz” and “Gone With the Wind.” Boy, that’s when movies were movies.

It wasn’t until I left the store and talked about good old movies with some friends in class that I realized one true classic movie didn’t have the true fame it rightly deserved.

Many people I had talked with had never seen “Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory.” I was stunned.

“Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” is one of those movies that both children and adults alike can enjoy tremendously. It captivates your imagination and stimulates your senses.

It is the story of an aging confectionary genius who begins a contest for five lucky winners to tour his previously unseen candy factory. The contest involves five golden tickets being hidden somewhere in the wrappers of his many different chocolate bars.

One of the main characters is Charlie, a poor boy who lives with his mother and both sets of bedridden grandparents in a small basement apartment. Charlie’s dream is to find one of the golden tickets, and after an intense search with a series of ups and downs Charlie’s dream becomes a reality. He buys the last winning chocolate bar with a coin he finds in the street.

Don’t worry, I didn’t ruin the story for you. The whole ticket thing is only the beginning of a tremendous journey into the imagination. From here on out the amazement begins.

The tour of the chocolate factory holds many surprises for its visitors. The creations that Wonka has thought of are nothing short of magical.

One scene in particular is truly captivating. It is a candy meadow with a chocolate stream and buttercup icing flowers. Everything in the meadow, the grass, trees and everyting else are all entirely made of some type of candy.

Gene Wilder portrays Willy Wonka, and does so in his consistently excellent style of acting. The movie would not have had the same effect without Wilder.

The other characters are similarily exciting as well. Each child that won a tour is a distinctive character. I would even go so far as to say that what happens to each child was meant as a lesson for everyone watching.

The ending is a surprise, for those who haven’t seen the movie, and is equally enjoyable. Every time I see the movie I come away thinking if any of Wonka’s creations might really be possible. It really makes you think and wonder about what could be possible in our world.

This movie lets you revert back to your childhood, to some extent, and enjoy all the wonderful feelings associated with the world of imagination free of restriction. I would recommend “Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” to everyone. Don’t let the title fool you. It’s a movie for all ages.