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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Life lessons big dreamer Willy Wonka can teach us

Life lessons big dreamer Willy Wonka can teach us

Stream the fantastical Timothée Chalamet-starrer with your family and friends right at home with HBO GO powered by PLDT Home

Published Mar 24, 2024 11:30 pm

At A Glance

  • The latest iteration of the timeless story is the musical film Wonka – directed by Paul King and starring Timothée Chalamet–is now available locally through HBO GO powered by PLDT Home.
PLDT Home x HBO GO present _Wonka_ - Timothée Chalamet.jpg
A scene from 'Wonka'

Roald Dahl’s vivid imagination brought to life the whimsical and fantastical world of Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory. From chocolate rivers to edible landscapes, the setting's sheer creativity has been captivating audiences of all ages since the book was released in 1964.

The latest iteration of the timeless story is the musical film Wonka – directed by Paul King and starring Timothée Chalamet–is now available locally through HBO GO powered by PLDT Home.

Wonka traces the billionaire chocolate maker’s beginnings. Chalamet plays the aspiring inventor, magician, and chocolatier newly arrived in Europe after traveling the world for seven years.Here are a few life lessons that the world’s most popular chocolatier himself can teach us:

Work hard, persist, differentiate yourself

Every entrepreneur or employee faces logistical challenges and fierce competition. Sometimes, it seems impossible to overcome obstacles, but there is always a way. Much like in Wonka, you can’t get a shop without selling chocolate, and you can’t sell chocolate without a shop. That’s indeed a conundrum yet Wonka persists in making his chocolate – leveraging his skills as a magician, inventor, and showman.

PLDT Home x HBO GO present _Wonka_.jpg

Pay attention to details

Wonka learns a lesson by not reading the fine print in Mrs. Scrubitt’s contract and he gets stuck working for her to pay off his debt. In real life, whether it’s a side hustle contract or your rental agreement, remember to always read the fine print! It’s literally fine print because it sometimes stipulates conditions you may not agree to had it been front and center.

Be creative, be imaginative

When people say use your imagination, they usually mean it sarcastically. Well, Wonka does use his imagination – and it pays off handsomely, getting his chocolate to the masses and a measure of popularity. Wonka invents “hoverchocs” or chocolates that make people fly for 20 minutes. He also invents Big Night Out chocolate, which allows the eater to feel like he’s on a night out, making him sing and dance. Wonka’s Broadway Choc has the same effect – but with better choreography as if you were on a Broadway show. They sure got everyone’s attention!

PLDT Home x HBO GO present _Wonka_ - Rowan Atkinson.jpg

Find your inspiration

Wonka’s inspiration is his mother’s love. “Hold on to your dreams,” his mother told him when he was a young boy. Throughout his difficulties Wonka held on to these words like a lifeline. Whatever it is that inspires you to get up earlier in the morning or work later in the night, use it.

From Paul King, writer/director of the Paddington films, David Heyman, producer of Harry Potter, Gravity, Barbie and Paddington, and producers Alexandra Derbyshire (the Paddington films, Jurassic World: Dominion) and Luke Kelly (Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical), comes an intoxicating mix of magic and music, mayhem and emotion, all told with fabulous heart and humor. Starring Timothée Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, as he becomes the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker.

Starring alongside Chalamet are Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come), Emmy® and Peabody Award winner Keegan-Michael Key (The Prom, Schmigadoon), Paterson Joseph (Vigil, Noughts + Crosses), Matt Lucas (Paddington, Alice in Wonderland, Little Britain), Mathew Baynton (The Wrong Mans, Ghosts), Oscar® nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, the Paddington films, Spencer), Rowan Atkinson (the Johnny English and Mr. Bean films, Love Actually), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), with Oscar® winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Lost Daughter, The Crown) and Hugh Grant (Paddington 2, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral). The film also stars Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus, Insecure), Rich Fulcher (Marriage Story, Disenchantment), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education,  Four Weddings and a Funeral), Tom Davis (Paddington 2, King Gary) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Paddington 2, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Mary Poppins Returns).

Enjoy Wonka with family and friends right at home with HBO GO powered by PLDT Home.

Unlock unlimited entertainment only with HBO GO letting Filipinos watch Hollywood as well as documentaries, television series, and other on-demand content. For a truly enjoyable streaming night, see all these screen gems lag free and without interruption only with PLDT Home – available at a special rate of P199/month for PLDT Home customers. To find out more, visitpldthome.com/hbogo.

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