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  EW review: 'Factory' of stalenessAlso: OK Cho, a fine 'Madness'By Jeff Labrecque (Entertainment Weekly) -- To paraphrase a line about contracts from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder, "Don't talk to me about remakes, Wonka. They're strictly for suckers." Often true, but what's unusual about Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" -- which became his biggest hit since 1989's "Batman" -- is that it conjures up nostalgia not for the psychedelic Wilder musical, but for other, more inspired Burton-Johnny Depp collaborations. They've wrapped sweetness in surreal whimsy before ("Edward Scissorhands"), and while the pair seem like the perfect chefs for Roald Dahl's cinematic candy, the end result is surprisingly stale. Tough to tell what the late Mr. Dahl, a self-proclaimed "undeveloped adult," would think of the movie, though his family gushes about it in several bonus features, including "Fantastic Mr. Dahl." The author -- who referred to grown-ups as "the enemy" -- might've been less enthusiastic about Burton reducing the rags-to-riches tale of Charlie ("Finding Neverland's" Highmore) to bookends. Wonka's surprise in finding Charlie as the last child remaining is understandable -- we almost forget about him too. But there's no forgetting diminutive actor Deep Roy, who thought he'd signed on to play just one of the mischievous Oompa-Loompas. With the help of CG technology, detailed in several of the seven making-of featurettes, he ended up as all of them. Plus, he's saddled with hosting the DVD: You can make him do the Oompa-Loompa dance ad nauseam or feed him vile candy concoctions from "The Inventing Machine" that force smoke out of his ears. Roy might want to examine his contract with Burton, but as any informed Wonkite knows, they're strictly for suckers. EW Grade: B- 'Margaret Cho: Assassin'Reviewed by Mandi Bierly The Cult of Margaret Cho gets new lessons in women's rights and gay pride (bonus: how to handle hate mail!) in this performance before an adoring Washington, D.C., audience. Though President Bush and conservatives are "Margaret Cho: Assassin's" main targets, even John Kerry can't escape the shrapnel. (She compares conversing with him to speaking with an ent from "The Lord of the Rings.") We're all for comedy with a higher purpose, but laughs should be the top priority. EXTRAS A serious making-of looks at Cho's "attempt to save America from itself": While she discusses her own spirituality and why she's better described as "confused" than "angry," First Amendment lawyers liken her to Lenny Bruce. In perhaps the year's most random special feature, "Margaret Cho's Belly Dance," she promotes the art as a remedy for women's negative body image. Fingers crossed for an instructional video. EW Grade: B 'Reefer Madness'Reviewed by Alisa Cohen Tell your children: "Reefer Madness" is not for them. But those of legal age -- and perhaps illegal interests -- will get a kick out of the charcoal-black comedy, a winking update of 1936's celluloid sermon and the reincarnation of a frill-free stage show. The supersize budget is put to good use in a swirl of gore-happy special effects and elaborate song-and-dance sequences. And the cast sure can carry a tune. Most noteworthy: sweet Mary Lane ("Veronica Mars" star Bell), lashing out in kitten-with-a-whip mode. S&M has never had such a catchy beat. EXTRAS "It's like Fiddler on the Roof for the crack generation!" jokes screenwriter-composer-executive producer Dan Studney in "Grass Roots: Behind the Scenes." Studney and his cast and crew keep things quippy in a commentary track, whether they're discussing instrumentation (using electric guitar for racy drug ditties versus acoustic guitar for G-rated ballads) or influences (Busby Berkeley, revered by '60s and '70s potheads). But the biggest howler is the inept black-and-white original, included here, which hasn't gotten any better over time. EW Grade: A Click Here 
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