Review: Alice in Wonderland directed by Tim Burton

Alice in Wonderland is a 're-imagining' of the original novels by Lewis Carroll; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass. This is one of Tim Burton's 're-imagining' movies, which we've seen before with Planet of the Apes and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What Burton does it go back to the source material and interpret the story fresh from the original author, rather than remaking what's already been done. The problem with this is that the original adaptations are so well beloved that there is often major criticism of his work.



Alice in Wonderland sees a 19 year old Alice (Mia Wasikowska) returning to Wonderland, which is now under the rule of the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Though she has no memory of being in Wonderland before, she is quickly reunited with her old friends; the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), the Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (Matt Lucas). It turns out that the residents of Wonderland have been searching for her; it is her destiny to take up the sword of the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) and slay the Red Queen's Jabberwocky (Christopher Lee), thus paving the way for rebellion against the Red Queen and the freedom of Wonderland.

I watched the film in 3D and, despite the eye strain that I'm slowly getting from watching most movies in 3D nowadays (anyone else getting this too?) the movie looked stunning. Although it wasn't typically Burton (black and white stripes, snow etc.) you could tell that he had a hand in crafting the world of Wonderland. The land oozed strangeness, but you also got a feel for the desolation incurred because of the Red Queen.



The range of actors, both live action and in voice, was well chosen and brilliantly executed. Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter was (unsurprisingly) performed with a very unique twist. He seemed almost bipolar in nature; his usual upper class English light hearted nuttiness (with the inclusion of the lisp as a homage to the original animated movie) occasionally bled away to reveal a thick, gruff Scottish growl that spoke gibberish and had an air of violent insanity about it. It was a really nice contrast to the rest of the characters, who are plain old silly. There was a fantastic part where the March Hare (Paul Whitehouse) stops mid rant to exclaim "SPOON!" and thrust it in the audience's face, to which the entire cinema erupted in laughter. The casting of Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry and Christopher Lee as the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat and the Jabberwocky respectively was an excellent choice that would have only been further enhanced by the inclusion of John Hurt in there somewhere.

However, despite this range of talent and the beautiful visual landscape, there was something in the movie that seemed to be lacking. I think it may have been that Burton was creating a film that was meant to be somewhere between childlike and adult, but it never really brought both in successfully. The visual feast of Alice re-exploring Wonderland and enticing her curiosity meant that the deeper aspects to the plot were often glossed over; there could have been a little more focus on the importance of this rebellion against the Red Queen and the implications of what her rule has done to Wonderland.



In conclusion, I'd recommend Alice in Wonderland to anyone, but make sure that it is seen in 3D in the cinema. It would make for a fun movie filled with quirky and well characters and a brilliant world that captures the strangeness of Wonderland as seen through Alice's eyes. Just don't expect much depth with regards to the storyline. Burton himself said that the original story was more like a series of events rather than a coherent plot, and while he tried to flesh out a story from this, the semi patchwork form can be seen. Still, a very fun movie to watch.

Reference: http://mithrilwisdom.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-alice-in-wonderland-directed-by.html

Alice in Wonderland: Review and Movie Going Facts

Alice in Wonderland was hugely amazing. Tim Burton brought in his own wonderful imagination of his Wonderland. It is the sequel-like movie to the original cartoon and storybook. The 3-D made it like you were literally in the movie. It is action-packed and adventurous. Especially the "Rabbit Hole" scene when you fall down, everything is coming your way and you really experienced it. It is the best family and action movie of March. It is said to be the #1 movie in the world and has been a box-office hit for more than two weeks. It's average star rating is 2.5 stars but plenty of people like me will rate this 5 stars.

Reference: http://anultimatedisneyfansblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/alice-in-wonderland-review-and-movie.html

Film Reviews: Alice in Wonderland (1951) & Alice in Wonderland (2010)

<html>
<head>
<title>
</title>
<style type="text/css">
/*<![CDATA[*/
div.c2 {clear: both;}
img.c1 {FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 326px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 635px}
/*]]>*/
</style>
</head>
<body>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkujc9GNoN1qczn0IAiYRIGnCtDNYySUvDF7NL9jrtlI2KvEzOGhdZAF_YnhBdXVzKdpSY9aiB7yrO9Kl06RWflAR2jLMJ1_Uku5r5NzS0AL8P0ZQV43jwfx-dEXaiiQvsoqYdsIU6-k/s1600/Alice+in+wonderland.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452995712909545154"
class="c1"
alt=""
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkujc9GNoN1qczn0IAiYRIGnCtDNYySUvDF7NL9jrtlI2KvEzOGhdZAF_YnhBdXVzKdpSY9aiB7yrO9Kl06RWflAR2jLMJ1_Uku5r5NzS0AL8P0ZQV43jwfx-dEXaiiQvsoqYdsIU6-k/s400/Alice+in+wonderland.jpg"
border="0" /></a>"Alice in Wonderland" (1951) <strong>***</strong> (out of <strong>****</strong>)<br />

<div>"Alice in Wonderland" (2010) <strong>***</strong> (out of <strong>****</strong>)</div>

<div>Having seen Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) yesterday, I thought why not review both the Disney animated version as well as this new version.</div>

<div><br />
Like many people who have not read Lewis Carroll's classic children stories, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass", I think most of us might be most familiar with the Disney adaptation, despite the fact that upon initial release the film was a box-office flop. And even today there are those who bash the film. Reportedly, even Walt Disney himself was not happy with this film, although he had wanted to make his own version for years.</div>

<div><br />
Still, it is a safe bet most children first learn about Alice and Wonderland through this animated feature. And quite frankly I like it.</div>

<div><br />
What is it about this story that seems to capture the interest of filmmakers? Countless adaptations have been made of this story. The first known adaptation dates back to 1903, a British film which ran 12 minutes long, today 8 minutes remain (you can find it on youtube). Other well known versions include another live action version from 1933, which featured an all-star cast consisting of Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, W.C. Fields and Edward Everett Horton among many, many others. And if you are in the mood for a more strange telling of this story check out the 1988 Czech version by animator Jan Svankmajer simply titled "Alice". This is of course nothing to say of all the TV movies and series which have taken us to Wonderland. One wonders, was Tim Burton's version really needed?</div>

<div><br />
Regardless, the 1951 Disney telling, is said to be a pretty decent adaptation. Watching it again I was struck by a few things. First of all, it is an incredibly short movie, 75 minutes. It all seems to end so abruptly. I felt much more could have been done with the story. And secondly, I didn't feel a clear moral was presented. Disney stories usually teach us something.</div>

<div><br />
There is a moment in this movie when Alice (voiced by Kathryn Beaumont, who was also heard in "Peter Pan" (1953) as Wendy) is scared and frustrated. She thinks she will never find her way out of Wonderland. She sits alone and sings a song explaining that from now on she will learn to pay more attention to adults and do what she is told. Prior to this moment Alice is presented as a carefree child who doesn't take her studies serious. She wants to play and daydream. But after falling into wonderland, a place where nothing makes any sense. Alice, at this moment, learns that eventually she will have to take on responsibility. And for a while I thought this was the moral of the story. Children learning eventually they will have to grow up and learn to leave silliness behind. This was clearly a theme in "Peter Pan". But by the end of "Alice in Wonderland" I'm not sure she has really changed. Because, and I don't think I'm spoiling anything, it was all a dream. And all she had to do was wake up and go back to being herself.</div>

<div><br />
Some people say they dislike this version because none of the characters are likable. I don't know about that. I wasn't bothered by any of the characters. Of course, I'm 26 years old. How would a 5 year old for example react? Still, I don't think children would have a negative reaction. I think some of the characters like Mad Hatter (voiced by Ed Wynn, a wonderful choice) and Cheshire Cat (Sterling Holloway, who was also in the 1933 version playing a Frog and was also the voice of Winnie the Pooh) should make children laugh. I think the movie is a nice reminder of a child's imagination. Maybe they have to be a little older to digest this 1951 movie but Alice's situation should be a relatable one. Children generally rather play and daydream, not hear about history or homework. Whether or not they actually want to go to a place like "Wonderland" is a different story.</div>

<div><br />
Still I'd recommend this movie. I don't know if I'd put in the same league with some of Disney's other classic animated films, but, I'm sure with the release of Burton's new movie, parents might also show their children this version as well. Heck, because of Burton's version, finally the 1993 version is now available on DVD.</div>

<div><br />
Walking into Tim Burton's version (who is sort of a mad hatter himself), I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The film has been doing terrific business at the box-office, still retaining its number one spot. I knew the film would have to be visually stunning. I've come to expect that from his work but I wasn't sure about Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. I also wasn't sure Burton was the right filmmaker for this story.</div>

<div><br />
I think Burton has given us some of his best movies lately. I was a strong admirer of his "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" (2005) even though the public turned their backs on it. I also loved "Sweeney Todd" (2007). And I'm not really a fan of Burton's. But, he won me over with those two films. The problem I tend to have with most of his work is it lacks heart. Visually they are something to witness, but, emotionally I'm left cold. With "Charlie" I didn't mind. I was too impressed with the world Burton had created for us. And I suppose I should have felt the same way with "Alice in Wonderland" but I didn't. That is not to say this is a bad movie however.</div>

<div><br />
This version of "Alice in Wonderland" is kind of a sequel to the story we know. That is why I decided to review two versions together. Watch the Disney movie then this one. In Burton's version Alice (Mia Wasikowska, who was in last year's "Amelia" (2009) is about to be married. She is 19 years old, and is reminded her looks will not last forever, and since a Lord no less, is interested in her, Alice should jump at the chance. But, poor sweet Alice has been troubled by dreams. The same dreams she has had since a child, about falling through a giant hole to a land with blue caterpillars and talking rabbits. These images are starting to emerge again. What is poor Alice to do?</div>

<div><br />
Here the film almost takes a "Wizard of Oz" approach as certain real life people remind Alice of characters she meets in Wonderland. Burton is throwing some hints and suggestions are way with Alice's future mother-in-law and her dislike for white roses, twin cousins who always stand side by side, completing each other's sentences.</div>

<div><br />
The theme here with Burton's film seems to be the same, growing older, taking responsibility. In the real world Alice's fate has been decided for her. She must get married. But when Alice arrives in Wonderland, after chasing a white rabbit of course, she learns that her fate has been decided again. She must slay a jabberwocky (think giant dragon, voiced by Christopher Lee) and rescue her friend the Mad Hatter (Depp) and restore the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) to the throne which was taken from her by her sister, the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Will Alice except her fate? Not only in Wonderland (though here called "Underland") but in the real world as well?</div>

<div><br />
Burton says he wanted to make this version because he always found "Alice in Wonderland" to be too much of an episodic film. There was a slim thread holding everything together. Burton does tie up some loose ends, but, it still didn't feel like a complete movie to me. There is something to be desired though as expected the visuals are wonderful. I haven't seen a world like this since "Pan's Labyrinth" (2006). And I should mention I saw the film in 2-D not 3-D. Though I could tell which parts would have gained something from the 3-D.</div>

<div class='c2'>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Reference: http://alex-udvary.blogspot.com/2010/03/film-reviews-alice-in-wonderland-1951_26.html

Alice In Wonderland review: Disney and the Opium Wars

<html>
<head>
<title>
</title>
<style type="text/css">
/*<![CDATA[*/
div.c4 {clear: both;}
img.c3 {display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;}
span.c2 {font-style:italic;}
img.c1 {display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 138px;}
/*]]>*/
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"
href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2VKcfW6tpWM/S6ycuGm-XcI/AAAAAAAABSY/1MMKOI0FEoI/s1600/tim-burton-alice-in-wonderland-chatty-flowers.jpg"><img class="c1"
src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2VKcfW6tpWM/S6ycuGm-XcI/AAAAAAAABSY/1MMKOI0FEoI/s320/tim-burton-alice-in-wonderland-chatty-flowers.jpg"
border="0"
alt=""
id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452905564700827074" /></a><br />
Rather belatedly, I'm posting a review of Tim Burton's 3D movie adaptation of <span class="c2">Alice In Wonderland</span>. Being a sucker for the technology (especially now that you get proper stylish Rayban-style spectacles and not the horrid - if nostalgic - cardboard face-wear of old), I had gone to see Alice the first week it opened at the local multiplex. I'd been a fan of the Rev Dodgson's finest since childhood, natch, and knew "Jabberwocky" and "The Walrus And The Carpenter" by heart. Many's the time I've watched politicians, big and small, and thought of the Carpenter weeping for the fate of the poor oysters as he stuffs as many as possible into his blubbering gob under cover of his handkerchief.<br />
<br />
So I was determined not to miss out. The visuals didn't disappoint, even though the movie came hot on the heels of James Cameron's <span class="c2">Avatar</span> blockbuster, and the performances positively sparkled. I will say, though, that Matt Lucas, brilliantly cast as both Tweedledum and Tweedledee, was criminally underused. Johnny Depp in best Vivienne Westwood drag and eyes enlarged through CGI by 25 per cent, put in another one of his trademark oddball performances as the Mad Hatter who, played by the box-office pull, morphed into a centre-stage action hero. Burton's missus, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, allowed her director husband to commit gross uglification by hydroencephalopathising her pretty head. One laugh-out-loud moment is when this mass-murdering monster looks up at her evil swain and flutters her outsized eyes in a manner she assumes is appealing. Oh, the joy in the recognition that some of us just can't do 'cute'.<br />
<br />
Mia Wasikowska played Alice as a feisty 19-year old Victorian miss, and very attractively too. In her shining armour and flowing pre-Raphaelite hair (be still, my beating heart!), she made the most stunningly beautiful boy in her climactic fight with the Jabberwock (voiced, in full-on stentorian mode, by no less a personage than Christopher Lee).<br />
<br />
But the script ... something failed to fully emotionally engage and I didn't know what it was. Hmm ... made for Disney, huh?<br />
<br />
As the film was made for the Fascist Rodent corporation, I was surprised to see it foregrounding the druggy perspective, an interpretation popular since the tripped-out 60s, with a very stoned caterpillar (Alan Rickman) sucking on a hookah which was more opium pipe than shisha.<br />
<br />
Now, everyone seems to have assumed that Tim Burton had taken his eye off the ball with Alice and turned out a nice safe movie for Disney, and that the hint that this might be an opium dream was just a cheap way to reclaim a bit of his old transgressive credibility. Well, yes. But much more than this, oh, yes.<br />
<br />
The framing device, before she falls down the rabbit hole and enters Wonderland, is set around Alice's real life and her imminent engagement to Hamish (Leo Bill), a twittish minor aristocrat (aren't they all?), offspring to Lady Ascot (Geraldine James) who wants Alice's beauty in the family gene-pool so they can breed beautiful grandchildren for her. At the end, fresh out of her adventures in Underland, Alice rejects Hamish and a life of a privileged brood-mare, telling everyone what she thinks of them, and taking charge of her late father's business in partnership with Hamish's father, Lord Ascot.<br />
<br />
Laid on with a shovel, Alice's anachronistic feminist feistiness may have been irritating as an unconvincing attitude which was not so much seeing the age refracted through modern eyes, as completely rewriting history. But, in a great Tim Burton sleight-of-hand, there was something else going on which seems to have bypassed the studio execs. The Powers That Be may be congratulating themselves that this is a nice conventional tale of how white folk in the Imperial West (for the glory days of Great Britain, read the nostalgia for America's 'finest hour') advanced themselves through trade, all with a dash of Girl Power.<br />
<br />
But where did all that wealth come from? Burton and co-writer Linda Woolverton focus you on the business of how money is made in the opening scenes.<br />
<br />
Alice's father, (Marton Csokas as Charles Kingsleigh - does that make Alice a water baby?), is in shipping to the East Indies and Indonesia. But what looks at first glance as a ho-hum story of middle-class folk innocently making their fortune in the world with a feminist twist is dealt a sly kicking by the writers.<br />
<br />
At the end, breadhead Alice - child of the British Empire - drags Lord Ascot into a room where she lays out the map of the world and analyses their current Eastern trade routes. Her new-found leadership skills (she has just slain the Jabberwock with her vorpal sword) take her beyond what's known and into the relatively new area of trade with China. She points triumphantly at Hong Kong. THIS is where they will make their fortune. Her brush with the Caterpillar and his habit has taught her where there is money to be made. Anyone even slightly familiar with that bit of history knows about the Opium Wars, and exactly how Britain acquired Hong Kong. How, when our taste for China's silks, spices, tea and porcelain threatened to empty the treasury of its silver, Britain cultivated cheap opium in Bengal and forced it on China at gunpoint. This was what Britain's trade with China meant: in turning what had once been an aristocratic vice into a mass addiction, Britain became the world's Number One Pusher and turned China into a nation of junkies.<br />
<br />
And that's where I nearly fell off my chair. Mr Burton, you sly dog, you. Never mind the lovely Johnny, I think I'm a little bit in love with Tim.<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"
href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2VKcfW6tpWM/S6yczS97UII/AAAAAAAABSg/-2vxl3Lnr68/s1600/tim-burton-alice-in-wonderland-movie-photos-7.jpg"><img class="c3"
src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2VKcfW6tpWM/S6yczS97UII/AAAAAAAABSg/-2vxl3Lnr68/s200/tim-burton-alice-in-wonderland-movie-photos-7.jpg"
border="0"
alt=""
id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452905653917667458" /></a></p>

<div class='c4'>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Reference: http://madammiaow.blogspot.com/2010/03/alice-in-wonderland-review-disney-and.html

Win "Alice in Wonderland" (BBC Version) on DVD at LI Reviews

LI Reviews is hosting a great giveaway in which you can win "Alice in Wonderland" (BBC Version), starring John Gielgud, Peter Sellers, Vanessa Redgrave, on DVD. Check out the details of the giveaway by following the link below - good luck to all! The giveaway ends on 3/25, so get your entries in!



Enter Here!

Reference: http://slavetoacademia.blogspot.com/2010/03/win-alice-in-wonderland-bbc-version-on.html

Film review: 'Alice in Wonderland'

We seem to be doing a lot of reviews lately.



I think reviews are just fun! It's great to gloat about other people's mistakes!



So today - the new Tim Burton movie! The man who brought you 'Beetle Juice', 'Edward Scissorhands', 'Batman' and 'Ed Wood'... and then lost his mind and made 'Planet of the Apes' (the remake), 'Corpse Bride' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (the remake).



I should like to state publically that he did NOT direct 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', contrary to popular belief!









Here are two stanzas from the poem 'Jabberwocky' from Through the Looking Glass.





One, two! One, two! and through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back


"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

He chortled in his joy



I love that poem! And I rather like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. And I like the Disney certoon, too! Now there is a live action/CGI sequel / remake, by Tim Burton.

Believe it or not I went into the new movie wanting to like it - I'd heard bad reviews but the premise sounded original and exciting.


In this curious sequel to the classic stories Alice returns, 13 years later, to Underland - she misheard the name last time - only to discover a war (Well, a planned battle... I guess) between the Red and White Queens (and the three or four speaking parts each has allied to them). The war can only be won if the chosen hero Alice (the little girl who briefly visited the region twice, 13 years previous) slays the Jabberwocky in the White Queen's name (she can't slay it herself because she has a code against killing, and no-one else can do it because they don't look enough like the hero in the original illustration.)



If you remove the parts in brackets, it sounds great, right? First off, the Jabberwock was already slain, and secondly, by a man. In a poem. Why exactly is the monster now alive and well and working for the Red Queen? Why does Alice need to kill it? Why does killing it instantly end the war? Why does it speak now?


I think what annoys me the most is the way things were mis-represented... here the Cheshire cat has a name - 'Cheshire'. That just doesn't seem right. The hatter is more eccentric than 'mad', and is a sympathetic, heroic lead character. At one point he throws a hat pin like a ninja death star. At another point he dances superbly to a really modern, funky tune, spinning his head fully around like Linda Blair (by far the low point of the film.) And he looks like this:








It just... isn't the hatter. It looks a whole lot like Edward Scissorhands! But I just don't see the hatter with bright orange hair and matching eye make-up.


It's an interesting character, but he doesn't seem to fit into 'Alice in Wonderland'! The movie isn't even particularly dark, so what on Earth is the idea of this design?







A lot of stuff is wrong here... it's as if Burton wanted to include all his favourite characters and lines, but didn't know how to fit them into his 'rebel war' plot.



It feels odd to be criticising Johnny Depp's character... although his performance is... y'know, okay... but I just can't fathom why he looks like that, or why he's a key part of a reistance movement against the Red Queen! Or why he speaks to Alice as if they were old friends. I don't remember them spending a great deal of time together, or even getting on! By the end of this movie there is a sad farewell between the two and even (unless I was imagining it) a hint of romance.


The Red Queen is also a big part of the film, but that actually seems to fit. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the character. However, I rather suspect that the only reason she and the hatter are our main characters is that... they most closely resemble Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp.


---



And the reason I included the 'Jabberwocky' passage earlier:



In the movie, the poem is taken as a prophecy about how Alice (once again... the slayer in the poem is male!!) must kill the beast, using the 'vorpal blade' and on the 'frabjous day' i.e. the day of destiny when all will be decided.



This is the best example I could find of what I said earlier: that Burton seems to have misrepresented or misunderstood his source material, so that it no longer makes sense. The term 'frabjous day' isn't the name of a calendar date - it's just a description of the day. 'Frabjous' presumably means 'fabulous' and 'joyous'. It kills me to see the lines of this perfect poem clumsily twisted to fit a disappointing movie's plot. At one point near the end, Johnny Depp gravely announces that 'the Frabjous Day is upon us', as if it means the end of the bloody world. That's so very different to what Lewis Carrol meant by 'O frabjous day!'. And it's not some new twist on the poem - it's just a clumsy repurposing.


As for 'vorpal blade'... well, I can maaaaaybe convince myself that's the name of the sword and not a description of it. After all the word is used twice. And because of things like 'American McGee's Alice' we've already decided that 'The Vorpal Blade' is actually the name of the sword. But there is no excuse for 'the frabjous day'.



---


There were some wonderful concepts and moments in this. I love the idea of it being called 'Underland' for instance, and the battle with the Jabberwock was actually pretty exhilerating! (Even if it was flanked by completely butchered versions of the 'playing cards' and 'chess board' themes from the books.)

And I also rather like the idea of Wonderland staging an epic war and a grown-up Alice becoming its saviour and thus, learning about herself and gaining strength. It was kind of like 'Labyrinth'! And man, I love 'Labyrinth'!



And with a premise like that, this movie could have been fantastic. It just annoyed me how so many old characters, lines and even plot devices from the original books were just re-used... poorly. With orange eye make-up.



And I know it's Tim Burton, but I really thought there was too much CGI in this movie. Alice and Anne Hathaway were the only things in the movie that didn't look like cartoon characters.


What else can I whine about? The acting was mostly drab - some lines were very obviously given the wrong emphasis. Johnny Depp kept showing off his Scottish accent for no aparent reason. The scenes before Alice re-discovered Wonderland were very, very cliched, over the top and lazy. What the hell was that Hamish fella doing with his face? I wanted to take the actor to one side and slap him. Matt Lucas was very annoying.



Oh! And there were a whole lot of 'Aggressive Negotiations' - that irritating Hollywood tradition of having lines from earlier return later in the film with greater significance. Cheap as it is, I don't mind one or two of these in a film, but this one was taking it too far. 'Avatar' has tons of that as well, by the way.



Throughout I had to keep reassuring myself by saying, 'It's a kids' movie. Kids will love that bit. I'm not the intended audience'. And despite my very negative attitude here, the movie was okay. But with a little tweaking - a more cohesive, fresh plot, less green-screen, maybe even an original title (Return to Wonderland? Alice in Underland?) - this one could have been so good!



5/10





I also saw 'I Love You Phillip Morris', and it was great!

Reference: http://buchnknight.blogspot.com/2010/03/film-review-alice-in-wonderland.html

Review - Alice In Wonderland

At first we were thinking to go for 3D...but the nearest is also quite far...and with our hectic schedule nowadays, its hard for us to be in a group and just go out for a movie...after long consideration...done...2D only lah...Alamanda it is...

Ha got us the tickets and the movie started at 8pm...prior to the movie, there's lots of people who had been saying that the movie is boring and all and not worth watching...for one thing...i love Tim Burton's (the director) outings...Sweeney Todd, Corpse Bride, Mars Attack, Edward Scissorhand, Sleepy Hollow, just to name a few...i kinda have a pre-idea of how the movie going to be...all talks and all...so the strength of Tim Burton's movies is how he set up the mood with the body language and the dialogues...the cinematography would come in as a supporting element for the movie...when someone said that Tim Burton's outings are boring...well then...they just can't accept the concept of his story telling...it goes the same for Quentin Tarantino's...not everyone like Inglourious Basterds...but i love it...for me, any of TB/ QTs movies are of an 'acquired taste'....either you like it, or hate it...nothing in between...

The movie started off with young Alice (Mia Wasikowska) having a nightmare and being comforted by her father...i love the dialogues whereas when Alice was asking her father that is she going crazy...the way her father replied was so endearing and sweet...then fast forward to 13 years later, alice is all grown up and attending her supposed 'engagement party' only to be led by the rabbit to the hole...and this is where all alice adventure's begin...

Starting off with the so called 'pak nujum' saying Alice is not Alice (errkkk kompius) and went on with alice running away from the Red Queen's (Helena Bonham Carter) soldiers...the cinematography was exquisite (should try it on 3D for the next time)...then along the way, Alice met up with Mad Hatter (played to perfection by Johnny Depp) and the tea party gang...then Alice going back to the Red Queen's castle and running to White Queen's (Anne Hathaway) castle...everything was so nicely put...

The movie comes to almost the finish line when Alice remembered that her 'nightmares' are not nightmares, but just a recollection of her past experience venturing to the wonderland...then off with the showdown between the RQ and WQ with Alice fighting off the 'dragon' and managed to 'off with the heads'...then Alice went back to the real world, dumped her supposed fiance, made a business pact with the 'supposed-fiance' father to venture to China...The End...

Overall, I LOVE IT...tim burton never fails to entertain me...the acting was superb (Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp are seriously good)...the whole cinematography was excellent...and the storyline was kinda cool...seriously...lots of people had been saying how boring it was and how not worth it the movie is...for me, its just plain Tim Burton...either you like it or hate it...i love the dialogues (maybe one of the reason why people said its boring becoz there are indeed lots and lots of talking)...but the dialogues build up the storyline...the body language also plays an important part of the whole character (Mad Hatter and Red Queen are so wicked)...the cat made me wanna have a talking cat as he looks so adorable and cheeky....i am satisfied...it was a great cinematic experience and i will go and watch it again in 3D...

ajie

1:23 a.m

25 March 2010

Putrajaya

Reference: http://muhamadakmalwahab.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-alice-in-wonderland.html

Review: Alice In Wonderland (2010)

* *

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway



Oh, man. I'd been looking forward to Alice In Wonderland for months and even after reading a few less than favourable reviews, I still held out hope. I was prepared to be a bit disappointed in Tim Burton's rendering of the classic story, but instead I find myself feeling apathetic. I've tried to start this review about a dozen times over the past couple of days but when I try to articulate my feelings about this movie all I can think is... *shrug*.



After a brief prologue in which we meet the young Alice, haunted by memories of Wonderland which she believes to be nothing more than dreams, the film flashes forward 13 years to the teenage Alice (Mia Wasikowska), who is on the verge of being married off to a less than desirable (from her perspective) suitor. She flees from his proposal and, chasing after a rabbit, falls down a hole where she enters a strange new world. There she meets a wide variety of characters who are willing to acknowledge that she's an Alice but are convinced that she's not the Alice. Meanwhile, she's convinced that it's just a dream, despite all painful evidence to the contrary.



Alice's return is of interest to both the benevolent White Queen (Anne Hathaway), who needs her to slay the Jabberwocky, and the tantrum prone Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), who wants to cut off her head because cutting off heads is her favourite past time. When the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) is taken prisoner by the Red Queen, Alice infiltrates the palace as Um from Umbradge in order to rescue him. While she fails at this, she does manage to get the vorpal sword, the only thing that can kill the Jabberwocky, and escape with it back to the White Queen's palace, setting the stage for the great and final battle between good and evil.



The film plays fast and loose with Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, taking elements from both stories without strictly adhering to either. The film also tries to incorporate a bit of feminism to guide its narrative arc, essentially making the story about how Alice learns to stand up for herself. This element both does and doesn't work. As nice as it is to see a film about a heroic female lead, particularly one that emphasizes the importance of her making her own choices rather than blindly following a script imposed on her by outside forces, Alice's moment of triumph at the film's end is somewhat lacking in impact because she holds a position of disadvantaged advantage in society. She's disadvantaged because she's a woman but her class and wealth make it possible for her to take a defiant stance that a woman of lesser means wouldn't be able to afford. The last scenes are less "score one for womankind" than "score one for rich women" - it's nice for Alice, but kind of empty in the greater scheme of things. Not that I expected Alice to be a political symbol, but if the film is going to play at rooting itself in certain politics, it should do so in a less shallow, more nuanced way. And I don't even want to get into the ideological implications of the war between the Red Queen and White Queen and the ways that that undercuts what the film is trying to do through Alice.



There are things about Alice In Wonderland that I liked - anything involving the Chesire Cat, Depp's melancholic Hatter, Tweedledee and Tweeldedum - but ultimately I found the film so unrelentingly dour that it was hard to enjoy. I didn't expect it to be happy and peppy (this is Tim Burton, after all) but I did think it would be a bit more, I don't know, magical. There seems to be no joy to this particular cinematic exercise which leaves the product rather hollow.

Reference: http://flickchickcanada.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-alice-in-wonderland-2010.html

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

Note: It's been a while since I've done a movie review. I just slipped of my game for a second lol... Plus I just been crazy busy. I've been going to the movies, just haven't had time to do these. So I decided to start back with this.

Alice in Wonderland B

I truly enjoyed this movie. I think only because I saw it in IMAX. It was very interesting. I loved Johnny Depp's character (hilarious). I thought the dress Alice had on (while walking around with the Red Queen) was pretty hot. I can so see a photo shoot in that lol. I think the movie overall was just funny & colorful. Nothing spectacular about it. Just a great movie to experience with all the big kids in the theater lol..

Have you seen it?

What are your thoughts?

Last week I posted this on my Facebook page when I left this movie:

"PLEASE RECYCLE ALL 3D Glasses in bin on your way out"

.... girl u must be crazy. I paid $15 for this movie, Ohhh Im keeping these glasses! Hmph....LOL

SEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO... And what!!!!!

Going to tell me to recycle glasses..... PLEASE!!!!! I Marched out there like Whatever B**ch!!!!

Reference: http://deontek.blogspot.com/2010/03/movie-review-alice-in-wonderland.html

Alice In Wonderland Review

Somehow i have managed to find a temporary social life within the pile of all my work and was able to escape for a weekend to go watch a movie. I recently watched the new Alice in Wonderland from Tim Burton and have decided to post a little review about it. This review does contain spoilers though so anyone does not want to read it should leave now, otherwise please check it out below the break.

*SPOILER WARNING*

Alice in Wonderland is a unique and brilliant tale of a girl in a strange place�again. In this story director Tim Burton is taking Alice, now 19 years old, back to Wonderland or as he calls it Underland (apparently Alice misheard the name the first time she was there). In this telling Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) had vague dreams of her last trip to Underland, but she does not think of it as something the really happened until she fall once again down the rabbit hole and into the wondrous land of impossible things. She encounters many old friends including The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) who help her of her true destiny, to sleigh the Jabberwocky and end the Red Queens reign.

This story is not a sequel to the Lewis Carroll novels, nor is it a retelling of the original stories. It is in fact an extension onto the Carroll stories. Burton creates a world where you can feel the emotions of the characters and adds a little more depth to the inhabitants of this world. This movie was an interesting experience of subtle undertones found in the original, and awe inspiring animations. The production quality is superb using a unique blend of colors and the computer animations of both the animals and the Red Queen adds to the wonder of Alice in Wonderland.

Reference: http://skepfish.blogspot.com/2010/03/alice-in-wonderland-review.html

Alice In Wonderland

Tim Burton has never been a filmmaker that has had me excited when a new film of his is about to be released. For some, Burton is an off-the-wall filmmaker, with traces of artsy, independent flair to get them feeling like they're experiencing something just profound enough. Not too much though. Others recognize the artist in him, the one with the touches of gothic style, who isn't so much a fake, but rather a filmmaker that has sold out. That's how I tend to view Burton, realizing his potential and knowing how great an artist he can be. Just look to Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood for shining examples.

But with Alice in Wonderland, Burton has made a film that is too similarly tied to his abysmal Charlie and the Chocolate Factory than his earlier classics. Which is a shame, because Alice could have been his ticket back to "artistic" success. Instead, anyone who saw the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland will essentially see the same film, only with an older Alice, darker images, and unnecessary 3D effects. The script offers nothing new to keep those familiar with the story interested, except maybe the inclusion Lewis Carrol's Jabberwocky. And to have Alice, now much older than when she first visited Wonderland, forget everything she knew about that world by blaming it on a dream only serves to make the film that much more like the Disney version. All this would be less egregious if Alice could simply recall the only dream she has ever had (the one about her first trip to Wonderland), instead of failing to recognize a single thing about Wonderland the moment she arrives.

Setting aside the screenwriting, which is the source of most of my complaints, let us turn over to the technical side. As to Burton's directing, there isn't much to say other than it looks nice. But there isn't anything particularly stunning about his work, nor any scenes that stand above the rest. Which, and this does tie back to the script issue, is likely due to everything in the story happening so damned conveniently that emotional weight is devoid in nearly every scene. It's hard to get into a film when everything is predictable and easy. But back to the technical stuff, like the 3D. This film was converted after the film had been shot, and the difference is noticeable. Blurry images, simple depth-of-field, and other problems detract from the 3D doing anything useful. Then again, I'm not the worlds biggest 3D advocate.

We can touch on the acting, which really amounts to how Johnny Depp performed. His Mad Hatter was an interesting character, and he did much better with it than he did with Willy Wonka. I did see hints of a darker, meaner Hatter, but we never really quite get there. Everyone does decent work, but nobody is all that stunning. The most interesting characters were those that were animated, like the March Hare and the Dormouse.

I'm still waiting for Burton's return to form, and hopefully I won't have to wait too long for it. His earlier work was his best, and I don't think it's crazy to want more of that. So Alice might not be it, and it may not be anything more than average, but at least it isn't terrible. Just lose the blockbuster urge and return to simpler times. That's my advice.

Genre - Fantasy (2)

Screenplay (2)

Acting (2)

Production (2)

Directing (2)

Reference: http://genreview.blogspot.com/2010/03/alice-in-wonderland.html

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland - PG

cross-posted from A Catholic View

At age 19, Alice falls into a hole, ends up in Wonderland and encounters the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, Tweedledee and Tweedledum and others, most notably the red queen and the white queen. They are sisters, and the white queen is good. The red queen is mean, and likes to yell "off with their heads!" Some are questioning if Alice is the "real Alice". She is indeed, as she later recalls that she's been there before, when she was younger. She has a mission, to find a special sword (I don't recall the name) and return it to the white queen. The bigger challenge is, Alice must slay the jabowocky, a large dragon-like creature.

To be honest, it has been way too many years since I heard or read the fairytale to judge how faithful this story was to the original, but my nephews told me it is pretty close :)

Having seen the previews, I had expected Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter to be a wild and crazy character. He was indeed strange, but more tame than I expected. At times, they made him almost a Jesus-like character in the way he sacrificed himself for Alice.

There was a bit more of a plot than I expected. It clearly is oriented toward a younger audience. It is very entertaining, and there is no objectionable content. I would definitely recommend, especially for the kids.

http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/aliceinwonderland/

Reference: http://catholicmediareview.blogspot.com/2010/03/movie-review-alice-in-wonderland-pg.html

Random Things (including an Alice in Wonderland review)

Went to Brooklyn yesterday for a day trip to the zoo and also to the Art Museum where I found a piece to do my art history research paper on. It's a tryptich of the Madonna and Child with scenes from the life of Christ. Here's a picture.







Here's a really fun page of Middle-earth-related signs that my mellon Anne Marie showed me:

Middle-earth Signs.







Got to see Alice in Wonderland this past week- my first 3D film ever! It was pricey, but really worth it, really brilliant. I loved the film: it was quite different from the book, which I'm nuts about (not just the fact that it takes place when Alice is a young woman). Mostly. the portrayal of the various characters differ from those in the book. But they were well done, none the less. Take Depp's Mad Hatter (who actually doesn't take up as much screen time as I had expected him to): he's a likable character, quirky, abnormal. He's mad too, but in a different way than the Mad Hatter from the book. I loved him in the book because of his hopeless madness, but in the film, there are times when he's not too mad to think seriously. I guess they just did that so Alice could have someone halfway sane to turn to, even though she claims that she herself is mad also... Another character who has been changed and brought forth it all its glory is the dormouse (which has a name, but I forget it... mostly everyone actually has a name. Even the eat-me and drink-me consumables have some exotic name which I can't remember). She has evolved into a plucky, rather fiesty little warrior mouse. Again, I like the shy, skittish tea-party dormouse from the book, but again, in this redone telling of the tale, the new version of the character works right... I loved her. The Chesire cat is a bit more serious, and is wonderously fluffy; I'm trying to find a plush animal of him, but I can't seem to locate one. The character of the Bloodhound (whom I can't recall from the book) is a noble one: yet another memorable movie dog hero. The March Hare is cute, so is the White Rabbit; the Caterpillar (Absolom) is well, solomn (he's so wonderfully blue in color). It seems the Red Queen and the Queen of Hearts have once again been combined (Helena Bonham Carter is a frighteningly spoiled brat of a tyrant) and the White Queen, more youthful than in the book, reminds me of Glinda from the film "The Wizard of Oz" (she also loves animals). As for Alice herself, I liked how Mia Wasikowska portrayed her in all her gravity and matter-of-factness, yet I missed the way she speaks her mind with her well-grounded logic as she does in the book. Well, maybe that's because she's grown up. Oh yes, and the Jabberwocky makes a personal apperience as well, voiced by Christopher Lee. Depending on how big of an Alice in Wonderland fan you are, you may or may not want to spend the extra 3D money to see this film in the theatre. If you are a fan, I think that you'll be happy to have experienced it.



********

Random: I just love this picture. I found it awhile back.





********





Happy belated St. Joseph's Day!







Current mood: Busy

Reference: http://ahobbitsfinelife.blogspot.com/2010/03/random-things-including-alice-in.html

Review: Alice in Wonderland

Review: Alice in Wonderland

Rating: **1/2

Nonna's Rating: $$$ or $$

Rotten Tomatoes: 52%

"The time has come," the Walrus said,

"To talk of many things:

Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing-wax,--

Of cabbages -- and kings --

Of why the sea is boiling hot --

And whether pigs have wings."

Having just written a review in which I reported encouraging my grandson not to judge movies by how closely they follow the book they're based on, I will now equivocate. Alice in Wonderland is bracketed by a new story in which an older Alice (19) is expected to marry an English lord who reminds me of Tweedledum or Tweedledee (not sure which). To escape him, Alice goes down the rabbit hole and enters the 3-D world of Wonderland. Later, the movie reveals that Alice, played by Mia Wasikowska, has been to Wonderland before -- although she has conveniently forgotten her adventure.

Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) wrote Alice in Wonderland for Alice Liddell (who was 10 at the time) and her sisters. I can live with a 19-year-old Alice because it doesn't fundamentally change the Wonderland story. My problem, however, is that the bracketing story is silly and vapid, and does nothing to enhance the fascinating movie that slips between.

Tim Burton (the director) creates a lush, phantasmagorical Wonderland. Johnny Depp manages to deliver a truly 3-dimensional Mad Hatter; Helena Bonham Carter portrays a delightfully perverse Red Queen; Anne Hathaway plays the beautiful but daffy White Queen; a subdued Crispin Glover, in a most improbable body, insinuates himself as the nasty Knave of Hearts, Stayne; Stephen Frye scares us as the Chesire Cat; and Alan Rickman and his wonderful voice delight one and all as the hookah-smoking Caterpillar. Even this story, however, although it is beautifully realized visually, lacks two things -- heart and magic. If you must see the film in 3-D, go to a matinee; otherwise, rent it.

Nonna's Ratings:

$$$$ = Worth paying the Friday evening price

$$$= Worth paying the Matinee price

$$= Worth a rental

$ = Wait for cable

# = Skip it

Reference: http://latecall.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-alice-in-wonderland.html

Alice in Wonderland Movie Review

We took the kids to see the new

"Alice in Wonderland" movie.

We all loved it. At first I was a little worried it might be too old for the kids. Worried it might scare them a little, but NO WAY. They loved it. Definitely a film to take the family to.




I loved the new story line! I felt sorry for Alice in the beginning for being at such a drab engagement party. LOL But so excited for her throughout the movie because of how the story played out. Very empowering in the end for Alice. Love that!




The characters were so interesting. Just look at these photos and you will fall in love with them. Each one had a unique characteristic about them. Very quirky and cute too! I loved the costumes, makeup and little funnies throughout the movie. So many laughs and giggles.




The only negative thing I would say is the movie was a little dark. But that could have been our theatre. So not sure. If you saw this movie, What did you think?




I can't give away too much of the story because I don't want to ruin it for you. So I will leave it at that.




Hee! Hee! Go See it!

I recommend this movie for sure. And I am going to add it to my movie collection. You should too! And don't forget to come back and share what you thought of the movie. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Reference: http://thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com/2010/03/alice-in-wonderland-movie-review.html

Alice in Wonderland - Review

This Walt Disney Studios picture, directed by Tim Burton and starring Mr. Depp as an orange-haired Mad Hatter, made an estimated $116.3 million at North American theaters, according to Hollywood.com, which tracks sales information. The movie took in an additional $94 million overseas, breaking a smattering of foreign records, for a total of $210.3 million (as quoted here). . . and I can see why!

This was my first experience with 3-D movies, and while at first I felt as if I was wearing prescription glasses 2x the prescription I needed, my eyes adjusted after only a few minutes and I was able to enjoy the show along with the rest of the audience. I was blown away by the picture quality, special effects and entertainment value of this movie. I am a big fan of Johnny Depp, and he didn't let me down in this movie. His character was as whimsically absent-minded as it was in Pirates 1, 2 and 3. I'll admit that I had expected this movie to have an overall dark feeling to it, being a Tim Burton film, but it was surprisingly light and comical, with a few dark moments interspursed.

This is NOT just a kid's movie, it would be enjoyed by the entire family - adults included! So go see it, if you haven't already!!!

Reference: http://melindajoy.blogspot.com/2010/03/alice-in-wonderland-review.html

SPOON! [Alice in Wonderland Review]

The Lady came down this weekend, and much cinematographical data was accumulated.



The first thing that should be mentioned about Alice is that it's a pseudo-sequel to the Disney cartoon, rather than a live-action remake. Also, it's set in a post-apocalyptic Wonderland. Obviously, I enjoyed it.



Alice herself was basically a blank, as I expected. The moment she hit Wonder/Underland, she stopped being interesting, aside from being the Chosen One, who, on the Frabjous Day will slay the jabberwock and something something something...



It's a Tim Burton movie, plots aren't important!



Lots of growing/shrinking takes place, the Hatter is mad, Barbara Windsor is a largely irrelevant swashbuckling mouse, the Jabberwock is voiced by Christopher Lee.



The film is worth watching. however, purely for the March Hare.



The movie as a whole isn't bad, and fairly typical Tim Burton fare, which floats many people's boats. The ending is ridiculously annoying though. And the DAMNED FUTTERWACKING...Dear lord.



Next, Percy Jackson!

Reference: http://moreofablarg.blogspot.com/2010/03/spoon-alice-in-wonderland-review.html

Review: Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Tim Burton should really stick to original ideas instead of re-creating and ultimately destroying previous well established ones. His Planet of the Apes was a big disappointment, and while I admired his Charlie and the Chocolate Factory re-make for what it was, I think that it was naive to think that the magic of the original could even be reached again. Johnny Depp's performance, while strikingly odd, lacked the heart and substance that made Gene Wilder's portrayal so wonderful. I would argue that Depp's Mad Hatter is in the same vein, as is the entire film. Beyond the visuals, Alice in Wonderland lacks substance in almost every nuance of the story-telling. Burton's Alice is an extension on the beloved novels of Lewis Carroll, and works as a sequel, as a 19 year-old Alice re-enters the world that has plagued her dreams for years. The films opens with a young Alice recounting these dreams to her father about a rabbit in a waistcoat, a blue caterpillar and a magical world. She views it to be precisely that, a dream, a feature which becomes an irritating answer to everything she encounters in the world. It then jumps ahead 13 years where Alice is being ushered along to a party at a rich estate. Unknown to her, this party is a celebration of her pending engagement to Hamish, the son of the man that has taken over her late father's trading firm. The opening dialogue exchanges are cringe-worthy and even from here, the script is hell-bent on being a disaster. Mia Wasikowska has some talent but she is given very little to do. I expected her to be just an observer and all the crazy images would run around her. But she was more involved than i expected, and her performance wasn't bad. Almost no relationship is established with her mother in the early sequences, and after a few chance encounters with the odd characters at the Victorian party, she pursues after the rabbit in a waistcoat to avoid making her decision to marry Hamish. She plummets down a burrow into Underland, the world she had once visited as a child, but had dismissed it as a dream. After finding the key and drinking the potion to become smaller, Alice enters Underland and meets a host of bizarre characters. Visually the world is stunning, and the 3D makes it look incredible. But there is very little to this narrative beyond the visual. The score was also very boring, utilizing mostly one melody but at different tempos. We discover that the Red Queen (played well by Helena Bonham Carter) has overthrown the White Queen (Anne Hathaway, in a fine performance also) and much of Underland has been destroyed by fiery ruin. The major concern is whether this Alice is the Alice who had previously visited, and the White Rabbit and his companions Tweedledee and Tweedledum take Alice to Absolem the Caterpillar, who notions to a scroll, which has Alice featured as the slayer of the Jabberwocky, and the end to the reign of the Red Queen in Underland. When it is discovered that she is back, the Red Queen summons a 'card hunt' to capture Alice. After evading capture, Alice is found by a grinning Cheshire Cat (voiced by Stephen Fry) and led to the Tea Party featuring the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the March Hare and a Doormouse. She is hidden once again from the Red Queen's pawns. Now Depp's performance here is suitably odd, and he has his moments. But it lacks any real heart. He is a very sad character that misses his old profession and has all but given up hope of any change to Underland. His make-up and eyebrows were just too over-the-top. In the ensuing sequences, The Hatter is captured and imprisoned by The Red Queen, Alice plots to rescue him and infiltrates the Palace under an alias, retrieves the sword she will require to kill the Jaberwocky and escapes to the Palace of the White Queen, where she discovers it is her destiny to challenge the Jaberwocky and bring peace to Underland. The final battle sequence is pretty boring also. The 'chosen one' idea is hammed home and the 'all a dream' perspective plagues the film too. Most of the jokes involving the Red Queen are about her enormous head, and most of the supporting characters feature very little. The narrative is actually pretty cohesive, which is a flaw. The story is so basic, and lacks any of the hallucinogenic incoherence featured in the novels. It is all set out at the beginning, and pans out exactly as you expected. The middle third of the film is certainly the best, but it becomes out-of-control by the final act. When Alice returns home, she is suddenly clear on her decision with Hamish, and offers a comment to all of the characters at the party. She is full of these sudden epiphanies and presents her ideas to Hamish's father about extending trade into China. Where did all of this come from? All that she experiences in Underland has absolutely no bearing on her life at all. She never really did fit in with Victorian culture, and she found a place where she actually felt she belonged. Filled with the pride she had saved Underland, I guess she returns home with a clearer head and the motivation to transform her actual life into something that has meaning. This is really stretching it, however, and this is poorly articulated in the concluding sequences. Some of the images are just stunning, especially the details of the forest, the pair of castles, the animation on the Cheshire Cat and the card minions. I had heard some very bad things about this film, so I went in with low expectations, and I was not impressed. There were lots of missed opportunities to further develop everything. It could have been another 20 minutes longer and taken the time to properly examine the characters. The script is just so disappointing, and i fear that Tim Burton's time may be up!

My Rating: 2 Stars

Reference: http://buckle22.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-alice-in-wonderland-2010.html

A Week in Review: Alice in Wonderland 3D

This week optional activity was a 3D movie



This week's Vacation Study Activity was Alice in Wonderland 3D. I took my 18 Thai students to Scotiabank Theatre. Everybody had a great time and found it very entertaining. Activity Success!



What did I think of the movie? A student asked me whether or not I liked the film. I showed her a yellow card for No, not really.



So why did I give this film a Yellow Ticket and not a Green Ticket?



First lets talk about what's good in the film:

Played by this lady:

Helena Bonham Carter

In fact, its probably what saved the film. Very believable as a jealous heartless wench. I spent most of the film waiting for her to pop up on the screen. She reminds me of the devilish child I wish I could let myself be, if I didn't have extremely strict Chinese parents who forbade me from wearing tank tops and coming home past 9pm.





So whats "meh" about the film



Alice herself:

She was supposed to seem like an " out of the box thinker" different from everyone else in her society. Creative, free spirited, not out of the cookie cutter image of the girls in her time. This was shown by juxtaposingher and other girls at a party. Prim and proper, looking like ladies.



To me, Alice just seemed like a spoiled brat with attention deficit disorder. A hideous " lord" wanted to marry her and she ran away to chase a rabbit in a tuxedo. Oh honey no, how rude. Alice, this is a LORD, Get over it.(No not THE Lord , but a Lord as in some sort of Royalty)hes hideous but in the times you're living ,you have to wash diapers in a well.



It appears Alice is about 13 years old, A 13 year old who hasn't slept in 3 nights and ate nothing but raw baby carrots. But in the film she's 19. NINETEEN!?? She doesn't act a day over 14.



Ok now on to the wonky weird parts.

Johnny Depp: Green Card

His wiry ginger eyebrows sold me to the fact he was mad. The man can do no wrong. Review not needed. NEXT



My favorite part is when the talking dog explains why hes working for the enemy:



"I have to, they've got my wife and pups"



Too funny.



The story line was much like the classic storybook. The graphics were lovely. There were some nice parts, but as a whole it was pretty blah. Too much riff raff. Too much beating around the bush before you get to the point.



The supporting protagonists of the film were introduced by a filthy unhygienic tea party hosted by Mad Hatter, the field mouse, and a dirty rabbit .Yes I know it was supposed to be a fantasy.

Ok since I have an entirely different job to do, and I can't spend all day on this, lets get near the end. Throughout the story the characters basically tell you how its going to end. The scroll thing that predicts the future says that Alice is going to slay the dragon. This is repeated 3 times in the film. " Alice you dont have to do anything, the swords pretty much gonna kill it". Surprise surprise the little girl grown woman slays the dragon. The world is back to "normal." But they showed no more than a 20 second clip of how the world used to be, before the red queen took over.

What was with the ending? She goes back to reality, denies the hideous Lord, tells everyone there's something wrong with them/ she loves them.



Then decides to do some trading in China.



WHAT?!



Review Result: Yellow Card

bs

Going to give it a lukewarm review. In the words of Hatter, it wasn't " much enough, it didn't have enough muchness" as expected.

Reference: http://days-at-vec.blogspot.com/2010/03/week-in-review-alice-in-wonderland-3d.html