Alice in Wonderland Party

Last week Jonathan took me to see Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010 film). (If you want to see my review of it, just follow the link.)



I guess in conjunction with this new film, Disney re-released their cartoon classic of the same title. Being that my husband (and, of course, my children!) had never seen this movie, I secretly snagged a copy and we had ourselves an "Alice in Wonderland party" wherein I could introduce my family to a movie that I loved growing up and we could have a fun time together while enjoying it!





I set the table while the kids were down for their nap so that they wouldn't see what I had planned for the evening. I picked up these "card plates" (see below) at Goodwill over a year ago. I think I paid $4 for 8 of them. Goodwill, btw, is one of my favorite places to snag things. I've decorated almost our entire house at Goodwill and I've picked up a lot of dinnerware there that is just a little bit unusual and is fun to look at. These plates were one of my early finds.



The cups were a Christmas gift from my mom and we've, sadly, not made very much use out of them. Being designed specifically for ice cream treats, I haven't WANTED to make a whole lot of use of them, if you know what I mean, but I thought pulling them out and serving our drinks in them would be a fun treat. I was right!



I pulled out everything red that I could find that had hearts on it to represent the Red Queen, of course!

My family LOVES pancakes and I seldom make them. It's a treat when I do, so guess what we had for dinner at our Alice in Wonderland party? I experimented with a new cinnamon banana pancake recipe too which was fabulous! Yum!



Did I already say that these pancakes were delicious? Ok, just checking....



A fun treat and addition to a meal with kids is sparkling water. We just welcomed a Trader Joe's to our town and I've been enjoying trying out their various treats. We picked up a bottle of their sparkling mineral water for $0.89. It added some flair to the meal.



But the best treat of all (food-wise I mean) was our splurge for Oreo ice cream cookies from Cold Stone Creamery. OH MY!



We had a GREAT time enjoying dinner and then watching the movie. It was a fun way to spend the evening as a family as we were doing things that were special and unusual for us. Decorating the table was a great touch and just made the evening feel like a party, which was, in fact, what we called it.



Family parties, I've decided ought to be the norm and not the exception. I have a feeling we'll be doing this again. Stay tuned!

Reference: http://offeringhospitality.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-party.html

REVIEW: Date Night

The expressions, they say everything. Date Night, more actively then any film that I can think of, tests the theory that if you put enough talented people into something that is pretty much shite, it will make it into something good. Or in other words, if you give Steve Carell bad dialogue, then Steve Carell will make it into good dialogue, one way or another. Date Night features an out-dated concept, an awkward script and more then one of what I like to call 'Accidental Husband' moments, where an attempted joke is so horribly unfunny that you consequently experience an embarrassment so pitiless, that the recollection of it years later will still make you squirm.







But because of the many, many talented people that were persuaded/blackmailed into being in Date Night, there are moments to enjoy. In particular the cameos of James Franco and Mila Kunis playing a lowlife couple called Taste and Whippet, whom this movie clearly should have been entirely about. Franco in particular just straight up fucking owns, and is a becoming a little bit of comedic genius these days. He's come a long way since being so fucking awful as Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man movies. Fey and Carell, although a believable couple visually, and that's pleasing to see in a mainstream release, played up to the camera a bit too much for my liking, so much so that I almost preferred Carell when he wasn't being funny. And in a comedy as broad as this that's a deer in the headlights type deal. Fey is OK I guess, but like Carell mugs a bit too frequently. I guess that's what happens when you put Shawn ' Pink Panther 2.0' Levy behind the camera. Ray Liotta does his usual rent a mob boss thing, I kind of dug the legend that is William Fichtner as the ridiculously caricatured sleazy politician, and Mark Wahlberg's sense of naive sincerity is something of a potential comedic goldmine that only I Heart Huckabees has properly utilized, one day maybe, because this movie just makes jokes about his abs, which, admittedly, are stunning.







You've seen the trailer so you don't need me to tell you what happens. Its True Lies if everyone was who they pretended to be. You know everything that could conceivably happen, and it does, exactly as you think it will. Some may find it cheaply comforting, I simply find it tiring that this amount of on camera talent was wasted on something so inherently useless. Having said that, it does feature Jimmi Simpson, who is one of my favorite actors that nobody has heard of, in an entirely disposable and expository role. Still, he was both a McPoyle on Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Mary the criminologist on Psych for fuck's sake. Love that guy. Anyway this movie sucks. My suggestion, Youtube the James Franco scene, which compels me to give this 5/10 even though I really don't want to, and save yourself 7.50.







Rating: 5/10

Reference: http://nextwednesdayinstead.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-date-night.html

Reference: http://alice-in-wonderland-movie-talk.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-date-night.html

An Early Jim Reardon Creation

A few weeks ago, I found some early work from Jim Reardon and I wanted to share.



Maybe you don't know who Jim Reardon is. He's the co-writer of one of my favorite movies ever, Wall-E. He was a writer on the 90s cartoon Tiny Toon Adventures. And he was also an animation director for The Simpsons for over 14 years (and still works as a storyboard consultant). He directed some of my all-time favorite episodes, including King-Size Homer, 22 Short Films about Springfield, Lemon of Troy, El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer), Mr. Plow and Lisa's Wedding (among many others). In other words, this is a man I have a deep respect for.



Reardon made this little movie in 1983 when he was studing at CalArts. It's not politically correct. It is violent and NSFW (also not for children or people offended by the maiming of beloved Peanuts characters), but it is also funny and contains elements that would later be found in his work on The Simpsons (it is very Itchy and Scratchy, to be sure). And I also love his little note at the end. Smart move, Reardon.







And in case you didn't see it, one of my reviews was included in an article by LAMB (the Large Association of Movie Blogs). Take a look!

Reference: http://justplainsomething.blogspot.com/2010/04/early-jim-reardon-creation.html

REVIEW: Date Night

The expressions, they say everything. Date Night, more actively then any film that I can think of, tests the theory that if you put enough talented people into something that is pretty much shite, it will make it into something good. Or in other words, if you give Steve Carell bad dialogue, then Steve Carell will make it into good dialogue, one way or another. Date Night features an out-dated concept, an awkward script and more then one of what I like to call 'Accidental Husband' moments, where an attempted joke is so horribly unfunny that you consequently experience an embarrassment so pitiless, that the recollection of it years later will still make you squirm.



But because of the many, many talented people that were persuaded/blackmailed into being in Date Night, there are moments to enjoy. In particular the cameos of James Franco and Mila Kunis playing a lowlife couple called Taste and Whippet, whom this movie clearly should have been entirely about. Franco in particular just straight up fucking owns, and is a becoming a little bit of comedic genius these days. He's come a long way since being so fucking awful as Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man movies. Fey and Carell, although a believable couple visually, and that's pleasing to see in a mainstream release, played up to the camera a bit too much for my liking, so much so that I almost preferred Carell when he wasn't being funny. And in a comedy as broad as this that's a deer in the headlights type deal. Fey is OK I guess, but like Carell mugs a bit too frequently. I guess that's what happens when you put Shawn ' Pink Panther 2.0' Levy behind the camera. Ray Liotta does his usual rent a mob boss thing, I kind of dug the legend that is William Fichtner as the ridiculously caricatured sleazy politician, and Mark Wahlberg's sense of naive sincerity is something of a potential comedic goldmine that only I Heart Huckabees has properly utilized, one day maybe, because this movie just makes jokes about his abs, which, admittedly, are stunning.



You've seen the trailer so you don't need me to tell you what happens. Its True Lies if everyone was who they pretended to be. You know everything that could conceivably happen, and it does, exactly as you think it will. Some may find it cheaply comforting, I simply find it tiring that this amount of on camera talent was wasted on something so inherently useless. Having said that, it does feature Jimmi Simpson, who is one of my favorite actors that nobody has heard of, in an entirely disposable and expository role. Still, he was both a McPoyle on Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Mary the criminologist on Psych for fuck's sake. Love that guy. Anyway this movie sucks. My suggestion, Youtube the James Franco scene, which compels me to give this 5/10 even though I really don't want to, and save yourself 7.50.



Rating: 5/10

Reference: http://nextwednesdayinstead.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-date-night.html

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows

As sombras:



1 - Underland = Flash

2 - Alice = Painkiller

3 - Oraculum = Baked

4 - Queen = Last Call

5 - Chessur = Chopper

6 - White Rabbit = Polyester Bride

7 - Wonderland = Maui Wowie

8 - Curiouser = Grifter

9 - Muchness = X

10 - Mushroom = Mushroom

11 - Midnight Tea Party = Midnight Cowboy Rides Again

12 - Vorpal = S&M

13 - Absolem = Homegrown

14 - Drink Me Eat Me = Sin

15 - Mad Hatter = Twice Baked

16 - Jabberwocky = Oil Slick



Mais fotos, review e swatches: Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

Reference: http://notrevanite.blogspot.com/2010/04/urban-decay-alice-in-wonderland-book-of.html

Alice in Wonderland Review

Alice in Wonderland is a story about a nineteen-year-old girl, Alice, who falls into a rabbit hole and is transported to a place called wonderland. She is told by the Hatter that she is destined to kill the Red Queen's Jabberwocky on Frabjous day, which will restore the White Queen's power. Hatter is captured by the Red Queen's army but is saved from execution by the Cheshire Cat. Meanwhile, Alice steals the Vorpal Sword from the Red Queen. When frabjous day arrives, the two armies fight, with Alice and the Jabberwocky against each other. Alice manages to slay the Jabberwocky and restore the White Queen's power. The White Queen then banishes the Red Queen to the outlands. Alice is given a vial of the Jabberwocky's blood, which takes her back home.







I feel that the movie, Alice in Wonderland is not that bad. It has some funny parts in it. Most of the funny parts include the Hatter, who is played by Johnny Depp. Most of the parts with the Hatter and the March Hare are funny, as both of them are quite crazy. This movie is also quite interesting as there are many weird characters, such as the army made up of playing-card soldiers. I feel that the Red Queen's character is also quite funny as every time somebody does something wrong, she would scream: "Off with the head!" like when a frog stole her juice, which is only a small matter. The effects of this movie are also quite cool as Alice keeps expanding and shrinking. Also, the scene is quite nice when the two armies clash with each other. However, the movies that I usually like are those with lots of action in them. Since Alice in Wonderland is not a fighting movie, except during the war of the two armies, I do not feel that this movie is a very good and interesting one. Overall, I only rate Alice in Wonderland 7/10.

Reference: http://darrylyee1p133.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-review.html

Reference: http://alice-in-wonderland-movie-talk.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-review_20.html

Alice in Wonderland Review

Alice in Wonderland is a story about a nineteen-year-old girl, Alice, who falls into a rabbit hole and is transported to a place called wonderland. She is told by the Hatter that she is destined to kill the Red Queen's Jabberwocky on Frabjous day, which will restore the White Queen's power. Hatter is captured by the Red Queen's army but is saved from execution by the Cheshire Cat. Meanwhile, Alice steals the Vorpal Sword from the Red Queen. When frabjous day arrives, the two armies fight, with Alice and the Jabberwocky against each other. Alice manages to slay the Jabberwocky and restore the White Queen's power. The White Queen then banishes the Red Queen to the outlands. Alice is given a vial of the Jabberwocky's blood, which takes her back home.



I feel that the movie, Alice in Wonderland is not that bad. It has some funny parts in it. Most of the funny parts include the Hatter, who is played by Johnny Depp. Most of the parts with the Hatter and the March Hare are funny, as both of them are quite crazy. This movie is also quite interesting as there are many weird characters, such as the army made up of playing-card soldiers. I feel that the Red Queen's character is also quite funny as every time somebody does something wrong, she would scream: "Off with the head!" like when a frog stole her juice, which is only a small matter. The effects of this movie are also quite cool as Alice keeps expanding and shrinking. Also, the scene is quite nice when the two armies clash with each other. However, the movies that I usually like are those with lots of action in them. Since Alice in Wonderland is not a fighting movie, except during the war of the two armies, I do not feel that this movie is a very good and interesting one. Overall, I only rate Alice in Wonderland 7/10.

Reference: http://darrylyee1p133.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-review.html

Alice in Wonderland Movie Review: Tim Burton's Hit and Miss streak Continues with Another Dud

I should admit up front that somehow I've managed to get through more than 30 years of life without ever having seen any adaptation of or read either of Lewis Carroll's books Alices Adventures in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass, both of which provide the source material for Tim Burton's latest, Alice in Wonderland. A little bit of nosing around the Internet led me to discover that both books generally form the basis for most iterations of the story, that they are deemed members of the genre of literary nonsense, and that Burton wanted to imbue the story with a narrative thread that would make it easier to connect with Alice and other characters.



That's all well and good, but somehow Burton has directed a film completely absent any sense of joy or wonder, the latter of which I would say is a necessary component to a story entitled Alice in Wonderland. The screenplay (competently written by Linda Woolverton) seems to be capitalizing on the previous decade's fascination with fantasy/adventure stories featuring a Chosen One tasked to save the world (a trend started by The Lord of the Rings). Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is prophesied to wield the sword of destiny (or some such hooey) to kill the dreaded Jabberwocky (voiced all too briefly by Christopher Lee) in order to save Underland (turns out Alice misunderstood the name once upon a time) from the clutches of the Red Queen.



One of the major changes to the original stories is the much expanded role of the Mad Hatter, which gives Johnny Depp the space to create yet another bizarre character to add to his growing pantheon. He does a fine job, switching emotions and vocal characterizations at the drop of a hat (ha ha!) to illuminate the sheer insanity of the character. However, the real centerpiece of acting is Helena Bonham Carter, perhaps by virtue of the fact that there's so much to relish in the character of the Red Queen. Every time she shouts, "Off with the head!" she seems to find a new way to express the joy she feels at her power and the frustration at being nothing more than a feared tyrant. Crispin Glover also makes a notable appearance as the Red Queen's dastardly and obedient enforcer.



In an attempt to provide pathos to the narrative and a protagonist we care about, the story opens with six-year-old Alice waking in the night to another bad dream featuring a white rabbit and blue caterpillar. Her loving father indulges these fantasies and helps her return to restful slumber. Flash forward 13 years. Alice's father is dead, and her mother has all but arranged her marriage to a sniveling bore of a creature. And in case you didn't pick up on Alice's predominant character trait during the intro, Woolverton's script hammers the point home with as much nuance as a sledgehammer to the skull: Alice refuses to wear a corset and stockings; during a staid dance routine she bumps into others because she was contemplating the clouds; she is too distracted by a rabbit in the garden to pay attention to a lecture from her future mother-in-law. Do you get it? Alice is a dreamer NOT MEANT FOR THIS WORLD of stuffy British attitudes and rules.



Perhaps the story will enthrall you in ways it failed to for me. That being the case, I will turn my attention to what I believe is the film's most glaring misstep which is the visual scheme. Burton has always been a master at creating an on-screen feast for the eyes and he certainly earns his pay in that respect here. But his overreliance on CG effects to create about 75 percent of what you see is the biggest failure. Much of the effects work looks cheap. There is nothing here on the level of what Peter Jackson achieved with The Lord of the Rings or King Kong or James Cameron with Avatar.



With the exception of Alice and the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), incidentally the least interesting characters in the film, everything that moves is at least partially altered by CGI. This includes the Mad Hatter whose eyes have been enlarged and Glover's legs have been abnormally stretched to make Stayne taller, giving him an unnatural gait as he walks and mounts his horse. With so much CG on the screen I'm left asking myself why the film wasn't simply made as an animated film. The answer is perhaps because Disney (which financed and distributed the film) has been there and done that. But if it had been made as a CG animated film, which is essentially what it is anyway with a few live actors thrown in for good measure, or even better as stop-motion it might have been much better. Imagine what this film could have been given the gothic vision Burton brought to A Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride.



As it is the CG characters are not meant to be animated as far as the story is concerned, in the sense of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, but to replace the difficult to render physical characters. But then we end up with a muddled mash of animation that doesn't look real and live actors interacting with things I kept recognizing were not actually there on set.



I must say that the one exception is the Red Queen, who I think has a great look to her. With her oversized head and small body she's been made to resemble a toddler - a perfect fit for her petulant personality. And the effects rendered on Carter don't distract from the performance or the character, but rather enhance it, unlike most of the others.



Burton might be better off sticking with what he has always been quite successful at in the past: traditional effects used in more original stories that allow him the freedom to impress his unique vision onto the story. I'm thinking of films like Big Fish and Edward Scissorhands. His least successful films (from this critical standpoint) have been those drawn from established works of fiction such as Charlie and the Cocolate Factory, Planet of the Apes and this newest offering. When you see this white rabbit disappear, I advise you not to follow it down the hole.

Reference: http://movielistmania.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-movie-review-tim.html

REVIEW: The Ghost

Its pretty hard to see this movie away from the whole Roman Polanski thing. Its seems likely that this will be his last film, as he spends the rest of his days behind bars. Perhaps where he should have spent a few more. The movie world would be without a few great, great movies, but using that is an excuse seems the slightest bit deluded. Guy raped a teenage girl and genius or no, there is only one response to that.



So The Ghost is given an added extra-textual weight in which this is the last work ever to come out of a movie -making genius, and someone who I would put up there as flat-out one of the best film-makers of the 20th century, but this seems a little unfair. The Ghost isn't Chinatown or Rosemary's Baby. It's an efficiently crafted, well-acted thriller that is taut, intelligent and keeps you guessing. And that's all really. It may lay claims to political relevance, but this didn't really bite for me. It sensationalized the politics from which it drew a bit to heavily ( The Blairs were on the books of the CIA indeed) which means it can be seen as nothing more then entertainment. But view it as that and its a perfectly fine way to spend �7.50/ 2 hours.



I have kind of enjoyed Pierce Brosnan's post-Bond career. There's been cack, but he's shown a desire to do some interesting work and the talent to back at it up. The Matador is probably his tour de force, but he does a scarily textured Tony Blair impression here, complete with all the mannerisms, illusions of relatability and two-faced behavior. I liked his performance as 'Stephen Lang' quite a bit. And Ewan McGregor makes for a perfect audience surrogate in this kind of thing. There's a doe-eyed naivete in his performances that makes him a person who could be believably be manipulated. That sounds like an insult but he is actually good here in a relatively empty lead role. Dollhouse's Olivia Williams shows up in a welcome substantial role as Ruth Lang (Cherie Blair) and brings here trademark closed of seething bitterness, which is always great to see.



Its a plot driven movie, and that aspect is handled smoothly enough going from point to point with pleasing drive, and this movie makes some great comedic use of the phrase ' For Fuck's sake' something that clearly not enough movies do. It has a strong if not mind-blowing final act, and all in all its kind of like Shutter Island, in that it covers a bunch of stuff we've seen done before very well. This isn't quite that movie though, but if it is Roman Polanski's swansong, then there are worse ways to go out.



Rating: 6/10

Reference: http://nextwednesdayinstead.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-ghost.html

Note: A Week Off

Hey all. I hate to do this, but this is going to be kind of a crazy week for me, and since I was gone all weekend, I don't have any reviews scheduled or even brimming in my mind. So, I am going to take the week off here at LLB. I have three posts on Ten Thousand Places are already scheduled, so if pop over there, if you like. Otherwise...I'll see you on the 26th!

Reference: http://littlelambbooks.blogspot.com/2010/04/note-week-off.html

Alice in Wonderland [Blu-ray]

Alice in Wonderland [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray ~ Johnny Depp

47,870% Sales Rank in Movies & TV: 62 (was 29,742 yesterday)

(59)

Release Date: June 1, 2010


Buy new: $39.99 $27.99



(Ranking is updated hourly. Visit the Movers & Shakers in Movies & TV list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)

Product Images

Review & Description

Tumble down the rabbit hole with Alice for a fantastical new adventure from Walt Disney Pictures and Tim Burton. Inviting and magical, Alice In Wonderland is an imaginative new twist on one of the most beloved stories of all time. Alice (Mia Wasikowska), now 19 years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny. This Wonderland is a world beyond your imagination and unlike anything you've seen before. The extraordinary characters you've loved come to life richer and more colorful than ever. There's the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) and more. A triumphant cinematic experience - Alice In Wonderland is an incredible feast for your eyes, ears and heart that will captivate audiences of all sizes.Tim Burton was born to bring Alice in Wonderland to the big screen. Ironically, his version of the Victorian text plays more like The Wizard of Oz than a Lewis Carroll adaptation. On the day of her engagement party, the 19-year-old Alice (a nicely understated Mia Wasikowska) is lead by a white-gloved rabbit to an alternate reality that looks strangely familiar--she's been dreaming about it since she was 6 years old. Stranded in a hall of doors, she sips from a potion that makes her shrink and nibbles on a cake that makes her grow. Once she gets the balance right, she walks through the door that leads her to Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Matt Lucas), the Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), the Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), and the Cheshire Cat (a delightful Stephen Fry), who inform her that only she can free them from the wrath of the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter channeling Bette Davis) by slaying the Jabberwocky. To pull off the feat, she teams up with the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp in glam-rock garb), rebel bloodhound Bayard (Timothy Spall), and Red's sweet sister, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway in goth-rock makeup). While Red welcomes Alice with open arms, she plans an execution for the hat-maker when he displeases her ("Off with his head!"). Drawing from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, Burton creates a candy-colored action-adventure tale with a feminist twist. If it drags towards the end, his 3-D extravaganza still offers a trippy good time with a poignant aftertaste. --Kathleen C. Fennessy Read more

Find the best price Click Here

Reference: http://moviestvreview.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-blu-ray.html

Alice in Wonderland Review

I've been a fan of Tim Burton for the longest time now, and his latest offering, Alice in Wonderland, is filled with his unique style and fairy tale wonder.



Growing up I knew the basics of the general plot of the tale, that Alice falls down a rabbit hole and enters a fantastical world she called Wonderland, but I've never read the book or knew much more than that. So I was pleasantly surprised that Burton's film isn't really a retelling of the tale, nor is it a proper sequel but rather his version of a sequel.



The film opens with Alice as a little girl (Mairi Ella Challen) having bad dreams about this magical world, and her father consoles her, telling her the most gifted people in all the world are mad. Flash forward several years later and her father has passed on, and Alice (Mia Wasikowska) and her mother are on their way to an aristocratic party.



Alice and her mother are already arguing about her style of formal dress, showing that Alice does have a rebellious streak and keeping in theme with Burton's reoccurring motif of important characters going against the social norm. Through a series of events that lead Alice to try and get away from the party, Alice follows a peculiar rabbit (Michael Sheen) and falls down a rabbit hole.



The events of Alice in Wonderland have already happened when she was a little girl, however Alice believed them to be nothing more than a dream. Now she finds herself back in this mysterious world, and though she refuses to believe it's not all in her head, she can't help but become attached to the people she meets.



As with most of Burton's work, his version of Wonderland is darker and gothic. The Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) is in power, and she's gripped the land in fear. Her favourite saying of "Off with his head!" is the standard punishment for all who cross her, and while her card soldiers maintain her semblance of order, it's her creature, the monstrous Jabberwocky (Christopher Lee), that everyone fears. The oppressed people of Wonderland look for a champion who can slay the beast and set the deposed White Queen (Anne Hathaway) back upon the throne, and they believe this champion to be the reluctant Alice.



I would say the most regrettable aspect of Alice in Wonderland, which is a complete visual splendor with unique and wonderful characters and a world full of the flare and style we've come to expect from Burton, is that it does shift from being very fantastic and spontaneous to becoming rather predictable, as the film begins to follow a more standard narrative to a generic climax with an ending I felt to be unsatisfying.



Still, this did not take away from the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed Alice in Wonderland and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, enjoyable film. Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter is, as always, spectacular, bringing the character to life with whit and charm, and instilling him with a great deal of depth. Depp is truly an actor capable of flawlessly performing such a wide range of rolls that he's always a treat to behold.



On one hand, thanks to his usual involvement with Burton, Alice in Wonderland reminds me a great deal of Burton's earlier film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). Both are extremely fun and enjoyable films, and Depp provides an outstanding performance in each, but each film isn't a blockbuster that's a must-own.



That said, however, Alice in Wonderland provides a great means for audiences to escape the everyday for a time, and to delight in a well crafted world. With both character, charm, and Burton's classic fairytale morality, Alice in Wonderland is a film that you should certainly see.

Reference: http://arbitersjudgement.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-review.html

365 Movies: Saturday's Children Review

Saturday's Children stars Anne Shirley, John Garfield, Claude Rains, and Lee Patrick in this 1940 Vincent Sherman film. The film is about 22 year old Bobby(Shirley) who meets and falls in love with fellow employee, Rims Rosson(Garfield). Things start off great but when the two get married, they find out just how difficult it is, to stay happy, with so little in their pockets. Anne and John sparkled as the newbie couple and it honestly seemed, like they genuinely liked working with one another. I loved Claude Rains' performance as the overly protective father to Bobby. He was so sweet and kind. The role of Rims was very different for me to see for John Garfield to play. Though, this character had a small streak of rebelliousness in him, he wasn't at all, like John's usual characters. I was pleasantly surprised by that. The beginning and middle of the film is nice but at the end, it just falters. It's one of those movies, where about 50% of it is good and the rest is ehh.

- Sorry, I didn't post this last night but I completely lost my internet connection. I tried several times to get it back but failed each and every time.

Review for Tomorrow: Desirable

Reference: http://oldhollywoodislove.blogspot.com/2010/04/365-movies-saturdays-children-review.html

A Conversation with Gervais and Merchant...

As promised at the end of last weeek, here is a link to Obsessed With Film and my interview with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who talked to me to promote their new film 'Cemetery Junction'. My review will be up on the same site on Wednesday, so I'm told.



I won't publish the whole thing on here (I don't know that I'm allowed) but I'll put a taster here to encourage you to read the full article:



Robert Beames: Even though you obviously write these moments and you know Emily Watson is a really good actress so you're not too surprised, but does it still surprise you at the end of the day when you're watching dailies and you see your words�



Ricky Gervais: Yes. Yes. Absolutely.



Stephen Merchant: Those people always bring something extra.



RG: The way she does that and people like that underplay it. At the time you don't think anything of it, but when you look back at it on a screen they fill your heart. Honestly, they've got something else, they've got an alchemy. It's indescribable and I don't know how they do it. And that's the difference between a great actor and a film star and you can be both. There about fifty people in the world who are both.



SM: Well Ralph Fiennes turned up and I think the first thing he did was that big�



RG: Speech. Remarkable.



SM: Wasn't it? That big monologue he's giving the guy and [Merchant rhythmically slaps his hands] he came in word perfect, bam, there in front of two hundred extras, nailed it. We were embarrassed; we didn't have any direction to give him� "do you want to do it again?"





Go and read the full article now!!!

Reference: http://beamesonfilm.blogspot.com/2010/04/conversation-with-gervais-and-merchant.html

Review:

You know how, when you go to see a movie called Hot Tub Time Machine, you ask yourself, "it's called Hot Tub Time Machine...how can it NOT be great?"



Turns out it can not be great in so many ways. For one, it could not be funny. I mean, sure it could have some laughs here and there (mostly chuckles with one honest guffaw). For two, it could have a cast of truly stellar comedic actors who could not be less interested in making something of this (except for Rob Corddry, God love him).



Mostly, though, it feels like the entire creative team asked themselves the same question you asked yourself walking into the movie, and pretty much let that do the work for them. Just as you let it do the work in getting you to the theater (I include myself in this, one hundred percent).



More after the jump...



Now admittedly, humor is a very subjective thing, and with a movie as completely shaggy and ill-considered as this, the question of quality starts and stops with "did I laugh?" I can acknowledge that Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story probably isn't very good, but I laugh my ass off every time I watch it. So if you dig Hot Tub Time Machine, it's probably for that reason, and that's fine. But I just didn't laugh all that much, and when I did it wasn't nearly as hard as the movie wanted me to (with the notable exception of Crispin Glover's first scene, mostly because I find anything Crispin Glover does to be hilarious - Alice in Wonderland aside).



The film is theoretically about three friends - Lou (Corddry), Adam (John Cusack), and Nick (Craig Robinson) - who haven't seen much of each other lately but decide to take a trip back to their old party spot, a ski resort, with Adam's nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) in tow. Once there, they find the town in shambles and the resort feels like it was abandoned at a certain point and left to rot. They then go for a hot tub which sends them back through time to 1986, when drugs and women came as easily as turning on the tap. And that's that.

I'll admit - I don't get the appeal of Lou, who the movie is clearly positioning to become the next frat boy icon, along the same lines as Zach Galifiniakis in The Hangover or Will Ferrell in Old School (although all roads eventually lead back to Belushi in Animal House), only he's completely without the charm of those characters. There is a certain innocence to those characters that makes their outrageous, stupid behavior kind of endearing, but Lou is just a bad person. Which isn't to say bad people can't be funny - I stand firmly behind Danny McBride's Kenny Powers of Eastbound and Down, who makes Lou look like a total innocent - but as they say, there's no there there when it comes to Lou. He's completely empty, and for me, I'm past the point where a cutting remark counts as comedy.



But it says something that Corddry's character is by far the least interesting, when emotionally we're even less attached to him than Jacob, who has absolutely no heft in this film, at all. Which, in turn, says something about Adam and Nick. Now, Cusack and Robinson are two of the most reliable performers I can think of, but Cusack's oscillating between leaning on old tricks (this is a pale imitation of the quintessential Cusack character) and complete disinterest, and Robinson is totally out of his comfort zone (which has been typified by his role on The Office, but his funniest work for me remains in Pineapple Express).



For a movie like this, that's the end of it for me - if the characters aren't engaging, I've totally checked out. I suppose, to the movie's credit, they've accurately captured people who have just given up on life, but moreover it becomes clear pretty quick that these people were never interesting, and the wear and tear of life has only made them less so. And to have the movie follow uninteresting people saying the most clever things they can think of...there's exactly as little there as you would imagine. The movie has its moments of insane inspiration - Chevy Chase as a repairman/possible time travel expert comes close - but by and large it's too flat, too dry, too...little.

Reference: http://railoftomorrow.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-hot-tub-time-machine-dir-steve.html

KIKO L.E. Red Emotion lipsticks: review and swatches (EN - IT)

Pretty Packaging

A while ago, I posted about the launch of these lipsticks, and I have been lucky enough to be sent the whole collection.

As I have already mentioned on my previous post, the shades of these lippies contain combinations of red (wasn't the packaging and the name rather explanatory?), and the collection is divided in two variations: one is satin and matte, and is in fact called Red Emotion Satin Lipstick, and the other one is sheer and glossy, thus the name Red Emotion Sheer Lipstick.



Obviously, the Satin have a satin matte finish, full coverage, and brighter colours than the Sheer ones. They are so creamy and moisturizing that you put them on, and forget you're wearing any lipstick.

As regards the staying power, I have worn one of the darker shades for three hours, no touch-ups, and it was still there. Of course, not as moisturizing as at the beginning, and not as bright, but still there with no patches!

I am much impressed with these, and I think they should be part of their permanent line!

What I also like about them is that colours will suit any taste, or skin tone. For instance, 208 will be perfect on darker skin tones, and I can tell you there are not many brands that provide colours for darker skin tones in Italy!



Here are swatches of the Red Emotion Satin Lipsticks, taken with natural light:



from the left: 200 - Nude Rose, 201 - Perfect Plum, 202 - Scarlet Red, 203 - Cheerful Orange, 204 - Passionate Fire Red, 205 - Sensual Red



206 - Luscious Pink Kiss, 207 - Ultimate Plum (more burgundy in real life), 208 - Black Cherry (darker in real life)


The Sheer ones are..well, sheer, and glossy. They are as moisturizing as the Satin ones.

The swatches below do not do them justice, because as they are sheer, their pay-off is influenced by your lips' natural pigmentation.

I would have appreciated some of the shades had less glitters, but overall they are very nice.

I will post fotd's wearing these, so that you can see how gorgeous they are. Some of them are true nudes (beige nudes, and pink nudes), which I absolutely love (bf much prefer them!)

100 - Starlet Coral Pink, 101 - Sweet Guava, 102 - Stardom Nude (true beige nude, love it!) - 103 - Regal Rose (true pink nude, also love it)

104 - Rich Red, 105 - Cosmopolitan Mauve (has lots of glitters!), 106 - Quartz Rose (pink iridescent) - 107 - Hot Pink Kiss (looks scary in the tube, but it is lovely), 108 - Divine Magenta (it screams "summer!")

Just a close-up of 106 - Quartz Rose, which really caught my eyes. It reminds me of the first lipstick I have ever owned (eehm...stolen from my mother's stash) and that has been long discontinued. Can you see the iridescence there? I am in love with it, and finally it is back on the market (since my mom's one has been discontinued, no brand has ever come up with the same shade!).







Any thoughts on these lippies? They are my new found love! I'm loving them more than lipgloss, and I have always been a lipgloss girl (maybe I'm growing up?) :)







Italian Version:



Un po' di tempo fa ho pubblicato un post sul lancio di questi rossetti e sono stata così fortunata da ricevere l'intera collezione.

Come ho gi� detto nel mio post precedente, tutte le tonalit� di questi rossetti contengono varie combinazioni di rosso (le confezioni e il nome erano abbastanza esplicative) e la collezione è divisa in due variazioni: una è vellutata ed opaca ed infatti si chiama Red Emotion Satin Lipstick, e l'altra è semi-trasparente e lucida, da qui il nome Red Emotion Sheer Lipstick.



Ovviamente i Satin hanno una resa vellutata e opaca, massima coprenza e colori più vivaci rispetto agli Sheer. Sono così cremosi e idratanti che una volta indossati, ci si scorda facilmente di avere del rossetto sulle labbra.

Riguardo alla durata, ho indossato una delle tonalit� più scure per tre ore, senza ritocchi, ed era ancora lì. Certamente, non era più così idratante e così vivace come all'inizio, ma era ancora lì e senza chiazze di colore più vivido qua e l� .

Sono rimasta molto colpita da questi rossetti e penso dovrebbero far parte della loro linea permanente!

Un'altra cosa che mi piace molto di questi rossetti è che ci sono colori che possono intonarsi con qualsiasi tonalit� di pelle e possono soddisfare tutti i gusti. Per esempio il 208 potrebbe essere perfetto per le tonalit� di pelle più scure. E non ci sono molti marchi che producano colori per le pelli più scure in Italia!



Gli Sheer, beh...sono...semi-trasparenti e lucidi, sono idratanti quanto i Satin. Gli swatches non gli rendono veramente giustizia, perché visto che sono semi-trasparenti, il risultato sar� influenzato dalla pigmentazione naturale delle labbra di ciascuno.

Avrei apprezzato se avessero messo meno brillantini in alcuni dei colori, ma nel complesso sono molto carini!

Pubblicherò alcune foto giusto per farvi vedere quanto sono belli. Alcuni sono dei veri e propri color carne (tendenti al beige e tendenti al rosa) che io adoro (e che il mio ragazzo preferisce!).



Il 106 Quartz Rose, mi ha colpita tantissimo. Mi ricorda il primo rossetto che abbia mai avuto (eehm...rubato dai trucchi di mia madre!) e che è uscito fuori produzione ormai da tantissimi anni. Riuscite a vederne l'iridescenza? Io lo adoro e finalmente è tornato sul mercato (da quando quello di mia madre era uscito fuori produzione, nessun altra marca aveva mai fatto lo stesso colore!)



Che cosa ne pensate di questi rossetti? Sono il mio nuovo amore! Mi piacciono più del lucidalabbra e io sono sempre stata più un tipo da lucidalabbra (forse sto crescendo?) :)

Reference: http://aliceinwonderland348.blogspot.com/2010/04/kiko-le-red-emotion-lipsticks-review.html

Alice in Wonderland Review (2010)

Alice Kingsley (Mia Wasikowska) is, unbeknownst to her, on her way to her engagement party. Turns out this is the famous Alice who 13 years earlier ventured in to Wonderland. Surely there is a creative reason to pull her back into the zany world. Nope, she merely felt the urge to chase a rabbit who himself was seeking to fulfill a prophecy. And so, Alice in roped back into the world of fantasy/absurdity.



If you've seen anything at all on this movie, then the strengths are obvious. It's Disney, it's CGI loaded, it's in 3D. Everything visual is well appointed with lavish detail. It makes me wonder if director Tim Burton is better suited as a set designer since he is always given projects for his vision. I recall a time where his vision wasn't hampered by the concepts of others, at time when his films were so wholly original that nothing else compared, and sadly he's been stuck in a limbo of "revisions" for a decade.







For a girl who can't remember anything, Alice is never surprised. She sees giant creatures, she shrinks, flies on a hat, all without a yelp. The first person to blame would be Burton, since Wasikowska lacks leading experience. Still I wonder what's going through her head when she decided to play Alice as oppressively jaded. Outside the last ten minutes, she's the antithesis of Dorothy. Having a protagonist who's so down trodden in a beautiful world is counterintuitive.



Johnny Depp. You pay the man and he'll do his thing. I can't tell you that his character, The Mad Hatter, is an original. I'm sure it's a combination of other Depp figurines. With the Hatter he has carte blanche to do anything, anything at all, and somehow be considered in character. It doesn't matter that he's periodically possessed by a Scotsman-he's in character and he's Johnny Depp so it must be fantastic, right? More amusing are Helena Bonham Carter and Crispin Glover, the latter of whom you wouldn't recognize.



The White Queen (Anne Hathaway) was in position to be the most complex element of the film. I suppose her role is to assume power in the event that her sister is dethroned. For a character who talks a big game of peace, she sure does mix together an abhorrent potion to return Alice to normal size. Despite repeatedly saying she represents good, I didn't see any evidence. Toes would have been crushed I'm sure, but the vibe from Anne's portrayal suggested that she wanted to be the calculating nemesis.



I can't tell you how stupid this movie made me feel. For some reason it figured a major plot point would be found in determining the identity of Alice. If you are seated in the theatre watching a film called Alice in Wonderland you will not be surprised to find that the lead character of Alice is indeed the very same mentioned in the title. Why we spend most of the film getting to this conclusion feels like an attempt to recreate Hook.



By the end you realize that Alice is the problem with Wonderland. In the 13 years she's been gone, her friends seem to be in good health despite the Red Queen reigning over the land. Why are they looking for her now? The Red Queen was in power this whole time and they seem to be in good shape, but when Alice gets there the queen challenges them. I suppose she's just as upset to have such a lifeless young girl in her land. I for one am disenchanted.

Reference: http://pc-wo.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-review-2010.html

Why I Loved Burton’s Wonderland Even Though So Many People Didn’t

Despite making a killing at the box office this past month, Alice in Wonderland has received some rather unfavorable reviews from critics and audiences. The majority of the negativity stems from how far the film strays from the original story by adding new action and character development to the plot. I haven't read Alice in Wonderland or Through The Looking Glass but am familiar with the general tale. And I've seen the Disney animated film but I'm not really attached to either the film or the books. So I was very open to seeing a retelling of the story that added to the Lewis Carrol story and wasn't merely a live action version of the 1951 Disney film. But Burton's adaptation is so awesome that it makes me want to read the books and re-watch the cartoon. And helping a classic continue its popularity is always a good thing. So before all the other blockbusters/3D films erase Alice in Wonderland from our short-term moviegoer memories, I wanted to share my love for the film and encourage everyone to go see it.



Photos from the El Capitan aplenty and more on the matter after the jump







I saw the film at the El Capitan in Hollywood so my experience was extra wonderful. Here are the photos from the theater (my iPhone apologizes for the crappy quality):

Playing at the El Capitan till April 20th!

The Disney store, attached to the theater, was selling lots of cute merchandise. I want this Johnny Depp/Mad Hatter doll.

A pianist plays Disney hits before the film starts!

Set up to make you feel like you're in Wonderland...or should I say Underland!



costumes and props from the film:

You don't have to see the film at the El Capitan or even in 3D (since it was shot in 2D) to appreciate it. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous; the whole film looks like an ethereal painting. The Danny Elfman score fits so perfectly to all the imagery (shocking). The costumes are, without a doubt, my favorite part of the film. I loved watching Alice's outfit transform each time her size did. I really want all her dresses! All the characters are amazingly well-cast but Mia Wasikowska is especially lovely as Alice. She brings this natural, subtle beauty to the character. In this film version, Alice is about 19 years old. She's a young, imaginative woman who learns to embrace her ingenuity and courage because of her adventures in "Wonderland." Alice's added background story brings some depth to her character. Her childhood relationship with her father (who encourages her uniqueness and individuality) contrasted with her current relationship to the rest of her family and friends (who wish she'd be more pragmatic) make for internal conflict that she must face and resolve. The Mad Hatter and both Queens are also multidimensional characters whose histories are briefly explored. The entire war sequence between the two Queens, the Oraculum, and the manifestation of the poem "Jabberwocky" are all entertaining additions to the plot. While much of the plot is similar to other fantasy films, I was thrilled to see Alice done on such an epic scale!



Criticisms about the film being too trite or not dark enough are just too cynical. Alice in Wonderland manages to be an engaging and visually stunning film without being overly sentimental. It's exactly the film I want from Burton and Disney-whimsical but with a focus. I'm a big Tim Burton fan and I generally like screen adaptations of children's books so this film is a big win for me (and it was released on my b-day! yay!). But I think if you watch it with an open mind and view it as its own entity-as a film loosely based on the books-you'll like it too. So, if you haven't seen it yet, hop on down to the theater and enjoy the trip.

Reference: http://allthingsfangirl.blogspot.com/2010/04/why-i-loved-burtons-wonderland-even.html

Alice in Wonderland Review

There are no spoilers in this review.

PLOT: 19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror.











THE GOOD: Concept. I didn't really follow the production of Alice in Wonderland very much. So, I didn't know that it wasn't going to be a retelling of the Wonderland story. This movie is more like a sequel. It's actually kind of clever how Tim Burton and Linda Woolverton decided to do this. In this way, they can show scenes that we're familiar with in a whole new light. I only wish they had written a deeper story.

Matt Lucas. Okay, I love Matt Lucas (if you've never watched Little Britain, you haven't lived). I think he was perfectly casted as Tweedledee and Tweedledum, but I don't think he had the opportunity to shine. Perhaps if he got some of Johnny Depp's screen time, he could have made more of a presence.







Anne Hathaway. I liked the way Anne Hathaway did the White Queen. The way her hands move and how she seems to be flowing while she walks. Clever.











THE BAD: Boring. What a yawner! I found the movie to be quite boring and not very memorable at all. I wasn't even impressed with the first time they showed us Wonderland. There were a few Willy Wonka Mad Hatter scenes that felt long and unnecessary. By the way, not Johnny Depp's best performance. He goes through eight different accents in the film, and while I think Hatter is supposed to be a little crazy, I don't think he's that crazy.

CGI. I know it's necessary, but it looked pretty bad. Aside from the Red Queen and the Tweedles, the CG in the movie is very apparent and almost lazy. The blue/green screen looked awful. Stayne's long body was a distraction. I saw the film in lieMAX 3D and it was the first time I've come out of the theatre not raving about the technology. A lot of people say the graphics make the movie worth it for them. I disagree completely on this film.







Message. Courage and standing up for yourself at the right time are the messages from this film and it's a bit too in-your-face obvious and simple. And, in fact, is quite a dull message. There's no emotion in the film. No heart.











THE END: In conclusion, I didn't really care for Alice in Wonderland. I might watch it one more time when it's playing on TV, but I think that'll be the extent of its re-watchability value. I mean, it's not complete garbage. We're just getting over the slow season for movies and this is better than most of the stuff that's come out in the last few months. For me, it's right on par with Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Nice to see a great story Butonized, but falls short in too many places. I would wait to rent this one or maybe even wait for it to play on ABC Family one hundred times.











DISCUSS: What did you think of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland? Did you expect it to be more of a sequel than a retelling? Who were your favorite characters? What would you like to see Tim Burton do next? Do you think he should Burtonize The Addams Family?

Reference: http://camknows.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-review.html

Reference: http://alice-in-wonderland-movie-talk.blogspot.com/2010/04/alice-in-wonderland-review_08.html