This “re-imagining” of Alice in Wonderland has its moments, but for a Tim Burton film, it’s a little tame. Alice (Mia Wasikowska) falls down a hole into Wonderland. Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter, but this performance is subdued for him. Helena Bonham Carter plays the Red Queen with the most energy of any of the cast members. Anne Hathaway’s White Queen is fairly bland. The whole adventure turns into a dragon-slaying exercise. Multiple hints suggest there might be a sequel. GRADE: B
They were doing a Tim Burton show at MOMA but we couldn’t get tkts the day we were in there. This one did not look appealing visually from the trailers. So dark.
Actually, ALICE IN WONDERLAND IN 3D is a fairly sunny movie, Patti. There’s very little of Tim Burton’s darkness.
I think we’ll wait for this one. I’ve never been that huge an ALICE fan anyway.
We did see a great movie last night (got the DVD at the library): ZOMBIELAND.
We both loved it.
Beth and Joe saw ZOMBIELAND at Bouchercon in Indy, Jeff. They loved it.
I’m a migraine sufferer and nothing would induce me to watch a 3-D movie, but my kids (ages 17 to almost 12) went to see this on Saturday and enjoyed it, especially as you note Helena Bonham Carter’s role. My favorite Tim Burton film remains BEETLEJUICE–and that’s got to be 20-plus years ago.
Tim Burton’s imagination is unique, Deb. I thought Burton did a great job with the remade of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. ALICE IN WONDERLAND is also being shown in a 2D format, too.
Deb, we agree on BEETLEJUICE as Burton’s best.
I thought ALICE IN WONDERLAND IN 3D would be stranger and weirder than it was, Jeff. It lacked some of that BEETLEJUICE nuttiness.
Aside from ED WOOD and his first Batman movie, I don’t care much for Burton’s work. Just so visually unappealing.
I thought ZOMBIELAND faltered about 30 minutes in. Early on though, when the narrator explains how to survive in a world of zombies, it was quite entertaining.
I’m a bit zombied-out, Drongo. Ditto for vampires. But many of my friends enjoyed ZOMBIELAND so there is an audience for that kind of movie. Many people are put off by Burton’s “darkness.” That never bothered me.
Burton is one of those things a person either likes or not, I guess, being in the “not” group. It’s no coincidence that the Disney version of ALICE is being re-released soon. Comments and reviews I’ve read seem to indicate people are pretty polarized on these tow films: like the Burton, hate the Disney and the flip of that. I happen to like the Disney because I fist saw it as a kid and I still think it’s charming, if nutty.
Walt Disney hated ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Rick. Of course, the surrealism and drug references might be at the heart of his objections. I’ll probably buy the Blu-ray version when it comes out.
I would too, George, if I had a Blu-Ray player and an HD television. It’s getting more difficult to be entirely content with the old technology, though we aren’t watching too much TV due to lack of interest and little patience with all the commercials. Still, being able to watch films in HD/Blu-Ray would be swell.
Once you get used to High-Def you can’t go back, Rick!
You’re probably already familiar with it, but there is a pretty good little fantasy film called DREAMCHILD that was released in 1985. Written by the brilliant Dennis Potter, it follows a much older Alice as she visits America.
No, I’m not familiar with DREAMCHILD, Drongo. But I just ordered it from AMAZON. I’ll review it here as soon as I watch it. Love Dennis Potter’s work!
For a movie that contrives to turn Carroll’s Alice into Xena Warrior Princess, it ain’t bad.
Yes, I missed all that sword action in the original ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Dan.