March 16, 2010

Movie Review #31 Alice in Wonderland


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Alice in Wonderland (2010) Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp Directed by Tim Burton

I think Tim Burton could probably take the phone book, put some eyeliner on it…give it a creepy soundtrack, and hire Johnny Depp to recite it…and people would show up. Though Alice in Wonderland is a good movie, it does just ooze with TIMBURTONESS (yeah that’s a word). Much like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tim Burton takes an old classic and gives it his own personal makeover. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I really thought he whiffed (never reviewed it but would have gave it a very low ranking), here with Alice in Wonderland I actually think he really hits the right chord. I barely remember the Disney version of this film (because I prefer Lady and the Tramp and Bed-knobs and Broomsticks from that era) so I didn’t get some of the stuff that you would have to remember from that film (this film plays as a sort of sequel to that Alice)…but nonetheless I was thoroughly entertained and couldn’t take my eyes of the great picture and scenery.

Alice in Wonderland (as many of you know) is the story of Alice (played very well by Mia Wasikowska) who once again chases a rabbit down a hole to enter Wonderland…except Wonderland these days is Underland, and it’s under rule by the evil Red Queen (played in a very fun way by Helena Bonham…who both hams up and eats up the screen in this juicy part). Alice has to save the kingdom with the help of The Mad Hatter (played by Johnny Depp, who I thought was good in playing to Alice, who was the star over him in this film), The Cheshire Cat (voiced well by Stephen Fry), White Rabbit (voiced by the very cool Michael Sheen), and finally The Blue Caterpillar (voiced brilliantly by the versatile and awesome Alan Rickman). The story is a bit goofy, the plot twists are a bit lazy, and two of the stars I thought came up a bit short (both Anne Hathaway as the White Queen and Crispin Glover as Stayne-Knight of Hearts both are forgettable), but nonetheless I do recommend this film. Much like last year’s animated Coraline you just can’t take your eyes off it.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) Whooo Are Youuuu?…hearing Alan Rickman eating that role up almost makes you forget about The Mad Hatter all together…the movie is good fun, 3D, IMAX, whatever it’s just good fun. A very solid 6.5 on The Shawshank Scale…I may not watch it again, but was never bored.

Food For Thought: Johnny Depp has a million things coming up, among them Pirates 4 (2011), Sin City 3 (2012), The Incredible Mr. Limpet, and The Lone Ranger…but before all that he has The Rum Diary out later this year. Newcomer Mia Wasikowska has yet another version of Jane Eyre coming (wonder how this one ends?), as for Tim Burton (wonder if he will do something upbeat?…with no eyeliner?…maybe a live action version of Ren & Stimpy???...um nope) he has Dark Shadows coming (that is a really creepy old classic soap opera for those who don’t know…about vampires and stuff…with eyeliner I presume…and to star…want to guess?, Johnny Depp!!)…just for fun though, he is seriously producing a film called Abraham Lincolin: Vampire Hunter…oh yeah! You can see Alan Rickman in the next Harry Potter (as Snape) and you can catch Michael Sheen on 30 Rock on NBC.

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