Reviews: Alice in Wonderland movie (2010)
This week's literary movie, "Alice in Wonderland," is one that I can safely see -- without having to worry about the ending being spoiled. It will be interesting to see how Disney has captured the zaniness of Lewis Carroll's classic rabbit-meets-girl tale. Here's a taste from the trailer. I've always been a big fan of the 1951 animated version -- with the great Ed Wynn as the loopy voice of the Mad Hatter and a screenplay originally adapted (and rejected by Disney) by Aldous Huxley. For cartoon characters, can you beat the now-you-see-it, now-you-don't Cheshire Cat? Let's see whether director Tim Burton can top that. Here are some "Alice" reviews (and here are reviews of "Shutter Island," "Percy Jackson" and other book-to-movie adaptations):
Los Angeles Times -- Given the strength of Burton's imagination, it's not surprising that many of these creatures are engaging, especially if, like that rabbit, they are voiced by top British actors. ... Rather less satisfying is the script's notion that the creatures spend much of their time bickering as to whether this Alice is the same person who came down the rabbit hole a decade earlier ... .
New York Times -- Dark and sometimes grim, this isn’t your great-grandmother’s Alice or that of Uncle Walt, who was disappointed with the 1951 Disney version of “Alice in Wonderland.
Variety -- Quite like what one would expect from such a match of filmmaker and material and also something less, this "Alice in Wonderland" has its moments of delight, humor and bedazzlement. But it also becomes more ordinary as it goes along, building to a generic battle climax ... .
Entertainment Weekly -- Burton's Disneyfied 3-D Alice in Wonderland, written by the girl-power specialist Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast), is a strange brew indeed: murky, diffuse, and meandering, set not in a Wonderland that pops with demented life but in a world called Underland that's like a joyless, bombed-out version of Wonderland.
Associated Press -- Burton's film is not lacking whimsy. Much of its design is wonderfully imaginative-surely the biggest draw of the movie. ... There are elegant moments -- the overhead shot of Alice shrinking into the billows of her dress, or the great, big slobbering tongue of the beastly Bandersnatch. The incredibly tweaky March Hare (voiced by Paul Whitehouse) is also a joy.
Village Voice -- Like more than one recent movie, Alice seems a trailer for a Wonderland computer game — and it is. The final battle is clearly designed for gaming.
New York -- If you can get past the craven concessions to formula, though, it’s rather underful—I mean, wonderful. Taking his cues from John Tenniel’s famous illustrations, Burton indulges his delight in disproportion. Nothing and no one in Underland quite fits, least of all our heroine, who becomes very small, then very big, then teensy enough to hide inside the Mad Hatter’s hat, then vastly out of scale with the court of the Red Queen, where she’s greeted as a visiting giantess.
Comments
I dont know if i want to see this movie because to me it seems to creepy. Jonny Depp is a good actor but sometimes he can go to far with things.
Posted by: Will Rose | March 4, 2010 12:43 PM
I have been waiting for this movie for ages.
I love Tim Burton's take on things (I loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and Johnny Depp is one of the finest actors around, in my book.
Too bad we decided to wait and see it in IMAX 3D when we take a trip to Nashville with friends in a couple of weeks, or else I would be in the theater on opening day!
Posted by: Michelle | March 4, 2010 1:33 PM
Cheshire, please, not "Chesire."
Posted by: Dahlink | March 4, 2010 4:10 PM
Dahlink, thanks for catching that. I corrected it.
Posted by: Dave | March 4, 2010 4:29 PM
This movie looks like it is going to be crazy. I can't wait to see it!
Posted by: Jeff from Miami Limo | March 4, 2010 6:30 PM
I found your blog on google and i was impressed with your topic here ..i really like watching movies. I will look forward to watch out the alice in wonderland movie..
Posted by: watch alice in wonderland movie | March 4, 2010 11:56 PM
I heard reviewers were lukewarm at best about it, so I went in without too many expectations. It was enjoyable, and I'm glad I went... but Burton just isn't an action director (the climactic battle scene is at best weak), and the 3D is abused, too much "flying into your face" stuff is just so gimmicky (unlike, say, "Up," which used it to great effect). I've always been a huge fan of Burton's, but more and more, it feels like his bright spark is dimming, he's only just above average now. A crying shame, it is.
Posted by: Steve | March 16, 2010 6:06 AM
This remake of the Disney classic was simply amazing. I went and saw it 3 times in theatres. It was so good that I thought I would have to purchase the DVD but instead I went to DISH Online and watched it. As a DISH subscriber and employee I can tell DISH Online has thousands of movies to choose from; awesome stuff. I would recommend DISH Online or DISH Network service to anyone interested in the latest technology and lowest prices on the market. http://www.besttvforme.com/
Posted by: christopher | July 21, 2011 5:33 PM