When something that looks so good could be so bad.
Alright, I’ve pulled that one before. But I wouldn’t be entirely lying saying it. I watched Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland yesterday with some friends, and didn’t like it – however, this it wasn’t bad to a degree that made it not worth watching.
Alright, to be both spoiler free and provide an accurate representation of what I thought about the movie:
What do you get when you cross this
With this?
I’ve yet to shop a ‘the freshmaker’ caption to this, and for that I’m sorry.
That’s right, Tim Burton’s Alice is the angsty kind. We know Alice as a curious, intuitive, well-mannered pleasant girl; this one is perhaps a little too anxious for my liking. If the argument is that this angst is characteristic of teenagers, well, I can only answer that perhaps it wasn’t the best idea making a teenage Alice the focus. It’s not as if the majority of us teenagers even connect with her in the first place; it’d be kidding oneself to say most of the audience wasn’t in there to see Burton’s visuals and Johnny Depp’s Willy Wonka act, this time certifiably insane.
Maybe if they’d gotten Megan Fox.
This Wonderland rendition’s greatest drawback is its horrible, horrible pacing – and because of it, we’re forced to watch an Alice plagued with teenage angst and real life issues. Albeit of the 19th century sort, but who in the name wants to watch Alice worry about marital problems? The entire exposition of the movie is about Alice attending a party she doesn’t want to be at, talking to her supposed mother-in-law, and getting proposed to by a man she doesn’t like – and all this is easily longer than the climactic final battle of the movie. Before we start a debate about whether the climax should be long to capture the suspense or brief to keep it fresh, the one thing that stands is that nobody wants to see Alice dwell on worldly teenage problems in a movie where she talks to disappearing cat heads, smoking caterpillars and fights laser-spewing Jabberwocks. Yes, the poem is the Jabberwocky, the creature is a Jabberwock.
By the way, Christopher Lee does the voice of the Jabberwock. That’s right, Alice does battle with Count Dooku.
Maybe if Alice looked like this.
Here’s the thing – the scene was drab. The set was plain, green, and unremarkable. Now in this context this isn’t supposed to be a bad thing; a bare, ‘real-world’ set can set the mood very well for an extravagant, Burton-esque fantasy set.
Remember how angry I got at Black Rock Shooter’s pitiful ninety second long ‘pilot’? This is the exact opposite of that – an exposition that lasted too long instead of too briefly. Still, the idea is the same. Expositions are vital; it stages the construction, fleshes out the plot and characters, and perhaps most importantly, makes sure the audience is in the proper mood. A segment that were shorter would probably brew some anticipation within the audience, but this lengthy, dreary opening only serves to make everyone go into Wonderland bored out of their minds.
Maybe if Wonderland looked wonderfully romanticized.
Oh, but don’t think I’m beating on the only fault I can find with all my might. No. Even the very prettily animated Wonderland Alice is engaging in the most pointless of scenes. One can’t absolutely say there’s nothing going on, because she’s clearly being chased about by the Red Queen’s men, but every time she complains about not wanting to do something, every time she quips about how Wonderland’s all a dream, it makes the situation a lot less harrowing and enjoyable.
So yes, the movie starts, and pretty much until the end, remains poorly paced – in one segment, Alice travels from the Red Queen’s castle to the White Queen’s in the span of one scene, making one believe they’re no more than ten minutes apart. Coupled with a heroine that isn’t very fun to watch, it doesn’t make for very awing storytelling.
Maybe if the White Queen looked like this. See where I’m getting at? I need to stay away from the live action for a while.
However, recall that I said the movie was still worth watching. One simply can’t fault Burton’s artistic style – the movie looks wonderfully whimsically twisted, and definitely presents well one of the primary things we’re watching it to enjoy. Unfortunately the theatre I watched it at didn’t show the film in 3D, but if you’ve the chance to then by all means do so. I’m sure 3D would’ve made the visuals much more impressive, which just may offset any problems of plot tempo you may encounter. And of course, Johnny Depp steals the show, and the Mad Hatter is a lot more important than he actually is.
So watch it; but before that, before anything else, read Planetarian.
However, it still doesn’t sit well with me that this movie parallels mostly Lewis Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking Glass’, down to the final chess-game, yet is still titled ‘Alice in Wonderland’. That’s pretty much analogous to calling the second Harry Potter movie ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone’, which is just plain wrong. This doesn’t sit well with me at all. Even look at the end of the trailer. ‘Go through the looking glass in 3D’. Delightful, Disney.
I guess there’s commercial implications to calling it by a name everybody and their grandma would know. You know what, I’m tired of being critical for today. Instead, I’ll say this:
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
If you ever get the chance to read Through the Looking Glass, do it, I implore you. It’s devilishly clever. Lewis Carroll wrote Jabberwocky in an effort to satirize bad poetry – and instead it’s become a poem we’ve studied for ages. That was him trying to write a bad poem. I swear, he was so high, we’re hallucinating.
On a totally unrelated note: My friend proposed today that I take upon myself the bass guitar. Which for some reason really struck a chord within me, despite me knowing nothing about music and never having wanted to play it. I suppose it’s that beginner’s fever you get when you’re hyped up about the infinite possibilities of learning an instrument, and I’m sure it won’t lead to anything for me, but I did my research, and of course I inevitably ended up here.
I suddenly wondered today; what are the bass enthusiasts staring at when they see this image? Do true, hardcore car fanatics really completely phase out race-queens in Tokyo Drift?
The Keionbu sure uses fabulously expensive equipment. Not very light at all. Couldn’t they plug something cheaper? If I actually invested here, not that I ever would, I wouldn’t be eating for a year.
I’d like to stress that any interest is not due to Akiyama Mio and her spankin’ 3-Color Sunburst Fender. Who’d want that silly girl’s expensive-ass best Fender bass, anyways?
Ningyo
Related posts:
March 7th, 2010 at 7:49 am
@_@ want to watch but I’d better wait for DVD!! dun need spend money to watch since my sister collect disney’s movies :D
March 7th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Hmmm.. interesting way of putting things.
Though I did find the pacing horrible, the exposition did catch my attention. It was the middle where things were going off track and my head would be wondering whether my friend on the right would still have enough nachos.
I don’t know but the intro did get me. Maybe because I didn’t what the hell to expect.
Speaking of. I guess it was titled ‘Alice In Wonderland’ for the sole reason that people knew ‘Alice in Wonderland’ more than they did ‘Through the Looking Glass’ – Though the movie was “SUPPOSED” to be both compressed into one.
By the way, I just absolutely ADORED Anne Hathaway as the White Queen [Partly because I'm a biigg fan], but those exaggerative arm gestures: DAMN fuunny.
Wathced it in 3D, but would rather have seen it in conventional 2D. There’s virtually NO DIFFERENCE. It’s just an excuse to hike up ticket prices. xD
——————-
BASS??!?? REALLY?
Go for it Timmy. Not only are bassists the hottest people in bands, it’s COOL as FUCK.
Four strings are DEFINITELY easier to play as opposed to six strings on guitars. AS for learning music, it’s fine since you’ll only need to know how to read chords for guitars and basses unlike learning to read sheet music for all the other instruments.
Still kinda hard, but if you want to, who gives anybody the right to say otherwise?
Seriously, bassists are fucking hot and. I’ve got a cool ‘BASSIST’ badge that I’ll send over. Who knows if you’re really up for it, I’ll finance you partly.
Honestly, I would. Timmy’s cool enough. But throw a BASS into the equation and WHOOOOOOOOAAA you’re going to be even COOLER, sexy even. hahaha. xD
Whatever you decide, I’ll still LOVE you, timbo. Bassist or the regular non-bassist cynic. xD
March 7th, 2010 at 11:27 am
I’ve just posted something Alice and then I ran into your post. What a coincidence! I was disappointed either. It seemed like Mr. Burton paid too much attention to the visuals and forgot the essence of real film making. Damn, I paid a lot for the ticket…sign.
So you got new guitar? and you know nothing about it…sounds like Yui to me 6_6
March 7th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Thanks to a certain H-manga series I came across when I was younger, I can’t look at Alice in Wonderland without thinking about really strange porn. I haven’t watched this movie yet, but I bet my imagination would not be where Tim Burton would have wanted his audiences to go. Your pictures aren’t helping either… mmmmmmm White Queen…
And since you brought up K-ON and bass guitars, here’s something relevant: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/1255268453
March 7th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
ahah,yeah watching it in 3d might have made it more entertaining. The pace sped up quite a bit at the end…..-sigh-…10 min travel from red queen castle to the whites LOL
March 7th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
and yeeeh….bass!! me, you and tom gotta jam eventually
March 7th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
You know, you would have never, ever struck me as a fan of Through the Looking Glass if you hadn’t written this.
So now I can tell somebody: You want to know what freaked me out the most about that book? The fact that the first letter of each line of the epilogue, when put together, spells “Alice Pleasance Liddell.” I’ll bet they didn’t keep THAT for the movie version.
March 7th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
The more reviews I read about this movie, the more depressed I get. I had really high hopes about it and had planned to watch it tonight. Now I know not to expect too much.
It’s a shame though… Alice in Wonderland is so rich in film potential and…
Well, I should watch it first before I come to any concrete conclusions.
March 7th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
@moemoekyun
That would probably be a good call, not spending money on this is probably the wiser the decision. Still, you give up the widescreen 3D experience – but I’ve heard that’s not too great anyways.
@ramono
Putting things in an interesting way is my middle name, ramono. So who did you watch it with?
I knew that you would get kicks out of the White Queen’s hand gestures. I was commenting to my friends too that it seemed very tiring to be her. I don’t think they understood though.
And yes, that’s why it was titled. Commercial reasons. Really? 3D wasn’t remarkable? That’s surprising. The Jabberwock was doing a lot to the screen, so I assumed it would have probably looked fairly good in 3D… But I’ve just heard today that 3D ticket prices are pretty high over there too.
Thing is ramono, I’ve no aptitude for music, and I don’t know any well-known bassists whatsoever, meaning I’ve never heard them play either. The only reason I’d even lean towards the bass is exactly because it’s four strings and easier. I absolutely fear learning to read sheet music, but that reassures me a little. Non-bassist cynic. Hehe. I’m almost curious enough to give it a shot, but it’s like a chef wanting to become a fighter pilot just on the assumption that both occupations require nimble hands.
@Canne
Luckily I expected exactly that, awesome visuals and crap storyline, so I came out relatively unscathed. You did essentially pay an extravagant amount for the ticket ^^;
Well, it is one of those hyped up animated films that even we ani-fans can connect with, so it’s more like people churn out their reviews at this time…
I haven’t actually gotten a bass yet, but I was just momentarily inspired by someone telling to give it a shot. Which I really shouldn’t have, considering how I know nothing about music. Yui’s a miraculous ideal case; a ditzy girl who has a natural aptitude for being proficient at any one thing she focuses her mind on. That’s a dream, being able to be stupid and still be good at whatever you try to do – with the adequate effort, of course.
@Chag
My gewdness, I think I know exactly which ero-manga series you’re talking about. The one where the hare was a girl as well, and they ate ‘shrooms or something to grow… Yeah. For some reason that only crossed my mind once after the movie and it never occurred to me again until now. That’s quite unlike me. I don’t think your imagination will wander too far off. The Alice here is no Megan Fox…
That’s a really eccentric bass ^^; While a Meiling-shaped instrument is appealing, in the end I think I prefer the canonical shape of guitars. It’s like those girl-shaped gunpla mods that don’t have actual PVC flesh on them. Close, but no cigar, y’know?
@mat
Apparently one of my friends in HK who watched it in 3D is saying it’s not too remarkable there, either…
While some part of me would love to do that mat, I know jack-sheet about music and bassists. I’m still mulling it over, because me playing the bass is really like me going into brain surgery blind. Even if I do take it up, I won’t be jamming with anybody anytime soon. If at all.
@2DT
Because I’m so critical of nonsense and such an enemy to incoherence ^^;? You’re right, I really shouldn’t be a fan of Looking Glass. But all the underlying messages just struck me as really clever – and I can’t condemn anything clever.
They do O.O? That is really discomforting, actually. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep well tonight. But yes, that is very Charles Dodgson. Really, how could his Alice NOT be based on Alice Liddell? Why is there even controversy to her being based on other people at all?
@Yi
Right; why should anybody’s opinion hold precedence over your own? It is rich in film potential, and it might just be rich to you. Obviously somebody thought it was the greatest idea if it was made into a film. Don’t let some review stop you from watching what you thought you’d enjoy, and remember to tell me your thoughts afterward.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:44 am
Haha, I’m glad we are on the same page. Sometimes I wonder how I would have turned out differently if I didn’t come across that and another series starring a pair of hunter faeries during my tender years. Probably for the better, I imagine.
…DAMN YOU INTERNET!
March 8th, 2010 at 3:07 am
One of my reasons to want to watch Alice is for the Cheshire Cat. That cat is so messed up that he’s cool! And I guess I’ll watch the rest to. I hope I get to see it in 3D. I have watched too many versions of Alice, so I’m not entirely sick of it yet. I wonder if Burton would’ve got a better movie out of it if he picked up American McGee’s Alice instead? Oh and I’m effing surprised you actually watch a new movie before I do! WOW!
I’m never good with music instruments, so I can’t comment about bass. Are you left-handed btw? :P
March 8th, 2010 at 6:17 am
Watched it with Kran and two other female friends on the birthday. Spent the previous day with Askers and the school guys so I was just distributing myself equally
among my two groups of friends. x)
Yeah, 3D wasn’t ALL THAT. I mean it was just as fine in 2D. You start seeing things in 2D halfway through the movie anyway… due in part to the blaaaand draggy middle.
THIS 3D movie wasn’t that price-y though: 70 bucks. AVATAR…. is another story. 170 Honks for IMAX 3D and 120 honks for JUST 3D.
By the way. WHITE QUEEN = Made my day. Would’ve wanted to go through a whole day with arms like hers. Too bad I can’t glide across floors. xD
__________
As for your bass…
knowing you, it’d be HARD learning it. Fingertips WILL be extremely SORE. Though the most work bassists get on songs are a few strums every second or two.. MINUS the epileptic finger-board mutilation on guitars.)
If you ever do take it seriously, you’ve got my SOLID support.
March 8th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
I read Alice in Wonderland quite a few years and liked it very much but never got around to reading Through the Looking Glass. Will definitely have to check it out. I bet Amazon has a free version for the Kindle ^^
I had no plans to see this movie but from what I’ve read of it, I wouldn’t be missing much anyway. I guess this should be chucked into the already-large “Poor book to movie interpretation” pile ^^;
Also, good luck with your new bass interest :)
March 8th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Ok now i’m depressed :/ I don’t think this movie is out in Belgium yet but i’m totally disconnected with cinema for years so whatever.
I knew this movie would be available soon and i wanted to see it because Alice is a wonderful film and a very unique heroin.
But what you seem to say here crystallize my deepest fears … now i don’t know if i’ll ever watch it one day.
I want to take this opportunity to yell big time about something : if you’ll excuse me.
Of first, film makers please realize something : I don’t give a flying fuck seeing a film if the only thing you have to highlight is “amazing in 3D” …
Seriously, i have a strange feeling that what really matters is the visual effects. It’s great to have a cool visual but i don’t do a good film of it’s own.
We need a good scenario, good characters and much much more, why some people can create a masterpiece with only a bunch of dollars ?
Stop counting on money and popular actors to create movies, it’s depressing.
Oups sorry i go wild and it’s not really related to this movie but i wanted to yell my hatred :D
Good luck with your bass anyway :)
March 9th, 2010 at 10:34 am
What’s this preference for 2D life I’m hearing?? >_<
I did hear many good things about this movie… it's not the over the top action heavy, but does have some great after story to the original Alice in Wonderland.
But I'd like to ask… there's MECHA in AiW??? Now I really have to watch it!
AND BASS Guitar… you sure you're up to it?? Are you trying to follow the footsteps of Mio?? Ganbattekudasai!
March 9th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Ah Ningyo you saved me on 2 tickets for this show. Looks like i’ll be skipping this. Visual are important but lack of a good story hmm looks like i’ll pass it.
So now how many punches did Alice throw lol…love the kamille references :D Wonder if Alice ever took out a beam rifle during the show…
Bass Guitar!! Haha thats so cool! Just have fun playing and learning :D
March 9th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
…….>.> I HATE ALICE. I had to read Through the looking glass in high school senior year, and after I was done I wanted to fucking kill myself
March 9th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
@Chag
I’m now beginning to believe that we grew up in the exact same circumstances, if the faeries you’re talking about went about solving the sexual issues of woodland fauna and wore tight leather at all times…
Personally I’d thank the internet for enlightenment, my father had to pretend he was of age and pay money for stuff like that -_-
@rob
The Cheshire Cat was one of the highlights I watched it for, too. I suppose Burton did that right, whimsical nature with fine fading effects.
I would’ve camped outside the theatre for American Mcgee’s Alice – but alas, Disney wouldn’t spearhead such a thing. Burton and that would’ve gone hand in hand, as well as this dragon-slaying plot of theirs… Actually, thinking about it, this movie is sort of like a toned down version of Mcgee’s Wonderland, dark, but still not dark enough.
Hehe, I wouldn’t have watched one before you if my friends weren’t there. I probably wouldn’t have watched it at all, despite having anticipated it a little.
And no, I’m right handed, so you’re right, even if I got that very guitar of hers it wouldn’t be very useful :p
@ramono
$170, hmm… I wouldn’t have back then, but the prices are probably converted much more extravagant here.
Heh, what would ‘knowing me’ mean? But if it’s because I’ve a crappy patience threshold and no knowledge of music, you’d be right >.>
Thanks ramono, but I’ll have to think long and hard about it. Though I suppose Canada gives me all the time in the world…
@anonymous_object
It seems all the books I’ve read are old-fashionedly borrowed from the library, so I know nothing about internet options… I actually recall not liking Through the Looking Glass much the first time, because I read it probably around ten, when I read it at face value and thought it stupid.
Well, the greatest thing you’ll be missing is the visuals, but yes, that’s nothing for anyone to not be able to sleep over. It somewhat belongs in that pile; it’s poor, but compared to some of the other movies nowadays it’s rather easy to swallow. And it never officially said itself to be an interpretation of Through the Looking Glass, at least I’d hope not, so I can somewhat forgive it.
Thanks :) I’m really mulling it over, like a schoolgirl at an ice-cream bar…
@Katsura-chan
Yes, Wonderland has the potential to be very whimsical entertainment – something this movie has sort of missed.
You’re right, none of this is in the true spirit of movies. When it boils down to it, the film industry has become a massive flow of revenue, and that’s what its controlling figures exploit it for. The majority of a films budget probably goes towards visuals and actors, a preciously small amount actually dedicated for the writing. The audience today is a visual audience; they’re more satisfied by the visual input than the coherence of the story. There’s the professional critics, and then there’s we self-proclaimed ones, but we’re the minority. The majority of the revenue comes from those guys, so sadly, I doubt our prayers will be answered anytime soon… Still, I think things are changing a little. People are becoming more film conscious.
Believe me, I’d like to yell sometimes as well.
And thanks :) I’ll uh, give a heads up if I actually go against my nature and do something like that.
@martin
Of course man, I’m the atypical enthusiast, I’d jump into my screen and cling onto all my favorite characters if I could. I’m one of the types that find reassurance in the perfection of fictional characters’ personality and beauty, to offset the imperfections of real life people that make me uncomfortable. I’ll reflect on the significance of that later.
In my humblest of opinions, it is rather over-the-top action heavy… Alice is not ever supposed to don a suit of armor and slay a dragon. Wonderland is supposed to be high as trippin’ balls, not have some coherent war-plot. Chester A. Bum is generally right here; this film forces logic into something that shouldn’t have logic, and even then doesn’t force enough/the right kind of logic.
Ehehe, there isn’t mecha, but Alice really reminded me of Kamille, because she would never stop complaining about something or how she didn’t want to do what she was told (even if it would easily cost everybody’s lives otherwise).
I’m not sure I’m up for it at all, and that’s why it’s so far simply a hypothesis I’m throwing out there. And I stress, Akiyama Mio has nothing to do with it. Nothing. Really. I swear.
@chubbs
Anytime if I’m able to, anytime :D
I’d have hoped that could stay a joke, but Alice actually did fight a dragon…
Y’know what? If Alice actually were a Mecha musume in the movie that would’ve made it so much more awesome. I mean, we’re supposed to suspend our disbelief in Wonderland anyways; in that regard Alice with a beam rifle would’ve made a lot LESS sense, which would’ve been a good thing.
Mm, right, if I ever do play it I’ll need to keep that in mind. I’ve seen too many people pick up an instrument only to get bored of it after too many tedious lessons.
@FaS
Maybe that was your ‘wrong time to approach Lewis Carroll’? The first time I read TtLG, I too found it silly and stupid. But upon revisiting it, I realized Carroll was a genius, perhaps a bit high on something good.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:41 am
That’s exactly what I mean. xD
See? You know me well enought, too. xDD
March 10th, 2010 at 1:44 am
AGHHH AGHHH. Stupid typo. SCRAP the “t” after enough.
Blame the sudden onset of winter for it.
Actually, now that I think about it. Alice In Wonderland wasn’t THAAAT bad. It just lacked “oomp-iness” Like, you think to yourself “that’s all?” after watching it.
xD
March 10th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Honestly, the trailer turned me off right there. When I first heard about it, I was really hoping for something very dark and moody, more to the likes of American McGee’s Alice, I suppose. But then again, Tim Burton’s style is more on the twisted magical side, rather than the horror psychological side.
The style to me, has a bit of conflict going on, and doesn’t seem to work all that well, especially when given the pretext of Disney’s Alice. Burton’s Alice doesn’t seem to be here nor there.
I agree with you that the whole “returning to Wonderland” thing with a teen Alice is kinda lame. It reminds me a little of Hook. However, it seems that Alice’s real life problems set the stage for Alice to return to Wonderland as an escape. The first time she went seemed more of curiosity than anything, where as the reflections of life brought into Wonderland can hit home (if done correctly, of course).
“struck a cord” ha ha. Good luck with the bass guitar. :)
March 11th, 2010 at 1:38 am
@ramono
Sudden onset? Not sudden offset :/? It’s well into March now… Besides, you HKers winters are weak, pansy winters. Canada’s where it’s at. Why do you think we live in igloos?
@radiant
Well, it was Disney, and yes, looking at Burton’s track record, you’ll have something comfortably twisted – nothing too extreme, like American Mcgee’s.
Exactly – this Alice is a mess. This Wonderland is a mess; it looks great, but that’s about it. Strangely enough, by not being a proper senseless whimsical setting Wonderland becomes a mess.
You’re right; as I’d said, this exposition is potentially a great way to build-up for wonderland. It’s just that it dragged on too long, and I wasn’t comfortable with watching this Alice at all.
Jeez, thank you! I was waiting for somebody to notice that shameless pun there >.<
March 12th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
I am going to be taking my wife to see it. She is a big Tim Burton/Jonny Depp groupie so I have no choice. I only want to see the freaking Cat whom I think is the coolest thing about the whole series.
I have American McGee’s Alice PC game on my computer. Now that is a screwed up and wicked game.
March 13th, 2010 at 2:53 am
Ok after watching the movie, I can safely say that I didn’t like it as much as I’d hoped… Cheshire cat was kinda a… pussy. He totally didn’t give a sh*t about anything in the original and then he was actually afraid of somebody? Jeez…
And I dunno if you saw my opinion of it, but I called it, “The Chronicles of Alice in Narnialand”. It was too similar to it… It’s like somebody put a plot in my nonsensical story…
March 17th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Alice is out since last week in Belgium cinema. I want so see it really soon because i like Tim Burton twisted mind and, of course, i’m in heaven in front of Johnny Deep beautiful eyes! LoooooL
Critics are mitigated on this movie. Some loved it and some hated it. As i saw in your post i’ll probably be disappointed by Alice character and the story around her.
I’ll tell you what i think after seeing it.
So you’re gonna try bass ? Wow! Congrats! I hope you’ll like it so your buying pays off :)
March 24th, 2010 at 2:48 am
As I tweeted earlier, I thought the series was decent. It was definitely not up to par, especially compared to other Tim Burton hits. The plot seemed really forced, as are the underlying theme of growth, teenage angst, and Alice’s coming to terms with maturity.
Perhaps what I missed the most from the novel that I didn’t get from the movie is the feeling of a random adventure. It was somewhat predictable in what/ whom Alice is going to meet next.
Still, as a visual experience, I really enjoyed it.
March 24th, 2010 at 4:29 am
Argh, I keep missing comments in previous posts! I’m a bad blogger ;-;
@bluedrakon
Right there, mm, screwed up and wicked is just the right description.
The whimsicality of the cat was a little downplayed, no?
@rob
Since then I’ve also read/seen many a review paralleling this to Narnia. You’ve mentioned two of the Nostalgia Critic’s main points too – logic isn’t meant to be intertwined into Alice in Wonderland. Apparently now there’s a supremacist theory as to how the White Queen represented westerners oppressing Native Indians >.>
Yeah, the cat was downplayed. He took a side, something we should never see him do.
@Lyli
So have you seen it by now ^^;? I never knew they was a duality of opinions though – I just thought it was generally accepted that the movie was average to not too great. Hom, I’ll look into more opinions then, I suppose.
Thanks. Right now it’s turning out exactly as I thought it would – that I have no talent for music. Oh well, only more practice will tell.
@Yi
You’ve basically summarized it right there, yup. The NC’s bum review of this really agreed with me; that this was inserting logic into something that should never have logic. I’m still laughing at that new supremacist theory though. How the White Queen represented westerners oppressing Native Indians.