Author Topic: Alice in Wonderland (2010)  (Read 3686 times)

THATguy

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Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« on: March 05, 2010, 09:58:09 AM »
The dancing scene might be the worst scene ever from a film that I didn't hate.

And I really didn't get what the 3D added here, beyond some cool effects with the Cheshire Cat.  For something like Avatar, I couldn't have pictured seeing it in anything but 3D, but here, it just didn't seem to work as well.

Brian Z

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2010, 10:23:09 AM »
That dance scene was a huge groaner.

I'm weird on this movie. I laughed probably seven or eight times but in the end found all of it so fleeting. With all the constant escapes and chase scenes, it oddly resembled an Ice Age film narratively.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2010, 04:08:24 PM »
Yeah, the dance scene is no good, and the 3-D is hot and cold, though I think it works tremendously well in the final battle scene and in Alice's initial approach to the Red Queen's Castle.

Regardless, the narrative was compelling and the world came to life. Having the advantage of reinventing the Carrol classic, and seeing what has lasted from the Disney adaptation, Burton really placed the most compelling figures front and center, though I would have loved to see more from the Cheshire Cat. Just watching him move was fantastic. The film looked so beautiful too, and certain breaks from the traditional Burton aesthetic while still maintaining all the wonderful imagination. I think back to films that create worlds and the ones that jump out are Miyazaki and Pixar. With the possible exception of Nemo, and even then I don't think it's very close, Burton brings this world to life in such a marvelous way. It's certainly better than the worlds in Ponyo, Wall*E, and Cars. Perhaps almost as much as Pandora even.

Speaking of Avatar, that film's action sequences work because the characters fighting look so different from one another, and I was glad to see this film make use of that technique as well. The battle scene wasn't great, though I don't think it was dreadfully bad either, but it was incredibly easy to follow. After I formulated an opinion I went back and checked out some reviews. I think Ebert says it felt like the studio reaching in and suffocating the artist. I mostly agree there.

The film was a lot funnier than I expected as well, and pretty dark for a PG film. The creepy sexual tension that was going on between Alice and the Hatter was really well handled as well. I appreciated the Wizard of Oz esque manner with which they handled the blending of the two worlds as well, though they drew too much attention to it when Alice got back to the real world.

The heads in the moat were so intense as well! And the part where the Hatter was walking through the forest reciting the poem was pretty marvelous as well. Depp does a Hell of a job in his role, and Mia is pretty great as well. Burton makes really interesting use of the camera too, which is great, though I was struck as odd because unlike just about every other Burton film this one doesn't really have that spectacular opening sequence. Like the openings for Big Fish, Todd, Batman Returns, and even Beetlejuice are so iconic and memorable, and mostly high energy. This film was a bit more reserved in the intro, though that made the chase after the rabbit all the more interesting.

Such a great spin on the tale as well. I like this film the more I think about it, though it also makes the bad parts stand out that much more, I suppose. Especially since the only bad parts come at the end of the film. Still, another great effort from Burton, even if it's not one of his best films.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2010, 04:24:06 PM »
Also, they don't call the Knaves, Jacks!

IDrinkYourMilkshake

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2010, 03:53:52 PM »
I loved the way it looked, design, style, HBC's "Queenie" impression... in fact i liked so many elements of this i wonder why i didnt come away loving it.

Didnt think Mia Wasikowska was particularly good as Alice - the "young" Alice was a better actor; Johnny Depp was good as the Mad Hatter - i loved the occasional rages that he (almost) flew into, which gave the character a bit more depth than he would have had if he were just conventionally "whacky". The March Hare was just conventionally "whacky" and as such was my least favourite part of the film.

The dancing scene horrified me. What a bunch of c*nts!
« Last Edit: March 19, 2010, 05:27:50 PM by IDrinkYourMilkshake »
"What should have been an enjoyable 90 minutes of nubile, high-school flesh meeting a frenzy of blood-caked blades, becomes instead an exploitational and complex parable of the conflicting demands of agrarianism and artistry. I voted a miss."

UberGeekyGirl

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2010, 04:48:09 PM »
I also didn't care for the dance scene or Mia Wasikowska's performance. She was the weakest part of the film. I didnt feel or see her change/grow whatsoever. She had the same unemotional look throughout the film. Boring.

I also didn't like the way they had Crispin Glover's character move, it was distracting.

I really loved HBC in this film but my favorite was Anne Hathaway.
"Sometimes it's only madness that makes us what we are." - Batman

'Noke

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2010, 04:51:46 PM »
Stephen Fry was my favourite. The best moment of the film was the way he said "Zee Alice?"
I actually consider a lot of movies to be life-changing! I take them to my heart and they melt into my personality.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2010, 10:44:56 AM »
my favorite was Anne Hathaway.

This is good. 2010 has been a good year for Anne Hathaway so far, she's turned in two pretty damn good performances.

THATguy

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2010, 03:35:07 PM »
I also didn't care for the dance scene or Mia Wasikowska's performance. She was the weakest part of the film... my favorite was Anne Hathaway.

Yeah... definitely feel like we saw different movies here.

Eileen

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Re: Alice in Wonderland (2010)
« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2010, 12:12:16 AM »
I was so embarrassed when the dancing started that I looked away from the screen, and then I remembered that it was a film, and there was nothing I could do to spare it from the humiliation of that moment.