My thoughts on Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland: It had to be posted somewhere.- Page 2

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 10:14am

I can see making some comments about trailers and past performances but to make a long and detailed essay, negatively criticizing in detail, something you haven't even seen - well, I don't know why anyone is even paying attention to it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 10:56am

I read a detailed outline of the preproduction script about a year and a half ago. I have no idea how much has changed in the plot since then (during production and post-production) ...

This is not really an adaptation of the classic Alice's Adventures In Wonderland. It's more of a re-imagined SEQUEL to the original two stories (Alice In Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass).

They didn't cast Alice as older, she IS older in this new story. And she's been to Wonderland before. But she can't remember being there.

They haven't combined memorable episodes from both books into one movie (ala Disney and just about every other stage or film adaptation of the Wonderland books), they've actually blended them together into new characters and scenarios in this version.

The Red Queen in this movie is battling the White Queen. But these aren't the chess pieces from Through the Looking Glass. This Red Queen here is the Queen of Hearts from the first book (Alice In Wonderland).

In other words, it's a whole new bunch of queens.

To say you hate this movie when you haven't seen it yet is very psychic of you. You may hate the trailer, the premise, and the gaul it takes to re-imagine and change a classic work of literature.

(I might add, a classic work of literature that has never really succeeded, either financially or artistically, as either a stage show or film, apart from the Disney feature ... which came the closest and also took many liberties.)

But you don't hate this movie ... yet.

You haven't seen it.

Updated On: 2/11/10 at 10:56 AM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 11:05am

I think Burton has proven (like in his two Batman movies which are fine if you are not that emotionally tied to the comics) he is more about using source material for his personal vision rather than create a vision of a certain source material, but that would include him with 99% of Hollywood.

Still I will reserve judgment before watching the movie. He surprised me with Sweeney Todd. I will say Planet of the Apes had one of the great endings in terms of unintentional comedy.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 11:12am

I don't know why you would be so enraged by a movie, let alone one you haven't seen yet. You must be really on edge. Smoke a bowl, watch Edward Scissorhands, and relax.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 11:19am

I will add that when I first learned about the changes and the new approach, I was put off by it. Then, after absorbing it a bit and reexamining it, I started to like it.

It reminds me of old dreams I've had myself that randomly reoccur when I'm older, but have altered. People or situations aren't what they were before. They've blended together or evolved into something entirely new.

It has that same unsettling dreamlike quality.

"I should know this ... but I don't ... because it's different."

If you think about it, that's exactly what Lewis Carroll was doing with his books. Taking "known, logical entities," such as poems, characters, behaviors, expected situations, and throwing curves at his audience, every chance he got. Sometimes things would change right in front of Alice, while she was observing them or experiencing them.

I think Burton is on the right track here. He's faithful to the original intent, which is far more important to me than being faithful to each and every plot point and character.

I still think it has real potential. Time will tell.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 11:25am

Yeah, but there ain't no way he's ever gonna love her.

hahaha! Good one Jason!

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 1:09pm

Everyone is looking at this the wrong way.

It's fanfic. Burton wrote his very own AiW fanfic and then set about filming it. It doesn't have any more relation to it's original source material than any other sort of fanfic does. Just because that original is a classic of literature doesn't alter the fact that this is simply fanfic.

[Mekroth]

Posted: 2/11/10 at 1:24pm

Of course, the fact that Tim Burton didn't write this movie should not hinder your opinion in any way, humbugfoto.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 3/3/10 at 4:17pm

Ouch

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/3/10 at 4:42pm

"I had heard early reports that Alice in Wonderland was unwatchably bad, an unmitigated disaster."

I love it when someone writes that they allready formed an opinion on something they hadn't yet seen. Much like the OP

[HellsBells2]

Posted: 3/3/10 at 6:50pm

You got it right Erik.....I for one can't wait to smoke a bowl, slap on the 3D glasses and enjoy the hell out of this movie.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/3/10 at 7:55pm

That's what I'm going to do!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 1:18am

so i got back from seeing a sneak preview of the movie today... and i thought it was OK... i enjoyed it but at the same time i was disappointed... i think what's lacking from this movie, as another review pointed out... there is no heart and soul.. there is not magic or sense of wonderment... it was just visually stunning to watch but it was kinda empty... Johnny Depp, as always, is great... as are the voice actors and Helena Bonham Carter... i was just expecting something more magical...

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 10:08am

I saw it tonight, and had a great time. Did it change my life? No, but I was never bored.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 10:19am

I'm with you HellsBells. Is there any other way to see this movie? I tried with Avatar but it put me to sleep!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 10:36am

I love it when someone writes that they allready formed an opinion on something they hadn't yet seen.

Me too! But they do it anyway and speak with GREAT authority despite what those who have seen it tell them. At least, that's what I've heard.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 4:02pm

"I love it when someone writes that they allready formed an opinion on something they hadn't yet seen."

Where is he doing that? He's just saying that he heard that it was unwatchably bad, which he says isn't true.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 4:42pm

An excerpt from a mixed-negative review from Salon.com:

"But as lavish-looking as this "Alice in Wonderland" is, it still feels cobbled together, albeit painstakingly. It's not at all shallow to care about the look of a film. Visual seduction is part of the reason we go to the movies. But maybe Burton is working too hard at being visually impressive: In the end, "Alice in Wonderland" comes off as manufactured instead of dreamy. Burton delivers all the wonder money can buy; what's missing is the wonder it can't."

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 3/5/10 at 5:21pm

I saw it at midnight last night and was quite bored. It was visually entertaining, but the plot never got to the point where it completely captured me.

I, also, thought Johnny Depp was completely awful. As was his little dance at the end. That ruined any seriousness in the movie for me.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 1:02am

Just got back from seeing the IMAX 3D version and it was "okay." I wanted it to be GREAT but it was just OKAY. Also, I'm kinda upset that I spent $14 to see it in the IMAX when the 3D wasn't that great at all. I would have been just as happy to see it in 2D in the normal theater. Oh well, lesson learned.

To the movie - the girl that played Alice was HORRIBLE!!! She phoned that roll in long distance. Johnny Depp was also disappointing to me. I barely understood what he said at some points. The only actors that I thought grasped the roll and ran with it, was Helen Bonham Carter (my favorite in the movie) and the voice actor of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. LOVED those characters.

In regards to the look of the movie, I thought it was beautiful. It was colorful yet dark at the same time. Also the CGI and voice acting was amazing, even though the plot was as thin as Kate Moss.

The ending, though, was a complete let down. It built up to this big battle and it was over so quick with almost no fighting at all. Plus the thing that the Mad Hatter does when the battle is over was just STUPID (not going to spoil it).

I give it a 3 out of 5.

Updated On: 3/6/10 at 01:02 AM

[Q]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 1:27am

". . . all the wonder money can buy; what's missing is the wonder it can't"

I can't express how much I love this statement - and how much I think it applies to MANY areas of our collective existence.

[zepka102]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 9:54am

I hope Burton and Depp get knocked off their pedestals and take a break from making movies together for a while.

[Ghandi722]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 10:38am

"I hope Burton and Depp get knocked off their pedestals and take a break from making movies together for a while."

Precisely.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 10:47am

It was a toss up between this & Shelter Island today. looks like it will be Shelter Island

With a ton of movies coming out in 3D, how about 3D glasses you purchase so you don't have to pay to rent them everytime you see a movie?

I look forward to Clash Of The Titans

[StageManager2]

Posted: 3/6/10 at 11:16am

SHUTTER Island.