13 years after Alice Kingsley's first encounter with the strange white rabbit in a waistcoat, Alice has grown to be a beautiful young lady, who is soon to be engaged to Hamish Ascot. The death of her father has led to the Ascot to take over the Kingsley's family business specializing in foreign trade.
Alice is troubled and unsure about Hamish's proposal and is troubled by her "visions" of the white rabbit running around in the engagement party. She decides to follow the rabbit, leaving Hamish without an answer.
The white rabbit leads Alice to an all-too-familiar rabbit hole. Peering closely from the edge, Alice falls into the hole and enters Underland, the real name of the world "Wonderland" that she stumbled upon when she was much younger.
I was able to watch this film with my siblings last Sunday. I must admit that I enjoyed seeing Wonderland as if it were depicted in the real world, but my siblings were confused with the details since they couldn't remember what happened in the animated film. I've been reading mixed reviews about the film too, but I think Tim Burton did a fantastic job. I don't recall seeing the White Queen in the animated film, but Anne Hathaway just blew me away... Even if the ending of the film made me think the White Queen is practically a damsel in distress sort of ruler. -_-;;; I kinda wish the White Rabbit was a lot cuter, but Johnny Depp being the Mad Hatter made up for that very nicely. I mean, how could you possibly go wrong with Johnny Depp? Really?
Anyway, people, go watch the film! I'm sure you wouldn't regret it~ ♥
Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, that is Rei Ayanami on my banner. Apparently, almost everyone in the family thinks she is "my most favorite character ever!" What's a gal gotta do aside from cower and cave in?
I did go, and I walked away not simply regretting, but totally facepalmed. The problem? Alice in Wonderland is supposed to feel like a hallucinogenic trip. Tim Burton used to excel in that, as he'd brought us down that path many times before. This time however it felt like the guy has been rehabilitated, and wanted to show you what a "wonderful" thing rehabilitation is. Reality is not wonderful. It is bland, predictable, and hopelessly unimaginative. All of the above adequately sums up Burton's Alice, if not for the fact that it is also very saccharine, cuddly and utterly adorable to giggling preteen girls. You can see it, can't you? The Cheshire Cat sold as a pillow product. Every girl would want one. Frankly the blandness is inexcusable, seeing as Alice has been a successful remake as a PC game released in 2000. For a game, it was far more inventive and emotionally engaging than the movie.
ReplyDeleteAnd then we come to the final scene. [SPOILER ALERT] Alice was headed where? Why all of a sudden, China? Sure, the movie is perhaps trying to get a rise out of the movie crowd in the PRC. But still, technically, the Alice story is set in the Victorian era. Is it prudent to make a 19th century debutante go into The Taiping Rebellion to do trading? (In what, you might also ask.) For Alice's sake I hope she's brought along some of the caterpillar's pot. For she's really gonna need a lot of that.
Ah... I'm sorry to hear you didn't like it very much. But I think living in reality is better than living in Wonderland. :x It just seems Wonderland is, as Alice said, a place of her dreams.
ReplyDeleteWho knows? The butterfly was flying around her, he might have given her enough pot to last her the entire trip. xD