By Tiffany

Opened March 5, 2010 | Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.
PG for scary situations, scary images, fantasy action violence and a smoking caterpillar

When I heard that Tim Burton was going to be directing a new version of Alice in Wonderland, I thought “it’s about time!” The usual players are all present: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Danny Elfman. There are few new faces to the Burton world like Anne Hathaway, as well as some new voices (welcome Alan Rickman!) Lots of CGI, over the top make up and costuming, mind-blowing backdrops, sets and special effects. Everything you’ve come to expect from a Tim Burton movie and so much more.

So, did it live up to the hype? In one word: YES!!

It is Spectacular. Wonderful. Amazing.

It is also dark and scary. My five year old spent a good chunk of the movie snuggled up to me clutching her blankie and stuffed penguin.

We saw it in 3D and there were a few points where the soaring, zooming and falling were a little “too” much, we got a bit dizzy and had to look away for a few seconds. I’ve heard reviews that said this is just as good in 2D, so for anyone bothered by 3D effects that is also a good option.

The girl who places Alice did an amazing job! She is in nearly every scene and she is a wonderful actress. Just really superb and I can’t say enough positive things about her! It’s a shame that the marketing campaign has almost totally ignored her. You’d think Johnny Depp was the star with the way the trailers, posters and overall promos have run. He’s in less than half the movie. And while we’re on the subject…

… Johnny Depp as the mad hatter. He’s jumped the shark. It was too over the top. At times, he seemed to be channelling Willy Wonka with a dash of Braveheart. He just went too far and it almost feels as though he’s run out of characters and is now just recycling ones he’s already done but in different make up. It was distracting. He almost took away from the scenes he was in. I love that he’s will to do ANYTHING, but it just fel like he was trying too hard to be zany, out there, weird, strange. A cartoon character. Thanks, but we already have Jim Carrey.

To go in the other direction, Helena Bonham Carter just seems to get better and better. She plays the big headed Queen of Hearts and she is wonderfully brilliant. She plays a larger than life, over the top, power hungry Queen almost low key. The things that don’t work with Depp’s interpretation are exactly what work with Carter. He should take a lot of notes – she is doing everything RIGHT. She is quite possibly my favorite character!

My overall review: you have to see this one. In the theater. See it in 3D if you can and don’t hate the format. Not really for small children, but the tween crowd will LOVE it! Burton does it again (that’s a good thing!)

Alice in Wonderland movie website

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