MOVIE NEWS: Alice in Wonderland
Editor’s note: we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming for a word from OWL’s assistant editor, Kendra Brown. (Craig will be back next week.) Enjoy!
Hey, OWL readers! I don’t know about you folks, but I’ve been counting down to this movie for months. Alice in Wonderland finally opens in theatres today, and I caught a sneak preview earlier this week!
Most of us know the story of Alice, a girl who falls down a rabbit hole, and finds herself in a fantasy world of talking animals, tea parties, and one very Mad Hatter. Lewis Carroll wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass way back in the 1800s, and since then, there have been many film and television adaptations of the books — including the 1951 Disney animated movie (and my personal favourite), Alice in Wonderland.
Tim Burton (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas) has taken on Carroll’s books to create a whole new fantasy adventure set in a very different Wonderland. In this version, Alice is 19 years old, returning to Wonderland for the first time in over 10 years. When she arrives, she finds out that it is her destiny to defeat the Red Queen by slaying an evil creature called the Jabberwock. But Alice is not convinced, and has no idea how she can be that Alice, who Wonderland has been waiting for.
Here are a few observations about the movie:
1) It’s dark. The Wonderland that most of us know is bright, cheery, and colourful. This is not that wonderland. First of all, the name of this world is Underland. And all of the characters — both good and evil — are dark, gloomy, and even a bit scary. The Cheshire Cat is a perfect example. That grin gives me the creeps!
2) It’s magical. The mood may be dark, but it’s still full of magic, largely due to the amazing costumes, makeup, and 3-D effects. You actually get to fall down the rabbit hole with Alice in a scene that will make your head spin and stomach flip! And when she first opens the door to Underland, and meets the White Rabbit, you’re right there with her. Plus, what’s more magical than potions that can shrink you to the size of a mouse, and cakes that can make you grow to the size of a house?
3) It’s a Tim Burton movie. Obviously. Yet, it’s worth pointing out. It’s got his style, humour — and actors. Almost no Tim Burton movie is complete without the acting talents of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. In fact, the biggest surprise is that he didn’t take on this story sooner. The whimsical tale of Alice may not have been written for Burton — but it may as well have been!
That’s it for me! If you decide to take your own trip down the rabbit hole this weekend and go see this movie, come back and tell us what you think!
Kendra, owlblog@owlkids.com
Loading ...
Tim Burton always makes jolly, bright stories dark. He did it with “Charlie and the Chocolate Facotory”.
One of my favourite spin-offs inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is episode 13 of one of my favourite animes; “Ouran High School Host Club”.
This episode is called “Haruhi in Wonderland”. It has the main character, Haruhi Fujioka, dream that she goes to wonderland. She is in the place of Alice, and a bunch of characters that have been in the story in the previous 12 episodes are characters from Wonderland. The twins are the Cheshire Cats, and it’s pretty funny.
it sound like a nice
ooohhhhh sounds fun!
Ohh, man, I am EXCITED for that!!! My local theater just got 3-D, so we can see the movies that are marketed in 3-D (we missed aLOT of good movies cuz my theater didn’t have it).
I have been pestering my parents to take me to see that…must. go. see. movie.
M.
O.H.S.H.C, Katie? I`ve heard of it, never watched it though. I watch Naruto & Lucky Star stuff more though.
WOW! That sounds AMWAZING! I really wish I could watch it, but I saw a movie recenty and I might not be able to go watch it… MAybe over the March Break!
Lucky Star is funny, isn’t it? I’ve watched most of it and I really like it, apart from the characters that I don’t like. I drew a coulple pictures of Tsukasa and Kagami.
You should watch Ouran, it’s funny. It’s a little hard to get into at the beginning at some points, and some episodes aren’t that great, but other than that it’s pretty cool.
I really wanna see that movie!
I wasn’t sure I wanted to see that movie until I read this. And now I totally do!
Thank you!
My friends and I are going to see it for my friends birthday, I can’t wait! It looks so cool!!! The theatre we are going in even has it in 3-D!
Hahha, went and saw it, hilarious!
Spooooooon!
I going to see it 2morrow so xcited LOL 🙂
I waz gunna see it but my dad had to work. on the up side, we’re going to see Diary of a Wimpy Kid for my birthday(which was in January)party on saturday
Hey Mal! Check back tomorrow. I’ll be reviewing Diary of Wimpy Kid on the blog!