Tonight I saw Tim Burton's rendition of the children's book classic, Alice in Wonderland. At the suggestion of my date, we saw the movie in 3-D. This was my first time seeing a 3-D movie and I have to admit, I was impressed! Even the previews were in 3-D. That extra dimension really adds to the feeling of whimsy.
As all pop culture addicts know, this is another film that pairs Tim Burton with his creative muse, Johnny Depp. The two have worked together on Edwards Scissor Hands, Ed Wood, Sweeney Todd, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and more. The star of this movie however is not Johnny Depp, it is Mia Wasikowska, the young actress who plays Alice.
In this suspenseful adventure, Alice falters her way through Underland attempting to navigate her destiny (fighting the Red Queen's champion monster). While the story kept me interested and paying attention, I was more fascinated by how Tim Burton chose to bring these characters to life.
Alice's face was quite plain (no make up) but she accurately portrayed a bewildered, confused girl. My most favorite character was the Red Queen, played by Tim Burton's wife Helena Bonham-Carter. Her face, make up, costumes and demeanor were superb. Her castle was blood red with every imaginable item shaped like a heart.
Anne Hathaway played the beautiful and angelic White Queen, and Johnny Depp played the Mad Hatter, whose costumes, hair and make up were indeed mad (with a dash of oompa loompa coloring).
The most hysterical characters (appearance-wise) were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Owen Glelberman, movie critic for Entertainment Weekly, described them in his review as "fleshy twins that make it look as if Glenn Beck had just given birth to Cabbage Patch Kids." PERFECT description!
Overall, the landscape of Underland was breathtaking and alive in a way that the 3-D seemed to amplify.
In the end, Alice says goodbye to her magical friends in a moment that was reminiscent of Dorothy's final moments in Oz with the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion before boarding the hot air balloon back to Kansas. Alice also echoes Dorothy when she returns home and expresses a new sense of appreciation for her family and friends.
I thoroughly enjoyed this new interpretation of the Lewis Carroll original and I encourage you to see the magic of Wonderland for yourself.
