I would know you anywhere!

At this point, I've actually seen Alice in Wonderland twice. Once in 3-D at the midnight showing and once in regular old 2-D about five days later. I was going to post about it right after seeing the movie, but I knew I was going to see it a second time and really wanted to finish forming an opinion about the film itself. So after seeing it twice I decided a few things: 1) Disney 3-D is pretty cool, though I am still against the hype. 2) I really liked the movie. 3) Johnny Depp really makes his young co-stars shine on screen.

I knew I was going to have to see it in 3-D, because that's what everyone was talking about because it's the first big movie to come out in 3-D since Avatar made so much money. I've seen a few 3-D films from the old cowboy movies of the 1940s to megablockbuster Avatar, but seriously Disney does it the best. I still don't think it should be an every movie thing, or even advertised as this revolution of a film experience because its not really. Any movie with a great script, a big enough screen and some captivating performances can draw you in ten times better than a tree branch being in your face. With Alice, even when I was watching the 3-D film I wanted to watch it on a regular screen. I knew that the colors, the vivid characters conversations, the playfulness of the movie would not be lost just because I couldn't see certain things pop out. But I did think that the 3-D was better done than even Avatar that was techinically filmed in partial 3-D technology. The interesting thing about Alice is that Tim Burton filmed old school way adn reformatted for the new verison, personally I think I might like that way better but its too early to tell yet.

The movie itself had a story that brought to life I think what many of the people I know are going through today. A real mirror of society almost, funny enough that's what the original Alice did back in 1865 England too. But watching it and listening to the issues that were brought to life on screen, screamed of the half foot in and half foot out moment of many. Alice, a nineteen year old who is pressured into societal constraints breaks free only to not know what real path to take in Wonderland. Actually she spends a lot of the movie convinced she is the wrong Alice, even though the creatures of Wonderland know better they let her be about it. Its a journey to self- discovery, falling down the rabbit hole was a push to movement to finding answers. Recently I did some research on how the art of the depression from photographs, music and film were trying to get society basically just moving again. I was struck by how in Alice everything was about making her move, making her discover, make her understand. Interestingly enough the movie ended with business proposals, ideas of expanding and exploring the real world. Though some of the dialogue was hard to understand in sections, it was delightful. My favorite moment being between Hatter and Alice about her muchness. It was a great thought, having that gumption that part of you that believes in who you are and what you want and getting it. Even if the story is a classic age-old tale that has been told several times and in many movies and countless books, it's something that just never gets old. Also how many times do you get to see it come alive with a floating cat and mad hatter, or an obnoxious queen with an over-sized head? Tim Burton apparently agrees with my take of the film according to Tim Burton in an interview with D23:

What do you like about this version of the story?
What I like about this is that it's more of a personal journey. These are the things that are actually the most important in life. That moment where you make that important choice. Maybe it happens to everybody. Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it does a couple of different times in your life, where you learn something, you grow. You know, it's like you've got two sides of yourself in conflict. Emotionally conflicted. And then, when you make that personal growth, it's quite an amazing thing. Quite a strong thing. It's reconciling within yourself who you are, becoming the person you're going to be, a human being. It sounds light, but it's important.

My last point is that Johnny Depp at this point is such a wonderful actor. Such a powerful presence on screen that you would think that he would overpower everyone else especially some of the young actors he shares the silver screen with but he doesn't.  As I really believed in Alice, as Alice I thought about this about how this girl that I had never before was just charming at this character. She really fit into the wonderland, confused and lost when she had to be and brave and independent when the time came. I am definitely going to keep an eye out for Mia Wasikowska. The evidence, of the young Freddie Highmore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Finding Neverland) suggests that Mia might be up and coming. 

Truthfully, I think everyone should enjoy Alice in her Underland and have fun with it. Maybe even read the books when you get the chance, I know I'm going to take a crack at them soon.