Alice in Wonderland

Down the rabbit hole...

I just saw Alice in Wonderland (in 3D) today, and I have to say, it completely exceeded my expectations. This is such a beautiful movie. It's impossible to describe how it made me feel.
I mean, just look at the world Tim Burton has created:

It's such an interesting story of Alice's return to Wonderland--though she doesn't remember being there before--to help defend the inhabitants from the Red Queen. Parts are funny, parts are sad, everything is beautiful. Gorgeous. I can't get the images out of my head.
Mia Wasikowska (pronounced vash-i-kov-ska) did an incredible job. Several times I had to remind myself that she was not Claire Danes--she looks a lot like her!
I expect great things from this young lady!

My favorite character from the movie:

The Cheshire Cat. I loved the animation of this guy... the way he just floats around and evaporates... so incredibly cool.

You may want to brush up on your Jabberwocky before seeing the film, though. You'll pick up on a lot more if you are a bit familiar with some of the terms. I'll highlight a few of them here:

Jabberwocky
by Lewis Carroll

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


Of course, Johnny Depp is ever-brilliant, but at times it seemed as if he didn't know if he was the Mad Hatter or Jack Sparrow. Maybe I've just seen Pirates too many times and forget that Jack's mannerisms are, in fact, Johnny's. The Hatter changed accents so often, so as to affirm his "madness" I'm assuming, that it was difficult to follow his goal at times. He also said quite a few phrases I couldn't understand. I suppose this was intentional... but it was a bit irritating.

On the whole, the story was interesting and exciting, the acting was good all around, the characters were sympathetic, the COSTUMES WERE INCREDIBLE (I want Alice's red dress), and the animation was top of the line (see it in 3D!).
And as always, musical genius Danny Elfman envelops the story with a gorgeous score.

I recommend it to any Tim Burton fan, because there was no doubting for even an instant that this was his work.

Well done. Loved it. Lived up the the hype.