"Have I gone mad?"
"I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are."
On Friday, I went to see Alice in Wonderland. It was a visually stunning feast. The story is loosely based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, written by Lewis Carroll. The story didn't have a lot of twists and turns and there wasn't a surprise ending, but I was o.k. with that. It was an enjoyable ride. Most children stories are predictable. It's a basic story of good vs. evil. Our heroine rises up amidst self doubt to become the person everyone hopes her to be. At the same time, Alice stays true to herself. The film is also in 3D which wasn't really necessary but did give the film more depth. There were only a few scenes that were definitely meant for the technology. The Art Direction was incredible. Tim Burton, who directed the film, always has a very stylized look to his films. It was beautiful. I loved all the details and the color treatment was fantastic.
Alice in Wonderland stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice. She was the perfect Alice. The ingenue who transforms into our "champion." Johnny Depp plays the Mad Hatter, who was more charming than crazy, but I loved every scene he was in. Anne Hathaway stars as the White Queen. Helena Bonham Carter is the Red Queen, which was an especially great character to watch. As usual, her delivery is splendid. I adore Helena Bonham Carter. In her variety of roles, she is never afraid to look bizarre or unglamorous, which is often, and I love it. Also starring as Wonderland characters: Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor, Paul Whitehouse, Timothy Spall, Frances de la Tour, and Imelda Staunton.
Go see the film! Even if it's just for the visuals, it will be worth it.
(Some stills from the film.)
