ALICE IN WONDERLAND – Reviewed by Vivian and Robin

In director Tim Burton’s marvelous version of Alice in Wonderland, 6-year-old and very sleep-deprived Alice has continuing strange dreams of a white rabbit (Michael Sheen), a giant rabbit hole, a mad tea party, and plants and animals that can talk. About 13 years later, a less than enthusiastic Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is being forced to listen to a proposal of marriage. Her chance for escape comes when she follows a familiar white rabbit into the same giant rabbit hole she has seen in her dreams. Alice follows and continues to shrink and grow and enters the marvelous world of Wonderland where everyone thinks she is the WRONG ALICE.

She meets the Mad Hatter, played by Johnny Depp, with whom she develops a deep understanding. Both are very worried that they are losing their minds. The Hatter and Alice attend the mad tea party (a great scene!) and leave to meet the blue caterpillar (Alan Rickman). Alice learns from the caterpillar that in this journey to Wonderland she is destined to kill the Red Queen’s pet Jabberwocky and save Wonderland. Alice can only slay the Jabberwocky by using the Vorpol sword guarded by a ferocious monster that she must trade back an eye that Alice’s friend the Dormouse stole. But before she does, she must deal with the Red Queen, Helena Bonham Carter (one of the highlights of the movie), and her head knight Stayne (Crispin Glover). Alice sneaks into the monster’s cage and trades the eye for the Vorpol sword and returns it to the Red Queen’s good sister, the White Queen, played by Anne Hathaway, who is so good that she almost throws up every time she looks at the Jabberwocky. Tim Burton’s Alice is more fun because Alice has a Quest to complete and the fight against the Jabberwocky is reminiscent of Perseus’ fight against Medusa. Boys liked this part the best. (I loved everything about this movie except the Hatter’s cheesy dance at the end.)

Robin’s Notes: I was skeptical (thumbs down to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) but instead thoroughly enjoyed Burton’s take on the story. He obviously loves and understands the colorful characters and gives them depth that is lacking even in Carroll’s book. Depp channels his inner Hatter, Mia Wasikowska is a brave, reluctant, exhausted heroine (as opposed to a hapless little girl) and Helena Bonham Carter is the perfect, irrational Red Queen with a HILARIOUSLY HUGE HEAD. I love children’s movies that have a bit of an edge for the parents as well as something for the kids to think about. Recommended for kids 7 and up (not little kids…) Boys will love it, too! – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

Adventure/Family/Fantasy

Rated PG

DVD Release Date: 6/1/10