Before writing my review I read some other reviews from the news and was delighted to see that Alice In Wonderland, released on 3/5/10 is not only extremely popular to this day but also killed all the other opening movies released on that date. It just goes to show that Lewis Carroll’s stories are still loved and just as popular today. the movie is drawing in a huge amount of people loving the old story told anew.
As far as the other movies that opened on the same day this is how they faired against AIW. Green Zone, teaming Matt Damon with Paul Greengrass (his director in the last two very popular Jason Bourne films) earned only $14.5 million in the first 3 days. That's way below industry predictions (which were in the low to middle $20 million mark) unlike less than a quarter of the $62 million made this weekend by the defending champ, Alice In Wonderland. AIW has leapt like a White Rabbit past the $200 million mark in just 10 days and it's gaining. The Tim Burton-Johnny Depp effort was also a war movie, at least partly but with the Red Queen and the White Queen.
How did Carroll get his idea for his books in the beginning? It started as a child's story created by a young man during his time spent with his bosses children in the 1850s. It has become a cherished classic and time and again, it's likeness has proven that it has staying power.
Lewis Carroll (pen name for Charles Dodgson as he was known then) first spotted a nearly 4 year old Alice Liddell in 1856 while she played in a garden. During a boat trip in 1862 he began a story about an adventure in a dizzying world full of peculiar creatures, a place called Wonderland. The star of the tale was none other than Alice Liddell the child who had sparked his fascination to a degree that some people would call an obsession.
On Christmas of 1864 Carroll presented Liddell with a completed manuscript, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Though Liddell and Carroll's time together would come to a mysteriously abrupt end sometime during the summer she turned 12 but Liddell would forever carry around the identity of the little girl who fell down the rabbit hole.
Carroll's story of little Alice rose to worldwide fame that had spawned an eclectic mix of adaptations. Some are demure childish romps while others are soaking with psychedelia.
Since the first stage show we have found Alice in film, musicals, comic books, video games and even porn. We seem to be just as obsessed with Alice as Carroll was and Hollywood certainly seems to have a never ending supply to meet the demand of the masses.
We've taken a look at the many faces of Alice throughout her history in Wonderland, from the unknown to Academy Award winning actresses and are hopeful that at least one can tell us exactly why a raven is like a writing desk.
I figured out what a raven is like a writing desk. Because they both carry notes! (Just my take on it.)
I saw this movie in 3D and it's also showing in 3D at Imax besides the regular movie fare. I was apprehensive at first because this movie was a long time coming and changed directors, actors, and was to be a gory American McGee Alice movie made like the popular video game. When it went to Disney I thought it would not please adults expecting the prior movie plans. I was pleasantly surprised!
The movie starts out with an older Alice who see's the white rabbit at her engagement party. She does not want to marry the man that her relatives want her to so she escapes and follows the white rabbit to the rabbit hole. As she is looking into it the dirt gives way and once again she finds herself in Wonderland. Only this Wonderland has gone wrong and is called Underland. Not only that but she can't remember being there the first time as a child and is very confused.
She is told by the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and White Queen that she had been there before and only she can change Underland back into Wonderland. She doesn't receive the news well especially the fact that to do this she has to go up against the Red Queen and fight her Jabberwocky to the death.
She fights against this and just wants to go home. Then she starts to feel for the Underland inhabitants. After being convinced she was there as a child she finally remembers her first visit and knows she must go through with it and change it back to the Wonderland they all knew and loved.
I liked the movie very much but I’m warning you now it’s not all in 3D which disappointed but didn’t ruin the movie for me. The actors were excellent and Johnny Depp didn’t steal the whole movie away from his co-actors although when he is in a movie it’s hard to ignore him, especially as the Mad Hatter.
It should appeal to all ages and with Tim Burton directing was very entertaining. The story of Alice’s comeback to Underland turning it back into Wonderland was a psychedelic trip and beautiful to behold.
Have fun seeing it and if you miss it on the big screen then it’s your loss.
I hope you enjoyed my review and background information. I don’t usually give movie reviews but it being Alice In Wonderland I had to. I must say the movie should have been about Alice from the McGee’s Alice video game it would have been much bigger and better but with Disney on board I’m not surprised it never happened.
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