movie: alice in wonderland
Mar. 11th, 2010 03:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amezriSaw Alice in Wonderland in 3D tonight (last night?) with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
smashedrecords and queenmaab! So good. Before I get into the details... trailers!
How to Train Your Dragon looks kinda fun. I listened to the audiobook a while back (because David Tennant read it) and I have a feeling the movie is going to be a bit different, but whatever. Scottish Vikings! With dragons! XD
Is it wrong that I actually think the new Karate Kid movie might be better than the original? Or rather, I might like it better than the original? Okay, so technically it should be the Kung Fu Kid. And okay, the trailer makes it seem like every kid in China knows kung fu. But to be honest, I never liked the original Karate Kid and I thought Ralph Macchio was annoying. So there.
TRON: LEGACY. Going to see this. THAT IS ALL.
And now... Alice thoughts!
There's no mistaking this for anything but a Tim Burton movie. The costumes, the use of colors and set design are all indicative of Burton's work. I know people are probably complaining that it doesn't look like Disney's animated Alice or it's not like the books at all... People. Have you read the book? I mean, really? There was some descriptive insanity going on there. The original animated film was pretty cleaned up and I'm not sure how you can really translated properly that text into visuals. Personally, I'm not bothered by it, nor am I bothered by some of the liberties like the Red Queen/Queen of Hearts.
Anyway. So I saw this movie in 3D and I think it was probably worth it. There actually wasn't anything I found too gimmicky and the 3D just enhanced the visuals. I think would be just as enjoyable in regular 2D, though. One the thing I found a bit odd, and I don't know if it's correct, but the film was shot as a regular (2D) production and then the 3D stuff was generated later. On Jonathan Ross, Tim Burton (and Johnny Depp) both said that the movie should be viewed in 3D -- uh... then why didn't you shoot it that way to begin with? But then again, most of the stuff in Wonderland is computer generated anyway, so nevermind :P
The opening scene was pretty neat, design-wise. All the guests at the party were in very bland outfits while Alice is wearing a powder blue dress. Normally something like that wouldn't stand out, but among that sea of beige it popped. And then once she gets to Wonderland (sorry, Underland), she's not wearing anything nearly as colorful as the other characters.
I did love a lot of the little details they put in, like the bits of dust in the beams of light at the Red Queen's castle. Caterpillar spinning his cocoon with his tiny legs! I don't know why I thought that was cool, but I did.
Mad Hatter. Let me start there. Johnny Depp is really good at playing these odd ball characters while still making them weirdly sympathetic. Hatter cares about Alice and what is happening in Underland. He has his wits about him, actually, and is often using the madness to disguise his really plans. There are of course genuine moments of madness, but it seems like he's easily snapped out of it.
Anne Hathaway's White Queen was kind of hilarious. She was ultra prissy princess-y with the arms held up and the prancing around, but when people weren't looking she'd drop the act and... well, run to the dog or gag when the Jabberwock's tongue gets cut out. I laughed. It was great.
Helena Bonham Carter was great as the Red Queen, but I also think it isn't too far a stretch from the other characters she's played in Burton's films. Her giant head and tiny body were at times distracting to me, but only because I kept looking at her neck to see if I could catch any sort of VFX screw up reminiscent of the hed-pazted-on Xavier at the end of Wolverine. (I didn't.)
Some CG thing that did bother me was pretty much any time Stayne (Knave of Hearts) was walking. His movements seemed a bit jerky at times; reminded me of a video that wasn't buffering correctly. I'm not sure if it was on purpose or what as everyone else seemed to move fluidly. I did love the models for Cheshire (LOVED Chessur), Dormouse, and the Dodo. I can't decide if I think Bayard was full CG or a real dog with CG elements... but I'm too lazy to look it up.
It did cross my mind that Alice was a bit Mary Sue as everyone (except the Red Queen) loved her. On the other hand, it's probably because she's actually nice, like giving the Bandersnatch back its eye, so in return it lets Alice take the key and then ends up helping her escape. I guess it didn't end up bothering me that much.
I want Alice's battle armor. Yes. Also possibly the red & white dress she got from the Red Queen's palace.
That Jabberwock vs. Alice fight was kind of awesome.
As for the ending - I think it was great, but wouldn't it have been weird for them to let a woman on the boat? I assumed it would still seem like bad luck. *shrug*
I think I've been a bit ruined by Mirrormask and Syfy's Alice because I was kind of hoping Hatter would show up on the ship at the end. Oh well.
It's really late and I probably forgot things, but overall, I enjoyed this film and thought it was great mix of Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass. I'll definitely by picking this up on DVD!
smashedrecords and queenmaab! So good. Before I get into the details... trailers!How to Train Your Dragon looks kinda fun. I listened to the audiobook a while back (because David Tennant read it) and I have a feeling the movie is going to be a bit different, but whatever. Scottish Vikings! With dragons! XD
Is it wrong that I actually think the new Karate Kid movie might be better than the original? Or rather, I might like it better than the original? Okay, so technically it should be the Kung Fu Kid. And okay, the trailer makes it seem like every kid in China knows kung fu. But to be honest, I never liked the original Karate Kid and I thought Ralph Macchio was annoying. So there.
TRON: LEGACY. Going to see this. THAT IS ALL.
And now... Alice thoughts!
There's no mistaking this for anything but a Tim Burton movie. The costumes, the use of colors and set design are all indicative of Burton's work. I know people are probably complaining that it doesn't look like Disney's animated Alice or it's not like the books at all... People. Have you read the book? I mean, really? There was some descriptive insanity going on there. The original animated film was pretty cleaned up and I'm not sure how you can really translated properly that text into visuals. Personally, I'm not bothered by it, nor am I bothered by some of the liberties like the Red Queen/Queen of Hearts.
Anyway. So I saw this movie in 3D and I think it was probably worth it. There actually wasn't anything I found too gimmicky and the 3D just enhanced the visuals. I think would be just as enjoyable in regular 2D, though. One the thing I found a bit odd, and I don't know if it's correct, but the film was shot as a regular (2D) production and then the 3D stuff was generated later. On Jonathan Ross, Tim Burton (and Johnny Depp) both said that the movie should be viewed in 3D -- uh... then why didn't you shoot it that way to begin with? But then again, most of the stuff in Wonderland is computer generated anyway, so nevermind :P
The opening scene was pretty neat, design-wise. All the guests at the party were in very bland outfits while Alice is wearing a powder blue dress. Normally something like that wouldn't stand out, but among that sea of beige it popped. And then once she gets to Wonderland (sorry, Underland), she's not wearing anything nearly as colorful as the other characters.
I did love a lot of the little details they put in, like the bits of dust in the beams of light at the Red Queen's castle. Caterpillar spinning his cocoon with his tiny legs! I don't know why I thought that was cool, but I did.
Mad Hatter. Let me start there. Johnny Depp is really good at playing these odd ball characters while still making them weirdly sympathetic. Hatter cares about Alice and what is happening in Underland. He has his wits about him, actually, and is often using the madness to disguise his really plans. There are of course genuine moments of madness, but it seems like he's easily snapped out of it.
Anne Hathaway's White Queen was kind of hilarious. She was ultra prissy princess-y with the arms held up and the prancing around, but when people weren't looking she'd drop the act and... well, run to the dog or gag when the Jabberwock's tongue gets cut out. I laughed. It was great.
Helena Bonham Carter was great as the Red Queen, but I also think it isn't too far a stretch from the other characters she's played in Burton's films. Her giant head and tiny body were at times distracting to me, but only because I kept looking at her neck to see if I could catch any sort of VFX screw up reminiscent of the hed-pazted-on Xavier at the end of Wolverine. (I didn't.)
Some CG thing that did bother me was pretty much any time Stayne (Knave of Hearts) was walking. His movements seemed a bit jerky at times; reminded me of a video that wasn't buffering correctly. I'm not sure if it was on purpose or what as everyone else seemed to move fluidly. I did love the models for Cheshire (LOVED Chessur), Dormouse, and the Dodo. I can't decide if I think Bayard was full CG or a real dog with CG elements... but I'm too lazy to look it up.
It did cross my mind that Alice was a bit Mary Sue as everyone (except the Red Queen) loved her. On the other hand, it's probably because she's actually nice, like giving the Bandersnatch back its eye, so in return it lets Alice take the key and then ends up helping her escape. I guess it didn't end up bothering me that much.
I want Alice's battle armor. Yes. Also possibly the red & white dress she got from the Red Queen's palace.
That Jabberwock vs. Alice fight was kind of awesome.
As for the ending - I think it was great, but wouldn't it have been weird for them to let a woman on the boat? I assumed it would still seem like bad luck. *shrug*
I think I've been a bit ruined by Mirrormask and Syfy's Alice because I was kind of hoping Hatter would show up on the ship at the end. Oh well.
It's really late and I probably forgot things, but overall, I enjoyed this film and thought it was great mix of Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass. I'll definitely by picking this up on DVD!
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no subject
Date: 2010-03-11 01:37 pm (UTC)But then you and several other folks whose opinions I honestly respect are telling me this, and Syfy's Alice are fantastic and I'm trying to decide whether or not I'm going to be moody and petulant when Jenny eventually makes me go see it. Because she will. So I will end up seeing it. And I'm having difficulty opening my mind again.
It probably doesn't help that I mostly remember my mom putting the Disney version on when I was sick and possibly delerious ANYWAY, soo...
Also: "How To Train Your Dragon" looks super adorable.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-11 04:17 pm (UTC)Mirrormask isn't a blatant Alice story, but it is definitely similar. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/v/GA1iawlsKLg&hl
And this is one of my very favorite scenes (not spoilery): http://www.youtube.com/v/re-6eOhrejE&hl
You know,
HTTYD does look adorable, but once again they've deviated from the source material.. a lot :\ In the book, the Viking kids have to catch and raise dragons, where in the movie there seems to be some insane Viking vs. Dragon war. Meh.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-11 06:04 pm (UTC)The only people I hear saying (overall) good things about this movie are those who saw it in 3D.
The knave of hearts CG was off, but the Queen rocked.
Could have done without the breakdancing at the end.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-12 06:44 am (UTC)The Red Queen was great! Which is why I'm starting to think the motion of the Knave was deliberate.
Agree the breakdancing was unnecessary, but I didn't mind it that much :)
no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 03:18 am (UTC)