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    Alice in Wonderland

    Reviewed by
    psterl3384@

    I have mixed feelings about this movie. Going into the movie I knew that it woud have Tim Burton's dark edge to the storyline. I felt the same somehow when I saw Downey Jr's Sherlock Holmes in that I might have enjoyed that movie by any other name. But because it was a Sherlock Holmes picture I felt that it fell short. Had it just been just a detective movie I would have watched with a different mind set. Alice was the same to me. There were a few parts that were taken directly from the book/original movie, but by and large it was just another fairy tale, like Narnia, involving underworld elements, or good guys against bad guys. The lead role of Alice was a cardboard cutout. She did not evoke any vibrance or leadership that was supposed to be in her character for the movie. The 3D element had no real visual impact on the movie, so go see it in 2D and save a few bucks. The 3-D is fine but not eye popping. Now for Mr. Elfman's music. The music for this movie was absolutely non-stop and LOUD. It truly interfered with the auditory aspect of the movie. It was difficult to hear any spoke words during the climax. I had no idea what Alice was saying as she was fighting nor Johnnie Depp when he spoke to her. It was loud and continuous all the time. I spoke to several others in the theater afterwards and they agreed with this point. It was very distracting. Over all the movie is not bad. If Alice had been more dynamic or vibrant the story may have unfolded more convincingly. Perhaps it is my bias, but all the characters from the original Disney movie were "adorably funny" while any of the new ones were a bit too menacing. I understand that Burton wanted these meancing characters to maintain his slant on the story. This movie had some fine points of action and character interaction, but was far too long.

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    psterl3384@  5.3.2010 age: 50+ 202 reviews

    Sorry to burst your bubble but Sherlock Holmes was quite close to the original book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle other than Watson's super human strength.

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    thesdi@  6.3.2010 age: 18-25 3 reviews

    No bubble burst here... but it was not close to the book. Holmes is not a macho six-pack bar room fighter. There were similarities of course. The point in my review is that if someone comes out with a movie that has within its title a reference to a "classic" story, then I go in with a mind set as opposed to going into the theater with no pre-judgements. District Nine is an example of no "expectations". You go in and just let the movie happen. If I go to a movie called Rocky XII then I am not looking for a librarian love story. With Alice there was a movie made over 70 years ago. This movie was full of creative ideas and wonderment. So if you are naming a movie Alice in Wonderland, then I am expecting a similar (but darker) story from Burton. In spite of the technological advances I think that the overall creativeness by Disney is better. This movie inundated you with its music. Many characters were "mean". Alice was not vivacious and should have been. This is a children's classic. It kind of fell into the Avatar type ending with everyone fighting everyone else. In the original there was a sense of fear but it was implied and actual violence never took place. Did this new Alice really need to chop off a head? Perhaps instead she could have removed a splinter from the angry dragon to garner its affection... and everyone lives happily ever after. Sorry for rambling.

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    buddie_dog@  6.3.2010 age: 1-12 20 reviews

    Your review was too long. The movie was great.

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    jack@  6.3.2010 age: 36-49

    I agree with you about Sherlock Holmes, a great film but not a Sherlock Holmes film... too many essential "Holmes" elements were changed or missing. Same thing here, I thought. A good film, but didn't quite capture the feeling of what we all loved about Alice in Wonderland. It's quite alright to update or modernize films, but I think you have to keep the original "flavor" alive, and I agree with you that both films fell a little short in that area.

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    cziga@  6.3.2010 age: 26-35 9 reviews

    Gee Jack... well don't read it then. Would you rather I just said," This movie sucked."? And the movie was not great, it missed the mark on many levels. It was not cute enough for kids nor sinister enough for adults... The lead role was horribly bland.

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    psterl3384@  7.3.2010 age: 50+ 202 reviews

    WARNING: This comment is hidden because it reveals the content of the film.
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    Love the jousting, keep it comin', ,, Well, Holmes is described as a formidable bare-knuckle fighter. In The Sign of the Four, Holmes introduces himself to a prize-fighter as: "The amateur who fought three rounds with you at Alison's rooms on the night of your benefit four years back." McMurdo responds by saying," Ah, you're one that has wasted your gifts, you have! You might have aimed high, if you had joined the fancy." Holmes engages in hand to hand combat with his adversaries on occasions throughout the stories, inevitably emerging the victor. (32) It is mentioned also in "Gloria Scott" that Holmes trained as a boxer. I am not taking away the fact that Burton's film failed on many accounts-which it has. Alice is one of the most poorly misunderstood 'classics' of all time. Please, don't you or anyone say something with nothing to back it up. On that note if you are only twelve or younger as your name states, bravo!

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    thesdi@  7.3.2010 age: 18-25 3 reviews

    Thanks for responding Buddie. My sentiments exactly.

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    psterl3384@  9.3.2010 age: 50+ 202 reviews

    Thanks for that information. Holmes was involved in the manly art of pugilism. So it was a bit of a stretch for me to have him as a "brawler" in a bar. Perhaps they were trying to modernize the fist fighting aspect. All that to say, I would have liked this movie more so or viewed it differently, if the title had been something else.

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    psterl3384@  9.3.2010 age: 50+ 202 reviews

    Thanks for your supportive comments cziga. I get criticized for writing too much and for not writing enough... Thanks again for your comments.

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    psterl3384@  14.3.2010 age: 50+ 202 reviews

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