2010. Dir: Tim Burton. Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway and Crispin Glover. ●●●○○
Back on the 5th March the 2010 year of film really started, sure I had seen 8 films in cinemas already, but Alice in Wonderland was the first of my top 20 films for 2010, it was among the elite that had sparked my attention before the year had even vaguely begun. I am sad to say that it was also the first minor disappointment from that list.
Effectively this is a sequel to Lewis Carroll's well-loved children's nonsense novels in which Tim Burton - notably backed by Disney - returned Alice (Mia Wasikowska - Defiance) to a Underland torn apart with civil strife. With Alice recast as a saviour to the populace, forever destined to slay the Jabberwocky.
It all begins with an utterly pointless and ill-conceived bookend involving a snotty suitor proposing to Alice in front of a crowd of unpleasant toffs. Naturally these segments are there to show how our heroine fails to fit into the real world, and how she grows in confidence to be able to confront these caricatures by the end of the film. It's a dreadful idea but at least it's mercilly quick.
Running away from the problem leads Alice to fall back down the rabbit hole, having forgotten her previous visit she falls into the same mistakes (drinking, eating, leaving keys on tables etc.) as the last time, only without the buckets of tears. Of course she meets all the characters we know and love from the books, including the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), The Red and White Queens (Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway) and The Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), as well as a host of British establishment actors in the other roles (Matt Lucas, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton).
This being a 3D kids film there then follows a few chase scenes, some silly jokes and pointy things being pointed at the camera to prove the 3D works. There are some moments of mild peril - crossing the moat or the final confrontation - but on the whole these are pretty tame due to the target audience.
It's hard to know whether it hit the right balance, in excess of $300m in the U.S. receipts seems to indicate it got it right, even when adjusted for 3D premiums. Personally I would have liked to have seen a much scarier version - I think kids can take a lot more fears than we give them credit for - maybe even to the level of Pan's Labyrinth or Tideland both of which clearly owe a debt to Carroll's work. Perhaps a little less action would have been preferable as well. I've found that following too many chase sequences together can be really boring.
On the plus side the design, as you would expect from a Burton film, is fantastic with Art director Stefan Dechant (Avatar) proving once again that he can master an imaginery world. Colleen Atwood's (Silence of the Lambs, Big Fish) costumes were also first class, although frankly I would have been surprised if she hadn't pulled it off here.
I would also like to congratulate two of the performers who really stood out for me, and I don't include Johnny Depp whose performance was utterly baffling. The first was a triumph of casting in Barbara Windsor as the Dormouse, capturing the fierceness of the animated character (even if it wasn't in keeping with the origins). The second was Helena Bonham Carter, who clearly relished in every moment of her screentime, some of her line readings were absolutely delicious ("I do like a fat pig to keep my feet warm", anyone?) and i would glady watch the film again just to see her.
Overall I would say this was a missed opportunity, but enough moments work for it to be worth a visit.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Alice in Wonderland
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Out this week (05/03/10)
As film fans we face a common dichotomy with regards to the quality of films. On the one hand we hope for many high quality productions to entice us at the cinema, on the other there's only so much money you can spend. Which is why it's an awful shame when more that 1 decent-looking project is released in the same week. However a decision must be made on the film that most looks best, and I have chosen Ondine.
Alice in Wonderland
For a short while I was beginning to wonder if we were going to get a chance to see Tim Burton's Alice remake in the UK. Disney's headlining grabbing tousle with the major cinema chains about the release window almost meant this would have a limited UK release. Eventually the major chains bowed down under commercial pressure, so I should be poppoing out one evening next week.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Angardi Theru
The trailer for this Tamil production looks both cheaply produced and confusing. I suspect it's an unhappy love story about a couple working in an opprsive factory setting. If anyone knows better please let me know.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Atithe Tum Kab Jaoge
Hindi comedy in the vein of You, Me and Dupree where a distant relative arrives unannounced at the house of surburban couple Ajay Devgan and Konkona Sen, and then never leaves. The trailer has a whole section devoted to fart gags so don't expect this to change comedy forever.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Case 39
Renee Zellweger is a social worker whose charge turns out to be more dangerous than the family she's "saved" her from. Horror movie that's been delayed more times than I can remember and probably best avoided.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Chloe
Suspecting husband Liam Neeson of a clandestine affair Julianne Moore hires high-class prostitue Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to meet up with him and see if he goes for her knowing she's available. Sexual boundaries get pushed in Atom Egoyan's latest thriller.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Father of my Children
French film that covers twin subjects of grief and financial failure when a producer sees his latest project, along with his personal accounts crumble away. Loosely based on a true story.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Legion
My first one blob film of 2010. Congratulations. If the thought of Paul Bettany facing off against the hordes of angels send by God to wipe out humanity excites you, then I envy you completely.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●○○○○○○○○○
Motherhood
Love poem to modern motherhood with Uma Thurman in the lead role as a stay-at-home Mum in New York with adorable but quirky kids. I expect this has an audience, and the trailer looks unoffensive. Bonus points for having Jodie Foster in a cameo.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Ondine
Colin Farrell catches a Polish girl who could be on the run from smugglers, or who could be a mermaid in Neil Jordan's supernaturally tinged drama. It missed an audience at last years Toronto festival, but hopefully it will be worth spending a little time with.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●○○○○
1234
Low key british film about the forming of an indie band and a tentative romance within the band's membership. It's refusal to glorify the music business (or demonise it) as well as embracing the mundanity of call centre jobs taken to finance dreams has won a lot of praise among critics. Should be qworth catching.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
The Shouting Men
Somehow Gillingham football club are drawn against premiership team Newcastle United in the FA Cup Quarter final. The result may be obvious, but this film is about the journey of a few eccentric fans. And is probably the worse for it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
And a couple of films I missed on their 12 February release:
Eamon
Irish drama focussing on a boy with behavoural difficulties and his struggling parents during a half-term week to the beach.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Recap Ivedik 3
Third movie in popular Turkish series. Doesn't look like they're getting any better from looking at the comment pages on imdb.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Tuesday Trailers - Alice in Wonderland
Sometimes watching a trailer can really turn you off a film, it may have a nice cast, interesting concept and a strong word of mouth but a flat trailer will make you think twice. On the other hands some trailers gleeful play with your expectations. One of the later is Tom Burton's Alice in Wonderland which hits all the right notes for a mix of excitement and fun. It's also the first of my 20 for 2010 that i will see so I'm really hoping the trailer is an indication of the whole...
Alice in Wonderland opens on 05 March 2010.
Monday, 11 January 2010
20 for 2010 - Alice in Wonderland
If the combination of "Tim Burton" and "Reimagining" makes you shudder then turn away from my number 7 - Alice in Wonderland.
There are few directors and subjects that go together as well as Tim Burton and Lewis Carroll's delightful nonsense novel Alice in Wonderland. The twisted logic of the original stories sit easily with the gothic sensibilities of the man behind Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow.
Taking an original slant on the story the films takes up with Alice (played by Mia Wasikowska) some ten years after her previous trips behind the looking-glass, previous trips which she, curiously, can't remember. Running away from a society where she feels seperate and unable to fit in she once again follows a White Rabbit (Michael Sheen).
The totally CGI Wonderland is filled with strange and incredible characters ranging from the gentle (The Dormouse) to the pshychotic (The Red Queen, played by Burton's missus Helena Bonham Carter). Allying herself with Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter and Anne Hathaway as the White Queen, Alice must overthrow the Red Queen and end her tyrannical grip over Wonderland society.
It's the first time Burton has delved with CGI to this extent, so it's going to be fascinating what he makes of it, and the 3D seems to be acutely aware that it's job is to throw things at the audience. The trailer makes this abundently clear.
The strong, mainly British, cast also makes this a potential delight. How often will you get the chance to see Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Christopher Lee and Matt Lucas in the same film.
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Anne Hathaway
Happy Birthday to
Anne Hathaway
27 today
Anne has a lot to prove in 2010. After her Oscar nod for Rachel Getting Married last year the next couple of films - the excreable Bride Wars, straight to video Passengers - were a major disappointment. Coming up are romantic ensemble piece Valentine's Day, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (pictured) and a second pairing with jake Gyllenhaal in Love and Other Drugs. If she doesn't knock it out of the park in at least the thrid one I'll be transferring my affections elsewhere.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Johnny Depp
Happy Birthday to
Johnny Depp
46 today
I've been dreading this morning for the last month or so, not because I'm a Deppophile - I quite like the guy - but because his slate is so full of films I want to see this might be the longest birthday celebration/advert for forthcoming pics I've done.
First up is Public Enemies, which I showed you the trailer for last Tuesday. Then later this year we'll see Depp channelling Heath Ledger in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. In 2010 he'll grace the screens only once, for old pal Tim Burton, as the Mad Hatter in the Alice in Wonderland live action pic. In 2011 we'll him voice a dog in the animated Rango, so there's another box office topper (animated dogs virtually guarantees it). He's also potentially back in The Man Who Killed Don Quixote when Terry Gilliam resurrects that project. Finally (and we're really talking the long game here) Depp will be Tonto to the yet to be cast Lone Ranger.
All in all that's a really impressive slate of films, I'm sure you'll agree.
Monday, 28 July 2008
Coming Soon (maybe)
It's been a while since I last did a coming soon post so I'm afraid there's a lot to catch up on. In no particular order (but read the last couple of paragraphs for soem audience participation):
Inglorious Bastards
The script for Tarantino's latest opus (and one that's been on the rumour mill for years) was sent out to just about every studio that might be able to finance it until The Weinstein Company offered, unsurprisingly, to pay up. The script reviews on the net were fairly positive but I'd wait until the final product before judging it, especially if Quentin splits it into 2 films as hinted.
True confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Pierce Brosnan continues with his career resurgence playing against Saoirse Ronan in this adaptation of the popular novel - maybe one to take the teens to.
Nine
Next years Fellini musical is gathering one of the most interesting casts of all time: Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren. 6 Oscars and 11 further nominations between them - that's going to be a fun trailer.
Twilight, Body of Lies and W have all released trailers. I'd link to them but I haven't the time. Consider "Don't teenage vampire's have lovely skin","Nice goatee, Leo" and "Those were the best bits?" as suitable commentary.
Darren Aronofsky has been confirmed as the director of the updated Robocop and Philip Noyce is directing both Captain Blood and Edwin A. Salt. Honestly I'm not making this stuff up.
Alice in Wonderland
Tim Burton has his Alice (Mia Wasikowska - no, I don't know her either) for his part live action part animated version of Lewis Carroll's classic children's book. There's plenty of dark down that rabbit hole for Burton's sensibilities but so far no-one has made a really satisfying version of it. Let's hope that he doesn't just fill it with pointless star cameo's - hang on maybe he should.
Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter
Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen of Hearts
Make your comments please...
