It's been many many many years since I saw the first Walt Disney Alice in Wonderland animation film, so I wasn't actually too sure what the story was about, sure everybody knows the Alice In Wonderland characters, So I watched it again this morning, having watched Tim Burton's, shall we say - sequel, last night in 3D at the cinema. After watching the movie this morn, I, like Tim Burton, found the story to be aimless. A small girl wondering through her imagination moving from character to character experiencing different events and nothing really becoming of anything in the end. I enjoyed the movie, and laughed a lot at the silly characters - the Cheshire cat is one of my favourite Disney characters, I just love his funny voice in the movie and how he floats about and causes havoc, but I found the movie didn't leave me with an answer, because it was all a dream. I suppose that's the point of the story - 'literary nonsense' - but I don't think it was crazy enough - if that makes sense? Ah well, It's just a childrens film anyway...
So now onto Alice in Wonderland 2010. The best part of this movie was that it was scary. The darkness, scary creatures, not-so-suitable for all children kind of movie that adults can enjoy works best. It seems they have started to do this a lot more recently, with the likes of The Pirates of the Caribbean, However, like a previous movie called 'Return to Oz' - one of my all time favourite movies, and the only movie that freaked me as a child, it seems like Disney loves to create these dark sequels of such innocent films, and I love it.
Return to Oz is, you've guessed it, the sequel to The Wizard of Oz. The story begins with Dorothy in a psychiatric hospital, only to escape to make her way back to very different Oz to what she knew, it's a very dark movie compared to the original. This new Oz is very dark and scary compared to the first Oz - Heads in a cabinet, men with wheels for hands, an evil witch intent on killing Dorothy and her friends, and a rocky wall seeking Dorothy's rube slippers.
Similar kind of story to Alice in Wonderland - Dorothy returns much to the dismay of the 'Queen' as Dorothy is the only one that can defeat her and restore all that is good in the land of Oz... hmmm. familiar.
ARGHH!
Anyway, Alice returns to Wonderland to fulfill her destiny. Having believed it was all a dream the first time she visited (Just like Dorothy in Return to Oz) Alice runs through 'Underland' meeting the same old characters like in the animated film, this time, however, the characters are a lot darker and funnier, although I do love a cartoon character being hit on the head with a hammer and thrown about like a ragdoll, there were plenty more jokes in this new movie that will keep me giggling for days!
Anyway, the characters were a lot more thought out this time, With the Mad Hatter having a history and the Red Queen and White Queen rivalry.
When Anne Hathaway appeared on the screen for the first time, my heart skipped a beat, for some reason, I have a massive girl crush on Anne, it's not from the Devil Wears Prada, it happened way after that movie came out, I just adore everything she does, and this movie showed her at her best. She was elegant, yet dark, with her dark eyebrows and blood red lips, I wish her lips were black gloss, however, but you cant have everything eh? It was very disappointing to hear that Anne had turned down the role of Alice all that time ago, but I was still excited to hear she was the White Queen, which according to Anne herself, is based upon Debbie Harry, whom I triple heart too.
Helena Bonham Carter always surprises me, every time I hear she's been cast in another Tim Burton film, I think to myself... oh, bet that was a tough choice to make... whatever, but she always surprises me and always delivers. I think it's because there is hardly any hype surrounding her that you kind of forget the talent she has, she plays the role perfectly as the Red Queen and makes her kind of likable too. The same goes for Johnny Depp, He always surprises me as it does seem as though he plays the same character over and over again, but he never does. The man is a genius and suits the role perfectly, who else could play the Mad Hatter let's face it!
Alice was definatly the biggest surprise, the kind of unknown actress Mia Wasikowsk, who I have never seen in anything before was absolute perfection. Because I knew Anne had turned down the role and Mia was playing an adult Alice, from the pictures I always saw of her, I was never convinced that she would work, that it would be fitting, as Mia doesn't look that innocent compared to the animated version, and she just looked too 'normal' if that makes sense? However, this is exactly why it works so well upon seeing this movie!! I loved Alice, although at times I just wanted her to get on with it - she is human in this crazy land after all.
Alice's favourite of the movie were:
The cutest little characters ever, and a much better take on the characters than the animated movie, they were funny, of course, played by Matt Lucas, and just adorable. The facial expressions and their chitter chatter was hilarious and had me and Alice laughing so much in our seats - I know they were Alice's favourite characters because she couldn't stop going on about how she wanted to take them home after wards!!
My favourite character of the whole movie, however, was the March Hare, voiced by Paul Whitehouse.
That thick strong Scottish accent had me laughing so much, and how he was always throwing everything he had in his paws all over the place. It makes me laugh so much in the trailer when he throws a tea cup at the Mad Hatter from behind, and with a grin on his face the Mad Hatter ducks. I don't know why, but that makes me laugh every time. I have a very strange humor. Defiantly my favourite, I love him.
I went to Claire's accessories a while ago and saw this necklace in their Alice range, a small bottle with a script inside saying 'Drink Me' and I don't know why I didn't buy it, I was a bit silly not to, but I bought this after seeing the movie as I couldn't stop thinking about it, I love the spin-off items that this movie has produced, usually I can't stand tie ins, but this time, its way more fashionable tha it ever has been, well done to the money making corporations out there! You got me.
And that wraps up the Alice in Wonderland-ness of this post, I don't want to give too much away at all, other than the feeling that I got whilst watching this movie, Me and Alice saw it in 3D, and although we did feel sick throughout the whole movie, I was literally like a child again, I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I had my mouth open for the entire movie like a cod fish in amazement, I think I want to see this again, and I defiantly cannot wait until the DVD release, I will be buying it straight away!
Other than seeing Alice in Wonderland, I had a great day shopping on Saturday, in the morning I shopped on my own, in Oxford Circus, I enjoyed a burger and Frankie's Italian Bar at Selfridges, I love the burger's there so much, and you can have it cooked to how you like it, I always have it raw, which, when I watched the movie Bus Stop with Marilyn Monroe, when 'Bo' orders several "raw hamburgers' I almost vomited into my hand, however, I love it now, I can't get enough of them! Strange, isn't it?
Anyway, I met Alice around 4ish in Westfield after much strutting about on my own, and we shopped some more...
As for purchases this weekend, I spent way too much, but like everybody, I have a list of things I want to buy, and I thought to myself, this list HAS to be completed ASAP! I am sick of looking for the things I want and never finding them. So the things I bought which were all on my list include:
Blue and White striped oversized shirt, blouson shirts for summer, Denim shorts, high waisted black jeans, and I managed all of this on Saturday! amazing, huh? I was going to photograph everything, but what's the point, I'm totally showcasing it all these next few weeks at work, so why bother?
As for the Henry Holland boots, which I ordered the other day and picked up on Saturday - I hated them, they were a terrible fit, they looked great on, but I have very skinny legs, ankles and feet, so I find it so difficult to find good shoes and boots. The two shirts, however, are great and I love them! well done me.
The last things on my list include a pair of gladiator or huarache sandals, I have wanted some for years and years, and even bought a pair a few years ago in America but they were too small as they were women's sizes so had to return them, but now they have plenty for men, including these huarache's from ASOS for £28, but they only start at size 7 and I usually take a 6 or 7
Or these gladiators from Office for £50, maybe a bit too pricey for me
And I am so unsure what I think about these from Office, I love them, and have been looking at them for literally about a year, but I'm not sure... WIll probably end up buying and returning:
This is why I hate my list, I hate searching for things and being unsure, I just want what I want now!! woe is me, haha.
Other than the sandals, the last things on my list include a Khaki shirt - military themed, but not overly military, H&M have a gorgeous one for £30, but I never spend more than £25 on an item of clothing unless it is ESSENTIAL, and River Island have one for £25, which I can get discount on...
AND a massive shopping spree in PriMark which I am doing tomorrow with Alice dahling and fabulous friend Natalie. So will have something to blog about tomorrow too, hurrah!
Alice Says:
I triple heart Alice in Wonderland!!! <3 <3 <3 not for obvious reasons as some of you may think??? LOOOL :) My fav Characters were the Queen of Hearts Played by Helena Bonham Carter and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum played by Matt Lucas they had me in hysterics the entire way through the film and I wanted to take them home at the end because they where tttoooo cute for school. My only thing about the film that didn't float my boat was the 3d effect!! I left the cinema looking rather green and feeling terribly sea sick??? Clearly 3d does not agree with me one little bit!!! Anyhow all in all I love love loved the film and I would deffo recommend going to see it :) Love Alice (not in Wonderland)
