Alice in Wonderland

The weakest Burton film ever. Unfortunate, but it's true. Alice is too digital, it drags (it only really picks up in those moments when the images are finally supported Danny Elfman's good motif) and is very uninteresting in terms of plot. Moreover, with perhaps two exceptions (Hatter's farewell, the digital dog and his family), it lacks any emotion. The pros: The aforementioned music (including an Avril Lavigne song), Helena Bonham Carter, a great feline named Cheshire Cat and a few funny moments. Otherwise, there’s not much, I'm sorry to say.__P.S. The return to wonderland worked much, much better in Spielberg's Hook. (17/08/2010)

Tim Burton is hands down the most interesting director of our time and every one of his films is worth watching at least once. While some of them didn't do much for me (Mars Attacks, Beetlejuice), others are among the best I've seen so far (Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood). This one is somewhere in between, it didn't impress me, but given the premise it was a pleasant surprise. The story is a bit secondary anyway, the main thing are the amazing sets, the make-up effects, the music and of course the performances led by Depp and Bonham Carter (hats off to the great dubbing). If it all formed a traditional, Burton-esque unconventional whole, I'd give it four stars without blinking an eye, but Alice is mostly overstuffed with that uninhibited, sterile form that any filmmaker who isn't afraid to break free from his chains, even though he doesn't have much to say, would produce, and in this case, that’s a disappointment... (03/01/2012)

The renowned king of bizarre worlds has finally embarked on the most famous journey yet, and though he couldn't live up to the huge fan expectations, he certainly entertained with a trip from a classic story, with slight modifications. However, surprisingly, everything depends on how much attention Johnny Depp attracts. His Mad Hatter is not just a supporting character, but an equal protagonist who almost outshines the amazingly furious Red Queen or the likeable Alice herself. **Spoilerish PS**: Even I was surprised by how much I was saddened until the confirmation in the second half that Burton didn't go completely against the rules and didn't let Alice stay with the Mad Hatter. That unspoken romantic bond was screaming for it. (05/03/2010)

Burton didn't tell a story, he simply narrated. The most frequently asked question by me was why the film is not fully animated, since everything is as artificial as the interior of a Chinese car. In the overload of "Burton-esque visuals," completely in CGI, everything is lost... except for Mia Wasikowska, who carries the whole confused (!!) mess to the end. This time, that’s liberation. It’s sterile, boring, kitschy, plastic... the perfect repellent for viewer empathy. (16/05/2010)

When the most likeable character in a fairytale is the main villain, it’s impossible to avoid the feeling that something went bloody wrong. Alice in Wonderland is a run-of-the-mill film in every aspect, though some people may appreciate Burton’s signature, even if here it’s neutered. Not me, though. Kids will probably like it, it’s not utterly bad. (01/06/2010)