Alice in Wonderland ***½ (7/10)

Rating: 7/10 (30 January 2018)

Available on Blu-ray Disc (Region B)
USA 2010 English (Colour); Family/Fantasy/Adventure/Animation (Walt Disney/Roth/Team Todd/Zanuck); 109 minutes (PG certificate)
Crew includes: Tim Burton (Director); Linda Woolverton (Screenwriter, adapting Novels ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND and THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS, AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE by Lewis Carroll *** [6/10]); Richard D. Zanuck, Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd, Joe Roth (Producers); Peter Tobyansen, Chris Lebenzon (Executive Producers); Dariusz Wolski (Cinematographer); Robert Stromberg (Production Designer); Chris Lebenzon (Editor); Danny Elfman (Composer)
Cast includes: Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter), Mia Wasikowska (Alice Kingsleigh), Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen), Anne Hathaway (White Queen), Crispin Glover (Stayne, Knave of Hearts), Matt Lucas (Tweedledee/Tweedledum), Marton Csokas (Charles Kingsleigh), Tim Pigott-Smith (Lord Ascot), Lindsay Duncan (Helen Kingsleigh), Geraldine James (Lady Ascot), Frances de la Tour (Aunt Imogene); Voices include: Michael Sheen (White Rabbit), Stephen Fry (Cheshire Cat), Alan Rickman (Blue Caterpillar), Barbara Windsor (Dormouse), Paul Whitehouse (March Hare), Timothy Spall (Bayard), Michael Gough (Dodo Bird), Imelda Staunton (Tall Flower Faces), Christopher Lee (Jabberwocky), Jim Carter (Executioner)
Academy Awards (2): Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design (Colleen Atwood); Academy Award nomination: Visual Effects; BAFTA Awards (2): Costume Design (Atwood), Makeup/Hair; BAFTA nominations (3): Production Design, Film Music, Visual Effects; Golden Globe nominations (3): Picture - Musical/Comedy, Actor - Musical/Comedy (Depp), Original Score
"You're invited to a very important date March 2010."
A 19-year-old dreamer (Wasikowska), about to get engaged, catches sight of a white rabbit in a waistcoat (Sheen), follows it down a rabbit hole, and (re-)encounters strange creatures from the fantasy world of Underland, where she ventures on a hazardous journey to slay a savage beast, rediscover her "muchness," and find her lot in life.
Truly a distinctive Burton endeavour (far more so than a fused reworking of Carroll's Wonderland books), with a more cohesive narrative, eye-popping visuals, and exceedingly weird characterisations.
Wasikowska is an extremely likeable heroine, big-headed Bonham Carter is clearly having a ball, and then there is the inevitable presence of an absurdly made-up (and voiced) Depp.
Blu-ray Extras: Featurettes. **½ (5/10)