Alice In Wonderland

Tim Burton has never been a filmmaker that has had me excited when a new film of his is about to be released. For some, Burton is an off-the-wall filmmaker, with traces of artsy, independent flair to get them feeling like they're experiencing something just profound enough. Not too much though. Others recognize the artist in him, the one with the touches of gothic style, who isn't so much a fake, but rather a filmmaker that has sold out. That's how I tend to view Burton, realizing his potential and knowing how great an artist he can be. Just look to Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood for shining examples.

But with Alice in Wonderland, Burton has made a film that is too similarly tied to his abysmal Charlie and the Chocolate Factory than his earlier classics. Which is a shame, because Alice could have been his ticket back to "artistic" success. Instead, anyone who saw the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland will essentially see the same film, only with an older Alice, darker images, and unnecessary 3D effects. The script offers nothing new to keep those familiar with the story interested, except maybe the inclusion Lewis Carrol's Jabberwocky. And to have Alice, now much older than when she first visited Wonderland, forget everything she knew about that world by blaming it on a dream only serves to make the film that much more like the Disney version. All this would be less egregious if Alice could simply recall the only dream she has ever had (the one about her first trip to Wonderland), instead of failing to recognize a single thing about Wonderland the moment she arrives.

Setting aside the screenwriting, which is the source of most of my complaints, let us turn over to the technical side. As to Burton's directing, there isn't much to say other than it looks nice. But there isn't anything particularly stunning about his work, nor any scenes that stand above the rest. Which, and this does tie back to the script issue, is likely due to everything in the story happening so damned conveniently that emotional weight is devoid in nearly every scene. It's hard to get into a film when everything is predictable and easy. But back to the technical stuff, like the 3D. This film was converted after the film had been shot, and the difference is noticeable. Blurry images, simple depth-of-field, and other problems detract from the 3D doing anything useful. Then again, I'm not the worlds biggest 3D advocate.

We can touch on the acting, which really amounts to how Johnny Depp performed. His Mad Hatter was an interesting character, and he did much better with it than he did with Willy Wonka. I did see hints of a darker, meaner Hatter, but we never really quite get there. Everyone does decent work, but nobody is all that stunning. The most interesting characters were those that were animated, like the March Hare and the Dormouse.

I'm still waiting for Burton's return to form, and hopefully I won't have to wait too long for it. His earlier work was his best, and I don't think it's crazy to want more of that. So Alice might not be it, and it may not be anything more than average, but at least it isn't terrible. Just lose the blockbuster urge and return to simpler times. That's my advice.

Genre - Fantasy (2)

Screenplay (2)

Acting (2)

Production (2)

Directing (2)

Where The Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are is a sad, yet beautiful, reminder of how children's stories should be told. These stories should be about childhood, about growing up and all the emotions that are experienced in those early years of life, so that children and adults alike can relate to them. Which may make them dark and depressing, goofy and silly, confusing and wondrous, exciting and quiet, happy and full of life. Stories for and about children have been told utilizing these, and other, emotions since time began, and films for children did the same until recently, when some of the emotional spark has been lost to generic, dull, and easy feature films.

But Where the Wild Things Are stands out from the assembly line films, the cookie cutter stories, or, in other words, the average stuff. Writer/Director Spike Jonze, along with his co-writer Dave Eggers, have created not only a beautiful film to look at, but also a magical film to experience. We don't need to get too corny, but the visuals in WTWTA are truly stunning. After Max, the young boy central to the story, runs away from home and travels to an island full of wonderful things, is when Jonze really shows off his stuff. The Wild Things themselves are gorgeous to look at, credit mostly due to the fact that each of them are real. And by real I mean full body suits, with actual tangibility, and not simply some CGI rendering of a creature (though, smartly, the faces were rendered digitally). Carol, KW, Alexander, Douglas, Judith, Ira, and the Bull all become actual characters because of it. The world they live in, with the stick huts, the enormous fort they construct with Max, the desert past the forest and the beach past the desert, all make it seem like it is a place that actually exists.

It must be said that the visuals aren't the only things driving WTWTA. The writing is where the really powerful stuff lies. Jonze, and Eggers especially, truly know how to convey human emotion, and do so with amazing, and occasionally frightening, results. The joy in Max, and in all his Wild Thing friends, is shared by the viewer. As an audience member, you can't help but connect with them on some level. But for as much joy, there is equal sadness. Max finds himself in tears a number of times, whether it's because he feels hurt or because he caused another it, but this is something most of the children in the audience should recognize in themselves, and the adults can remember of themselves. But it is fear that Jonze and Eggers really nail. I found myself frightened by the intensity of the Wild Things, especially by Carol. I don't know the last time I felt that by something made for and about children. Carol has real pain and anger, and it makes him scary, which we, as a society, have seemed to want to censor from children. It's as if we think they cannot handle it, as if they didn't see it every day in each other or on the streets or in their homes.

Where the Wild Things Are is an excellent film, one that some will criticize as being too slow, or too scary, or not fun enough. It's a shame though, because Jonze has crafted himself an amazing film, one I believe will stand proud for decades, right along side the book it was adapted from.

Genre - Fantasy (4)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

This may very well be the first no-nonsense Harry Potter film of the series yet. Viewers are immediately launched into the world of our title character, and done so with no background or catching up. Perhaps the filmmakers realized, and rightly so, that by the sixth entry of a seven entry series, audiences should know characters and locations without silly exposition to explain everything to newcomers. And I'm glad for that. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is an exceptional film, and perhaps the best of the series. The Prisoner of Azkaban was reigning title holder, at least in this reviewers eyes, until now. While I applaud Alfonso Cuaron for taking us into a darker, more grown-up world of Harry Potter, I think what David Yates and Steve Kloves, the director and writer respectively, have done here is more striking. All the fat of the novel - and yes, each of the Harry Potter novels had fat that would be an unnecessary burden for a film adaptation - is entirely cut from the movie, leaving only a rich and beautifully told story that essentially acts as a bridge between the beginning entries and the final chapter. But that isn't a bad thing, not in the least. We still get characterization, smart writing, funny one-liners, and excellent directing. Some characters, especially fan favorites, are pushed to the back, given only the briefest amount of screen time, appearing only to serve as a reminder of who will play a part in the final films. As long as you can embrace the Part 1 of 2 (or 3 to be technical) nature of the film, there is little doubt you'll enjoy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Genre - Fantasy (3.75)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (3)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

Pan's Labyrinth

Wow. Director Guillermo del Toro has made the film he will be remembered for. Pan's Labyrinth is something you will never forget; it is a movie that will stand the test of time. Like all great fairy tales, it will inspire as much as it will frighten. Pan's Labyrinth does just that. At times, the imagery onscreen is breathtaking. A magical world filled with wonder and color and curious creatures, all for the young girl, Ofelia, to enjoy. But it does have its scares. Not horror scares, but true scares. Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez) is Ofelia's cruel stepfather, as well as evil incarnate. He kills without mercy, enjoying the slaughter for what it is. Death, at his hands. And then Pale Man, a skeletal creature with eyes in his palms and a hunger for the flesh of the young. Pan's Labyrinth is magical, and is a fairy tale that rivals even the darkest Grimm. Sure it is depressing, dark and violent, but no classic fairy tale is without those things. And despite the dour nature, Pan's celebrates life and innocence and good. It is a story for young and old alike, offering morals for everyone.

Genre - Fantasy (4)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (4)

The Golden Compass

Neutered. Castrated is another, if not uglier, term. My point is The Golden Compass, based upon the novel by Philip Pullman, removed the most bold, cutting material of the book in favor of families delicate sensibilities. The novel, and the series it begins, was biting in its criticism of organized religion. Sure, the novel received its fair share of controversy, but it is a widely loved, celebrated book for children and adults alike.

The film, however, snipped these parts away, glossing over possible controversy by hiding the religious undertones and giving the evil organization seemingly run, in part, by the ice cold Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) the same name, the Magisterium. And while this neutering made for an alienating viewing, and will ultimately lead to a sequel-less future, The Golden Compass is not terrible. The acting by Kidman, Daniel Craig, and the young Dakota Blue Richards is stellar. The film also looks good, with top quality graphics and sets. The only downfall is the play-it-safe script. Maybe a remake will right the wrongs of this version. Only time will tell.

Genre - Fantasy (2.5)

Screenplay (2)
Acting (3)
Production (3)
Directing (2)