Wonderland

Having fun: Jazz@Southbridge at 7atenine. Cool music. Where we lou-hei at the Esplanade rooftop after that~

And KTV at the uber-cheap Teo Heng. $4.20 for each of us and we sang from 1-7pm!!!! Coolness.

Sometimes, it does feel like Wonderland, doesn't it? =D

Talking about that.. was a tad disappointed with the eagerly-anticipated movie, Alice in Wonderland. It was my desktop wallpaper since last year when I was studying for my Sem1 final exams! My devotion and anticipation can't be more obvious. But anyways, it's definitely still a watchable film =)

I give the movie:





Since 2009 when the first wacky images of the cast members were released, everyone knew Tim Burton's take on this beloved classic would be different. It was to be another anticipated team-up with his favourite muse, Johnny Depp, who were the same team who reinvented Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, brought us the macabre delight Sweeney Todd, and Burton himself a master of the stop-motion classic A Nightmare Before Christmas.

It does seem like the perfect team to bring us through the rabbit hole once again, and rest assured that everything we love about the crazy pair is still intact (mad creativity; quirky humour), but the thing that was lacking was a key ingredient to make Alice a wild success - and that is the sense of wonder.


SYNOPSIS
Burton's adaptation is more of a coming-of-age retelling. The little Alice we knew has grown-up, and she is about to get married into an uptight middle-class family. In the midst of her marriage proposal, she gets distracted by a rabbit with a ticking watch, and before she knew it, it was down the hole and into Wonderland once more, except now she can't really recall her supposed last visit.

According to a prophecy, the dubious Alice was to slay a terrifying monster in order to end the terrible reign of the Red Queen. Along with the help of old friends the Mad Hatter, the White Queen and a whole range of other new friends, Alice embarks on a journey where she learn lessons of bravery as well as the importance of friendship.


PRAISES
The most striking part of the film has got to be the sumptuous visuals. The 3D technology involved complements Burton's wild creativity and the product - most notably Alice's thrilling fall through the rabbit hole - is a treat for the eyes.

Burton's erstwhile cast also fair splendidly with the colourful palette. Depp's zaniness is a perfect match with the Mad Hatter, while Anne Hatthaway's White Queen is delightfully airy. But the stand-out here has got to be Burton's own wife - the scene-stealing Helena Bonham Carter as the silly, temper-filled Red Queen. Her performance alone makes Wonderland very watchable.


FLAWS
But with such a beautiful package, one cannot help but nit-pick at the glaring lack of a fresh plot to make Wonderland wonderful. What is distracting is the fact that the storyline closely resembles that of Narnia's The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and the battle sequences were just as half-baked.

The cacophony of insane characters (including two CGI rabbits and one rather lame CGI mouse) contribute little to the predictable plot, which really is a pity, since Burton is known to paint the most memorable of characters.


FINAL SAY
Nevertheless, while the visual-flair of the film is definitely on-par with his stop-motion classics (which includes Corpse Bride), one cannot say the same for the emotional depth. Like its gorgeous promotional posters, appreciate the colours and the actors, but don't expect anything more than that.
~


Besides Alice in Wonderland, I did manage to catch another movie that has a similar period setting, but it is definitely not a fantasy film, and that is, the brilliant Bright Star.
I give the movie:





Bright Star tells the true tale of 19th Century poet, John Keats, and his heartbreaking love story with his teenage sweetheart, Fanny Brawne. Keats was a struggling poet in his short lifespan of 25 years old, but after his untimely death, he was considered one of the most inspiring romantic poets of his time.

Take a look at the trailer.



Jane Campion wrote and directed this beautiful film about first love - it's giddy infatuation, it's stubbornness, and it's undying devotion. Every frame is realised in poetic detail, and the scenes seem to be as lyrical as the verses from Keats' poems, which we get glimpses of narration throughout the film.

While Ben Whishaw is competent in his tortured portrayal as the young poet, it is Abbie Cornish as his passionate love interest that is both his real-life 'bright star', as well as the film's. Her heart-wrenching performance is inspiring to watch, including the talented supporting cast who make the whole love story a wonder to watch.

FINAL SAY
Destined to be largely ignored by the mainstream audience because of its source material, I still urge lovers of literature - or believers of love, for that matter - to take a look at this beautiful film.
~


Okay, Fifi I hope my Alice review is justified! :X

Going for Kumar's stand-up comedy with Kenny and Wang today. First stand-up comedy I'm going to. Hope it's good!