Alice in Wonderland

Over spring break I went and saw Tim Burton's newest work "Alice in Wonderland". I must say, 3-D has improved dramatically from when I was a kid. I remember watching 3-D movies with those paper glasses with the red and blue lenses, remember? And only some of the things would pop out at you, like a cat's paw, or a dragon's head or something. But now thanks to the wonders of technology it's the whole movie! (As a side note, if you go, make sure to get there early so you're not stuck sitting in the front row like I was.) This new and improved 3-D makes you feel like you're actually in the room with the characters and hence, even more involved with the characters and their struggle.
Being a theater geek I was enamored with the costumes and make-up. I doubt the costumes are 100% accurate of the times; why is Alice's dress so short in comparison to those around her? But the essence comes through. Think of it like steam punk; it's inspired by Victorian clothing, but with a modern twist. There is a mixing of styles and each character is given their own style and their personalities are clearly seen in their mode of dress. The make-up in brief is calling to me to try and replicate it. I especially want to try and replicate the Mad Hatter's make-up. I loved all the colors used especially around the eyes.
Although the movie had Burton's signature dark and shadowy and gothic style, it seemed a little bit less so than normal. (Maybe because Disney had a hand in it?) Personally I liked it that way. I like to be able to get a good look at the costumes and in some of his movies like 'Sweeney Todd' I couldn't really do so because it was so dark and shadowy.
This new Alice lost much of Carroll's puzzles, riddles, and humor. Strangely enough, the animated Alice in Wonderland had some of that. You would think that the teen and young adult oriented movie would include more of that since an older audience member would catch on quicker than a child. But that's how it is. Yes, I do think that younger children (say younger than 6) should be excluded from this movie because it is a little bit scarier than the animated Disney version.
One thing that I did notice (damn you I.B.) was that red vs white rose imagery was lifted straight from English history portrayed with some fudge by Shakespeare in his Henry VI cycle of history plays. I'll spare you having to read them; the red and white roses are the symbols of the House of Lancaster and House of York respectively during the famed War of the Roses from 1455-1485. I feel so smart :).
All in all, an entertaining and visually pleasing movie. You don't have to think too hard about it, and it's definitely going to give you ideas for your next Halloween costume.