Alice

If, like me, you are mildly-to-neurotically obsessed with hunting down and ingesting every version of Alice in Wonderland ever created, don't pass this by. "Alice" (2009) is a very creative spin on the classic storybook setting it in modern day, now 150 years after the original tale, but in Wonderland terms--since evidently their scientists are smarter than ours--the technology is more like something you'd expect 150 years from now. Hover cars (er... hover "flamingoes") zip through the sky over urban cityscapes built so high you can't see the ground. People are hooked on "tea" which is a spectrum of synthetic drugs harvested by... (I won't ruin it), and the Red Queen's palace is a bizarre neon-adorned casino where the extravagance of the reigning class contrasts sharply against the post-apocalyptic world of subjects in the cities. I know right? Lewis Carroll not only got modernized, he got a botox face lift and bionic limbs in this original spin.

Another notable difference between this and other tellings is that the character "Alice" is pretty badass, introduced in the beginning as a martial arts black belt instructor, so she carries an air of physical authority throughout the story. There aren't a whole lot of fight scenes, but it's understood that she doesn't need anyone to defend her. And that subtle twist is what alters the tone of this fairytale significantly. Here the story isn't so much about Alice in distress as it is about Alice on a mission. And, Wonderland fans help me out here, that hasn't really been done before has it?

What follows is a roller coaster ride full of colorful characters, satisfying nods to the book, quirky humor, action, a creative original plot, and a scifi spin that truly bridges the gap between the 1800s, the 1900s and the century of the near future.

Gotta say, I Hatter really fun time watching this. But I'll quit my Jabber. Wocky self down to your nearest video store and grab a copy. Duchess sit there, go watch the movie already.

TV movies are usually...well, TV movies. But I was quite impressed with the SyFi's original production of Alice. I caught this the last two nights and became quite engrossed with it, just as I had been with last year's twisted-tale production of OZ.

Sure, the story has its flaws (exactly how did Hatter get the boat back? Of course she hid the ring!), but the sucking out of human emotions was quite a novel SyFi twist on this old tale, and I have to say it's one that I enjoyed. Forgive the flaws and enjoy the ride.

I must admit I kept staring at Hatter and trying to place him. Andrew Lee Potts does a great job with his character and shows a fine comedic as well as a wonderfully sensitive side, and I couldn't take my eyes off him in scene after scene. I hope to see more from this Brit actor in the future!

I don't understand all the harsh negativity heaped on this series by previous posts. As long as you aren't expecting "The Greatest Movie Ever" you should come away fairly pleased. I for one found the series fun and fresh. Some good ideas mixed with decent acting. In particular the role of Hatter was very well played. Matt Frewer(Trashcan Man for those who watched The Stand in 1994) puts in a rather delightful performance. Alice was pretty without being cliché and embodied a more realistic and modern woman. The special effects were better than your average SyFy Channel fare. I see no reason not to take a journey down this Rabbit's Hole.

I can understand why some people may be frustrated by this movie. It's certainly not like the familiar childhood version. It was interesting to see the movie depicted in this way (strangely enough there were guns and fighting, it was much more "adult" and modern). I thought it was a beautiful love story that was fun and exciting. The chemistry between the characters made me feel like I was actually a part of the film. IT had a few exciting twists and turns too, although the acting was a little on the cheesy side. I'm aware that the Tim Burton version of this is coming out in 2010 but I think that Sci Fi gave it a good try, and succeeded. Personally I think that watching different versions of my favorite childhood story is more fun than having just one version.

So two re-imagingings of Alice in Wonderland were released this year. One was from an iconic Hollywood director, the other a smaller production special on the ScyFy network. Guess which one was better? I didn't like Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, at all. My opinion is if your going to do a remake, bring something to it, don't tread the trodden ground. His version played it safe. And actually diluted the experience, by a lot. This Alice had an interesting twist on it and although it falters in some key areas, overall it had more than enough charm for me to appreciate the retelling. I liked noticing the characters from the book, and acknowledging the little nods to the original story. The woman who played Alice was infinitely more interesting to me, and I enjoyed the dynamic between the Hatter and Alice. I was surprised at the special effects and thought they were rather good for what the movie was. I also felt the casting was elevated with Kathy Bate's role as the Red Queen. She made me laugh in more than one scene and I thought she did a splendid job. My complaints are a few. While the script can have clever moments, it also falls into generic dialogue. When a director realizes what an opportunity he has with writing scenes in wonderland, and utilizes it properly, I will praise him with countless accolades. As it is, this really has not heightened scripting to any level. The other complaint was the pacing. Towards the final act, it felt very uneven, jumping from action to exposition. It just felt very rough. At the end of the day I gave it a six and unlike the other Alice in Wonderland, I would watch this one, most assuredly, again.