Alice In Wonderland

"Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll (1865?!?) was always one of my favorite stories. Like "Peter Pan." This fascination may have been egged on by the record book Disney put out in honor of their animated movie (1951) that I listened to as a child. Nostalgia makes everything cool. When I first saw the stills of a slightly different Alice, looking very CW-ish (very young, pretty and hot with shoulder straps, exposed shoulders and crimped hair), I was a little put off. I didn't doubt that Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Beetlejuice, etc.) couldn't pull off the zany, off beat and wacky Wonderland, but ... Alice was too hot. And, a teenager!!! What I witnessed in the trailer by Disney was something much more different. I'm in love!!!! It looks like prim and proper Alice has returned to Wonderland. The characters are still zany. The scenery is very ... Wonderland. There's a lot action, cgi magic and real loyalty to the original stories, also incorporating elements of "Through the Looking Glass."

Johnny Depp (who I'll never forget as "Glen" from "A Nightmare on Elm Street") plays the Mad Hatter. He's a gorgeous man who doesn't mind transforming himself for his talent. In the same breath, neither does Helena Bonham Carter ("Room With A View," Harry Potter movies as Bellatrix Lestrange, "Sweeney Todd" --- also with the incredibly talented Johnny), playing the Red Queen. Anne Hathaway (Agent 99 in "Maxwell Smart," "Princess Diaries," etc.) as the White Queen and Matt Lucas (who I worship from "Little Britain") and Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. Mia Wasikowska plays Alice. I don't know much about her, but she looks great. Tim Burton's imagery got me to the drawing table tonight. March 5, 2010, I'll be there.

Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen and Mia Wasikowska as "Alice."

Matt Lucas as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee

Anne Hathaway as The White Queen

The complete movie posters combined.