Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • March 17, 2010 An eccentric peek through the camera’s looking glass by Dennis Seuling There is no shortage of cinematic versions of “Alice in Wonderland.” The Internet Movie Database lists upwards of 20 adaptations of the Lewis Carroll classic, both theatrical and made-for-TV. The difficulty in creating yet another version of this tale is to distinguish the new film from those that have come before. Tim Burton has found the right ingredients to do just that by using computer generated images, 3-D, and Johnny Depp. Burton is known for his rich visual style (“Edward Scissorhands,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Sweeney Todd”) and masterful command of cinematic techniques to raise a story from good to exceptional. As with Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Di Caprio, the Burton/Depp collaboration has been good for both individuals. Their half-dozen films together are memorable for the director’s quirky read on his subject and the actor’s eccentric performance. What better property than “Alice in Wonderland” for them to work their magic? The danger is that the Lewis Carroll book is so well known. Though whimsical, it adheres to a definite narrative and a roster of memorable characters. The State Line 375 State Highway 17 North, Mahwah Open 24 Hours, 7 Days Join Us For Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner The Best Got Better! Diner - Restaurant 201-529-3353 Now Serving Cocktails, Espresso & Cappuccino $ 00 On $10.00 and over. With this coupon only. One Coupon per table. 5:00 to 9:00 pm only. Off 1 $ 00 VT On $20.00 and over. With this coupon only. One Coupon per table. 5:00 to 9:00 pm only. Off 2 danger is veering too far from the original, resulting in either a hodgepodge or a film that has as much to do with the original as a kindergarten finger painting has to do with a Monet. Burton has retained most of the elements from the original while shifting the tale about 12 years later. Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is now 19 and under pressure to marry Hamish (Leo Bill), a man she does not love. Wealthy, titled, and excruciatingly pompous, Hamish intends to formally propose to her at a garden party in front of throngs of family and friends. At this crucial moment, Alice spots the White Rabbit and follows him down a hole at the base of a huge tree. The Wonderland she finds is far different from the one she visited as a child. The place is in a state of depression, ruled with an iron fist by the large-headed Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). Alice meets up with the Mad Hatter (Depp), who has a decidedly warm Scarecrow/Dorothy relationship with Alice. The two become companions as they traverse the landscape of Wonderland, encountering the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Matt Lucas), the Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), and March Hare (Paul Whitehouse). Visually, “Alice in Wonderland” is stunning. There is one terrific image after another, and the combination of live actors and CGI creations is seamless. The Cheshire Cat materializes and dematerializes in a vaporous mist, the Blue Caterpillar makes authoritative pronouncements amid swirls of smoke, and the White Queen glides and postures in the type of broad performance silent film actors employed. The film rests largely, but not entirely, on the shoulders of Depp, who is always fascinating to watch and never wears out his welcome. His wild orange locks, wide green eyes, and tattered clothes topped with that infamous hat contribute to a memorable characterization that encompasses zaniness and empathy. The Mad Hatter is the kind of role that an actor can take too far over the top, but Depp knows how to balance the character’s comic aspects with humanity. Puzzling, however, is his occasional lapse into a Scottish accent. Bonham Carter is a riot as the Red Queen. Her head has been enlarged, her height reduced, and she marches around shouting orders, especially, “Off Johnny Depp stars as The Mad Hatter in ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ with her head!” Played with a combination of female vanity, dimness, and monarchical entitlement, she is one of the best characters in the film. Wasikowska, though the title character, is just the means for introducing the more intriguing personalities. Most of her scenes in Wonderland involve reacting to peculiar occurrences, encountering odd characters, or getting into one kind of pickle or another. She stands out mostly in the mid-19th-century London scenes that frame the Wonderland sequences. Screenwriter Linda Woolverton gives Alice a distinctly modern point-of-view, but this seems acceptable for a young woman facing a crucial life decision. The third act of the film spends its time on a battle that seems more suited to a “Lord of the Rings” installment, but allows the effects artists to go to town bringing to life a wild incarnation of the Jabberwock, the main monster in Carroll’s “Jabberwocky.” Rated PG, “Alice in Wonderland” uses cinema and all its effects to maximize the visual experience of the story Burton is telling. This is not a usual “Alice” by any means. It is a thoughtful, eccentric peek through the camera’s looking glass. VT St. Patrick’s Day at Kirkers wednesday March 17 th ������� ���� ���� ��������� Lunch (12-3): $9.95 Dinner: $12.95 www.kirkers.com • All Major Credit Cards Accepted • Open Mon - Sat • Noon til 11:30 pm Served with Soup or Salad Irish Soda Bread, Potato & Vegetable KIRKERS • 237 Diamond Bridge Ave, Hawthorne, NJ Reservations Call: 973-427-7700