Day 1243: Through the Looking Glass

It's been a few years since the last Alice in Wonderland movie premiered and left many of us slightly confused as to what in the world was going on. Johnny Depp's performance was great, per usual, but all I remember about it was leaving the theater more confused than when I went in...which, perhaps, is exactly what an Alice in Wonderland film should be. The sequel seemed about the same to me: an enjoyable film that I'll probably never watch again.

Like usual, I headed to the theaters soon after release to see Alice Through the Looking Glass, and while there were very few people in the theater, those that were there all seemed to enjoy it. I really enjoyed Time as a character for reasons that I can't quite pin down, and while The Hatter almost got irritating at times, I loved Alice in this film. In the original I felt like her character was very one sided and flat, but here she just came alive, producing a definite highlight of the film for me.

All in all, this film just felt more colorful and upbeat than the first one, which really seems more in-tune with Wonderland. The backstory for the Hatter was interesting, and definitely kept me intent throughout the movie, but in the end I think that this also provided it's greatest flaw: the main character. The title is Alice Through the Looking Glass, but it seemed to me that the main character wasn't Alice at all. In fact, she was more of a side player who happened to save the main character: The Hatter. Considering the fact that Johnny Depp was really the stand-out star of the previous film, this isn't surprising, but at the same time it felt a bit off.

Plus, as an English major who's read Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass both multiple times, I'm not entirely sure how accurate this all was to the original novel...

Truth be told, Alice Through the Looking Glass was indeed a good film, and I still recommend seeing it if you haven't already...although you could probably wait until it appears on Netflix someday just as easily.

Have a magical day!

Day 1200: At It Again

While I saw Zootopia ages ago, my friends hadn't, so as a break from all our studying, we headed to a movie theater across town to catch a late night showing of the film, and I have to say that I loved it just as much the second time as I did the first. 

Where the first time I saw the film the focus was more on the big picture and the main message, this time I tried to focus more on the details, like Easter Eggs and the quips of each character. The powerful message the film says about our society didn't seem quite as apparent this time around, but it might be because I already knew what was coming. For my friends, on the other hand, the experience of the first time seemed pretty similar to mine, with us discussing the political connections all the way back to school. 

Things I definitely loved more the second time:

The relationship between Nick and Judy. Some people are all about the romantic relationship here, and while I can certainly see it, at the same time I also feel that if you put that aside, their friendship and connection in general is really interesting. It's pretty much unlike anything we've seen before, and that's what makes it all the more special. 

Every Animal has it's own adaptations created for it. So the Giraffes have taller areas on the train and tubes that will bring them beverages higher up. Meanwhile, the smaller animals have their own entire part of Zootopia to create. 

The Pop Culture References throughout the entire film are much more apparent the second time, no matter what they are. Some you definitely notice the first time through, but things like the Carrot Phone with provider PB&J, or the plays on Macy's and Target. 

Nick's Story hit me even harder the second time than it did originally, about how all he wanted was to be a part of the group, and then they kicked him out for being a predator. Obviously the political side of this was apparent the first time I saw Zootopia, but I just wanted to hug little Nick even more the second time. 

I'm sure this was only one of many viewings of Zootopia in my future, since I think I adore this movie more every time I watch it. It's sort of clicked with me in a way nothing has since Tangled, so I suppose that means it's moved onto my list of top favorite Disney movies, which is a pretty great place to be. 

Have a magical day!