Many times, I am disappointed in movie sequels. Do you know what I mean? I am talking about those movies that entertain you the entire time – and you are able to ‘check out of life’ and enjoy the ride in the world of the people and characters that you are visiting. Last year, caught a glimpse of a sequel to one of my favorite recent Johnny Depp movies – Alice in Wonderland (2010) – and found myself conflicted… I can get so excited to return to that specific ‘ride’, but end up heart broken when that follow-up story is either repetitious (recycling the same jokes), boring (bland plot), or just plain sloppy. Such a waste of time and resources, better spent elsewhere. So… what do I think of ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS?
This is the trailer that caused me to nearly jumped out of my seat when it sucked me back into the fantastical world of Lewis Carroll again! Here is a spoiler-free Mommy&Me review of ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. Enjoy:
What else do you think would happen when you mix the extraordinary talents of: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Matt Lucas, Helena Bonham Carter, Rhys Ifans, Sacha Baron Cohen, along with the voices of Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall and Richard Armitage??!
ANAHEIM, CA – AUGUST 15: President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production Sean Bailey took part today in “Worlds, Galaxies, and Universes: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios” presentation at Disney’s D23 EXPO 2015 in Anaheim, Calif. ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS will be released in U.S. theaters on May 27, 2016. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) *** Local Caption *** Sean Bailey
From the first flicker on the screen, I was tossed down the “storybook tunnel” again – this time in the middle of a serious situation on the high seas as Alice is being chased by pirates! We find Alice standing confident and proud as a captain of her father’s ship, the “Wonder”.
As I am sure you can imagine, females back in those days were not accepted as emotionally and physically strong enough to hold serious positions in society, and Alice’s widowed mother’s social standing and livelihood is threatened once again.
As Alice is forced to make a life-changing decision, she is conveniently distracted back to Underland. Alice discovers that her dear friend, the Mad Hatter, has become severely heart-broken, and depressed. She is the only one who can figure out the problem rescue him!
The original characters were wonderfully delightful, but Sasha Baron Cohen stole the show! When Cohen is not creating hideously disgusting characters, he is one of my TOP favorite thespians (as seen in ‘Les Miserable’ with A. Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter). Cohen’s perfectly quirky and evil-looking figure was mesmerizing as from head to toe. We ended up enjoying his story arc the most.
Family Viewing Disclaimer (1/low – 5/high scale):
Alice Thorough the Looking Glass is everything I expect in a PG-rated movie: The characters are dynamic. The main story is captivating and easy to follow. Kids can enjoy the twists and turns, while the parents are entertained by subtle nuances and puzzles to solve.
1 – NUDITY/SEX – It is a PG-rated movie, so all of the limited sexual nuances are subtle enough that kids would not notice.
3 – VIOLENCE – This movie has a similiar action intensity as the first, Alice in Wonderland. There are many scenes of anxious dialogue and intense fighting, without the blood and gore. For detailed scene description, visit http://www.kids-in-mind.com/a/alicethroughthelookingglass.htm
2 – PROFANITY – “Name-calling (stupid, imbeciles, dunderheads, silly nitwit, wonkers, idiots), exclamations (bloody, sheesh, my goodness, where the devil, silence, nonsense).” [courtesy of http://www.kids-in-mind.com/a/alicethroughthelookingglass.htm]
DISCUSSION TOPICS (include both overt and subtle messages of) – “Sexism, Feminism, discrimination, independence, workplace inequality, misogyny, unethical business people, piracy, kidnapping, death, loss, determination, courage, friendship, love, trust, justice, belief, and making dreams reality.” [courtesy of http://www.kids-in-mind.com/a/alicethroughthelookingglass.htm]
For more Alice Through the Looking Glass, be sure to check out:
- Alice Through the Looking Glass HUGE Prize Pack Giveaway (end 6/8)
- Alice Through the Looking Glass – Delicious Snackie Recipes
- Alice Through the Looking Glass – Coloring pages and Activity Sheets
- P!nk Music Video: ‘Just Like Fire” (original single from the ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ soundtrack)
- The Mad Hatter Surprise at Disney Park
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Visit the official ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS site here: http://movies.disney.com/alice-through-the-looking-glass