Tim Burton's Wonderful "Alice in Wonderland"

After months of hype and anticipation, I finally got to see Tim Burton's adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic story, Alice in Wonderland.  With his distinct style, both strange and magical, Tim Burton has definitely grown on me over the years.  Add in Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, and you're pretty much guaranteed entertainment.  Alice is certainly no exception to that rule.  Set years after her first trip down the rabbit hole, Alice returns to Wonderland for a second time, where she is destined to kill the Jabberwocky (a CGI dragon) in order to end the Red Queen's reign of terror.  As you would expect, Depp and Carter really do steal the show as the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen.  Although Depp looks a little too much like Bozo the Clown, he delivers yet another hilarious and quirky performance to be added to his long list of unforgettable characters, while Carter never leaves you doubting Burton's choice to cast his "wife" in all his movies.  Mia Wasikowska as Alice isn't bad, but isn't anything phenomenal either, and my high expectations of Alan Rickman as the Blue Caterpillar weren't exactly met by the little CGI-animated bug.  Still, a host of other crazy and often "mad" characters, like the Chesire Cat and the March Hare, make this movie well-worth the trip to the over-priced theater.  See it in IMAX if you have the chance, for a truly "wonder"-ful experience.