This is quite a charming movie. I've honestly never read Alice in Wonderland, but I've seen (and played) several versions; the live action version from 1972 that's a musical, Adventures in Wonderland (the 90s TV show with a rollerblading white rabbit and rapping Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum - please believe me when I tell you it was SPECTACULAR), American McGee's Alice, the 1985 Alice in Wonderland two-part TV movie with weird-ass celebrity cameos like Shelley Winters, Sammy Davis Jr., Patrick Duffy, Pat Morita, John Stamos and Carol Channing. Damn, I need to watch that one again.

Alice is adorable and there's lots of really iconic visuals and memorable scenes. Given the nature of the source material, it makes sense that it feels like a bunch of disjointed scenes, so I'm not grading it down on that. For me, the disappointing part of this film is that Alice's songs are the least memorable, and the least useful to the plot. The best songs are: A Very Merry Unbirthday, Twas Brillig (the Jabberwocky song - sung by the Cheshire Cat), The Walrus and the Carpenter, and Painting the Roses Red.

Notable Grossness

None, thankfully.

The animation is obviously juvenile and a little nonsensical, but that's the point. Some particularly great bits of animation include: the marching cards, the Cheshire Cat (doing anything at all), the use of teacups in the Mad Tea Party, the Caterpillar blowing smoke letters, Alice growing too large for the house.

The Cheshire Cat, a purple-and-pink striped cat with a long bushy tail, sits on a branch of a tree, speaking and laughing. The caption reads, 'Oh you can't help that. Most everyone's mad here.'

There's also some great vocal work - some is nostalgic because the Mad Hatter is Uncle Albert from Mary Poppins. He also has some great one-liners ("Mustard?! Don't let's be silly.") The Dormouse makes an excellent showing with the best poem in the whole movie, recited while sleepy (Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat). The White Rabbit has one of my favorite one-liners when he changes his voice to say "and the king" after introducing the Queen of Hearts. The Queen is a riot - I'm so pleased with how she's animated and voiced. "THAT'S IMPORTANT!"

February 16th, 2021

More Disney Animated Features

A movie release poster shows a group of white people, 4 men, a woman, and a young boy, surrounding a green animated dragon with pink wings and red hair. The poster says "Coming at Christmas, Walt Disney Productions' Pete's Dragon"
Pete's Dragon
Five human actors, a woman, a man, and three children of various ages, sit on a flying brass bed with a floral blanket, with the moon and clouds behind them. Below them, illustrated animals are in various poses: two fish dance together (one in a suit); two fish and an octopus play in a band together with the words "The Briny Boys" on the front of the drum kit; an alligator, a rhino, and a gorilla run around a soccer field in yellow and green athletic outfits; a lion in a crown and red royal robe stands with one foot on the soccer ball; and a secretary bird in a suit with glasses stands watching.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Bert, a chimney sweep, Jane, a young blonde child in a red dress and yellow overcoat, Michael, a young strawberry blonde child in short pants and a button coat, and Mary Poppins, a nanny in a red dress with a black hat with white flowers, stand on a rooftop, covered in soot.
Mary Poppins
Bigfoot, a giant humanoid creature with red fur, sits in front of a cardboard box with a downward pointing arrow on the side, wearing a pair of white men's briefs underwear on his head. He holds the crotch hole open with his fingers so he can look out. Goofy, a dog-like humanoid cartoon with black skin and a pale face, and long ears, watches from his yellow car several hundred feet behind Bigfoot, with his son Max in the passenger seat; Max looks similar to Goofy.
A Goofy Movie

Recent Snark

The Lion King

February 22nd, 2022

This is a really epic movie, but it's less of my favorite than I remember. It still has some great moments and songs I like but basically, the half of the movie where Simba's away from Pride Rock is more boring than I remember, and I care a lot less about Simba when he's not a tiny baby.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

July 13th, 2021

Do I honestly even have to review this movie? I have a matching tattoo with my brothers where we each got Lock, Shock, or Barrel. I think it's safe to say I love the hell out of this movie. I've also seen it so many times, and so many times recently, that I ranked it before I even started it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Aladdin

July 6th, 2021

This is really just such a joyful piece of art, not ONLY because of Robin Williams but definitely a lot because of Robin Williams.

Beauty and the Beast

June 29th, 2021

I love Belle and the animated furniture is charming. I liked this a lot more when I was a kid.

The Rescuers Down Under

June 22nd, 2021

This is legit one of my favorite movies.

DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp

June 15th, 2021

What in the actual hell is this movie? Is this the trial run on Aladdin? But like.............a bad one? Also the literal best part of this movie is when they play the DuckTales theme. At the end. :sigh: