DCT Episode 33: The Devil All the Time

Decider.com

Da Couch Tomato Podcast, Episode 33, discussing the Netflix film The Devil All the Time, the Netflix trend of having long running times for films, and the spectacular performances of Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson.

Hosts: Sting Lacson and Rachel


Rating: 7/10

Review: Alice Through the Looking Glass, o Sa Title Lang Nagkapareho ang Pelikula at Libro

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"Parang out pa rin 'yang Chinese dress mo kahit sa Wonderland."

Para sa mga fans ng original literary work ni Lewis Carroll na Through the Looking Glass (And What Alice Found There), kalimutan niyo na – itong pelikulang ito ay hindi adaptation ng libro na 'yun.

In fact, bukod sa pamagat, ang pagkakapareho lang ng libro ni Carroll sa pelikulang ito ay si Humpty Dumpty. At ang mga chess pieces. At ang looking-glass insects. At ang pagpasok ni Alice sa salamin. Ayun lang. 'Yung malaking chess game? Waley. 'Yung sasakay si Alice sa tren? Waley din. The lion and the unicorn? Waley talaga. So ayun.

Isa sa mga problema ng franchise na ito ay na-condense na nila ang adaptation sa unang pelikula na Alice in Wonderland noong 2010. Halimbawa, ang tula na "Jabberwocky" ay nasa pangalawang libro, pero lumabas ang creature sa unang pelikula pa lang. Ganoon din sina Tweedledum at Tweedledee; wala sila sa unang libro, pero naroon na sila sa unang pelikula. So basically, sinira na nila ang narrative noong 2010 pa lang, kung kaya naman totally unrecognisable na ang kwento sa bagong pelikula.

So ano ang kwento nitong Alice Through the Looking Glass kung malayo na ito sa kwento ng libro? Well, since winalang-hiya na nila ang original source material, naisip siguro nila na might as well dalin na nila sa totally different direction ang pelikula. At ang direksyon na iyon ay... science fiction. Specifically, time travel. Labo, 'di ba?

So dito sa direct sequel ng 2010 film, you can tell a lot about the film base sa iisang character lang, at ito si Father Time (Sacha Baron Cohen). Una, si Father Time ay hindi naman character sa libro ni Lewis Carroll, which means they took the liberty na tumahak na sa totally different direction. Pangalawa, ang pagkakaroon ng isang time lord sa pelikulang ito ay ang cue na may time travelling na magaganap dito.

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"BAKET ANLABO NG PELIKULANG 'TO?"

Ang orihinal na libro ay totally new adventure para kay Alice (Mia Wasikowska), dahil siya ay nasa totally ibang mundo, hindi na sa Wonderland. At dahil ibang mundo na ito, iba na rin ang cast of characters dito. Pero dahil nga binale-wala na ng filmmakers ang source material, hindi na rin sila tumahak ng panibagong direksyon at kumuha ng bagong cast, maliban kay Baron Cohen at Rhys Ifans bilang tatay ng Mad Hatter. Naroon pa rin ang Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), ang big-headed Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), ang hindi naman pala mabait na White Queen (Anne Hathaway), ang mga hayop sa Tea Party, at siyempre, ang Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) na siyang pinag-basehan ng kwento ngayon.

Sa lahat ng mga adaptations ng Alice books ni Lewis Carroll, ito na marahil ang pinakatumaliwas sa source material. Ang genre ng literary nonsense ay natumpok ni Carroll, at sana ito na rin ang direksyon na tinahak ng filmmakers (ang direktor pala nito ay si James Bobin; si Tim Burton ay isa sa mga producer). Ang maganda sa mundo ni Alice ay ang pagiging dream-like nito, dahil ang mga scenario at pangyayari ay talagang non-sensical at malabo. Hindi naman kailangan ng back story ng Mad Hatter, at hindi na rin mahalaga na maintidihan natin ang history ng Red at White Queens. Pero siyempre, mas malaki ang box-office draw nina Depp at Hathaway, kaya kinakailangan lumabas sila muli sa sequel.

Ang isang dream o whimsical o surrealist work of art ay mukhang walang sense at structure at first glance. Pero sa in-depth analysis makikita na ang pagiging surreal nito ay grounded pa rin sa reality. Kaya nais ko lang i-raise ang dalawang point na ito: Una, ang steampunk motif ng mundo ni Father Time ay medyo hindi naangkop sa period kung saan naka-set ang pelikula, lalong-lalo na ang time-travelling unicycle ni Alice. Pangalawa, sa historical period na ito, hindi makatotohanan na ang kapitan ng isang barko ay babae. Sorry.

Medyo nakakabahala ang ginagawang ito ng Disney. Para silang nanloko ng mga manonood, tipong "false advertising" kumbaga. Ang dating ay parang nag-announce sila na "Hey, gagawa kami ng pelikula ng Through the Looking Glass!" Sa announcement pa lang na iyon, nakuha na nila ang market na 1) mga fans na nasiyahan sa unang film at gustong mapanood ang sequel para makita kung maa-adapt ito ng Disney nang tama; at 2) mga fans na hindi nasiyahan sa unang pelikula at gustong mapanood ang sequel para makita kung maa-adapt ito ng Disney nang tama. Either way, nagoyo tayo ng Disney, at may danger na abusuhin itong trend na ito sa paga-adapt ng mga works in the public domain. Huwag naman sana.

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"Ayaw na namin ng Part Three!"

Alice Through the Looking Glass. USA. 2016.



Orihinal na rating: 5.5/10
Huling voice-over ni Alan Rickman: +0.1
Time travel: +0.1
Pagtaliwas sa original source material: -0.2
Walang Mia Wasikowska nudity: -0.1
Johnny Depp sa isa na namang weird role: -0.1
Sacha Baron Cohen: +0.1
Final na rating: 5.4/10



RIP Alan Rickman


Basahin ang review ng naunang Alice in Wonderland.

Alice in Wonderland. 3D

By now, you will have noticed my obsession with 3D films. Well, let's not call it an "obsession", but rather, a "devotion" to what I consider the medium of the future.

As such, the first part of this review shall be devoted to its 3D-ness, while the second part will be the regular review.

First, I didn't like its 3D-ness. When I was in the theater, I could really sense something was amiss. This wasn't like Avatar.

So when I got home, I researched on it, and confirmed my suspicion: This film was shot in conventional 2D, with the footage converted to 3D in post-production. James Cameron, in all his Avatar arrogance, criticized this, saying that "It doesn't make any sense to shoot in 2D and convert to 3D." Tim Burton felt, however, that 3D cameras were too bulky and expensive, and that there was really no difference between converted 3D and those originally shot with 3D cameras. Well, maybe to regular moviegoers there isn't; but Mr. Burton, there is a difference, because I felt it.

Okay, how did I feel it? I could feel it in the depth of the shots. There was just not enough depth.

And now I consider myself a certified 3D addict. You know you're a 3D addict when you can detect the difference between converted 3D and original 3D footage.

And now, on to the regular review.

This version is based on, but is definitely not, the original Lewis Carroll books of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Those stories were more of a stream-of-consciousness hallucination all throughout. In this version, however, screenwriter Linda Woolverton attempted to put a narrative structure to it, and so it ended up as a retelling (which Tim Burton would vehemently deny). It worked, I must say. But I sort of liked the hallucinatory quality of the Lewis Carroll version.

The first part starts off in Victorian England. And for a moment there, I forgot that this was a Tim Burton film. I can't really imagine Tim Burton directing Sense and Sensibility. It only becomes Burton-esque once Alice enters Wonderland.

Among all the countless visual adaptations of Lewis Carroll's beloved tale, this version, I believe, is the one that truly puts the "mad" in "Mad Hatter". And we can thank Johnny Depp for that. His Hatter was bonkers. Like totally. And even the March Hare was cuckoo.

Helena Bonham Carter, a.k.a. Mrs. Tim Burton, was perfect as the Red Queen. Plus I loved how Burton made her head bigger. Bonham Carter brought a new edge to the Red Queen. Tyranny with insanity.

Anne Hathaway, I now have no doubt about your acting skills. Yeah, she was really great in Rachel Getting Married. But as the White Queen, you could see that she can take any role given to her, and execute it with style. And I now officially have a crush on Anne Hathaway because of her acting prowess.

Mia Wasikowska, I admit that I thought you wouldn't be able to pull this off. But surprisingly, you did. Good job. But you're still not as pretty as I thought you would be.

Crispin Glover, I don't even have to say anything. You are one talented actor. You may not be mainstream enough, but all your fans since Back to the Future know that you are one talented actor. I think I already said that.

And Alan Rickman, I'd know your Severus Snape voice anywhere. But I've nothing against you, as I like you as an actor.

The Cheshire Cat was the best portrayal of the Cheshire Cat I've ever seen, floating around like a ghost, disappearing in a puff of smoke. I can't help but compare this to the animated Disney version, where the cat was more of an annoyance that didn't really help propel the story forward. Oh, wait. The original didn't really have a story. Oh well. The only thing I didn't like was when they addressed the Cheshire Cat as "Ches". Please stop Americanizing Lewis Carroll's creations. Thank you.

And finally, great character design for the Jabberwocky. I think this design was lifted straight out of Sir John Tenniel's illustration. But why oh why did Mr. Burton decide to use Christopher Lee to voice this monster? Again, my only explanation: to milk Mr. Lee for all the movies he can make, before he snuffs it. Sorry if I sound so mean.

Anyway, I've learned a valuable lesson with this movie, one that could save me a lot of money. And that is: Never watch a 3D film that wasn't shot on 3D cameras. If it was just converted 3D footage, just watch it in regular cinemas. You should be paying for the 3D experience, not the conversion.

*some info from IMDb and Wikipedia

pic from iconvsicon.com

Alice in Wonderland. USA. 2010.

Rating: Eight out of ten.

3D-ness: Five out of ten.