Boy Genius has been talking about seeing Avatar in 3D ever since it came out, even after he realized it wasn’t the story of Aang and his element-bending posse. Â When Bryan and Pepa first went to see it, the idea was that it might be “a bit much” for little eyes. Â Then Bryan, raving that it was the “best movie ever”, went back with me to see it, after vowing that I “wasn’t allowed” to see another movie until I’d seen Avatar. Â I’d wanted to watch Sherlock Holmes – still haven’t seen that one by the way.
While I truly enjoyed Avatar, we’ve debated since then whether Boy Genius could watch it – whether the violence, the suggestivity, and the length would be beyond his years (a mere 7-1/2). Â Nevertheless, he had in his head that he and daddy were going to see Avatar in 3D and regularly circled back around to that topic with unwavering and uncharacteristic consistency. Â So as today was the last day of Spring Break week (the last day in which Wonder Boy could be deposited as preschool during daytime hours), we decided today was the day for Boy Genius’ venture into the Avatar world.
Despite having liked it, I wasn’t all that keen on seeing it a second time, though Bryan didn’t seem bothered by seeing it a third. Â Plus, The Girl had no desire to watch the movie, and we knew that would simply mean 2-1/2 hours of “I’m hungry” or “I need to go to the bathroom” or “I’m tired” or “I’m cold” or “how much longer” or “[insert any complaint here whined out in multiple syllables and intent on grating on your last nerve]”. Â Trying to avoid that torture, we decided to pick a movie that she would enjoy and split up. Â Since Pepa’s already seen Avatar at least 3 times as well, he decided to join The Girl and I in our 3D trip down the rabbit hole.
The Girl laughed and gasped, giggled and questioned, and, of course, chomped and chewed.  I think it’s safe to say Alice In Wonderland was a complete success in her eyes.  She’s not alone.  Both Pepa and I were pleasantly surprised, and I was even more pleasantly surprised that my satisfaction wasn’t simply the “little girl rearing her head in the grown-up feminist (slightly)” and pleased that Alice was kicking some butt.
I’m not a big fan of Tim Burton‘s weirdness, though I generally like Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter when they’re not singing and chopping people to bits at the same time. Â Though Alice (Mia Wasikowska) was a fresh face, I thought she had sufficient “muchness,” complimented well by the recognizable face of Anne Hathaway and unmistakable voice of Snape (um, I mean, Alan Rickman); even George McFly (Crispin Glover) was undeniable as the Knave of Hearts. Â All in all, this take on a grown-up Alice’s journey to the fantastical world of her childhood and back was pure entertainment that could only been made better by 3 additional parting words from the Hatter, “Alice, you’re back.”
Though there were a few slightly grotesque parts, and of course the Red Queen‘s constant calling “Off with their heads!”, I think all little girls, despite their years, should take the trip down the rabbit hole once more.