dinner and a movie: Alice in Wonderland & The Melting Pot

Welcome to my recap of last week's fabulous Friday night. Mr. nomadreader and I had a rare venture into suburbia to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D IMAX. I absolutely adored it. I had middling expectations going into it, as I read some bad reviews of it. I also had no emotional attachment to any version of the Alice story. Alice is not a timid little girl in this film; she's a 19-year-old woman with a mind of her own in a time that it's not necessarily in her best interest. 

The film begins as a period piece and introduces us to Alice, her mother and a rather uptight Victorian aristocratic crowd. Faced with a very public marriage proposal to a man she clearly doesn't love, she flees after a well-dressed rabbit and falls into the rabbit hole to a far different world.

From there, the imagery goes haywire in a good way. Burton plays with size, perspective and reality beautifully. The film plays with whether Alice is dreaming or really experiencing this strange land. Is she the right Alice? Would knowing it was a dream or nightmare make her act differently? I was fascinated with these ideas of reality versus perception. I was also mesmerized by everything happening on screen. The film is rated PG, but it's rather violent for a children's movie. It's a children's movie for adults. It made me feel like a child in the best possible way. I was in awe of what was happening before my eyes. It was magical. It was intriguing. It was mysterious. It was humorous. It was scary. It was lovely.

I'm not normally a fan of Johnny Depp, but he was wonderful. I finally understand his superstardom. This version of Alice  may not have universal appeal, but I adored it. I'm pleasantly shocked Disney made an unabashedly feminist film. It's a visual joy, but it's also a beautiful, modern interpretation that is long overdue.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Running time: 108 minutes

Release date: It's in theaters now

Source: Worth every penny for the $17 IMAX 3D ticket

After adoring the film, Mr. Nomadreader and I decided to stay in suburbia and eat at The Melting Pot. Normally, I stay away from corporate restaurants, but I do enjoy fondue. I was amazed how much I enjoyed dinner, and what a fantastic deal it was. Their wine list is surprisingly extensive and very reasonably priced. We had four courses of fruit, vegetables, cheese and meat. It was a balanced meal, albeit a large one, and it was all delicious. I'm a Melting Pot convert. I look forward to eating there again soon, but I was really ready to be in the city again after a long afternoon and evening in suburbia.