Can you say more about the self-referential part?

1) The tree where Alice first falls into Wonderland (I refuse to call it Underland) is the tree from Sleepy Hollow. I'd be less miffed about this if it wasn't for the fact that the tree has also appeared in at least one more Burton movie... can't remember which.

Suffice it to say that when I saw the tree it wasn't the "Ooh, it's that tree!" response that Tim apparently wanted, it was "Oh god, that tree again?"

And that tree shape appeared over and over again in the movie, each time wrenching me out of what little immersion I had.

Also, among the wreckage of the village seen in the long pull-out shot is what seemed to be an exact replica of the burnt down huntsman cottage, also from Sleepy Hollow.

I know I saw a couple of other things but they've slipped away and I'm glad for it.

YES THIS THIS THIS. Argh. The more I think about it the more I dislike it.

I think I've found a way to sum up my distaste for this movie...

In Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Alice and Wonderland are reduced to supporting roles. The starring role is given to Tim Burton.

There's having a distinctive look, and there's drowning your source material in your own hubris.

Wow. thanks for the example. I haven't seen that movie since it came out, so I wouldn't have caught it.

I agree wholeheartedly about Alice having a supporting role. It was weird.

I always wanted a Tim Burton Alice based on that EA?american McGee game. SMG was attached to it at some long-ago point, which I would have really loved. Damn, I wasted a lot of time on that game. I wonder if they have a new version around?

ETA: Nope, not yet. Supposed to have, but not yet ASAIK.

Saw Slumdog Millionaire. Wasn't impressed.

I think some of my irritation (and maybe even anger) at Alice is that this SHOULD have been a great movie. We've wanted to see Burton take on Alice and especially Mary Poppins for years! But this was just so ordinary.

I said to Jilli that I wonder what kind of Alice movie the Beetlejuice-era Burton would have created. I suspect it would have been better because it would have at least honored the nonsensical nature of Wonderland.

And it saddens me that this will probably be financially successful when such movies as the beautiful non-Disney Peter Pan from 2003 (IMDB link) barely made a ripple in the public consciousness. If you've never seen this Peter Pan, btw, you owe it to yourself. It's beautiful, well-acted, charming, entrancing and innocent. And it never falls into the trap of including a cynical wink to camera.

It's a joy.

the beautiful non-Disney Peter Pan from 2003 (IMDB link) barely made a ripple in the public consciousness.

Oh, we own it and love it. Jason Isaacs and Olivia Williams!

Just caught A Single Man before coming home to watch the Oscars. Colin Firth was wonderful and I want to live in that house!

Another movie I caught in between was Children of Men. What a heartbreaking movie!

I loved both of those films, quester.

Thanks for the rec, Pete. I'll go netflix it.

I am running away from Natter so I can shower before bed. Can catch up on the Oscars later.

Wait Until Dark with Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin

Lovelovelove that movie! Alan Arkin is sooooo evilicious as Harry Roat, Jr., and Richard Crenna is also terrifically smarmy.

And early feature-film Disney did use a lot of live-action film to base their animation on, especially for their human characters. IIRC, there were a few actresses that were used in the live-action film who later did voice work for another film.