This is not an animation, it’s an experience * I heard of this animated film some years ago but only now I got the chance to watch it. Possibly even before this movie I was aware of Mari Shimizu’s doll art - intriguing, haunting pieces. This is not an “Alice in Wonderland” adaptation - more of a retelling or variation, akin to the 2010 one which was more of a commercial success. That’s what I like about Carroll’s books - I often find it better to watch movies playing with their themes rather than watching one less or more accurate adaptation after another. “Alice in Dreamland” is partlydarkly stylish, partly goofy with its animation of dolls running through the changing background. It’s like a doll that might be very realistic and remind us of a living person but is still artificial and the stiff joints remind us that it’s a doll, not a living person. Yet mannequins and BJDs (Ball-Jointed Dolls) have their place in this realm too, just as art exists beside actual living beings and real places. This movie reminded me of Burton’s “Alice” in another way too - with its focus on battling some evil force. I see a few more (conscious or unconscious?) nods to other versions of Alice well-known by the enthusiasts of the books and works based on them.
I wish it was longer because in the end I felt that not all parts of the storyline were properly developed. What I liked was the curious use of dolls and diorama-like sceneries (one scene seems inspired by the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch).
Even though it’s not perfect, I decided to give it a bit higher rating because of the uplifting feeling it gave me. The message of the movie might feel personal for anyone who is deeply into creating one’s private world and who is/wants to be a storyteller. This journey with Alice healed my heart for a while.