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Thirteen years after her original experience down the rabbit hole, a now grown Alice (Mia Wasikowska) returns to Wonderland, meeting up with friends the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), and Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas). Whilst trying to remember specific details of the magical world Alice learns of her fate, to slay the Jabberwocky, overthrow the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and return power to the White Queen (Anne Hathaway).

Based on characters from Lewis Carroll’s books Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking-Glass, this re-hashed coming of age tale directed by Tim Burton offers much of what we’ve come to expect from the director but not much more. Artistic and graphic direction of the film makes for an eyeful of visual candy that has been meticulously detailed. Unfortunately, the cast of Burton’s usual suspects come across as relatively uninteresting  as the screenplay does little to capitalize on the wonder that is Wonderland. And, for as much as I generally enjoy Depp’s character work, his portrayal of the Mad Hatter can perhaps be likened to a one note samba that we’ve already heard several times before. Furthermore, the musical score from Danny Elfman does little to inspire any sense of “new” which seems unusual since many of his recent works have been refreshingly different. Maybe worth a matinee for the family but more likely a rental later. Alice In Wonderland is rated PG.

In the midst of an international political storm a ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) is hired to finish the memoirs of Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), the former British prime minister. While re-working the manuscript, making it a more interesting and sexy read, inconsistencies about Lang’s early past start popping up. Confused and unsettled, the ghostwriter referred to as “The Ghost” begins putting the pieces of a much larger political scandal– CIA control of the British Government, but who’s pulling the strings, and what of the tensions between Lang’s wife (Olivia Williams) and his assistant (Kim Cattrall).

Adapted and directed by Roman Polanski, this latest offering brings a meaty suspense thriller screenplay with lots to chew on. Add in top notch acting and story telling and it’s easy to see why Polanski is revered as one of the great directors of late 20th century, regardless of personal scandal that has dogged him for years. On the note of Polanksi’s personal troubles, it seems more than coincidental that one of the plot driving devices of the film also happens to be a man threatened to be exiled from his homeland; to this end, parallels between the film and the director’s own life seem closer than ever yet interesting none the less. Worth seeing, The Ghost Writer is rated PG-13.

When a patient vanishes from her cell at a maximum security mental hospital U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) takes a particular interest in the case. Upon his arrival at Shutter Island, home to some of the worst mental cases and criminal minds in the nation, things seem off. It appears as though everyone on the island has been coached or silenced and is in on some sort of greater conspiracy, the doctors, the patients, the guards, everyone. Before long Teddy realizes the further he and his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) dig into the affairs of Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley), the less likely it will be that he ever leaves the island. Meanwhile, several burning questions remain, what’s Teddy’s ulterior motive for coming to the island, how will he ever cope with the loss of his wife, and, who and where is patient number 67?

Directed by acclaimed director Martin Scorsese, the art of the psychological suspense thriller is invigorated. And, the twisting unapologetic screenplay based on the novel by Dennis Lehane promises to keep audiences guessing right up until the bitter end. All of the actors involved give top notch performances, DiCaprio in particular offers perhaps the best we’ve seen of him yet. Although before this turns into a total love fest for the film, it should be pointed out that some questionable cinematography choices do make the first 20 minutes of the film a bit rough. Attempts at being artistic end up calling attention to themselves and detracting from the overall experience by pulling the viewer out of the narrative. A stronger choice of score would have also helped the overall ambience of the film. Regardless, fans of the genre will find plenty to appreciate. Worth Seeing. Shutter Island is rated R.