Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton) movie - will it be okay for 5 and 6 year olds?

[MMMommy]

DD1 says she really wants to see the movie "Alice in Wonderland." It looks like a fun movie to watch--for me, that is. It is rated PG.

Do you think it would be age appropriate for DDs (almost 5 and age 6)? DDs have been fine with all the Pixar movies (not bothered by any "scary" scenes in any of them). But I assume that the Pixar movies are "kid-friendly," whereas "Alice in Wonderland" might not be.

Any thoughts? Do you plan on taking DCs to see it?

[bubbaray]

Is this the Tim Burton one? Um, no, not taking my kids to it.

[gatorsmom]

I think it looks scary- even for me! Johnny Depp's eyes freak me out just on the pictures I've seen!

Nope, our kids aren't seeing it.

[mom2binsd]

The trailers I've seen on TV are very dark, with macabre makeup and scary scenes, I have a DD who can handle a lot but there's no way I'd take her to that one.

[pinkmomagain]

I really think it depends on your dc. Maybe try to find some trailers/scenes on the internet and see how they do. Or maybe try some Tim Burton movies on dvd and see how they do.

You kinda like Tim Burton stuff or you don't. My 2 older girls have been waiting many months for this movie to come out...they can't wait!!! My 4 yo has gotten caught up in the whirlwind of her sisters and enjoys taking a look at the Disney website area dedicated to Alice...but she knows she does not want to see the movie. "When I get bigger," she said to me today.

[fivi2]

I really think it depends on your dc. Maybe try to find some trailers/scenes on the internet and see how they do. Or maybe try some Tim Burton movies on dvd and see how they do.

You kinda like Tim Burton stuff or you don't. My 2 older girls have been waiting many months for this movie to come out...they can't wait!!! My 4 yo has gotten caught up in the whirlwind of her sisters and enjoys taking a look at the Disney website area dedicated to Alice...but she knows she does not want to see the movie. "When I get bigger," she said to me today.

:yeahthat:
I love love love Tim Burton, but my girls are such fraidycats, it will be years before they can watch any of his stuff. But I knew a woman who let her 4 and 5 yos watch Nightmare before christmas and they loved it. I would probably preview it first, though.

[DebbieJ]

Is this the Tim Burton one? Um, no, not taking my kids to it.

:yeahthat:

[crl]

Those previews look scary to me.

Catherine

[Tondi G]

My almost 5 year old and 8 year old both want to see Alice in Wonderland. They don't scare easily and enjoyed Coraline, the Nightmare before Christmas, 9 and Avatar. We talk about movies, we watch trailers. My children know about acting and that movies are not real life and that a lot of what they see is make up and special effects. I guess thats what happens when your Aunty does wardrobe/costuming and lots of family and friends work in the entertainment industry. I wouldn't have a problem letting the boys watch Alice in Wonderland. My kids are kinda strange though.

[egoldber]

Tim Burton & Johnny Depp is not a good kid movie combo IMO.

My older DD had sleep issues for weeks when I let her watch the Charlie&the Chocolate Factory movie with Depp. No way, no how is she seeing Alice.

[TwinFoxes]

The picture of Johnny Depp on EW would have frightened me at your DDs ages. If I had seen the movie I would have been sleeping with my parents for a long time!

In general, I don't think Tim Burton movies are little kid friendly, despite the fact that some of them are from kids books. That aside, the last few movies he's done I thought kind of sucked. I was really looking forward to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it was lame.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Sure as heck doesn't look it to me!

Beth

[Corie]

My 8 year old daughter really wants to see it.

My 5 year old son said NO! He said it looks creepy.

[lizzywednesday]

This isn't the "traditional" Alice telling, but more of a re-visit/re-telling. There WILL be super-scary stuff and there WILL be funny stuff.

I second the suggestion to pre-view it first. I was about 6 when Ghostbusters came out and my dad took me to see it after he'd pre-viewed it. He did cover my eyes at one point (it was either during Ray's dream or when the cab driver turns into a rotting skeleton) but I loved the movie anyway. But, then again, I am weird.

FWIW, Tim Burton is truly disturbed. (Incidentally, I think it's pretty funny that, years after having a breakdown while working as an animator for Disney, he's back working with Disney.)

Needless to say, he's one of my favorite directors.

[pinkmomagain]

FWIW, Tim Burton is truly disturbed. (Incidentally, I think it's pretty funny that, years after having a breakdown while working as an animator for Disney, he's back working with Disney.)

Needless to say, he's one of my favorite directors.

If you get the chance, there is a Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA in NYC. I took my older two to see it a couple of weeks ago. Very, very cool -- we all loved it!!!!! I think his character Stain Boy is truly disturbing!!! But he does such interesting stuff. His movie version of Sweeney Todd is one of my all time favorites...

[fivi2]

If you get the chance, there is a Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA in NYC. I took my older two to see it a couple of weeks ago. Very, very cool -- we all loved it!!!!! I think his character Stain Boy is truly disturbing!!! But he does such interesting stuff. His movie version of Sweeney Todd is one of my all time favorites...

I have his book of poems or whatever with Stain boy - The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy. My fave is the pincushion queen! :)

Also loved his early short - Frankenweenie!

Wish I could go to the exhibit...

[lizzywednesday]

If you get the chance, there is a Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA in NYC. I took my older two to see it a couple of weeks ago. Very, very cool -- we all loved it!!!!! I think his character Stain Boy is truly disturbing!!! But he does such interesting stuff. His movie version of Sweeney Todd is one of my all time favorites...

I know; my friend Jon smuggled a camera into the exhibit & tweeted the photos. Would <3 to go! (Need to check when it closes; I'll be out of commission starting next week!)

Sweeney Todd is my most favorite musical of.all.time and is probably the sole reason I am such a big Sondheim fan. My brother Joe and I made plans to meet up and see the film version months before it opened. (Joe is the only one of my sibs to share my love of the weird and freakish.)

[codex57]

No way! Have you seen some of the trailers? I can imagine how scary some of those scenes are gonna be, and I'm sure there will be a lot more scary scenes I'm not aware of just cuz it's Tim Burton. I didn't think Nightmare Before Christmas was too bad, but based on what I've seen so far, Alice looks like it can take things a notch up. The fact that it's not clearly all animated is part of the problem.

I'm thinking my starting age is around 8 or so. And I generally like Tim Burton movies. I just take extreme caution if it's gonna be a kid viewing for his movies.

[DrSally]

I saw a review and it's a bit dark. Have you seen other Tim Burton movies? I don't think it's targeted toward kids--adolescents maybe.

[arivecchi]

DH is super permissive when it comes to TV and movies and he said he could not believe this one was rated PG.

[Twoboos]

No way, no how. The commercials freak me out!

Oddly, I had heard/read somewhere that this actually IS intended for little kids?! I cannot believe it though (and cannot find this info anywhere, so there is a chance I made it up).

[Kungjo]

Looks scary for a child. My older DD will be watching it because it's the movie her friend picked for her birthday party. They're in 2nd grade and I still think that it's dark for them. My younger DD will not be watching. I think that it would scare her.

[BarbieSmith]

I haven't had time to check commonsensemedia.org - but they will likely review it!

[lizzywednesday]

I saw a review and it's a bit dark. Have you seen other Tim Burton movies? I don't think it's targeted toward kids--adolescents maybe.

In general, Tim Burton movies are dark-dark-dark.

If you're not familiar with him, here's a partial filmography:

SHORTS:

Vincent (student film; narrated by Vincent Price. No joke. I <3 this one.)
Frankenweenie (b/w, take off on the Frankenstein theme)

FEATURES:
Edward Scissorhands (one of the last films Vincent Price appeared in; also one of my favorites)
Beetlejuice (another one of my favorite movies)
Ed Wood (biopic of B-movie director Ed Wood, infamous for the "worst film ever made," Plan 9 from Outer Space and the sex-change feature Glenn or Glenda)
Mars Attacks! (based on the trading cards from the 60s)
Sleepy Hollow (another retelling of the Irving classic)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (based on his sketches & stories)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (he saw this as an art student in London and got a little obsessed with it)
James and the Giant Peach (which would've been OK without the songs)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (another Roald Dahl adaptation; FWIW, Roald Dahl stories are super-dark too)
Big Fish (based on/inspired by the book by Daniel Wallace)

There are a lot of super-dark themes common to all the films. I think he's an evil genius and, even being a very permissive person, allowing my future kids to see ANY Tim Burton movies before 8 or 9 would give me pause.

Even James and the Giant Peach, though I would consider allowing a 7 y/o to see it.

The "Alice" character in the film is NOT the child Alice from Lewis Carrol's books (which, although we think of them as kids' stuff, probably shouldn't be) but rather Alice all-grown-up and returning to Wonderland, which is apparently in chaos. (Although how one could tell that Wonderland is in chaos, when chaos is the rule, I have no idea, but that's another story for another day.) I would expect that some of the scary parts are going to be scarier because they'll be seen through an adult's eyes, rather than a child's eyes, and they'll be less "curious" and more "terrifying."

I'd try to see it myself beforehand so I could be prepared for whatever my child would find frightening ... ESPECIALLY if I were not the person taking my child to said movie (a PP mentioned her DD1 was going to a birthday party that would be seeing this film.)

[egoldber]

Even James and the Giant Peach, though I would consider allowing a 7 y/o to see it.

Ugh! That's another movie that ruined the book for my older DD. She was terrified of the movie and now will not even consider reading the book. :( The same thing happened with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I am so over Tim Burton!

BTW, she picked out both of those movies from the video section of the library. I don't let her do that anymore. Sigh.

[fivi2]

you forgot Pee Wee's Big adventure (!)
the first two Batman movies (with Michael Keaton)
Corpse Bride
and Planet of the Apes.
:)
Just being silly - thanks for the filmography! It was interesting - I had forgotten some of those!

I also love him, but I know my kids are a long long way from ever being able to see anything of his!

[lizzywednesday]

Ugh! That's another movie that ruined the book for my older DD. She was terrified of the movie and now will not even consider reading the book. :( The same thing happened with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I am so over Tim Burton!

BTW, she picked out both of those movies from the video section of the library. I don't let her do that anymore. Sigh.

That's too bad!

I re-read James and the Giant Peach recently and think Sarah would do OK with it. I've never read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, though.

The movies, though, I think I can understand what scared her.


you forgot Pee Wee's Big adventure (!)
the first two Batman movies (with Michael Keaton)
Corpse Bride
and Planet of the Apes.
:)
Just being silly - thanks for the filmography! It was interesting - I had forgotten some of those!

I also love him, but I know my kids are a long long way from ever being able to see anything of his!

OMG, I did forget Pee Wee, didn't I? (I <3 PeeWee's Big Adventure.)

I think the most disturbing thing about the partial filmography I gave above is that I did it completely from memory.

And, yes, I agree, your girls are going to have to be a lot older/less skittish to see even Frankenweenie! (Yours are the ones terrified of what feels like everything, right? Or am I confusing you with someone else?)

[egoldber]

I re-read James and the Giant Peach recently and think Sarah would do OK with it. I've never read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, though

I think she would enjoy both books. But she won't even let me read them to her, she was so terrified by the movies. She is very sensitive to mood and nuance and the tone of both movies was just too much for her.

[lizzywednesday]

I think she would enjoy both books. But she won't even let me read them to her, she was so terrified by the movies. She is very sensitive to mood and nuance and the tone of both movies was just too much for her.

I thought I had remembered that; poor kid. I was super-sensitive to a lot of things, so I can relate to a tiny bit of it, but I'm also a big horror movie fan, and have been since I was a kid (this is my dad's "fault") so a lot of the dark themes I've noticed don't necessarily bother me. Honestly, some of my childhood nightmares *still* terrify me and I will be 32 at the end of this month!

Like I said earlier in this thread, Tim Burton tends to do things in a crazy-dark way, so it's hard to get past that if you're not deliberately seeking it out.

[jamesmom]

No way. My DS (6) was freaked out by the Alice trailer. I probably won't let my DCs see a Tim Burton movie before they are 8.

[fivi2]

OMG, I did forget Pee Wee, didn't I? (I <3 PeeWee's Big Adventure.)

I think the most disturbing thing about the partial filmography I gave above is that I did it completely from memory.

And, yes, I agree, your girls are going to have to be a lot older/less skittish to see even Frankenweenie! (Yours are the ones terrified of what feels like everything, right? Or am I confusing you with someone else?)

I was very impressed by the filmography!

and yes, mine are terrified of everything. Which is just crazy to me given my love of tim burton and edward gorey and the like... sigh. I can get away with playing some of the nightmare before christmas soundtrack, and that is it!

[codex57]

Was Pee Wee's Big Adventure the one with the monster truck driver? I remember that freaking me out as a kid.

[Indianamom2]

Honestly, I think it would freak me out!

No way, no how, no matter how much she might beg...would I take my 5.5 year old DD to this one. I have no idea what they were thinking when they made this one.

[AnnieW625]

Ugh! That's another movie that ruined the book for my older DD. She was terrified of the movie and now will not even consider reading the book. :( The same thing happened with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I am so over Tim Burton!

BTW, she picked out both of those movies from the video section of the library. I don't let her do that anymore. Sigh.

That's my DH, he just doesn't get Tim Burton at all. I think Beetlejuice is the only thing he'll put up with. DD has seen a movie poster of Alice and said ooh that's pretty, but I have yet to explain it to her that she won't be seeing it in the theater. I think I would be okay with an 8 or 9 yr. old seeing it, but def. not a 5-6 yr. old. . I did try to watch Nightmare Before Christmas with DD over Christmas holiday and she didn't like it.

There aren't many tame Alice in Wonderland movies out there though so I think it's best to stick with the book. The Jabberwocky from the Alice version from the early 1980s (with Kate Burton as Alice, and Richard Burton as the King; http://www.amazon.com/Carrolls-Wonderland-Broadway-Theatre-Archive/dp/B00005QBZ4) freaked me out for many years. Great well done movie, but very scary. Alice is not a very child friendly movie. The Wizard of Oz at that age was much more doable.

Also I was 7 or so when I first saw Ghostbusters so my brother was about 4 or 5 and it didn't bother us much except when Sigourney Weaver turned into the demon. We'd fast forward through that.

ETA: Oh yeah DH loves Pee Wee's Big Adventure. We always forget that is a Tim Burton flick. Both DH and I hated Charlie we believe he ruined it. Those darn CGI Oompa Loompas!

[Fairy]

FWIW, Tim Burton is truly disturbed. (Incidentally, I think it's pretty funny that, years after having a breakdown while working as an animator for Disney, he's back working with Disney.)

Needless to say, he's one of my favorite directors.

He truly is. Now, I like Burton stuff, don't love it, but like it. And I think the Burton/Depp pairing is usually genius in sheer creative artistic expression. But I did not like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and I didn't like Edward Scissorhands, either. I actually have issues with Burton continuing to put his talentless wife in everything he does. It's like the only reason she gets any work. I'll give you that she was good in Harry Potter, but to be fair, they're running out of British actors and she was on the short list of warm British bodies they hadn't used yet, and since she doesn't know how to play a normal girl, that particular Potter role was the right one for her to play.

And no, DS won't be seeing this.

[pinkmomagain]

[QUOTE=Fairy;2647463] I actually have issues with Burton continuing to put his talentless wife in everything he does. It's like the only reason she gets any work. I'll give you that she was good in Harry Potter, but to be fair, they're running out of British actors and she was on the short list of warm British bodies they hadn't used yet, and since she doesn't know how to play a normal girl, that particular Potter role was the right one for her to play.[QUOTE]

Really? I wouldn't call her "talentless." I thought she was great in Sweeney Todd. And of course, many moons ago, A Room with a View (not a Burton movie).

[Fairy]

[QUOTE=Fairy;2647463]
Really? I wouldn't call her "talentless." I thought she was great in Sweeney Todd. And of course, many moons ago, A Room with a View (not a Burton movie).

I'm sorry, I just can't stand her. But she'll be a hoot on the red carpet if history is any indication!

[lizzywednesday]

Was Pee Wee's Big Adventure the one with the monster truck driver? I remember that freaking me out as a kid.

Yes.

"Large Marge sent me."