Alice Upside Down
by Sandy Tung
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DVD details
Actor: Alyson Stoner, Lucas Grabeel, Luke Perry, Parker Posey McKenna, Penny MarshallDirector: Sandy Tung
Brand: Fox
Cinematographer: Mark Mervis
Writer: Sandy Tung
Editor: Clarinda Wong
Producer: Jimmy Gould
Producer: Mark Hauser
Producer: Marie Tappero
Writer: Meghan Heritage
Writer: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Writer: Declan O'Brien
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-07-29
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Product features:
- Actors: Alyson Stoner, Lucas Grabeel, Luke Perry, Penny Marshall, Parker Posey McKenna.
- Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen.
- Language: English.
- Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only).
- Run Time: 90 minutes. Not Rated.
DVD Reviews of Alice Upside Down
DVD Review: Probably would have worked better as a TV show, but okay.
Summary: 3 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Alice is an introspective 11-year-old girl struggling to deal with the awkwardness of growing up without a female role-model in her home. Having lost their mother years before, Alice and her teenage brother Lester are being raised by their father, Ben. Together, they've moved to a new town where Ben owns a music store and Alice will be starting junior high. The film takes us through Alice's first semester as a 6th grader as she deals with her constant feelings of inadequacy, making friends, her father's return to dating, a new teacher she idolizes and another she has misjudged.
"Alice Upside Down" is, not surprisingly, based on a book series aimed at preteens and written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. The movie plays out just that way, too. It doesn't really tell a specific story, but rather follows the lead character through a portion of her life for the benefit of viewers who might relate to her feelings and experiences. For me, that works a bit better as a TV series than a movie. It CAN work for movies, but I think it would require more exciting experiences to do so. "Alice Upside Down" is successfully realistic (for the most part) and probably would work well for its very specific target audience of 6th grade girls, if they don't find it too drab, but I think as an overall "family film" it falls a little short, or at least wouldn't serve well for more than one viewing. To achieve the level of seriousness the film shoots for, it has to sacrifice the liveliness and cutesiness that made Lizzie McGuire (the series) so charming, so I'm not even sure most 11 and 12 year olds will be captivated by it. In addition, I just never found the lead character of Alice to be very likeable. At times she is a sympathetic character, but not really as often as she should be. Alice is a character who gets herself into trouble, and in the silliest ways, and though she is constantly embarrassing herself or being embarrassed by others, she never seems as believably mortified as the aforementioned Lizzie would, despite cowering a lot. And while I and surely others will appreciate that Alice is less snooty and sassy than most characters in kids' movies or shows, kids kind of are like that nowadays, so I'm not sure I'd say that adds to the realism any.
Disney Channel alumni Alyson Stoner and Lucas Grabeel star as Alice and her big brother Lester, Luke Perry (of TV's Beverly Hills 90210) plays their dad, Penny Marshall is the underappreciated Mrs. Plotkin, and Ashley Eckstein the adored and adorable Miss Cole. The acting is actually very good all around, though I have to be honest and say that Allyson Stoner doesn't really have the spark to draw me into her world. Not as bad as that dreadful young actress on Nickelodeon who can't seem to convey emotion (I'll let you guess who I'm talking about), but still not appealing enough for me to care for her Alice character in the moments that aren't tearjerkers over mother-loss or what have you. By the way, she does that thing where she talks directly to the audience in this film, and I really don't think it works here or is necessary at all. Lucas Grabeel does a pretty good job at playing the opposite of his High School Musical character here, and I'm sure both those Disney actors will draw loyal Disney Channel fans. I'm a little more old-school Disney myself, only liking a very small portion of what the channel currently runs. The highlight for male viewers in "Alice Upside Down" will undoubtedly be Ashley Eckstein, a gorgeous young actress whom I was surprised to see playing a teacher when I know she was very recently playing Disney Channel high school students herself, but I think she got those gigs with her very youthful appearance. She certainly gets the mouth watering in this film, but I've always enjoyed ogling her onscreen, even on Blue Collar TV. Definitely my favorite aspect of the movie.
Overall, "Alice Upside Down" is just an okay film, unless you are a girl in or around 6th grade who needs very little excitement or story. I realize it is intended to be a "coming of age film" as such, though more likely the first in what is hoping to be several, but I can't shake the feeling that it's just kind of TOO bland. The low-budget quality of the whole thing (something that is usually all the more evident in the music and how it is used), which looks to be lower than a Disney Channel movie's budget (probably much lower than the most recent ones), doesn't help much either. I also wasn't very big on the fantasy sequences, which felt a bit clunky in their presentation. If you or your kid is a fan of the book series though, that would surely add some excitement to seeing this film. Hey, I understand, I grew up with "Superfudge" and all that stuff (though I was more into "Bunnicula" myself). Who knows how the fans will like it though. From what little I've read about the book series (notably, one that has been praised for its coverage of the topic of sex, which makes the non-reader wonder just how the topic is handled in the books), there are some differences to be sure. The anamorphic widescreen DVD boasts a trailer, an interview with Alyson Stoner, an interview with Lucas Grabeel, and a little vid about Alice's costumes for the film. The interviews surely make nice little treats for the hardcore fans of the stars.
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