It was my 2nd choice, as Avatar was still sold out, but I truly enjoyed the movie. Great balance of light-heartedness and darkness. Cinematography, special effects and imagination of the creators were mesmorizing. Johnny Depp's quirkiness, together w/ the story-book-come-to-life effects of Helena Bonham Carter as the Red-Queen (I actually enjoyed the almost fairly tale, un-human trasfomation of the Red Queen, as what real woman would actually look like her) & Anne Hathaway's portrayal of the White Queen, I thought, were imaginative and entertaining. It's not a heart-stopping/unpredictable epic drama, as it's a light-hearted fairy tale...and, thus, not dark...and, yes, it's predictable for anyone who grew up in the US, but that also makes it extra challenging for the film-makers and the actors...and, yet, it was well executed and worth my time and money....and, thus, it deserves 5-stars for what it is.