Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Drama, Murder, Suspense, Drugs, Thieves, Police, Investigation, Disturbing, True Story, Gore, Hollywood
Tagline: The 80's - unplugged. The murders - unveiled. The legend - unzipped.
Plot: WONDERLAND – Based on a true story and starring Val Kilmer, Lisa Kudrow, Kate Bosworth, Dylan McDermott, Josh Lucas, Eric Bogosian, Tim Blake Nelson, Christina Applegate, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Janeane Garafolo, Franky G. and Carrie Fisher.WONDERLAND explores, in Rashomon-like fashion, the brutal multiple murders that took place high atop Wonderland Avenue in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon during the Summer of 1981. At first the case seemed to involve only the usual strung-out drug dealers and party hounds, but it quickly became elevated to a classic L.A. noir when it was discovered to be connected to the infamous porn king John C. “Johnny Wadd” Holmes. By the time our story begins, Holmes had fallen from being the biggest and most famous star in the hardcore industry into a state of financial and pharmaceutical ruin. As played by Kilmer, Holmes is devoted to his teenage girlfriend Dawn (Bosworth) while still married to his wife Sharon (Kudrow) and the three form a most unconventional love triangle. In the midst of his spiraling demise, Holmes befriends local drug dealers Ron (Lucas) and Susan Launius (Applegate) along with their “business partner” David Lind (McDermott), who operate out of the Wonderland party house. But Holmes is out of his element in the life-and-death world
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 Discussion forum for this movie
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 Still, the film is absorbing without being especially affecting, partly because it assembles an impressive group of actors who seem to revel in the ambient scuzziness.--A.O. Scott (The New York Times)
Once you leave Wonderland, you may feel like you need a shower, but, while you're in the moment, it's a compelling journey into the depths of hell on earth.  --James Berardinelli (ReelViews)
This sordid, violent and thoroughly unpleasant flick about the decline and fall of super-endowed porn star John Holmes must exist for some reason. But what is it?--Stephanie Zacharek (Salon)
True crime procedurals can have a certain fascination, but not when they're jumbled glimpses of what might or might not have happened involving a lot of empty people whose main claim to fame is that they're dead.  --Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)
The movie is somewhat like watching germs in a microscope. You never knew they were there and now that you do, you wish you didn't.--Stephen Hunter (Washington Post)
Well-acted but ultimately disappointing and frequently dull drama that doesn’t do justice to its subject matter.  --Matthew Turner (ViewLondon)
It's hard to care what really happened on Wonderland Ave. when the audience hates the neighborhood.  --Jami Bernard (New York Daily News)
Despite the often-unappealing subject matter, however, the film remains compelling. 71/100--Rachel Sanders (Apollo Guide)
Some worthy performances aside, this helter-skelter portrait of John Holmes and the Wonderland murders is far from wonderful.-- (Hollywod Reporter)
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| Cast |
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 | Kate Bosworth
Remember the Titans, Superman Returns, The Rules of Attraction |
 | Lisa Kudrow
Analyze This, The Opposite of Sex, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion |
 | Josh Lucas
A Beautiful Mind, American Psycho, Hulk |
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| Anyway, the movie is pretty minor when all is said and done. Yes, the style is fun and watching the "good and partying" Holmes is great fun as Kilmer does a great job with him. 6.5/10 -- (CHUD.com)
A 1980s-set true-crime murder mystery whose devious flashbacks and multiple perspectives make you feel like you've snorted too much coke - or been whacked once too often with a lead pipe. 7/10--Anton Bitel (Movie Gazette)
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