Pan's Labyrinth

[Hijinks]

If you want to see the director's other film, try "The Devil's Backbone," which is considered by some to be a hand-in-hand film to go with "Pan's Labyrinth." There's very little fantasy aspect to it, it's a suspense-thriller-horror. Also in Spanish with English subtitles. I rented it via Netflix and enjoyed it very much. I thought the main ghost was very well done. Beautifully shot film, very well acted.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

It has still not opened locally for me I am in Alabama. I will have to go to Atlanta or wait for DVD. Pity.

 

[Glyfair]

I saw it this evening when my players didn't show up for my Heroquest game (in their defense, no one actually got back to say they'd be here). I ended up with lots of fodder for heroquest though. Lots of ideas for visualizing the various otherworlds (from subtle intrusion into the reakl world, to obvious transition).

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I saw it. It was okay. I frankly don't see why it's up for any awards. It deserves to have a place in the pantheon of genre fandom. I just don't get why the Acadamy wants to honor it as anything remarkable.

 

[Glyfair]

I saw it. It was okay. I frankly don't see why it's up for any awards. It deserves to have a place in the pantheon of genre fandom. I just don't get why the Acadamy wants to honor it as anything remarkable.

On Metacritic (which takes all online reviews and distills them into a single 1-100 number) it's getting a 98 right now. That shows that critics love it (the only movie I remember with a 100 rating was Crouching Tiger). The user rating is a bit lower with an 8.4 out of 10 (so an 84 rating).

Of course, popularity and critic's choices don't necessarily coincide. This weekend's top movie, Epic Movie, is only getting a 20 rating.

 

[Mark CMG]

Chilling, stunning, beautiful. A great movie that is a must-see for gamers, IMO. (As said, not for children.)

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Chilling, stunning, beautiful. A great movie that is a must-see for gamers, IMO. (As said, not for children.)

I loved this movie. In so many ways it was Changeling: The Dreaming - The Motion Picture. Dark, with a horror of what is going on in the real world as compared with an escape into fantasy that is every bit as dark.

At a guess, someone really did not like Franco....

The Auld Grump

 

[Sir Brennen]

At a guess, someone really did not like Franco....

The director has mentioned that, on one level at least, the main character represents Spain, and the effect of the fascists and rebels on her as well as the turning of a blind eye by Europe and America to her plight. With this metaphor in mind:

[sblock]Fascisim may have killed her, but she was ultimately triumphant by escaping into her own dream of freedom.[/sblock]
That's what's so cool about this movie. It works on so many different levels.

 

[Meloncov]

I liked it, but I was mildly let down after all the incredibly high reviews I heard. Rereading the reviews makes me want to rewatch; I do feel like I missed some subtleties.

 

[ShadowDenizen]

Saw this, and loved it!

I think Del Toro is a genius. (I'd highly recommend "The Devil's Backbone" from a few years ago, as well.)

Immediate pick-up on DVD for me.