Thursday, February 15, 2007
Go See Pan's Labyrinth. I Command it.
Ben and I recently saw Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth and it was, in a word, amazing. This isn't your everyday garden variety fairy tale, I wouldn't let my young children even near this movie, but it did capture my sense of wonder, fantasy, innocence and sadly, brutality.
I read on IMDB that this movie got a 20 minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and I can believe it. I would have given it 30 minutes. This third film in Guillermo's Spanish War Epics is by far my favorite. The Devil's Backbone is a close second because I love a good ghost story, and it's one of the best. Cronos loses to third place because of Guillermo's love affair with snarkyass gnarly bugs in his movies, and the vampire scarab beetle was a bit much for me.
I also love that all of these movies are Spanish language films with English subtitles. It sometimes annoys me to have to read everything that's been said because I then miss looking around at the visuals in the movie, but with Pan, it really wasn't an issue and I actually understood a majority of the dialogue.
Anyway, I recommend everyone see this movie before it leaves the theatres. It really is something that you need to see on the big screen, at least once, to enjoy it to its full capacity. The characters are all so rich and real that I was completely encapsulated in this world.
Ok, ok I can't gush enough about this movie, just go out and see it. You'll get mad, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and at the end, just believe that it was ALL real.
Oh yeah, and go rent The Devil's Backbone, too, if you've never seen it. You'll wet your pants because of its creepiness.
I read on IMDB that this movie got a 20 minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and I can believe it. I would have given it 30 minutes. This third film in Guillermo's Spanish War Epics is by far my favorite. The Devil's Backbone is a close second because I love a good ghost story, and it's one of the best. Cronos loses to third place because of Guillermo's love affair with snarkyass gnarly bugs in his movies, and the vampire scarab beetle was a bit much for me.
I also love that all of these movies are Spanish language films with English subtitles. It sometimes annoys me to have to read everything that's been said because I then miss looking around at the visuals in the movie, but with Pan, it really wasn't an issue and I actually understood a majority of the dialogue.
Anyway, I recommend everyone see this movie before it leaves the theatres. It really is something that you need to see on the big screen, at least once, to enjoy it to its full capacity. The characters are all so rich and real that I was completely encapsulated in this world.
Ok, ok I can't gush enough about this movie, just go out and see it. You'll get mad, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and at the end, just believe that it was ALL real.
Oh yeah, and go rent The Devil's Backbone, too, if you've never seen it. You'll wet your pants because of its creepiness.
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YES!!!!!!!! I did see it... And, I was just short of ADORIN' this one... I mean, 99.98 % ... I Loved the Look & Feel, the Story, the Characters, and the Fantastic Elements of it... However, I felt that a bit more time and development of the aforementioned Fantastical Elements would've done it for Me... I felt like there might be about 15 or 20 minutes that were taken out of the film for time constraint reasons... Like when Ofelia is tempted by the food, and the Fairies that guide Her, then the Horrible Child Eatin' Monster that Eats 2 of those Fairies... I felt that there was somethin' missin'... Sorry, now I'm just Yammerin' on and soundin' crazy... "Pan's" is the SHIZNITE, so go see it on a Big screen ... Marls, Commands It...
Tony
Tony
Probably my favorite movie of 2006. I've seen it twice now.
Although, I need to check out some of del Toro's other movies. Thanks for the list.
Although, I need to check out some of del Toro's other movies. Thanks for the list.
Yeah, I can see that, there needing to be more of the Fantastic. I was ok with the Pale Man scene, her escape seemed short and easy too, and the think the Frog-Belly-Key scene seemed a bit rushed, but what do I know? But yeah, Tony, I agree with you in that I definitely wouldn't have said no to MORE of the fantasy world.
No problem, David, you TOTALLY need to see the Devil's Backbone (and then we must discuss it after you watch it), I mean, if you just pick one, that is the one to see. It's so rad, I can't even tell you. It's on my top list of movies as well.
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No problem, David, you TOTALLY need to see the Devil's Backbone (and then we must discuss it after you watch it), I mean, if you just pick one, that is the one to see. It's so rad, I can't even tell you. It's on my top list of movies as well.
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