Pan's Labyrinth

[cranefly]

A well-structured movie with two very different storylines that are balanced and intertwine seamlessly. One is extremely dark, centering on the fascist captain of a military outpost in a small village. The captain is played brilliantly and is deeply disturbing -- an unflinching look at power gone wrong, and at how difficult it is to overthrow such evil. The other storyline threatens to become dark, taking place in the labyrinth and the underlying caverns as the girl pursues her destiny -- or is it only happening in her imagination?

Of the special effects, what you see in the previews mostly covers it. I was expecting a lot more little surprises. Still, what was there was done very well.

There were a couple of credibility goofs that bothered me and lady cranefly, but they were overwhelmed by all that was right with the movie.

The casting was brilliant. The guy who played the captain nailed it. Likewise, the women, the doctor, and the soldiers did excellent jobs. The girl did a great job too, though we think in a couple spots her credibility flagged -- but this was more the scriptwriter's (or director's) fault. Her strongest scene was when she put on a tutu and jumped on a trampoline.

This makes for a great family outing. Take your kids, and listen to their screams for years to come.

--cranefly

[The Queen]

Enoyed most of it, except of course for what seems lately to be the obligatory torture scenes. Don't we get enough of that in the news? Do I need to have torture in EVERY movie I go to see?

Also stupid, stupid girl. EVERYONE knows you NEVER eat food in the underworld. And can anyone explain to me the bit where she just "knew" to go for the little cupboard on the left instead of the cupboard in the middle, where the stick insect/fairy was pointing?

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

You know the scene I'm talking about. It was awesome in a grisly way. Good makeup effect. Especially when he drank. Yum.

See? I can keep a secret. You'll know it when you see it.

The girl on the trampoline would have been better if she were older and less scantily clad.