Pans Labyrinth

I saw Pans Labyrinth today, from the exceptional director Guillermo Del Toro, and have to say it was beautiful. Del Toro's foriegn films are sueprior to his excellent American films and I would say this is his masterpiece. Though I haven't yet seen Mimic of Kronos I could not imagine them to be as exquisite, touching, and moving as this film was. Better than any move I seen in 2006 and no doubt the best I'll see of 2007 I highly reccomend this movie.

"Pan's Labyrinth" is the story of a young girl who travels with her pregnant mother to live with her mother's new husband in a rural area up North in Spain, 1944, after Franco's victory. The girl lives in an imaginary world of her own creation and faces the real world with much chagrin. Post-war Fascist repression is at its height in rural Spain and the girl must come to terms with that through a fable of her own.

I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy films but growing up on fairy tales and classic Disney animated movies I've always enjoyed these storybook tales and to see a dark, graphic, yet wonderfully poetic fairy tale was truely astounding. Del Toro has that cinematic eye that most directors now don't have. The way the cameras move, the lighting and angles work, and how he plays with a moment. Much credit to the exceptional actors especially Ivana Baquero who was wonderful as the main character Ofelia.

See this movie.