Pan's Labrynth

[Variety of Cells]

There was quite an advertising blitz for this 'independent', and it sure showed at the usually empty independent theater near me. 

It was ok.  The story was ok, the visuals were pretty good, and the sound was overdone.  That's about all I have to say. 

I'm more interested in hearing your thoughts, and then telling you why you're wrong. 

[Andrew1911]

The sound was overdone? I don't even understand that complaint.

[Variety of Cells]

When umbrellas opened it sounded like canons going off.  When people stepped it sounded like their feet were mic-ed.  I felt the sound effects were too over the top.  I understand they wanted to add emotion to the scene, but they went so far that I started questioning why things sounded a certain way, which took me out of the film.

[Andrew1911]

When umbrellas opened it sounded like canons going off.  When people stepped it sounded like their feet were mic-ed.  I felt the sound effects were too over the top.  I understand they wanted to add emotion to the scene, but they went so far that I started questioning why things sounded a certain way.

Or it could be the theater you went to fucked up.

[Variety of Cells]

When umbrellas opened it sounded like canons going off.  When people stepped it sounded like their feet were mic-ed.  I felt the sound effects were too over the top.  I understand they wanted to add emotion to the scene, but they went so far that I started questioning why things sounded a certain way.

Or it could be the theater you went to fucked up.

Good point.  I don't trust their sound system.

[starfighter]

   Haven't seen it yet but I did like Hellboy.  If you saw that, would you say this is completely different or is it recognizably the work of the same director?

[Variety of Cells]

I saw about 5 minutes of Hellboy.  So no, I can't make a comparison between directing styles.  I'm sure some one will soon though.

[ScottotD]

It's more Devil's Backbone-ish.  I *looooooooved* it by the way, really amazing movie.

[the long undertow]

Only similarity with Hellboy that I can think of is GDT's use of makeup/prosthetics.

Much more similar to Devil's Backbone, like ScottH said.

I was warned that it was disgustingly violent before I saw it, but didn't really feel that was the case.  I have seen Irreversible, which was more graphic than I would ever have liked, so maybe my judgement is a little skewed.

Overall, I thought it was a great movie.  I'm somewhat curious what other people thought of the ending, so here goes my first attempt at using the spoiler thingy:

This really depends on your interpretation of the whole movie (ie was the fantasy stuff real or just in her head), but did you feel like her refusal to sacrifice her brother and her resulting death was really what the final test was all about, or did she make that part up in her mind to sort of lie to herself?
It struck me as a sort of false ending because throughout the movie, the faun seemed very deceptive and controlling.  It seemed to me like he was intending to use her for his own gain rather than help her return to her kingdom (if you noticed, he was getting younger as she completed more tasks).
I guess what I'm saying is the ending didn't jive with what I saw as the tone of the rest of the movie and what is everyone else's interpretation?

[Variety of Cells]

My parents also saw it, and they felt it was uncomfortably gory.  Though I've seen Salo, and after that, it's really hard to be disturbed.

Now here's my two cents about the ending.
Personally, I was waiting the whole movie for the ending to happen.  Faun seemed to be a mirror of the step father, who in the movie was obviously the antagonist.  It also seemed to be the films message, that you shouldn't just take random orders, and that's what Faun was giving her.  So I new that sometime in the movie she would have to defy Faun, and that would be the true test.  I figured it was going to happen with the grapes, but they waited till the end.  So in that sense I felt it fit because I figured it would happen.  But then again, you shouldn't be able to see the end coming, so maybe it didn't fit.

[PsypherPunk]

I saw this a few weeks ago. It was surprisingly gory (especially when it only carries a 15 certificate - when it's touted as a fantasy film, potentially you could have littl'uns 'accidentally' watching this) but I didn't feel it was excessive; it was justified within the themes being explored.

The ending was the one thing that bothered me. It didn't seem to 'fit'. Up until that point everything felt 'grounded' in reality. There might have been fauns, fairies and guys with eyes in their hands but it had a depth and curious verisimilitude about it. The ending didn't. I suppose this works in favour of the idea that the realm to which she's returned is utterly fantastical and far away from the horrors of the real world but somehow it just felt a little saccharine. Which I suppose was the idea. At which point my analysis starts going round in circles so I'll shut up.

[J-Proof]

Is them ovie worth the 9 bucks tho? I kinda want to see it

[Variety of Cells]

IF you don't mind cgi and your independent theater has good sound (which i'm assuming it does if you live in cali) thennnnn.... see a matine. 

[PsypherPunk]

Is them ovie worth the 9 bucks tho? I kinda want to see it

Absolutely. I might be ever so slightly critical but it's still one of the best films I've seen in a long time; definitely worthy of merit.

[dignan]

I absolutely loved this movie.  Between this and Children of Men, I think I could make a very strong case for why only Mexicans should be allowed to direct films from here on out.  The acting was great all around, and the captain was terrifying.  Del Toro managed to stage a simple scene of him shaving in a mirror as a completely tense, horrific event. 

It's also a very sad movie.  Sad, yet hopeful, kind of like Children of Men.  And there are explosions!  Always a plus.