El Laberinto del Fauno

I saw Pan's Labyrinth last night (El Laberinto del Fauno in Spanish). It was so good. I had heard it was dark, and it was; it's set during WWII and there is a fair amount of violence. I wasn't expecting there to be so much focus on the "real" side of things. I thought it would be more like the Dark Crystal or Mirrormask (both of which I liked); it is certainly more somber than either of those.

There was also less certainty than those movies. So often films clearly spell out good vs. bad. But in Pan's Labyrinth, none of the humans was wholly good or evil. They seemed more realistic, which was a nice foil to the fantastical elements of the plot. Even the Capitán, who was clearly the villain, I found a bit of sympathy for (just a tiny bit, but still). And you could really see the struggle people had between saving themselves and helping a cause they believe in.

The lushness and beauty of the surroundings just helped to emphasize the gruesomeness of the worlds, both the real and fairy. Ofelia, the main character, was very believable as a confused girl, trying to find a place for herself. The scenery and the costuming was well done and so were the special effects.

And I loved the ability to create doors anywhere you want using chalk....