Pan's Labyrinth

Mystla

Has anyone here seen this movie? If there has already been mention of it, I'm sorry, I've been afk off and on quite a bit the last month or so and have missed a lot of threads.

This is one of those hard to categorize movies. It's a fairy tale. It's also, what I would consider, horror. There's some war movie elements, as well. It's very violent, which is not something I like (I had my hands over my eyes for a good portion of this movie ) The fairy tale aspect was fantastic, a great story.

They make the villain so vile you are cheering when things turn against him. You can't wait for him to get what's coming to him! (and boy does it!)

Here's a link to the movie's web site: http://www.panslabyrinth.com/ for anyone who is interested.

In spite of not liking the violence, I have to say that this is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. The story was great, the cg fantastic, the acting superb. What more can you ask for?

Oh, and it's subtitled, which I didn't mind... in fact we went with my dad who is hard of hearing (to put it mildly) and it was nice to not have to repeat what was said for him every couple minutes

So, how about it.. anyone seen this? What did you think?

Misty

TheSilence

I saw it. I thought it was well done and I enjoyed it a great deal.

Jackie

tall penguin

I enjoyed the film as well. I also had my eyes covered for many parts of it. It reminded me of "Life Is Beautiful", the Roberto Benigni film from a few years ago. Similar idea of fantasy being used to escape horrid atrocities. Pan's is a visually stunning film. I'd recommend it.

tall penguin

Mystla

We went to see it a couple sundays ago. We were visiting JW family members and they were all going to afternoon meeting, they asked us to go, of course.. but we had been wanting to see this movie so we went to that instead It was definatly better than going to the meeting!

I love the way they leave the end kind of open to the idea that it really happened... or to the idea that she imagined the whole thing. It could go either way depending on your own point of view.

Misty

scotsman

I loved it. The merging of reality with fantasy was seamless. Reminded me of the role of faith in society.

But the best Spanish film from last year has to be Volver - it was heaven.

Xena

But the best Spanish film from last year has to be Volver - it was heaven.

I have heard from several people that was an excellent movie, I really need to go see it!

I enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth, to be honest I expected more graphic violence, but was glad there wasn't as much as I had anticipated due to reviews. It's not a childrens movie but the violence was in context hence I could understand why it was necessary to the film.

All in all an extremely good film!

nvrgnbk

Thanks to all, esp. Mystla for starting this topic.

Been wanting to see it since I heard about it. Now it's definitely on my to-do list.Thanks for the reminder.

Nvr

Mystla

It wasn't in any close theaters when it was first released... which is why we wanted to see it so bad when we were visiting family in the "big city" Now that it's won a bunch of awards, though, it's even playing in our small town theater!! So now may be the best time to see it for some.

I haven't even heard of Volver, maybe I'll google it and see what it's about

Misty

veradico

I love mythology, and Pan’s Labyrinth is absolutely saturated with it. I saw it as a progression from Norse (magical world-tree being consumed by chthonic symbol—in this case a horned toad, not a serpent), to Greek (Persephone—two grapes (instead of pomegranate seeds)=two fairy heads), to Christian (she joins her Father on the three thrones after her sacrificial death) mythology. The satanic villain’s weakness is “pride,” and he is unable even to see Pan. I think having an omniscient narrator at the beginning and the end is meant to imply that there is something trustworthy in mythology; it’s not just a story we use to comfort ourselves and to give a meaningless universe a sense of meaning.

Mystla

Veradico- I see you have given this some thought

I loved the comparison they gave for the adolecent belief in magic and the adult refusal to believe. One woman admits she used to believe, another states that magic is of no use in reality (and dies as a consequence if her disbelief) and the male adult can't even see it when it is right in front of him.

I also liked the pile of peasant children's shoes in the monsters lair. That whole scene had me on the edge of my seat. I haven't looked at a grape in the same way since.

Misty

Pan's Labyrinth

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