MOVIE REVIEW - Michael Clayton (2007)

I'm not a Clooney fan, but he nearly won me over. He plays the hatchet man for a large law firm, cleaning up the dirty laundry of the partners. He gave up his law practice to do what he does best, but he no longer enjoys it, and he's a tad ashamed of what he's become. When a friend and colleague starts to lose it because of a case, he has to take care of him, too - but has a major ethical dilemma doing it. Great acting by Clooney, Tom Wilkenson, and especially Tilda Swinton, who I hope gets an Oscar nod.

MOVIE REVIEW - Eastern Promises (2007)

Viggo Mortensen plays a Russian mobster in London. The lovely Naomi Watts plays a midwife who crosses his path and catches his eye. Their boring story, set to tons of boring Russian classical music, is a Russian Godfather story, but tons less compelling - and I thought The Godfather was pretty boring.

MOVIE REVIEW - Last Picture Show, The (1971)

This movie has held up really well over time. A coming of age story about a small town in Texas. It launched the careers of Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Randy Quaid, Timothy Bottoms, and gave Oscars to Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson. Surprisingly interesting for a dusty black and white drama set in the 50's and made in the 70's.

MOVIE REVIEW - Road To Perdition (2002)

Not a bad mobster flick - nice loyalty/conflict set up between Paul Newman and Tom Hanks. But I never really believed Hanks as the bad guy. Lots of good killing, though.

MOVIE REVIEW - Atonement (2007)

Hate it. A story finally does appear in this pretentious period piece, but it takes a full hour to even begin. The first hour is supposedly setting up the barely existent love affair between the lovely Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, and also placing hints at the conflict that comes in the second half. But an hour in, I was about to pull my hair out waiting for any motion, for any plot, for any character to invest in. And while a tiny bit of motion (war) and a tiny bit of plot (deception, betrayal) finally arrive (literally, a full hour in), I so didn’t care about anyone by then. There was a 15 minute scene showing James writing a letter to Keira, opera playing in the background, rewrite after rewrite, agony, struggle, saga – apologizing over a broken vase. Are you kidding me? Yes, the letter did play a role in the plot, but my word, that is not good filmmaking. The music was interesting, though they used typewriter strokes throughout the score as percussion, and it got annoying after a while. Some critics are calling a 5-minute extended camera shot at Dunkirk Beach “one of the best scenes ever filmed”. I just wanted it all to end. It didn’t, of course – what a snoozefest. Like The English Patient (the worst movie of all time), they tried to make a beautiful epic story where there is no beauty and no story.

MOVIE REVIEW - Before The Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

A naked, thrusting Philip Seymour Hoffman is not a good way to start a movie – especially when there is the stunning (and naked) Marisa Tomei waiting to be filmed (don’t worry – she gets there – a lot). But the story goes uphill from that opening shot. Two brothers decide to rob a mom and pop jewelry store to get them out of their individual financial trouble, and my word, does it go incredibly, ridiculously wrong. This is the story of a life (several, actually) unraveling. As PSH says, “I’m not the sum of my parts” – and while his character certainly is not, the movie is. The storytelling is enhanced by smartly planned time jumps that give you just enough information when needed. There is some icky drug use, and it’s a bit depressing overall; but a well-told and well-acted story.

MOVIE REVIEW - Juno (2007)

A delightful (at times too much so) and mildly edgy 16 year old gets pregnant and decides to give the baby up for adoption. Ellen Page is the reason the film (mostly) works – she’s adorable, confident, unflappable. When she says, “I’m dealing with things way beyond my maturity level”, we doubt it, because she is amazingly self-aware and capable of making good choices in the midst of her bad ones. She (and her hilarious parents played by Allison Janney, J. K. Simmons) drown every problem, no matter how big, with a healthy sense of humor and a realization that it’ll all be ok. Jennifer Garner plays uptight a little too well. Jason Bateman plays the adoptive dad perfectly, if maddening. This is a nice, funny drama in the vein of Little Miss Sunshine (but much more functional), with some cool folksy music. But I left thinking it was all a little too cute.

MOVIE REVIEW - Gone Baby Gone (2007)

A story of a Boston kidnapping and the ensuing police investigation. Casey Affleck is the local street kid turned private investigator helping to find the kid. Brother Ben directs. Casey is getting rave reviews, but I thought he tried to play with too much street cred, too tough, and doesn’t quite pull it off. Amy Ryan was excellent (here, and in Devil Knows You’re Dead). Michelle Monaghan was great and gorgeous. The moral dilemma and plot twists were interesting, but I wasn’t really drawn into the story.

MOVIE REVIEW - Die Hard 4: Live Free Or Die Hard (2007)

At times absurd, but still a lot of fun to see John McClane on the big screen again. Good side kick, good bad guy, a few amazing action segments (even though they felt a little overly spectacular - "Hey, let's spend $80 million for the next 5 minutes").

MOVIE REVIEW - Invincible (2006)

Mostly-standard sports movie with a heart. Wahlberg makes everything he touches better than it would otherwise be.

MOVIE REVIEW - Into The Blue (2005)

Lame, but packed with pretty people. A decent thrill ride, given its near-B-movie script.

MOVIE REVIEW - 3:10 To Yuma (2007)

Very good Western. It had a couple of flaws, but overall it was terrific. Russell is my favorite actor, and Christian did an equally terrific job. The storyline was great, though I was disappointed with a couple of highly unrealistic developments - but overall, still, competes for the best movie of the year. Steve the Pirate from Dodgeball was great. Peter Fonda was completely unrecognizable. Luke Wilson had a tiny non-comedic part. Russell grins, and as usual for him, he brings such a complexity to his bad guy - is he good? is he bad? He is certainly complicated. Great job.

MOVIE REVIEW - Superbad (2007)

I must be old. This movie is aptly titled. My word, it was terrible. Michael Cera, what was up with that??

MOVIE REVIEW - Shadowboxer (2005)

Mostly dumb assassin movie.

MOVIE REVIEW - Cape Fear (1991)

Nicely scary, with DeNiro strutting around as a majorly deranged and vengeful convict. There's a bit of cheese factor that hasn't held up perfectly over 15 years, but it's still a good movie. Nice to see Mr. Peck with a small, humorous role in honor of his original.

MOVIE REVIEW - Déjà Vu (2006)

Decent, but nothing great.

MOVIE REVIEW - Ella Fitzgerald - Something to Live For (1999)

GREAT documentary with lots of concert footage and interviews.

MOVIE REVIEW - Transformers (2007)

Absolutely horrible.

MOVIE REVIEW - American Gangster (2007)

Very good - Ridley definitely deserves a nomination, maybe even a win. I didn't find it overly compelling, but I think it should get a Best Picture nod (but not a win).

MOVIE REVIEW - Beowulf (2007)

I didn't see it in 3D, and I hear (and could tell) it has many great 3D sequences. But the story, ... sheesh, it was awful.

MOVIE REVIEW - No Country For Old Men (2007)

I never give a movie a 4.0 or higher on first viewing, so this is the best movie of the year. The Coen Brothers took a break from doing great films like Fargo, but they've finally returned to form. This quirky, violent southern drama is almost Hitchcockian, in that silence plays a major character in the movie, building the intensity of most every scene. Tommy Lee Jones is so dry, he blends into the Texas dust – and that’s a compliment. Javier Bardem is a definite for winning Best Supporting Actor as the creepiest bad guy in recent memory. After you watch the movie, let me know, and I’ll tell you why this movie deserves to win Best Picture – I don’t want to ruin anything for you, but the ending, while a tad controversial, rocks (imo).

Here’s what I loved: We follow Josh Brolin's character throughout the entire movie. We root for him, get to know his family, hope he gets away from the bad guys. And then, 20 minutes before the end, he’s dead, and we don’t even get to see the shootout – just the delayed aftermath. Every other movie would’ve made the shootout scene the climax. And here, it’s not even shown. Some would think this robs the viewer of the big scene, but I think it was creative to skip a beat to Tommy Lee’s perspective, then back to Javier’s perspective, leaving Josh in the dust. Ultra Cool and original.

MOVIE REVIEW - Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Very interesting concept, where an author's character starts hearing her narration. Nicely done, but it really had no where to go, and it fizzled at the end.

MOVIE REVIEW - Prestige, The (2006)

Excellent twists, interesting story, good acting.

MOVIE REVIEW - Good Year, A (2006)

Critics didn't care for it, but I thought it was nice. Basically, it's Under The Tuscan Sun with a guy lead (Russell).

MOVIE REVIEW - Bourne Ultimatum, The (2007)

Probably the best action movie of the year.

MOVIE REVIEW - Stardust (2007)

Attempts and fails to be this generation's Princess Bride - but enjoyable.

MOVIE REVIEW - Simpsons, The (2007)

Good fun. Not quite worth the 15 year wait, but very enjoyable to see Homer rise to the occasion.

MOVIE REVIEW - My Dinner With Andre (1981)

Intellectually pretentious and unforgivably boring.

MOVIE REVIEW - 1408 (2007)

I thought it was pretty lame. I wanted to like it, because I like Cusack, and I like about half of Stephen King's stuff (Shawshank is King, which is my #1). But Jackson was annoying, and I thought the story was lame, and I thought it was all just too bizarre and confusing to be scary. I felt very removed from the suspense.

MOVIE REVIEW - Casino Royale (2006)

This Bond movie came out last year, with a new Bond (Daniel Craig) and a new feel. The genre needed a change, and this is a great one. I wish I could say I was a Bond fan - it's almost a rite of passage for guys who like movies. And while I mildly enjoy the prior Bond movies, I've never really caught any obsession for them. Especially the Pierce Brosnan editions - the old Bonds were special, because they were groundbreaking - spy/action/thriller movies before Hollywood caught on to how to really do action. And thanks to Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, and a host of other great movies in the '80s and '90s, the Brosnan Bond movies seemed just like another ho-hum action movie.

Then the franchise decides to wipe the slate clean, throw in a blond Bond (the horror!), darken him up, and make a great movie. The first 15 minutes consist of possibly the best chase scene ever, with Bond and a presumed bad guy climbing a skyscraper construction site like monkeys, hopping between ladders and building tops and back down like Spiderman (truly, they looked like a non-CGI Spidey - awesome), running through traffic, getting hit by cars and bouncing off them while not even losing stride. The tone is set for a great thrill ride.

But it's not just about action. Craig's Bond has been newly promoted to double-O status, so he makes mistakes along the way. He is over-confident, at times too trusting, traits that we can relate to as mere humans. He is rugged, vicious, dedicated to his job, and yet he knows as well as Connery how to seduce the women and charm the audience. Gadgets, yes; Judi Dench as M, yes; bad guys you love to hate, yes; babes to ogle, well, of course. Plot twists, but not too twisty. Because Casino Royale is all about the new Bond, Mr. Daniel Craig, who has found the role of a lifetime and has instantly become the best of the Bonds.

MOVIE REVIEW - 28 Weeks Later (2007)

The sequel to 28 Days Later, the intelligent British horror flick from 2002. Part sci-fi, part horror, part zombie flick, the premise of the first is a virus that sends people into such extreme rage that they eat flesh. In the original, all of Britain was wiped out. In the sequel, Britain is now free of the virus, and 28 weeks later, authorities are just beginning to let people back into the cities. And while you know the virus is coming back (else, why have a sequel), it was clever how the writers got the horror going again. Wow, it is intense, and even seemed realistic. As the virus gets loose again and the raging zombies begin their rampage, a military guy profoundly says, "We've lost control." And boy, have they ever. Great storytelling, great action, extreme (and yet appropriate?) measures taken by the authorities. Heroes in the story, who you get to know along the way, get killed halfway through - great writing choices. This is a terrific sequel.

MOVIE REVIEW - Knocked Up (2007)

From the makers of 40-Year Old Virgin, a raunchy comedy that has more heart and worthy humor than most in this genre. Kathryn Heigl is delightful, even if her character made unrealistic choices. But mostly, this is Seth Rogan's movie. He wrote and starred, his first lead role in a major movie, and he did a great job. The values are mostly bad - guys should do whatever they want, women should let them, one-night stands are great, bongs are acceptable nightly activities. But the laughs are consistent and from the gut.

MOVIE REVIEW - Mr. Brooks (2007)

Kevin Costner in his first bad-guy role picked a good one. Costner stars as Mr. Brooks, a wealthy, brilliant, respected businessman who has a secret life as an addict - he's addicted to killing. He has killed for his entire life; and several years ago, he opted for a serial-killer persona, which attracted Demi Moore's detective to his case. Costner deals with his addiction by going to AA, by creating an imaginary partner played with gusto by William Hurt, and by performing his kills like an orgasmic dance. He loves the kill, he hates the mental torture, and the conflict makes for a great character. Who knew Costner could pull off such a complicated character? Dane Cook co-stars as a guy who wants in on Mr. Brooks' addiction and adds a near-comic twist to the twisted hobby. Mr. Brooks is a character I'd like to get to know in sequels.

MOVIE REVIEW - Saw II (2005)

Gore/horror, part 2. Same unknown bad guy, who we get to know a bit more. Different lead (Donnie Wahlberg instead of Elwes) does a good job, adding some acting chops to the gore scene. The twists were pretty interesting. This is still not my genre, but this one was ok.

MOVIE REVIEW - Saw (2004)

Gore/horror with an attempt at a story. Not bad, nice to see Cary Elwes in a good, hip role. But it's just fair. I'm surprised they have sequels.

MOVIE REVIEW - Fracture (2007)

Decent courtroom suspense drama that was better than it could've been, but never had the makings of a great movie. Yes, it's terrific having Anthony Hopkins in the role of a killer; and it's a testament to his skill that he created a killer that in no way reminded me of Hannibal Lecter. And while Ryan Gosling is ok, he didn't carry the part like an actor capable of going head to head with Hopkins. The story was fine, the directing was slick, but overall, a bit standard, mundane.

MOVIE REVIEW - Proposition, The (2006)

Boring, violent unpleasant Western starring Guy Pearce.

MOVIE REVIEW - For Your Consideration (2006)

Christopher Guest is at his mockumentary game again with the usual players, and good for them. This farcical look into a movie's potential journey into the Oscar Race cuts sharp, skewering Hollywood's love of itself, actors' self-absorption, producer's inability to recognize talent, and entertainment journalism's vapid uselessness. Catherine O'Hare shined as the Meryl Streep wannabe who nearly went off the deep end when she heard rumors of a Best Actress nomination - where did she hear this? One random post on an internet message board - ha! This outing seemed more scripted than their recent ventures, and the humor seemed more intelligent and flowed better as a result. Outstanding performances by Parker Posey, Harry Shearer, Michael McKeon, Ed Begley, Jr., Bob Balaban, Jennifer Coolidge, Ricky Gervais, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Larry Miller, and Fred Willard. Best In Show is still the best of the Guest films, but I'm always happy when the improv gang hangs out on film.

MOVIE REVIEW - Condemned, The (2007)

The premise: A TV producer fed up with the Networks decides to go rogue on the internet and create a live-feed game-to-the-death. He negotiates for 10 death row prisoners from third world countries, the toughest and worst of the worst. He brings them to an island packed with hidden cameras, attaches a bomb to their ankle that will go off in 30 hours, and tells them he will free the last one standing: “Kill, or die” – ready, set, splash. The internet subscriptions sky-rocket, the killings begin (boy, do they ever), the internet displays each dead contestant’s picture with a big red X across their face, alliances are formed, broken, and the civility of the human race takes a nosedive.

The good news: It’s a blast for those who like to watch bad guys get their due. There are laughs and shrieks with each fatal countdown. You root for a contestant in each hand-to-hand match up as though it’s a simple boxing match, only subtly aware that you are in the Gladiator grandstands. The cast are all so dangerous and deranged that you only feel mildly guilty whooping it up while they get pummeled to their death. The screenwriters smartly cast the contestants, with a husband/wife Bonnie-and-Clyde pair (who would have to kill the other if they make it to the final two), a British Special Forces bad guy, a martial arts terrorist, and even a wrongly-condemned American good guy (unbeknownst to the internet producer) so the viewer has a true hero to root for.

The bad news: The movie was produced by Vince McMahon, founder of the WWF. The aforementioned good guy is Stone Cold Steve Austin, who did a surprisingly decent job (he’s no Russell Crowe, but who is?). But wrestler-producer is not a good combination. McMahon packed the film with guilt-ridden characters, having some of the internet staffers develop a too-late conscience about their project; showing journalists talk about the horrors of the snuff show; the FBI, helpless and indifferent to stop this amoral bloodfest. In addition to being nonstop, the moralizing was jarring against the extreme fun McMahon had with all the killings, sending incompatible mixed messages. Yes, that was his point – maybe we as a society think we have risen above Gladiator games, but we still enjoy watching them (how else to explain McMahon’s success). But this movie didn’t need a point. It had bombs and blood and beatings and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Let those who enjoy that stuff have their fun, or else make a message film. But the ping pong ethics game left me dizzy.

MOVIE REVIEW - Disturbia (2007)

Disturbia is a teeny-bopper thriller with teeny-bopper depth, but it works better than most in the genre. Shia LeBeouf is under house arrest and eavesdrops on his neighbors out of boredom. He enjoys the scenery of his newly-arrived next door neighbor in the swimming pool. But the story hinges on the guy across the street (David Morse, who is excellent at Creepy), who LeBeouf suspects as a local serial killer. LeBeouf and the lead girl were mediocre actors, but the banter between them worked.

There are some great crazy-scary scenes. When LeBeouf first saw David Morse looking back at him through the binoculars - yikes. And wow, that was one AWESOME and shocking car crash. There's also plenty humor. LeBeouf's friend sneaks into Morse's house because they suspect he's killed a stripper. On the phone with LeBeouf, the friend says, "It reeks in here."
LeBeouf: "What's it smell like."
Friend: "Like the corpse of a rotting hottie."

The climax was a little disappointing: the scenes were too dark to tell what was going on; LeBeouf had too much time to look around, while the bad guy was supposedly after him; and the resolution was too neatly wrapped in a happy teen package. But overall, still an enjoyable 2 hours.

MOVIE REVIEW - Hoax, The (2007)

Nicely told true story starring Richard Gere as Clifford Irving, an author in the '70s who faked being the ghost writer for Howard Hughes' autobiography. They filmmakers made an unbelievable story seem plausible as to how it all came about. The fictional flashbacks from Gere's deceptive point of view added to the believability. They did a stellar job of getting the '70s right - hairstyles, clothes, furniture, everyone drinking Tab, even the aerial shots of Manhattan, Bahamas, and DC. I didn't understand all the implications of Hughes bringing down Nixon - I'd never heard those accusations before and would like to know if there is any substance to it, or if it was just rumor.

Gere was very Gere - I'm unsure why he is getting all the critical acclaim. He is fine, but no better than other actors could've done. Hope Davis in her bizarre wig was excellent as the conflicted publisher who wanted to support Irving but could just never decide who to believe.

MOVIE REVIEW - Shooter, The (2007)

The Shooter is a bit of a cinematic geography course, beginning with Ethiopian rivers and waterfalls, continuing into the luscious snow-filled Rocky Mountains, skipping into nice city shots of DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, off to Montana mountains, then to serene rural locales in Tennessee and Kentucky. With such an effort placed on cinematography, you would almost forget this is an action thriller. But only almost, as there are plenty of guns and explosions to keep everyone excited, plus the coolest napalm balm effect since Apocalypse Now.

Wahlberg plays Bob Lee Swagger, a former military sniper who has developed governmental paranoia and secluded himself in a hermit lifestyle with his dog in the Rocky Mountains. Until the government (or, are they? The plot is nothing deep or mysterious) recruits him to help stop a presidential assassination. Wahlberg is quickly mistaken as the assassin, and thus begins the chase movie of the year. Potentially hokey lines like "Welcome to Tennessee, the patriot state of shootin' stuff" instead come across as cool and funny.

Danny Glover is mediocre as the shady government official who hires Wahlberg - plus, the director gave him some weird mouthpiece that made him look dumb and talk with a lisp - distracting. Michael Pena, who was excellent in Crash, was out of place as a lackadaisical FBI agent who suddenly (and unrealistically) becomes motivated by Wahlberg's plight. Kate Mara was surprisingly restrained and endearing, and she had a mostly-authentic Kentucky hick accent. And Mark Wahlberg makes all of his movies better than they should be, bringing the necessary intensity to his sniper on the run. While The Shooter is a bit heavy on the conspiracy theory with negative allusions to the Bush Administration, I'm a sucker for a good vigilante story.

MOVIE REVIEW - Dreamgirls (2006)

Way too much hype, way too many nominations, way to much scream-singing. The costumes were nice, but most all else in this fictional Motown was overdone, overproduced, over sung. I like Jennifer fine, but she was not a good actress in her debut role - certainly not Oscar worthy. The story was frustrating and tired. The music wasn't nearly as good as the real Motown. And the movie just didn't have soul.

MOVIE REVIEW - Hostel (2006)

Terrible horror flick. Bad premise, bad bad guy, bad acting, bad gore.

MOVIE REVIEW - Illusionist, The (2006)

Beautiful film with a story that starts well and fizzles in the end. Edward Norton is terrific and intense as an early 20th century magician; Paul Giamatti continues his stellar string of roles as the magistrate investigating Norton; and even Jessica Biel gets by for a change and holds her own as the period-piece babe. But the plot "twist" is so blatantly foreshadowed throughout the movie that when the supposed twist came, the only thing I was surprised by was that I was supposed to be surprised. A disappointing resolution to an otherwise commendable and enjoyable movie.

MOVIE REVIEW - Brown Sugar (2002)

When Black Harry Met Black Sally, with "Hip-Hop" as the tie that binds them together. Decent movie; but I didn't like Harry or Sally (though I love Sanaa Lathan) and I hate hip-hop, so this was just not for me.

MOVIE REVIEW - Matador, The (2005)

I have friends who loved this dramedy starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear, but I didn't get its appeal. Kinnear's everyman befriends Brosnan's freewheeling hit man in Mexico City. Humor, twists, sentimentality, turns, ... but it didn't draw me in.

MOVIE REVIEW - Machinist, The (2004)

My word, has anyone ever lost as much weight for a role as Christian Bale did for this creepy, dark, Memento-wannabe? When I say "Memento-wannabe", that's still a good thing, though it is slightly derivative. Bale plays a man who hasn't slept in a year. His reality is in question, his body has evaporated (bone thin - seriously, even the bones had lost weight), he's just a mess. And while this could be depressing, you just barely care for the guy enough to hope he makes it through; more so, the story evolves nicely and wraps you in its intrigue. Good build, good characters, good ending.

MOVIE REVIEW - Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, The (2005)

Surprisingly sweet, sincere, funny, and heartwarming. An embellished true story of a '50s mom (wonderfully played by Julianne Moore) who filled the financial gaps (er, ... carried the financial weight) for her family by winning jingle/advertising contests. It is a playful look at a difficult time in a difficult family. When the story wrapped up, it had sneakily found its way to my tear ducts with a smile.

MOVIE REVIEW - Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

From the opening scene riding through the forest, I was enchanted by the scenery and the pensiveness of the girl Ofelia and her mother, with their loving but strained looks. Thinking I was watching a fairy tale, I got swept into the dream and beauty of Ofelia's fantasy world that earned the movie its three Oscars for Best Cinematography, Art Direction, and Makeup. Therefore, I found myself wholly and delightfully unprepared for the violence, tragedy, and heartfelt drama that awaited.

Three stories unfold simultaneously. First, Ofelia's mother has just married a general in the Spanish Civil War in the 1940's. Ofelia, about to meet the general for the first time, retreats into her book out of shyness and refuses to address the general as her mother insists. These early, cautious moments give the viewer a suspicion of the general that we soon see is well warranted. The mother is pregnant and sick, ordered to bed rest, and Ofelia tries to care for her with the help of the housekeeper, superbly played by Maribel Verdu in an Oscar-worthy performance. She is thwarted by the general's wish to save the life of his unborn son more than his new wife.

In the second plotline, the general is a central figure in the Spanish Civil War, and their house is under occasional attack by resistance fighters in the woods. We quickly see his commitment to the war, his brutality and love of power. There are apparently sympathizers to the resistance inside the household, as the resistance succeeds in attacks that imply they have inside information. Watching this plot develop is riveting, terrifying drama.

The struggles surrounding Ofelia launch her into the third story, that of Ofelia's fantasy world (which may be the most real world of all). It is a fascinating other-world, a beautiful, scary, historic world full of kings and destiny and death. And only slightly less scary than her real world full of human monsters and brutality. A fairy from the forest leads her into the labyrinth beside the house. Deep inside, she learns of her place in mythological history, that of a lost princess trying to find her parents and her throne. Pan (the fauna) instructs her to complete three tasks in this fantasy world, which weave into the stories in her home and the war. Ofelia's fairy tale is full of wonder, art, terror, ugly toads, and a hideous monster with eyes in his hands.

The brilliance of the film is how the stories so closely work together, how the themes from one add depth to the others. This Spanish film (yes, with subtitles that don't ruin the experience) is a tapestry of all that a movie should be. The characters are incredibly well-developed (the general quickly becomes one of the best, most relentless bad guys I can remember, and Sergi Lopez deserved an Oscar nod). Stories that are intriguing and soulful, dangerous and lovely. Visuals that are exquisite, even visionary. Not your typical fairy tale, this movie increasingly haunts me.