Pan's Labyrinth: Life Sucks and Then You Die

[dreamshark]

I talked Richard out of attending the Winter Carnival Parade in favor of dinner and a movie. We had an enjoyable dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant, Passage to India. Then we walked two blocks to the Lagoon and took in Pan's Labyrinth.

You may have heard that this movie is a little dark. Unremittingly grim is more like it. Well made, but relentlessly depressing. It starts at the tail end of the Spanish Civil War and then things really start going downhill. Don't count on the "fantasy" sequences (if that is indeed what they are) to provide a moment of relief from the dismal goings on in our heroine's real life. You've seen that disturbing still shot of the monster with the eyeballs in the palms of its hands? Well guess what: that's his GOOD side.

Comments

[jbru.livejournal.com]

You say this like it's a bad thing.... :)

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

No, not necessariy. I'm just sayin' it's not a feel-good movie. Not even a little bit, not for even 30 seconds at a time. Maybe occasionally, for 10-20 seconds, when the little girl smiles. But that doesn't last long, believe me. If you like well-made feel-BAD movies, this is the one for you!

I'm not even sure if I'm glad I saw it or not. It might be one of those movies that I will be glad I saw, although I honestly can't say I enjoyed it while I was watching it.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Well; that doesn't sound like my kind of movie.

I'm glad you managed to have fun without standing outside in subzero winds to watch the parade. :)

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

I think I'll wait for the DVD. I handle difficult-to-watch movies better that way.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

I think this one would work well on DVD, provided you have a reasonably large TV with a sharp image. Although its visual style is a lot of the appeal, it doesn't seem like the type of visuals that really requires a wide screen to appreciate. And there are some parts you might want to fast forward through.

[wombat-socho.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the warning.

[nancymcc.livejournal.com]

I read a couple of reviews and deduced the grimness. I'm hopelessly in favor of being entertained, not thought-provoked or depressed, at the movies... If that makes me a lightweight, so be it.

I decided the cheaper and less painful answer was to visit the movie's web site and admire visuals.