I wanted to see this movie so bad since I first heard about it. It was one of the few movies I actually really wanted to see in theaters (and for me that's a big thing... because I never see movies in theaters). But it wasn't played in my area ever... so I had to wait for the DVD release today.
Watched it TWICE. I haven't watched a movie twice in the same day since the Neverending Story when I was 8. Bloody hell.
For those who haven't seen it yet: it's definately a must-see. This is coming from a guy who hates movies. Be warned though -- it's very dark and depressing. I was on the verge of tears by the end the second time through.
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Yeah, Pan's Labyrinth absolutely kicked ass. Check out the director's other movie, The Devil's Backbone. Similar thematically and also excellent.
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Rented and watched it over the weekend. Great movie. Thanks for the recommendation <img src=smilies/thumb.gif>
> I was on
> the verge of tears by the end the second time through.
Yeah, I was definitely feeling it at the end. I think I had the most sympathy for the wrong character, though, oddly enough.
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I saw it twice in theaters. The first time as a result of wanting to get my mind off of some interpersonal drama, the second time to see it with the source of said interpersonal drama. I'm not sure if this is why I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else did...
It was much more violent than any of the ads or descriptions let on. I kinda wonder how many parents brought their children to the movie thinking it would be a cute, family-friendly fairy tale, only to watch in horror as someone's face gets bashed in within the first 15 minutes of the film.
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> It was much more violent than any of the ads or descriptions
> let on. I kinda wonder how many parents brought their
> children to the movie thinking it would be a cute,
> family-friendly fairy tale, only to watch in horror as
> someone's face gets bashed in within the first 15 minutes of
> the film.
This is why there is an established ratings system. If parents are stupid enough not to mind it, their problem. The only reason it's there is to appease lazy parents in the first place.
> Don't tell me you felt sorry for the Captain. He
> deserved much worse than what he got.
*SPOILER ALERT*
Yeah, right at the end. It's like the only shred of human decency that guy had was the love for his son or, more appropriately, that his son realize where he came from. He cared about that more than anything else. To have that denied so abruptly, right before his deathblow...I dunno. I found that to be more cruel than anything they showed him do in the movie.
Sure, the guy was a total bastard and deserved to die (in fact, I had no problems with him being butchered a few scenes earlier), but his death scene triggered more emotions for me than any other part of the movie. Maybe sympathy isn't the best word to describe it. I dunno.
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> This is why there is an established ratings system. If
> parents are stupid enough not to mind it, their problem.
> The only reason it's there is to appease lazy parents in the
> first place.
I fully agree with the ratings system. This is why if I ever have a daughter, she'll only be allowed to watch pornographic material if I'm there with her.
He didn't want his son because he loved him. He wanted a son so that he could have an extension of himself. To him, his son was nothing more than someone to carry his name another generation. He basically said as much when he was talking with the doctor -- when he told him that if he had to choose, the doctor should save his son.
Mercedes recognized this, too. That's why she shot down his request at the end right before they shot him.
Also -- I suspect that he even went so far as to kill Carmen's previous husband so that she would carry his child. The movie never actually clarifies, but it's definately something I feel he's capable of, and judging from Carmen's story surrounding how they met, and his reaction to that story, it seems like the logical conclusion.
> This is why there is an established ratings system. If
> parents are stupid enough not to mind it, their problem.
> The only reason it's there is to appease lazy parents in the
> first place.
That's true, but it doesn't change the fact that films are deceptively marketed. I wonder how many people went to a Mother's Day screening of Georgia Rule based on the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqvvtx6lXcUseemingly innocuous preview</A>.
> That's true, but it doesn't change the fact that films are
> deceptively marketed. I wonder how many people went to a
> Mother's Day screening of Georgia Rule based on the
> seemingly innocuous preview.
That's true, but it's not the same as misconstruing an R rated film as a film for children, when ratings are clearly posted before you buy tickets.
Yeah, and more parents need to read the accompanying text -- STRONG VIOLENCE, SEXUAL SITUATIONS, etc. Given that one 'fuck' will take a film over the top, I think a lot of people gamble on the film being mostly OK based on the heavily edited 'approved for general audiences' preview.
> That's true, but it's not the same as misconstruing an R
> rated film as a film for children, when ratings are clearly
> posted before you buy tickets.
>
I watched this film knowing very little about it, other than it's about the Spanish Civil War and it has a dark fairy tale story to it. Which, I guess, is a good thing, since I never saw previews for it and didn't have anythign ruined for me when I watched it.
All in all, it was a very good movie, probably the best movie to come out from last year, seeing as how a majority of films lately have been crappy remakes and dissapointing sequels.
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