Ooh, Pan's Labyrinth is playing in Princeton! Maybe I'll see it tomorrow.

We watched Idiocracy this afternoon, which was just great in parts, but overall not as funny as a Mike Judge joint ought to be.

I hope he's able to release a director's cut at some point -- I'd love to see the movie Judge set out to make before the studio cut it to ribbons.

Since we don't have a LotR thread any more, I thought I should perhaps post this here: [link]

That? Is frickin' AWESOME!

Watched Children of Men tonight. I quite enjoyed it, more than the friend I went with did. Clive was marvellous, the actress playing Kee was too, and the rapport sparkled in an offhand way. I felt the hand of the director quite clearly, but it didn't bother me.

Jessica said upthread that it was violent, but not gory. I found it gory--starting with the shot of the woman outside the bombed cafe holding her detached left arm in her right hand. And we got to see victims of violence moaning and bleeding and reaching out through much of the last third or so.

I definitely liked Pan's Labyrinth more than Children of Men, but then again, I took a class on German fairy tales, and so I loved how strongly it evoked the classic fairy tale tropes. I never knew how much I wanted a "fairy tale for adults" until I got one. I was a little disappointed, I must say, that the fantasy/Spanish Civil War ratio was so lopsided. I loved the fantasy stuff so much, I wanted to see much more of it, although the main plot was compelling in its own right.

Regarding the above discussion, I was really wanting the fantasy to be real for most of the movie, but to me, the end seemed to say that it wasn't, both because the Captain didn't see the faun and because the resolution to the Tale was so completely ridiculously la la la everyone is happy that of COURSE Ofelia would imagine that when she died, as it's her version of heaven, her final escape. But I like the idea that it's real more as it's easier and happier. I was also pondering from the opening narration the idea that the fantasy world was the real one, and the real world was just the Princess's nightmare.

I also saw the original Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, which is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. But it's also really damn funny.

Saw Pan's Labyrinth last night. Regarding the above discussion, there were three bits that I thought were difficult to explain without magic. 1) The mother getting better after the mandrake is put under the bed, and then getting sick right after it's thrown into the fire (could have been coincidence, but still...); 2) The labyrinth walls opening; and 3) Her escaping from her locked room to get to the Captain's room.

Off to read the interview....

del Toro is quite the pottymouth!

I found it gory--starting with the shot of the woman

True. I guess because the camera's always moving, I never felt that we lingered on any of those long enough to ping my gore-o-meter.

del Toro is quite the pottymouth!

I know, isn't he great?