EL LABARINTO DEL FAUNO ( Pan's Labyrinth, 2006) **1/2 First of all I have to say that I love the writing-the ambition and scope and lack of boundaries. Just the very idea of writing the same script where part of it's the Spanish Civil War and part is what's going on in the Underworld. And then to not even look like an idiot for trying, I salute you! Guillermo del Toro is just as good in making it all look...not like it should because no sense of definition can be allowed in a milieu defined in terms of its lack of definition, but as it...well it could be just about anything, you know, and this is a very nice interpretation. If you're willing to let yourself over all of that-and there may be a problem with those of us who can-it's a very nice film, maybe the narrative's a little choppy (oh how could it?!), maybe things don't go together quite as smoothly as they could (could they ever?), maybe it doesn't get at your heart strings like you'd like it to (whose fault is that)...you know, trifles. It's wonderful in concept, tremendous in execution and the production values are high throughout. The monsters are cool-looking and scary, accordingly. The metaphors are easy to identify and open to interpretation. I'm mainly bewildered that I didn't enjoy it even more, maybe I'm just jealous.
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Reviews won't do it any more! I need sustained brilliance! I want to buy your exciting new terrorist novel!
I've already read both of your novels. Thank you, they're amazing. Now I want to check out your weekly blog on everything