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Reviews (2)
08 June 2007
Magic Realism at its finest.
2 of 3 found this helpful When I first saw the previews for this movie, I automatically thought that it would just be another purely fantasy-based film for children. Boy, was I wrong! Set in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, this film concentrates not only on the view of a little girl living through the conflict, but the lives and struggles of the adults around her. I couldn't figure out which aspect of the movie was more intriguing: the scenes that the audience KNOWS are real or the interlaced parts when the main character dives into a fantasy world of her own creation ... or is it of her own creation? Blurring the lines between fantasy and reality is what this director does masterfully. I also enjoyed all of the references to Greek/Roman mythology, including Pandora and the faun. Don't be put off by the fact that this movie is all in the Spanish language. Even my reluctant boyfriend had to admit at the end that watching it was worth having to read subtitles.
08 June 2007
Gnawing his way into our hearts
1 of 2 found this helpful As a fan of all of the Hannibal films, I rushed out to see this in the movie theater. Let me just say that I wasn't disappointed. We finally learn about Hannibal's childhood/young adulthood and his oh-so-cute baby sister who suffers a gory end. Apparently, his tragic past is the cause for his cannibalism, but I won't go into too much detail so that the movie isn't spoiled for you.
The over-the-top death scenes are what really made the movie worth watching: drowing in formaldehyde, strangulation by horse, eaten while alive, etc. This film is a must-see for horror fans.