Pan’s Labyrinth
February 2, 2007
A couple of weekends ago I went and saw Pan’s Labyrinth with a couple of friends. I wasn’t kind sure what I was getting myself into when I walked in to the theatre. I had seen the trailer and assumed it was a light fantasy type movie. You know light and not very intense. Was I ever wrong and I think a few people in the theatre were a little surprised as well.
From imdb.com:
“”Pan’s Labyrinth” is the story of a young girl who travels with her pregnant mother to live with her mother’s new husband in a rural area up North in Spain, 1944, after Franco’s victory. The girl lives in an imaginary world of her own creation and faces the real world with much chagrin. Post-war Fascist repression is at its height in rural Spain and the girl must come to terms with that through a fable of her own.”
First I will admit that I’m a little squeamish when watching certain movies but I noticed some big tough guys in the theater squirm in their seats too. 
Why? This movie is pretty violent and gory. I found it a little too gory a little too much of the time and I found myself closing my eyes for about a third of the movie. Of course closing my eyes didn’t help much because the sound, believe or not, was really awesome. So even though I couldn’t see anything, listening to some guy getting his face bashed in with a broken bottle over and over and over again made me squirm even more in my seat. Yes, I must of looked silly sitting in my seat in an almost fetal position with my hands over my ears and my eyes shut, but I was not the only one.
There were numerous times where I felt like I really needed to walk out of the theatre, take a break, maybe order a alcoholic drink or two, sit down for a bit, and then after all that then go back in to subject myself to more.
Overall I thought the story was really beautiful, the shots were breathtaking and the sound was incredible, but I found the amount of violence and goriness overkill at some certain points and overshadowed the story at times and I felt the story dragged on a little near the end. Will I buy this movie on DVD? No. Will I watch this movie ever again? No. Did I leave the theatre asking myself “What the hell did I just watch?” Yes.
The Queen
January 30, 2007
I’ve been wanting to see this movie for a while now given my interest in the royal family. Yes I am a sucker for the royals ever since I was little. I had some problems getting any of my friends to see it with me and even my mother was like “Oh Suzan, I can’t watch that movie. It will only make me upset that I’m no longer living in London thanks to your bastard father moving us to Canada.” Sigh.
So I finally managed to see The Queen. I really thought it was going to be a very dry and serious film/documentary about the royals relationship with Diana and the days following her death.
But I found the movie really brings out the dysfunctional relationships in the royal family in a rather amusing and comical way which was good. The movie I think takes a look at Family vs. Procedures & Protocoles. Helen Mirren is really quite good and really humanmizes the role of Queen Elizabeth.
However I don’t think it’s going to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Maybe Best Actress.
Next week I’m going to see The Last Ling of Scotland. I’ve been dying to see this movie based on the 1970s Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
Night at the Museum
January 8, 2007
Ever since I saw the preview for this movie I wanted to go see it. Night at the Musem is based on the children’s book The Night at the Museum by Milan Trenc.
Plot
When Larry Daley, a divorced father who can’t seem to keep a job for more than a week, applies for a job at the Museum of Natural History, he is assigned as a night guard. However, a seemingly easy job turns out to be a wild ride when he finds that an ancient curse has caused the “inhabitants” of the museum to come to life. After one night of chaos, Larry is ready to quit and find a new job, but a wax figure of Theodore Roosevelt helps him realize that it is his solemn duty to protect the museum and make sure that nothing gets in and nothing gets out.
Overall it’s a pretty funny movie. A little slow at the beginning but once the movie progresses to the first night at the museum things pick up. Ben Stiller plays the lead role of Larry and to be honest he seems to be like any other character Ben Stiller has played.
Overall thought: Good to go to on a cheap night only and it’s definately one of those movies where you’re meant to bring your kids to.
