the movieGOOMBA

4.5 GOOMBAS

Okay, in case you're thinking "Dang, this girl gives out 4 GOOMBAS like water," it's not true! I'm actually a pretty harsh rater, but all the Oscar movies are coming to DVD now, so it's only natural that those would be better. Plus it might just be because there were so many terrible movies that came out in 2004 and 2005 that all the good ones are coming out now. But don't worry! I'll be sure to rate some more crummy movies like Because I Said So and Snakes on A Plane soon!

On to more serious things. Set in fascist Spain during World War II, Pan's Labyrinth is about Ofelia, a young girl who loves to read. In the 'real world,' Ofelia's mother takes Ofelia and her unborn half brother to live with her new husband, the Captain. The Captain is an evil man who only cares about power and his legacy. He has no love for his new wife or his new stepdaughter, and it is because of him that Ofelia's seeks sanctuary in a different world. She meets a faun who tells her that she is the reincarnated princess of the underworld, but in order to live her life as the princess along with her father, the King, she must complete three tasks to prove that she has not become a mortal.

Enigmatic, ominous, and extraordinary, Pan's Labyrinth is a film that feels heavily influenced by German Expressionism. The dark, almost foreboding feel in many of the fantasy scenes creates a world that is not your average fairy tale land, and I must warn that this film is not for the squirely. Its pretty damn intense.

The film begins in a lighter yet very serious tone, but as Ofelia delves deeper into the world that she believes she is a part of, the atmosphere begins taking a turn. In both worlds, things get more dark and sinister, and the need for Ofelia to complete her tasks becomes more urgent. This perfectly auteur-ed piece mixes fantasy with reality, and by the end of the film, both are so intricately woven that you wonder if it was real or if it was all Ofelia's imagination.

If it was Ofelia's imagination, is the whole movie just a tall tale; a commentary on life's despair and the longing for escape? Or is it something more than that? Is it the idea of a better place? With a Father who will wait for your return? And maybe you will get there, especially if you believe.

"A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning..."