El Laberinto del Fauno

A big hit in various film festivals this year, won 3 Oscars (nominations include Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film). Directed by Mexican Guillermo del Toro (certainly put him on the map), starring Ivana Baquero, Sergi López and Y Tu Mamá También's Maribel Verdú.

Set in Spain, 1944, post-civil war, there were still rebels fighting against the fascist. One young girl, Ofelia, travelled to the country with her pregnant mother to meet and live with her stepfather, the cruel Captain Vidal. Ofelia, who always believed in fairy tales, then met a fairy, who lead her to a faun and then she discovered that she could actually be a princess in the underworld. But, to get back to that world, she had to do three tasks set by the faun. Meanwhile, the rebels in mountain are beginning to attack Captain Vidal.

I thought this was going to be a pretty happy film with great cinematography. But apparently it wasn't happy at all. Great cinematography (really got that mood, probably the strongest attraction of the film), yes, but not happy. There were gruesome deaths, eerie feelings and all the shizz. And even though the story is fairy-tale-like, it sure was a dark one. But all in all, good film with an interesting and original story. But despite all the rave reviews, I wasn't actually crazy about it, and not planning on seeing it for a second time.

7.5 / 10.