El Orfanato (aka The Orphanage)

I'd been looking forward to seeing El Orfanato for some time, so when I saw it for sale in Seville, Spain, on our recent trip there, I figured I should pick it up.

The story revolves around a woman and her husband who have bought an old former orphanage, where the wife was once a resident, to live there with their young son and a few foster kids who need special attention.

Before long, though, the son seems to be talking to ghosts who live in and around the grounds. Imaginary friends are all well and good, but things get serious when the boy disappears...

For a debut feature, El Orfanato is sterling and stirring stuff. The sets are wonderful, the colour palette evocative, and the acting compelling, with lead actress Belén Rueda a standout. Director JA Bayona must surely be going places, not least with Guillermo del Toro as something of a mentor.

While "horror" means different things to different people, I would consider this more of a chiller/thriller than true horror. You might jump in your seat once or twice, yes, but you'll surely get some goosebumps and the creeps several times. And you might even be moved a bit.

This is the sort of film about which you can't say much for fear of ruining the experience, but it's a great movie that is worthy of several viewings, and undoubtedly a US remake will not be long in coming... I give this film 84 points out of 100.

Pan’s Labyrinth (aka El Laberinto del Fauno)

It took me a long time to get around to Pan's Labyrinth. It was on my Lovefilm list forever, but I guess everyone else wanted to see it too. Not to worry...

Despite the good word of mouth and the awards and nominations Pan's had received, I had lowered my expectations by watching del Toro's debut Cronos a few weeks before. And you know what? I'm almost glad I did.

In case you don't know what this film is about, it tells the story of a young girl who goes with her mother to live with Mum's new husband, who happens to be a Fascist. Yep, it's World War II time. The little girl is a fantasist who believes she is seeing a fairy in the woods; furthermore, we the viewers are led to believe that she may or may not be a princess from another realm, a realm into which she is led by the fairy.

A series of tasks are set for the girl in order to allow her safe return to the king and queen of this other realm. She is sorely missed.

The counterpoints between the "fantasy" world and the horror of Franco's Spain could hardly be greater, and I spent the entire time hoping for her safe return to her regal family.

This is one of those films where everyone has their own take on exactly what is happening and how it ends. Your viewpoint will depend on your belief system, your movie literacy, your love or otherwise of fairy tales and fantasy. And, as is my way, I will not spoil it any more than I already have.

This was one of the highlights of my viewing this year. It was a beautiful film, one that in trailers almost looked designed for children, and yet it also has moments of sickening violence. These two extremes just add to the complexity of the piece. And the acting and direction were almost faultless. Highly recommended.

Acting: 17
Story: 16
Direction: 17
Enjoyment: 17
Involvement: 17
Total: 84

Cronos

I bought Cronos without having seen it because it had some great reviews and because I'd enjoyed director Guillermo del Toro's film The Devil's Backbone, I thought Hellboy was okay, and I was in preparation for Pan's Labyrinth. It also had a pretty cool DVD cover.

In short, this film tells the story of an age-old device that is designed to give eternal life to whoever owns it. The device is shaped like an ornate scarab, which "bites" into its owner. When rediscovered some 400 years later, this mechanism -- moreover, its power -- is sought by a handful of people.

I expected big things for this debut feature from one of fantasy film-making's hottest directors, but I must say I was disappointed. Sure there were some good bits; and it was squirm-inducing once or twice along the way. It also had a good amount of "atmosphere". But overall the film left me cold: it just never really went anywhere very interesting. It wasn't terrible or a complete waste of time, but it just didn't move me in any way.

By the way, the cool cover, with a hot chick bleeding after being bitten by the scarab, is not a scene from the film! Guess they call that "artistic licence"!

Acting: 13
Story: 12
Direction: 14
Enjoyment: 12
Involvement: 12
Total: 63

Volver

Generally I like the films of Pedro Almodóvar, and Volver was no exception. It tells the story of a woman (Penélope Cruz in her native tongue), her husband, her daughter, and her mother, but it expands to include so much more. The husband is soon out of the picture, and it becomes a tale of women and womanhood.

But that is not to say this is a chick flick. Far from it. For although Almodóvar often deals with the female of the species, he is an articulate and compelling film-maker, writing roles for women that are real. Roles that not only are too good for any actress to turn down, but that are also so well written as to provide us men with a true insight into our opposite numbers.

This is a rich and rewarding film, more accessible than much of Almodóvar's work, but none the worse for that. Its weak points can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Despite initially receiving poor reviews among critics just 12 months ago, no doubt doing considerable harm to its box-office potential, Volver is already being reassessed, and the verdict seems to be a resounding thumbs-up, and rightly so. Highly recommended.

Acting: 17
Story: 17
Direction: 17
Enjoyment: 16
Involvement: 16
Total: 83

Mar Adentro (aka The Sea Inside)

I give Mar Adentro a very respectable 75, definitely worth watching and even worth buying at the right price.