Muy misterioso

When I first saw the trailers for Pan's Labyrinth last year I inwardly flinched and said "what the hell?" Over the past couple months I've read various reviews that have tagged it nothing short of a masterpiece. Well. Willing to admit I may be wrong, I decided to see it when it opened in my neighborhood this weekend. Took my sweet ol' time mosey-ing up the block to the theater. And was rewarded with one of the last seats in the house. Here's the lesson I learned (which shouldn't be a surprise): movie previews suck. This film does indeed have elements of the fantastical in it, but it does so with such subtlety and the oh-so-perfect use of shadows. At its core is the story of a lonely girl trapped between two impossibilities: duty to her widowed mother and the realization that the world may be larger than the current one available to her. Expect frights, blood and heartache. And pay full price!