Cronos by Guillermo del Toro

Cronos (1993)  

Written and Directed By: Guillermo del Toro  

Why I Saw It: My daughter bought a Criterion Collection copy, and I am a big fan of del Toro's work (e.g. Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone)





Antique store owner Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi) and his beloved granddaughter Aurora (Tamara Shanath) make a startling find, a gold insect-like device created in the 16th century. Enclosed inside it is an extraordinary clockwork mechanism and a living creature. He has stumbled upon the chronos device, crafted to give its owner eternal life. But like the monkey's paw, it will inevitably bring unexpected -- even tragic -- results.

The Fall (2006)

"The Fall" is a lush fantasy that combines the elements of period costume drama, surrealist art film, and swashbuckling adventure to dazzling effect. It is gorgeous, yes, but the beauty proves to be more than just visual as it also delivers a beautiful story with touching performances, particularly from one little girl actor, Catinca Untaru, as the emotional center of the film, Alexandria.

  The first thread of the story is set in a 1920's Los Angeles hospital, where 5-year-old immigrant Alexandria (Untaru) is being treated for a broken arm she suffered falling from an orange tree. Bored and reduced to throwing oranges at the priest (Grant Swanby) for entertainment, she is intrigued when she meets despondent stuntsman Roy, who is willing to entertain her with stories of adventure and derring-do... for a price (don't worry, this is not the story of a Polanski-wannabe and his child victim, although it does get dark).

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

  Okay. Forget that well-loved pop-up book you cherished when you were eight. If you know Tim Burton in the slightest, you won't need to be told this isn't anything like that. Fans of the director's work- Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, even Sweeney Todd- will allow him to take the story from Lewis Carroll's hands and adapt -- hence, take great liberties with it. Others will wince at the special effects and try to call a brightly colored, non-Burtonized Wonderland to their mind.

     First, though, let me make something clear -- I like Tim Burton very much. I know that we live in a society where children watch Saw and Pulp Fiction with wild abandon, but I think kids should watch kid's movies up until a certain age. I did not categorize this as "family" because I don't think should be considered that by a long shot. I remember at one time literally covering my mouth with my hand and considering the ludicrousness of the PG rating.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading/Watching -- Game of Thrones, Breasts, & Blogger Links

Snow Angels

Zathura (2005)

The first part of this film is the sad story of how divorced Dad Tim Robbins copes with his three bratty kids (He does commendably, better than I would.) The second part disposes of Robbins and takes a turn into pure ridiculousness, as his two sons Walter and Danny (played sloppily by Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo) play a mysterious board game with magical properties (a la "Jumanji"), which proves to have unforeseen consequences.

The acting, save for Robbins', is really bad, not only from Hutcherson and Bobo but also from Kristen Stewart, who plays the completely useless, gape-mouthed character of the boys' older sister, and Dax Shepard as the astronaut who lands on their doorstep when -- surprise! -- the board game sends the little losers into deep space. The script is not much better, providing entertainment that is mediocre at best for anyone over the age of twelve.

Film Review: Pan's Labyrinth

Writer/Director: Guillermo del Toro

Year Released: 2006

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is a bookish, imaginative little girl trapped in a harsh world. She and her pregnant mother have come to live with her new stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi López), an officer in Franco's army. The Spanish Civil War recently ended, and Franco's fascist regime is battling tenacious groups of resistants taking refuge in the forest.

You might suspect that being one of Franco's generals is a role that would require a special penchant for brutality. But Captain Vidal goes above and beyond the call of duty.