Del Toro is a magician

It takes a really good movie to make me come out of the state I was in after scoring a self-goal in an all important football finals. And I did find one - Pan's Labyrinth. The movie is a masterpiece by Guillermo del Toro, the mexican director who also has the Hellboy series to his credit.

The movie is about a young girl's foray into her fantasy world to escape the real life's pain during the war. The girl moves to her stepfather's house with her pregnant mother only to find that the place is not like the one she reads in her fairytales. Her stepfather is a rude and a cruel man. However, sh

e finds a deserted labyrinth and a multi-legged insect that she assumes to be a tooth-fairy and her fantasy world takes shape here.

The movie moves between the fantasy world and the real one so seamlessly that you eventually fall into the shoes of the girl. Everytime you witness the harsh reality, you start longing for the fantasy world to set in. And that's a victory for the Director.

The actor who has played the girl deserves special mention. She realistically portrays the feelings of a girl torn between war and longing for love. And the step father guys has also done a pretty good job and makes you really hate him. Art Direction and make-up are just brilliant (rightly awarded the Oscars). The soundtrack is touching and the lullaby (watch video below) is so moving that I can't take it out of my mind.

I had developed some respect when I watched Del Toro's Hellboy 2, but I've now become his fan after watching Pan's Labyrinth. I guess Peter Jackson did the right thing in requesting Del Toro to direct The Hobbit.

Trivia : The movie received a record 22 minute standing ovation at the Cannes film festival!

Strongly recommended!

Lullaby :