Pan's Labyrinth

Before I saw this movie I read up on it on IMDB. The people on IMDB said that it was ripping off the plot from El Espiritu de la Colmena (Spirit of the BeeHive), but apart from a few similarities they were totally different. Yes they are both set in 1940's Spain and had political undertones; yes they were both about young girls who were lost in their own fantasy world (both of whom are incredible child actors); but there the similarities stop. For one thing Pan's Labyrinth had a plot that was intelligible. Also,Spirit of the Beehive was more subtly political. But enough about comparison.
Pan's Labyrinth was awesome. It would be a perfect children's movie if it weren't for all of the violence. But I think that is what makes the movie so good. This little girl is caught in her own world, but she is still subject to the actual world around her. Nancy Michael equated the movie with classic myth. It's about a person who is trying to make sense of the world around them. In a sense Ofelia created her own religion and, in the end, went to a heaven of her making.
The most horrifying scene for me was the scene with the rabbit hunter. It was the first act of violence in the film and it was way more effective than simply shooting the peasants. After that we had a completely clear picture of the Captain. A lot of other people were hung up on the cheek scene, and it was shocking, but after that first act I was expecting anything so the subsequent graffic scenes weren't as shocking.

Sunset Blvd.

Gloria Swanson seriously creeped me out in this movie. I think her character was partial correct in the assertion that silent actors could say more with their bodies than sound actors could say with their mouths. She just had this way of making angles with her body that was downright terrifying. I think that angles like that on people are really scary. For this reason a skinny person will always be scarier than a fat person because fat people just don't have the capacity to make those sharp angles.
One thing that I was physically put off by was the amount of hair that William Holden had on his chest. It was braidable for crying out loud. Although, I do have to admit that the scene when he gets out of the pool is enhanced by his disguisting hair. The hair catches water droplets and the lighting makes them sparkle, like he has been showered with diamonds.
So, I guess the question of the week is: what physical characteristics do you find off-putting or really creepy?

Breaking the Waves

This is one of the most depressing movies I have ever seen in my life. It is outstripped only by "the bicycle thieves". The ending is really good though; I love the bells. It is set in the modern-day, but it is really difficult to believe that anyone would act that way. Shunning people is an effective punishment, if an extremely cruel one. Also, I can't believe that her family let her go off and have sex with strangers. She's MENTALLY ILL for crying out loud.
As to the Dogma '95 idea that handheld cameras and no special showcases the acting ability: I completely agree. The handheld camera gave the movie a very real feel, which made it tenfold creepier in places. It also made the sex-scenes a lot more uncomfortable for me.

The Lady Vanishes

This is a pretty good flick, but there are some places where the pace was a bit slow. After they found Ms. Froy it should have gone a lot faster. Also, I still have to agree w/ Zach that the movie should have ended when the two heard the music playing.
Here's a question for the audience: Do you think that Gilbert and Iris are going to stay together? They certainly seem to have the same type of preferences and by the end they are getting along nicely. But, Iris was about to rush into a marriage w/ another man, what's to say she won't rush out on Gilbert if she gets bored?
The political backround is very interesting as well. Austria met w/ Germany in 1938 to form an alliance. Are these the two superpowers mentioned in the film?