Pan's Labyrinth [limited]
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Sergi López (Full Cast)
Studio: Picturehouse

The Plot: Relocated in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, young Ofelia (Baquero) discovers a stone labyrinth near her new home. Inside the structure, she encounters a mythical creature who tells her she's the princess who belongs to this underground world, but in order to return home, she must complete three dangerous tasks.

THE BUZZ: That's the basic outline of Guillermo del Toro's Spanish-language fairy tale, which has floored nearly every critic and fanboy who has seen it. (I'd say the big guy's profanity laden Comic-Con panel was as popular as QT/RR's Grind House spectacle.) If the film sounds like all of the director's past works rolled into one, I believe you're about halfway there. The fusion of Franco-era politics and fairy tale imagery might normally prove too high concept for general audiences, but del Toro's built up more than a cult with films such as Blade II and Hellboy (two movies that transcended the comic-geek genre to become certifiable hits). And from what we hear, recent creature/effect-heavy movies such as Silent Hill can literally only dream of visions such as the ones del Toro and his team have rendered here. Prepare for the Pale Man, that's all we're saying ...