El Orfanato (the orphanage)

[elpirao]

Wow! Have you guys seen this yet? I've been trying to see it for a while now, and finally I was able to see it tonight. I loved it!
You must check it out if you like movies like The Others or The Sixth Sense.
Any comments?

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

The scene with "el escondite inglés" (Uno, dos tres, etc) was simply amazing! Not having any cuts made it truly suspenseful. And the scene when Tomas' mom gets run over was crazy! Especially when she grabs the main character's hand.
It also freaked me out when the protagonist is digging the bodies hidden in the bags and something seems to be getting closer, sliding out of the hole. But it is just a camera trick.

What I missed is the reference to how or why the place was closed. Did they explain it? Was it after all the kids' deaths? I don't think they ever talked about what happened once all the kids were poisoned.

I also loved the ending. I mean, the moment the husband gave her the necklace earlier in the movie, I knew that she was going to die and then give it back to him. I don't usually see stuff like that coming, but I figured it out. But still it was great.

I'm just surprised that it is not getting the attention that Pan's Labyrinth got last year... It's unfair, actually.

[Nick August]

I saw it last month and yes it's good..but the only problem is that his films always have a 'happy ending' which is okay I guess.They're like 'family friendly' horror films with hopeful messages.A lot of the film's plot devices are predictable as you said...you can see them coming..old haunted house cliche's..still a good film.

[Bron]

I also saw it and liked it alot. Will buy it when it comes out.

[elpirao]

Nick, what do you mean by "his films always have happy endings"?
This is Bayona's opera prima. I think that you are confused with Guillermo Del Toro, who just produced the movie.
But if that's the case, do you really think that El Laberinto Del Fauno had a happy ending? What about El Espinazo Del Diablo? That wasn't much of a happy ending either. At least not IMO...

[kamikazesquid]

hey elpirao, how much gore is there in Devil's Backbone compared to Pan's Labyrinth? i don't remember there being any and i'm trying to get my friend to watch it, but that is a concern of hers. i haven't seen it in a long time, but if i'm gonna watch it with her i don't see the point in watching it before.

sorry to go off topic.

[Nick August]

No,I meant these recent films have the charactors at peace with their fate..not really happy endings but you know what I mean.

[elpirao]

Kamikaze,
Devil's Backbone doesn't have as much gore as Pan's. It gets a little violent towards the end, but it is not as in your face as with Pan's. But I guess that it all depends or each person's perception of violence.

[Brutus]

I really want to see this one. Pan's Labyrinth was great, but so sad for me - I guess it depends on your point of view. With Devil's Backbone, there is very little gore, but it is made all that more meaningful/shocking for that reason I think. Most memorable, is the blood spreading into the water from the dead boy and from the ghost into the air, as if it was into water - what an eerie effect.