I can't recall if this movie was ever brought up on the board here. It's from 2008 but I just watched it the other night and really liked it. It had a Fae theme and was directed by Guillermo del Toro, who also did "Pan's Labyrinth." I'm wondering, has anyone else seen the movie? What were your thoughts on it?

***SPOILERS!!!***


Although the "bad guys" in the movie were from the Fae world, I really appreciated the fact that they were depicted as doing right for their own kind. There was a strong message about man's greed, taking so much land for their own development, and the Fae losing their woodlands and being driven under the earth. The scene with the forest god - its demise was so sad but beautiful, and the remorse that Red felt for having to kill it.
The elves in this were very stylized with ghostly white skin and mystical looking lines running across their faces. I don't read comic books or graphic novels, but I liked their look. Different from any others I've seen in movies. I keep a mental list of movies with Faerie in it and I'm adding this one.

Guillermo del Toro has definitely improved and grown as a director since the first Hellboy, which my boyfirend made me watch, and during which I fell asleep because it was just so mediocre. But I'm a movie snob.

Pan's Labyrinth was amazing! Guillermo del Toro really learned a lot with that film and realized his potential. It showed in Hellboy II, which was just so much more developed in everything that goes into the storytelling (cinematography, visuals, character devlopment, plot development, theme, etc.) I liked the faerie element to it. That was a treat for me. However, Selma Blair just annoys me to no end. Not as much as, say, Renee Zellweger annoys me, but still... Anyway, that's a personal taste issue. Overall, HEllboy II was pretty good!

Speaking of Ron Perlman movies, has anyone seen The City of Lost Children? If you're into steampunk, check it out. Here's the IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112682/

And along those lines, this is a perfect example of how the fae are reclaiming their land. Look at this phone booth in the Hoh rainforest in Washington:

http://tour.airstreamlife.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/olympic-hoh-moss.jpg

Cori, I remember seeing the first Hellboy but not too much else. I liked it, but it didn't really draw me in. It was definitely the storyline of the sequel that caught my attention. I hadn't planned on seeing it but my husband watched it first and said I'd probably like it. The Faerie in it reminded me of some of the ones from Pan's Labyrinth. The Death angel reminded me a lot of the pale eye-handed creature from PL. (Play by the same actor, noncoincidentally!)

It's been ages but I have seen "City of Lost Children!" I can only recall bits and pieces but I remember thinking it was a wonderful movie. I should rent that again.

Love the pic, Kelli! I love that idea of nature reclaiming development. Like wild plants that seed themselves on top of buildings or theater marquee signs. On a road trip from Delaware to D.C. and back, I was fascinated by all the abandoned houses near the road. They were all covered in vegetation and most of them had branches and vines growing out of the windows, from inside the house.

Hiya,

Yup I've seen Hellboy II. I really enjoyed it, it was awesome, totally not what I expected. I didn't really like Hellboy that much and hardly remember it.

Speaking of Guillermo del Toro, I just read yesterday that he is directing The Hobbit, can't wait to see it!

Absolutely love City of Lost Children have seen it so many times I can't remember the exact number. Saw it first at the cinema not knowing anything about it and was blown away by how great it was.

Hope you are all happy and well

Wishes of the very best kind

Spriggan

Favorite Froud Book? The Art of Wendy Froud

Aw, cool! I didn't know he was directing The Hobbbit! I think he will do well. I have had mixed feelings about the upcomong Hobit film jsut because the book doesn't seem as acion-packed as the others. But I liked the animated film, so we'll see. I'm glad some of you have seen The City of Lost Children. It's a fantastic film. The guy who plays the clones is in Amelie, which is one of my favorite French films. So cute.

I love Hellboy and Guillermo's movies, but really didn't like the first film! This one, however, I think he just let his imagination get carried away and it's a brilliant film. My favourite is still Pan's Labyrinth though!

It was a very clever movie how they combined all the different mythologies.

Yes my dear Nann, I do have to say I pretty much loved it!

There's a movie coming out, I can't remember the name(something like Planet Earth After the Humans or something like that) and it shows a picture of New York city after all the people are gone with vines and green stuff growing all over the ruins of the buildings! If only, lol!

That's my favourite daydream, imagine all the people disappeared, what would happen to the world; I'm not crazy right?!

LOL
Junkpunk..if you are crazy then so am I (but I've always suspected that about myself). Anyways there was a book written a while ago by Alan Weisman called "World without us" and he takes the idea of "what if people just vanished from the earth" and explores how long it will take for Nature to reclaim everything and restore "balance"...it is a very interesting book, slightly buddhist in tilt, I enjoy the thought of it a lot...
here's a link to a Youtube video based on his book

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvDhNZNSBk

Enjoy!