[REC]

So what is this one about?
Well, I didn't really know what it was about when I rented it. I had seen ads for Quarantine and was interested in seeing it. Something about people being quarantined in a building in some city for some reason they didn't know. And I think it was about number 3 in my netflix queue.

Then brother Jack came and told me that the Cabinet of Dr. Calagari was rated number one in the horror movie section in the best of rotten tomatoes. He had said that he would have to rent CoDC and I told him he should. We then looked at the list to see what other movies I had seen. Jack asked if I had seen [REC]--which of course I hadn't. He then went and watched it and said it was awesome. So, I put it at the top of my queue. But I still didn't really know what it was about.

After seeing the movie, and then reading what netflix says, I am glad I didn't know before I watched it. It made the movie was more scary that way. And thus, I will not give you the official description. But, if you are curious, it is easy to find. But you should watch it without knowing what it is about. That is my recommendation.

And how much did I pay to watch?
$1.88 from the netflix. And if I could find this at Target (which will like never happen because it is foreign--Spanish) I would buy it in .09 seconds.

And what did I think?
Hot damn! This one totally deserves to be on the best of in the horror movie section. (I am also 100% glad that The Descent is in the best of list too. In fact, these two films remind me of each other and were scary in the same way). It is one of the few movies I have seen in the past 5 years or so that were so scary that I involuntarily covered my eyes with my hands or actually wanted to turn the movie off! Now, I know some people don't like to be scared, but by god I love it! But sometimes when I am watching these movies alone in my room at night, I want to turn a real scary one off so I don't have nightmares, because I know I very well could.

The movie started out slowly, as if to lull you into a very false sense of security, then it starts to pick up speed and you begin to feel uneasy, then it sucker punches you in the gut and maintains that intensity until the end where you feel so uneasy that you may think of just turning the whole thing off until morning. And the sucker punch scene I alluded to? It was so gd scary and unexpected that I literally had to catch my breath once it had happened. And at the end, I really did consider turning it off. I didn't want to watch it because i was really that scared that i wouldn't be able to sleep.

All of this just cements the fact that it is one of the best horror movies I have seen.

So what is the rating? (out of 10)
Rent it. Well, rent it only if you like horror movies. If you like horror movies, rent it. Immediately.

10.

El Espinazo del Diablo (The Devil's Backbone)

So what is this one about?
My beloved provides us with this description,

Twelve-year-old Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is the latest arrival at Santa Lucia School, an imposing stone building that shelters orphans of the Republican militia and politicians during the last days of the Spanish Civil War. Carlos gradually uncovers the dark ties that bind the inhabitants of the school: hidden riches, sexual intrigue and the restless ghost of a murdered student, who may be the only one to provide resolution.

The film, of course, is written and directed by Guillermo del Toro... the man who can't get enough of the Spanish Civil War and orphanages... and who looks nothing like what you would expect.

And how much did I pay to watch?
well, I got it from netflix, so some small ammount ;)

And what did I think?
First, I loved the blood coming from the dead boy's (Santi) head. It was amazing and spacey and captivating.



Second, I loved the bad guy. I guess one of delToro's themes is the Spanish Civil War sucked and everyone was an asshole. But the bad guy was just so mean for no reason. I always like antagonists like that.

Third, I think I probably don't watch nearly enough spanish cinema, because, from the few I have seen, it is creepy and haunting. I guess the movies I watch most are French films, or Japanese.

Fourth, and a real "what did I think point", I like that this movie didn't resolve everything at the end. In The Orphanage there were no loose ends and it ended up being really annoying. It seemed like the director (who wasn't delToro) decided at the very last minute to make it all wrap up, and it just seemed unnecessary. However, in this movie the end wrapped things up just enough that the audience felt satisfied without feeling like they were being beaten with the obvious stick.

Fifth, I think delToro is a gifted director. His movies all have this slightly scary, foreboding, fairy tale quality to them. His films have lessons for the audience to learn and he presents them in such a simple and fantastical way that they are somewhat easier to extract. He deals a lot with the concepts of good and evil, and maybe how in wartime it is harder to tell them apart. They are very intriguing to watch.

Oh, and sixth, the title was stupid.

So what is the rating? (out of 10)
This was very enjoyable. It was well made, and well thought out. I am really so impressed with del Toro.

This one gets an 8.