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    <title>Pan's Labyrinth's Recent Activity - Spout</title>
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      <title>Pan's Labyrinth's Recent Activity - Spout</title>
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      <title>Film:Pan's Labyrinth</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/films/Pan_s_Labyrinth/262873/default.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<table width='100%' style='font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><tr><td><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' /></td>
<td>
<strong>Title:</strong> Pan's Labyrinth<br/>
<strong>Year:</strong> 2006<br/>
<strong>Director:</strong> Guillermo del Toro<br/>
<strong>Plot:</strong> Mexican filmmaker <a href="/players/P___166461/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Guillermo del Toro</a> returns to the phantasmagorical cinema that defined such early fare as <a href=/films/89416/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Cronos</a> and <a href=/films/190593/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Devil's Backbone</a> with this haunting fantasy-drama set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and detailing the strange journeys of an imaginative young girl who may be the mythical princess of an underground kingdom. Her mother, Carmen (<a href="/players/P___196074/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ariadna Gil</a>), recently remarried to sadistic army captain Vidal (<a href="/players/P___226142/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Sergi López</a>) and soon to bear the cruel military man's child, shy young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is forced to entertain herself as her recently-formed family settles into their new home nestled deep in the Spanish countryside. As Ofelia's bed-ridden mother lies immobilized in anticipation of her forthcoming child and her high-ranking stepfather remains determined to fulfill the orders of General Francisco Franco and crush a nearby guerilla uprising, the young girl soon ventures into an elaborate stone labyrinth presided over by the mythical faun Pan (<a href="/players/P____36082/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Doug Jones</a>). Convinced by Pan that she is the lost princess of legend and that in order to return to her underground home she must complete a trio of life-threatening tasks, Ofelia sets out to reclaim her kingdom and return to her grieving father as Vidal's housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdú) and doctor (Alex Angulo) plot secretly on the surface to keep the revolution alive. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide<br><br><b>At the Denver Film Festival, Kevin (porcupine) and Aaron (aaronBsmith) talk about <i>Pan's Labyrinth</i> (excerpt from Roundtable discussion).</b><br><br><object width="290" height="24" id="audioplayer1" data="http://blog.spout.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/players/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash">	<param value="http://blog.spout.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/players/player.swf" name="movie"/>	<param value="playerID=1&bg=0xF8F8F8&leftbg=0xEEEEEE&text=0x666666&lefticon=0x666666&rightbg=0xCCCCCC&rightbghover=0x999999&righticon=0x666666&righticonhover=0xFFFFFF&slider=0x666666&track=0xFFFFFF&loader=0x9FFFB8&border=0x666666&listen_wrapper=off&soundFile=http://blog.spout.com/podpress_trac/play/217/0/2007-01-12_filmcouch011207.mp3" name="FlashVars"/>	<param value="high" name="quality"/>	<param value="false" name="menu"/>	<param value="transparent" name="wmode"/></object><br/>
<strong>Times Tagged:</strong> 210<br/>
<strong>Number of Lists:</strong> 159<br/>
<strong>Number of blog posts:</strong> 51<br/>
<strong>Number of discussion threads:</strong> 19<br/>
<strong>SpoutRating:</strong> 4<br/>
</td></tr></table>]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:04:51 GMT</pubDate><spout:Title>Pan's Labyrinth</spout:Title><spout:Year>2006</spout:Year><spout:Director>Guillermo del Toro</spout:Director><spout:Plot>Mexican filmmaker &lt;a href="/players/P___166461/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Guillermo del Toro&lt;/a&gt; returns to the phantasmagorical cinema that defined such early fare as &lt;a href=/films/89416/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Cronos&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=/films/190593/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;The Devil's Backbone&lt;/a&gt; with this haunting fantasy-drama set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and detailing the strange journeys of an imaginative young girl who may be the mythical princess of an underground kingdom. Her mother, Carmen (&lt;a href="/players/P___196074/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Ariadna Gil&lt;/a&gt;), recently remarried to sadistic army captain Vidal (&lt;a href="/players/P___226142/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Sergi López&lt;/a&gt;) and soon to bear the cruel military man's child, shy young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is forced to entertain herself as her recently-formed family settles into their new home nestled deep in the Spanish countryside. As Ofelia's bed-ridden mother lies immobilized in anticipation of her forthcoming child and her high-ranking stepfather remains determined to fulfill the orders of General Francisco Franco and crush a nearby guerilla uprising, the young girl soon ventures into an elaborate stone labyrinth presided over by the mythical faun Pan (&lt;a href="/players/P____36082/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Doug Jones&lt;/a&gt;). Convinced by Pan that she is the lost princess of legend and that in order to return to her underground home she must complete a trio of life-threatening tasks, Ofelia sets out to reclaim her kingdom and return to her grieving father as Vidal's housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdú) and doctor (Alex Angulo) plot secretly on the surface to keep the revolution alive. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;At the Denver Film Festival, Kevin (porcupine) and Aaron (aaronBsmith) talk about &lt;i&gt;Pan's Labyrinth&lt;/i&gt; (excerpt from Roundtable discussion).&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;object width="290" height="24" id="audioplayer1" data="http://blog.spout.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/players/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"&gt;	&lt;param value="http://blog.spout.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/players/player.swf" name="movie"/&gt;	&lt;param value="playerID=1&amp;bg=0xF8F8F8&amp;leftbg=0xEEEEEE&amp;text=0x666666&amp;lefticon=0x666666&amp;rightbg=0xCCCCCC&amp;rightbghover=0x999999&amp;righticon=0x666666&amp;righticonhover=0xFFFFFF&amp;slider=0x666666&amp;track=0xFFFFFF&amp;loader=0x9FFFB8&amp;border=0x666666&amp;listen_wrapper=off&amp;soundFile=http://blog.spout.com/podpress_trac/play/217/0/2007-01-12_filmcouch011207.mp3" name="FlashVars"/&gt;	&lt;param value="high" name="quality"/&gt;	&lt;param value="false" name="menu"/&gt;	&lt;param value="transparent" name="wmode"/&gt;&lt;/object&gt;</spout:Plot><spout:TimesTagged>210</spout:TimesTagged><spout:taglevel>Tag Target (&gt;10)</spout:taglevel><spout:Numberoflists>159</spout:Numberoflists><spout:NumberOfBlogPosts>51</spout:NumberOfBlogPosts><spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads>19</spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads><spout:SpoutRating>4</spout:SpoutRating><spout:FilmCoverURL>http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg</spout:FilmCoverURL><spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL>http://www.spout.com/films/Pan_s_Labyrinth/262873/default.aspx</spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL><spout:type>Film</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:Weekly Theme for June 1: Through A Child's Eyes</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_June_1_Through_A_Child_s_Eyes/625/42499/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/121669/default.aspx'>leeroy711</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/625/discussions.aspx'>Weekly Theme</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 6/2/2009 9:20:43 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> There are two film that came out over the past few years that seem to fit the topic. I loved them both from a storytelling aspect as well as visually. First is Guillermo Del Torro's Pan's Labyrinth. This was the story of a child living in a world of fantasy in order to escape her own harsh reality. The second is The Fall. Again, this is basically a children's fairy tale that we are watching unfold through her imaginative eye.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:20:43 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>leeroy711</spout:postby><spout:postto>Weekly Theme</spout:postto><spout:postdate>6/2/2009 9:20:43 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body>There are two film that came out over the past few years that seem to fit the topic. I loved them both from a storytelling aspect as well as visually. First is Guillermo Del Torro's Pan's Labyrinth. This was the story of a child living in a world of fantasy in order to escape her own harsh reality. The second is The Fall. Again, this is basically a children's fairy tale that we are watching unfold through her imaginative eye.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Pan's Labyrinth</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/mconrad3/archive/2009/2/13/40437.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/144480/default.aspx'>mconrad3</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/mconrad3/default.aspx'>mconrad3 Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 2/13/2009 1:18:12 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Guillermo del Toro is a very visual director. I was introduced to him through his earlier flick, The Devil's Backbone, and was enticed by his melding gritty realism with the supernatural. In Pan's Labyrinth he return's to Franco's Spain to tell another tale of a child stuck in a bad situation. I think I still enjoy the Devil's Backbone more, but Pan's Labyrinth definitely holds its own and was crucial in establishing del Toro's presence on the American filmmaking scene.
The film begins in 1944 in Spain after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Ofelia is unfortunately thrown into the middle of the woods at a fascist camp because her mother has remarried and is having the child of one Captain Vidal. Shortly after arriving, she discovers a magical prophecy that may prove her to be some form of underworld royalty. With the help of a faun, she goes about the tasks of allowing herself into this fantastical world. Compelling and original stories are hard to come by these days, and I have to give props to del Toro for managing to pull another one off.
Although things start slow, Pan's Labyrinth doesn't hold back on the shocking and disturbing moments once the plot starts moving. A fan of conventional effects over CGI, del Toro's penchan shows well in his rather sparse use of visual effects in a film that would probably warrant twice his budget of $19 million alone. His art direction, as usual, is his biggest strength. He can convince you of the mystical creatures residing in this forest, but also that they can reside right next to a historical conflict. Instead of worrying how fascists and fairies fit in the same film, we actually focus on the story.
I've heard that some of the roles in this flick were cast against their usual genre. Comedians playing sadists, sex kittens playing plain janes, etc. Although I am not fluent in Spanish, their visual performance was spot on and I sensed no awkwardness or clunky line deliveries. It may have been a gamble, but I think it paid off. Ivana Baquero, who plays Ofelia, conveys the curiosity and naivety required for the part and does well with it. Considering the film's success it should be interesting to see where she goes from here.
It was a little too slowly paced in the first act, and certain characterizations like the true motives of the faun aren't explored to the extent I think they could be. Like I've said, I prefer The Devil's Backbone, but Pan's Labyrinth is still a good film. I'll always be willing to sit down for a good yarn from del Toro, and if nothing else they're fun to look at.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:18:12 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>mconrad3</spout:postby><spout:postto>mconrad3 Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>2/13/2009 1:18:12 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Guillermo del Toro is a very visual director. I was introduced to him through his earlier flick, The Devil's Backbone, and was enticed by his melding gritty realism with the supernatural. In Pan's Labyrinth he return's to Franco's Spain to tell another tale of a child stuck in a bad situation. I think I still enjoy the Devil's Backbone more, but Pan's Labyrinth definitely holds its own and was crucial in establishing del Toro's presence on the American filmmaking scene.
The film begins in 1944 in Spain after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Ofelia is unfortunately thrown into the middle of the woods at a fascist camp because her mother has remarried and is having the child of one Captain Vidal. Shortly after arriving, she discovers a magical prophecy that may prove her to be some form of underworld royalty. With the help of a faun, she goes about the tasks of allowing herself into this fantastical world. Compelling and original stories are hard to come by these days, and I have to give props to del Toro for managing to pull another one off.
Although things start slow, Pan's Labyrinth doesn't hold back on the shocking and disturbing moments once the plot starts moving. A fan of conventional effects over CGI, del Toro's penchan shows well in his rather sparse use of visual effects in a film that would probably warrant twice his budget of $19 million alone. His art direction, as usual, is his biggest strength. He can convince you of the mystical creatures residing in this forest, but also that they can reside right next to a historical conflict. Instead of worrying how fascists and fairies fit in the same film, we actually focus on the story.
I've heard that some of the roles in this flick were cast against their usual genre. Comedians playing sadists, sex kittens playing plain janes, etc. Although I am not fluent in Spanish, their visual performance was spot on and I sensed no awkwardness or clunky line deliveries. It may have been a gamble, but I think it paid off. Ivana Baquero, who plays Ofelia, conveys the curiosity and naivety required for the part and does well with it. Considering the film's success it should be interesting to see where she goes from here.
It was a little too slowly paced in the first act, and certain characterizations like the true motives of the faun aren't explored to the extent I think they could be. Like I've said, I prefer The Devil's Backbone, but Pan's Labyrinth is still a good film. I'll always be willing to sit down for a good yarn from del Toro, and if nothing else they're fun to look at.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Oscar Predictions: Yours</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2009/1/19/39678.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/9325/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog on spout.com</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/19/2009 5:01:05 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> With a few more days left before the Oscar nominations are revealed, it is time to look at what the non-professionals anticipate will be among those contenders announced Thursday morning. Last Monday, we posted our own predictions for the Academy Award nominees and invited readers to weigh in with their own forecasts. A lot of comments concentrated on what shouldn’t happen, like The Dark Knight shouldn’t be nominated for Best Picture and Dustin Lance Black shouldn’t be nominated for his screenplay for Milk. And apparently The Curious Case of Benjamin Button could be this year’s Dreamgirls. However, there were some interesting trends among the many who chimed in. Check out some highlights after the jump.


GRAN TORINO for Best Picture?
With a strong wide release, Clint Eastwood’s second film of 2008 has been gaining a lot of Oscar buzz in the last minutes before the nominations are announced. JonathonSaia says it might even make the top category: “I would be hard pressed to believe that Gran Torino will not sneak in the Picture or Direction category. Yes, they will give him an actor nod, but the Academy loves his work. I expect either The Dark Knight or Christopher Nolan to be nominated, but not both. The other will be Gran Torino.”

THE WRESTLER for Best Picture?
The other strong major category candidate missing from our predictions for Best Picture is The Wrestler, which may indeed be another possibility, yet not an “upset.” Says Paul DeBenedetto: “No real love for the Wrestler in the Best Picture or Best Director categories? It was my favorite movie of the year and I think Aronofsky in particular really knocked it out of the park. It could really step in and ruin both the Dark Knight and Boyle’s evenings. That being said at the very least I don’t think noms in those categories would be an upset.”
Nuttylichee agrees that the film will make the top five. Her reasoning: “simple story, a fantastic lead, great direction, better than revolutionary road (dear god, please don’t let revolutionary road get a best picture nod).”

ARNAUD DESPLECHIN for Best Director?
Anthony88 thinks David Fincher will be snubbed in favor of a foreign filmmaker, specifically the director of Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale): “I know Desplechin is an out there pick but those few who have seen A Christmas Tale will surely agree. It has topped an impressive amount of critics’ lists. There is usually a room for a great film that is ineligible for best Foreign film (Letters From Iwo Jima, Talk To Her, Amélie, Vera Drake, Pan’s Labyrinth, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, City of God, and Cache).” [editor’s note: both Amelie and Pan’s Labyrinth received nods for Best Foreign Film; neither had a nod for Best Director. And Cache got no Academy love at all. But we get and agree with your point, Anthony.]

JOSH BROLIN for Best Actor?
Brolin’s portrayal of George W. Bush did make my wishlist for the Oscar nominations, but I think he’ll get snubbed in favor of his supporting performance in Milk. Michael disagrees: “Has everyone forgotten about JOSH BROLIN! His performance in W. was fantastic, say what you will about the overall film, he was brilliant and deserves a nod. He was a better Bush, than Langella was as a Nixon.”

THE CLASS for Best Adapted Screenplay? 
Anthony88 really does have an argument for the Academy having a greater love for foreign films in the directing and writing categories. Here he foresees Francois Begaudeau and Laurent Cantet being recognized for adapting Begaudeau’s book: “Being a weak category this year there shouldn’t be any surprises here other than Cantet’s The Class, which is a shoe in to win Best Foreign Film. It should garner enough love to go the extra mile.”

TROPIC THUNDER or THE WACKNESS or WALTZ WITH BASHIR for Best Original Screenplay?
Another possible surprise upset could come from one or more of the following nominations in the Original Screenplay category: Tropic Thunder (predicted by jeremy); The Wackness (predicted by Aaron); Waltz with Bashir (predicted by Nic). On the latter idea, though, Anthony88 disagrees; yet he acknowledges that it deserves the honor: “Unfortunately, Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir will be dismissed as a documentary screenplay. IT’S STILL A SCREENPLAY!!” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:01:05 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>SpoutBlog</spout:postby><spout:postto>SpoutBlog on spout.com</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/19/2009 5:01:05 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>With a few more days left before the Oscar nominations are revealed, it is time to look at what the non-professionals anticipate will be among those contenders announced Thursday morning. Last Monday, we posted our own predictions for the Academy Award nominees and invited readers to weigh in with their own forecasts. A lot of comments concentrated on what shouldn’t happen, like The Dark Knight shouldn’t be nominated for Best Picture and Dustin Lance Black shouldn’t be nominated for his screenplay for Milk. And apparently The Curious Case of Benjamin Button could be this year’s Dreamgirls. However, there were some interesting trends among the many who chimed in. Check out some highlights after the jump.


GRAN TORINO for Best Picture?
With a strong wide release, Clint Eastwood’s second film of 2008 has been gaining a lot of Oscar buzz in the last minutes before the nominations are announced. JonathonSaia says it might even make the top category: “I would be hard pressed to believe that Gran Torino will not sneak in the Picture or Direction category. Yes, they will give him an actor nod, but the Academy loves his work. I expect either The Dark Knight or Christopher Nolan to be nominated, but not both. The other will be Gran Torino.”

THE WRESTLER for Best Picture?
The other strong major category candidate missing from our predictions for Best Picture is The Wrestler, which may indeed be another possibility, yet not an “upset.” Says Paul DeBenedetto: “No real love for the Wrestler in the Best Picture or Best Director categories? It was my favorite movie of the year and I think Aronofsky in particular really knocked it out of the park. It could really step in and ruin both the Dark Knight and Boyle’s evenings. That being said at the very least I don’t think noms in those categories would be an upset.”
Nuttylichee agrees that the film will make the top five. Her reasoning: “simple story, a fantastic lead, great direction, better than revolutionary road (dear god, please don’t let revolutionary road get a best picture nod).”

ARNAUD DESPLECHIN for Best Director?
Anthony88 thinks David Fincher will be snubbed in favor of a foreign filmmaker, specifically the director of Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale): “I know Desplechin is an out there pick but those few who have seen A Christmas Tale will surely agree. It has topped an impressive amount of critics’ lists. There is usually a room for a great film that is ineligible for best Foreign film (Letters From Iwo Jima, Talk To Her, Amélie, Vera Drake, Pan’s Labyrinth, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, City of God, and Cache).” [editor’s note: both Amelie and Pan’s Labyrinth received nods for Best Foreign Film; neither had a nod for Best Director. And Cache got no Academy love at all. But we get and agree with your point, Anthony.]

JOSH BROLIN for Best Actor?
Brolin’s portrayal of George W. Bush did make my wishlist for the Oscar nominations, but I think he’ll get snubbed in favor of his supporting performance in Milk. Michael disagrees: “Has everyone forgotten about JOSH BROLIN! His performance in W. was fantastic, say what you will about the overall film, he was brilliant and deserves a nod. He was a better Bush, than Langella was as a Nixon.”

THE CLASS for Best Adapted Screenplay? 
Anthony88 really does have an argument for the Academy having a greater love for foreign films in the directing and writing categories. Here he foresees Francois Begaudeau and Laurent Cantet being recognized for adapting Begaudeau’s book: “Being a weak category this year there shouldn’t be any surprises here other than Cantet’s The Class, which is a shoe in to win Best Foreign Film. It should garner enough love to go the extra mile.”

TROPIC THUNDER or THE WACKNESS or WALTZ WITH BASHIR for Best Original Screenplay?
Another possible surprise upset could come from one or more of the following nominations in the Original Screenplay category: Tropic Thunder (predicted by jeremy); The Wackness (predicted by Aaron); Waltz with Bashir (predicted by Nic). On the latter idea, though, Anthony88 disagrees; yet he acknowledges that it deserves the honor: “Unfortunately, Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir will be dismissed as a documentary screenplay. IT’S STILL A SCREENPLAY!!” Originally posted on:SpoutBlog</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: awesome movie</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/frkygrl84/archive/2009/1/13/39454.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/144312/default.aspx'>frkygrl84</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/frkygrl84/default.aspx'>frkygrl84 Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/13/2009 11:47:29 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> i loved this movie!!! i did not think I was going to enjoy a movie like Pan's Labyrinth, since it was all in Spanish and english subs. I actually hate movies that are in Spanish or any other language that is not english the whole way through, because I cannot enjoy the movie without reading the stupid subs at the bottom of the screen. And I feel like I am missing out on the movie. But anyways this movie scared the shit out of me when the thing that had eyes in his hands started chasing her from the result of her eating the two grapes. It was an adult fairtale pretty much. And it had a very nice ending too. I love how the movie kept you guessing on what was going to happen next. And when you think the movie is going to end there is about thirty more minutes until it actually ends.  Very magical and supenseful at the same time. Definately not a movie for young children.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:47:29 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>frkygrl84</spout:postby><spout:postto>frkygrl84 Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/13/2009 11:47:29 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body>i loved this movie!!! i did not think I was going to enjoy a movie like Pan's Labyrinth, since it was all in Spanish and english subs. I actually hate movies that are in Spanish or any other language that is not english the whole way through, because I cannot enjoy the movie without reading the stupid subs at the bottom of the screen. And I feel like I am missing out on the movie. But anyways this movie scared the shit out of me when the thing that had eyes in his hands started chasing her from the result of her eating the two grapes. It was an adult fairtale pretty much. And it had a very nice ending too. I love how the movie kept you guessing on what was going to happen next. And when you think the movie is going to end there is about thirty more minutes until it actually ends.  Very magical and supenseful at the same time. Definately not a movie for young children.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Alternative Nativity: Five Movies about Life, Death, and Babies</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/23/38772.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/9325/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog on spout.com</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 12/23/2008 4:00:40 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Christmas is a time of peace and harmony, where we remember baby Jesus, born into a manger. There were shepherds, wise men, sweet hay and swaddling clothes. But we often forget how dark the Christmas story actually is. First of all you’ve got poor Joseph, convinced that his fiance has been knocked up by another man. Then she gives birth in a barn, which would not be sweet or pleasant in any way. If that weren’t bad enough, the wise men tip Herod off to the fact that a new king has been born, and he goes and kills all the first born sons in Judea, forcing the Holy Family into exile. Real smooth, wise men, did you miss the star that told you to keep your mouths shut?
There are plenty of movies about Christmas, a few about the nativity and plenty more about Santa. But there aren’t any that capture the despair and desperation of the original tale. Placed within the larger narrative of the Christian gospel, the nativity is about a god being subjected to the vulnerability of an infancy, in order to enter a cruel world whose purpose it is to kill him. Sure, it all works out in the end, but it’s still a pretty dark story.
This lack of grit in Christmas movies became clear to me two years ago. Around Christmas, 2006, both The Nativity Story and Children of Men were released. I saw them both within a few days of one another. I was struck by how boring The Nativity Story was, especially compared to Cuarón’s post-apocalyptic masterpiece. When I think of a baby bringing peace on Earth, I can think of no better image than Clive Owen stumbling out of a shattered building with a screaming infant, its cries literally silencing tanks.
In that spirit, here are five gritty movies where everything rides on the tiny shoulders of a baby.

Children of Men
The sweet little child in this movie is the inspiration not only for this list, but for all of humanity (at least in the film). Cuarón creates a brutal world of the near future where women no longer get pregnant, and society crumbles. One reason I like thinking about this movie as an alternate nativity is that it illustrates what Jesus’ second foray into humanity could look like. According to the Bible, the baby in the manger was only part one, Christ is coming back. While I don’t think that Cuarón meant the child to be seen as the second coming, a miraculous birth giving hope to a world in the midst of the apocalypse serves as a nice illustration of God’s ultimate Christmas gift to humanity.
Tsotsi
This 2005 South African film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It tells the story of young Tsotsi and his gang of Johannesburg thugs. A car-jacking goes bad, and Tsotsi kills a woman. He then discovers her baby in the back seat of the car. As movies like Three Men and a Baby and Raising Arizona make clear, there’s nothing like a baby to inspire self-improvement. Confronted with the shame and guilt of his violent lifestyle, Tsotsi goes on a mission to make things right. Maybe this relates to why the image of baby Jesus is so popular, even though it’s such a small part of the Bible. No one wants to do wrong if they think they’ll hurt a baby.
Pan’s Labyrinth
This movie is full of pseudo-nativities (spoilers ahead). Young Ofelia and her pregnant mother go to live in the mountains with Ofelia’s new stepfather, a cruel fascist general in Franco’s Spain. While the baby’s birth is a turning point in the climax of the film, the more fitting parallel to the Christ child is actually Ofelia. The opening scene tells the story of Princess Moanna of the Underground Realm, a supernatural being who takes human form. Throughout the film, Ofelia has encounters with fantastic creatures and locations, including a faun. The faun gives her various missions, the last of which is to shed innocent blood of her baby brother in order to open the portal to the Underworld, so Ofelia (Princess Moanna) can go home. She refuses to let her brother be harmed, and is shot by her stepfather shortly after. The baby is saved, but as Ofelia dies, her innocent blood opens the portal and she rejoins her father, the king, in the supernatural Underworld. Granted, it’s not a Sunday school lesson, but it’s pretty close, right down to Ofelia’s (Christ’s) blood being the link to the heavenly father. If you want to go even further, you could start looking for parallel’s between Franco’s Spain and the Roman occupation of the Holy Land during the first century, but for our purpose here we’ll leave at the innocent blood thing.



Kill Bill
While not nearly the gospel-like parable of Pan’s Labyrinth, Quentin Taratino’s revenge epic does use a child as the central motivating force. A pregnant Beatrix Kiddo is shot and left for dead by Bill, the baby’s father. Four years later the wakes from her coma, assumes her baby is dead, and seeks revenge against her former team of assassins. Kill Bill isn’t about the redemptive effect of an innocent baby as much as it’s about motherhood, and what a mother will do to protect that innocence. Beatrix’s similarities to the Virgin Mary probably end there, but it’s still worth noting the central role that the maternal instinct plays in the film. Kill Bill is gratuitous in every way: it’s violent, it samples from an absurd amount of source material, and the total run time of the two volumes is over four hours. The plot is pretty spare, but Tarantino never has trouble sustaining a sense of urgency. In Kill Bill, as in the nativity, looking out for the welfare of a child is a motivation that never needs to be explained.
Rosemary’s Baby
Rosemary’s Baby isn’t an alternate nativity as much as it’s an anti-nativity. A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, move into a spooky old apartment building. Their meddlesome old neighbors, Minnie and Roman, seem harmless at first. After eating a few bites of Minnie’s chocolate mousse, Rosemary faints and has a dream where she is raped by a demonic presence.  Minnie and Roman suggest an obstetrician who tells Rosemary her pains and cravings of raw meat are totally normal. Clearly something sinister is afoot, but will Rosemary forsake her own child, or join the dark conspiracy? Blood is thicker than water, as they say. And while giving birth to God must have been burden for Mary, how much tougher would it be to give birth to the Devil? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:00:40 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>SpoutBlog</spout:postby><spout:postto>SpoutBlog on spout.com</spout:postto><spout:postdate>12/23/2008 4:00:40 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Christmas is a time of peace and harmony, where we remember baby Jesus, born into a manger. There were shepherds, wise men, sweet hay and swaddling clothes. But we often forget how dark the Christmas story actually is. First of all you’ve got poor Joseph, convinced that his fiance has been knocked up by another man. Then she gives birth in a barn, which would not be sweet or pleasant in any way. If that weren’t bad enough, the wise men tip Herod off to the fact that a new king has been born, and he goes and kills all the first born sons in Judea, forcing the Holy Family into exile. Real smooth, wise men, did you miss the star that told you to keep your mouths shut?
There are plenty of movies about Christmas, a few about the nativity and plenty more about Santa. But there aren’t any that capture the despair and desperation of the original tale. Placed within the larger narrative of the Christian gospel, the nativity is about a god being subjected to the vulnerability of an infancy, in order to enter a cruel world whose purpose it is to kill him. Sure, it all works out in the end, but it’s still a pretty dark story.
This lack of grit in Christmas movies became clear to me two years ago. Around Christmas, 2006, both The Nativity Story and Children of Men were released. I saw them both within a few days of one another. I was struck by how boring The Nativity Story was, especially compared to Cuarón’s post-apocalyptic masterpiece. When I think of a baby bringing peace on Earth, I can think of no better image than Clive Owen stumbling out of a shattered building with a screaming infant, its cries literally silencing tanks.
In that spirit, here are five gritty movies where everything rides on the tiny shoulders of a baby.

Children of Men
The sweet little child in this movie is the inspiration not only for this list, but for all of humanity (at least in the film). Cuarón creates a brutal world of the near future where women no longer get pregnant, and society crumbles. One reason I like thinking about this movie as an alternate nativity is that it illustrates what Jesus’ second foray into humanity could look like. According to the Bible, the baby in the manger was only part one, Christ is coming back. While I don’t think that Cuarón meant the child to be seen as the second coming, a miraculous birth giving hope to a world in the midst of the apocalypse serves as a nice illustration of God’s ultimate Christmas gift to humanity.
Tsotsi
This 2005 South African film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It tells the story of young Tsotsi and his gang of Johannesburg thugs. A car-jacking goes bad, and Tsotsi kills a woman. He then discovers her baby in the back seat of the car. As movies like Three Men and a Baby and Raising Arizona make clear, there’s nothing like a baby to inspire self-improvement. Confronted with the shame and guilt of his violent lifestyle, Tsotsi goes on a mission to make things right. Maybe this relates to why the image of baby Jesus is so popular, even though it’s such a small part of the Bible. No one wants to do wrong if they think they’ll hurt a baby.
Pan’s Labyrinth
This movie is full of pseudo-nativities (spoilers ahead). Young Ofelia and her pregnant mother go to live in the mountains with Ofelia’s new stepfather, a cruel fascist general in Franco’s Spain. While the baby’s birth is a turning point in the climax of the film, the more fitting parallel to the Christ child is actually Ofelia. The opening scene tells the story of Princess Moanna of the Underground Realm, a supernatural being who takes human form. Throughout the film, Ofelia has encounters with fantastic creatures and locations, including a faun. The faun gives her various missions, the last of which is to shed innocent blood of her baby brother in order to open the portal to the Underworld, so Ofelia (Princess Moanna) can go home. She refuses to let her brother be harmed, and is shot by her stepfather shortly after. The baby is saved, but as Ofelia dies, her innocent blood opens the portal and she rejoins her father, the king, in the supernatural Underworld. Granted, it’s not a Sunday school lesson, but it’s pretty close, right down to Ofelia’s (Christ’s) blood being the link to the heavenly father. If you want to go even further, you could start looking for parallel’s between Franco’s Spain and the Roman occupation of the Holy Land during the first century, but for our purpose here we’ll leave at the innocent blood thing.



Kill Bill
While not nearly the gospel-like parable of Pan’s Labyrinth, Quentin Taratino’s revenge epic does use a child as the central motivating force. A pregnant Beatrix Kiddo is shot and left for dead by Bill, the baby’s father. Four years later the wakes from her coma, assumes her baby is dead, and seeks revenge against her former team of assassins. Kill Bill isn’t about the redemptive effect of an innocent baby as much as it’s about motherhood, and what a mother will do to protect that innocence. Beatrix’s similarities to the Virgin Mary probably end there, but it’s still worth noting the central role that the maternal instinct plays in the film. Kill Bill is gratuitous in every way: it’s violent, it samples from an absurd amount of source material, and the total run time of the two volumes is over four hours. The plot is pretty spare, but Tarantino never has trouble sustaining a sense of urgency. In Kill Bill, as in the nativity, looking out for the welfare of a child is a motivation that never needs to be explained.
Rosemary’s Baby
Rosemary’s Baby isn’t an alternate nativity as much as it’s an anti-nativity. A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, move into a spooky old apartment building. Their meddlesome old neighbors, Minnie and Roman, seem harmless at first. After eating a few bites of Minnie’s chocolate mousse, Rosemary faints and has a dream where she is raped by a demonic presence.  Minnie and Roman suggest an obstetrician who tells Rosemary her pains and cravings of raw meat are totally normal. Clearly something sinister is afoot, but will Rosemary forsake her own child, or join the dark conspiracy? Blood is thicker than water, as they say. And while giving birth to God must have been burden for Mary, how much tougher would it be to give birth to the Devil? Originally posted on:SpoutBlog</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: 10 Most Accessible Foreign Films of the Last Ten Years</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/13/37289.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/9325/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/default.aspx'>SpoutBlog on spout.com</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 11/13/2008 5:00:46 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Danny Boyle’s new crowd-pleasing film Slumdog Millionaire was originally intended to be shot entirely in English, but apparently due to the preferences of a casting director, about a third of the movie is in Hindi. While this fraction may not be enough to call it a foreign-language film, it could have been enough to turn off subtitle-fearing audiences were the movie not so otherwise accessible due to its feel-good, “Hollywood-style” story involving star-crossed romance, destiny and an ultimate “love conquers all” message. Also, the movie breaks free from one off-putting foreign film tradition by following Man on Fire, Night Watch and TV’s Heroes into the realm of non-traditional subtitling.
Slumdog received a standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award, and it could very well extend its popularity in the direction of the multiplex crowd. If it’s a hit with moviegoers who aren’t typically open to world cinema, this could be the chance for similarly feel-good foreign films to cross over and reach a wider audience, whether they be upcoming releases like the Sundance-winning Captain Abu Raed or titles from the past that could always use more Netflix-queue love.
And so, in the hopes that Slumdog could help open the door to further foreign film consumption, SpoutBlog presents this guide to the most accessible world cinema titles from the past ten years. For every entry-level film on the list, we name a couple of more intermediate titled in the same vein — just in case you get hooked.


Amelie 
Spout.com user leeroy711 recently referred to this imaginative French film as the foreign-language cinema’s “gateway drug.” And it’s certainly true that its fanciful romantic story and colorful tone have won the favor of many a young adult not previously accustomed to European cinema. Never mind that it makes stalking seem a little too precious and innocent — the film’s whimsical title character (played delightfully by Audrey Tautou), full of good intentions and lots of heart, will have you wishing you had such a thoughtful and inventive pursuer. Also worth checking out: A Very Long Engagement; Love Me If You Dare

The Chorus
Hollywood sometimes seems to have cornered the market on movies about inspirational teachers, especially those involving music instruction. But this French film proves that foreign films can have similarly motivational stories about great educators and their newly encouraged students. Also worth checking out: Small Voices; Monsieur Ibrahim

City of God
This Brazilian film set in the favelas of Rio can be quite violent, enough to have been compared to gangster films like Goodfellas (though Goodfellas doesn’t have any little kids being shot in the foot). But at its center is the uplifting tale of a boy who makes it out of the slums in order to become a successful writer. Also worth checking out: City of Men (both the TV series and the feature film)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Martial arts cinema has long been an accessible genre to a large enough portion of Americans, but this film, which became the top grossing foreign-language title in the U.S. (not counting The Passion of the Christ), has managed to acquire fans that don’t normally go for kung fu and wuxia. The main attraction that makes this title more appealing than most is likely its production value, which with its beautiful cinematography and well-crafted special effects allows it to compare to romantic epics out of Hollywood. Also worth checking out: Hero; House of Flying Daggers

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
The running time of 3 hrs. 43 min. probably seems like a deterrent, but this Bollywood film really does feel a lot shorter than it is. Really. And anyway its compelling story of an underdog cricket team is familiar enough that you don’t have to pay too much attention if you don’t have the time — though it will be difficult to let your attention stray except for during some of the less-adequately translated musical numbers that aren’t so significant or relatable to most Western viewers. Just think of this film as your typical Hollywood sports movie, except instead of the final game being quickly highlighted in the last 30 minutes, it’s seemingly depicted in its entirety for more than an hour. And yes, the ending is a crowd-pleaser. Also worth checking out: The Cup; Monsoon Wedding

Life is Beautiful
This Oscar-winning film is so feel-good that it comes close to overkill. In fact, a decade after its release, it’s easy to forget just how entertaining it is. Just as we’re more likely to remember the stomach ache after gorging ourselves with delicious sweets or the hangover that follows a great night of drinking, moviegoers often recall only the obnoxiousness that came with an overexposed and over-awarded Roberto Benigni. But don’t let the cynics keep you from enjoying such a heartwarming and inspiriting tale of a “real life Prince Charming.” Also worth checking out: I Served the King of England

The Motorcycle Diaries
Hollywood could actually take a cue from this film the next time it wants to make one of those prequels detailing the life of an iconic villain (ex: Hannibal Rising), at least if it wants audiences to like the guy enough to forget he grows up to be a murderous rebel. Whether or not you like who and what Ernesto Guevara becomes in the years after The Motorcycle Diaries takes place, you’ll have no trouble falling for his younger self as he ditches his privileged life and devotes himself to a colony of lepers. Also worth checking out: Downfall

Pan’s Labyrinth
In the tradition of such dark yet magical stories as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, a little girl encounters strange creatures and kind of winds up a princess. It’s ultimately a very sad and depressing film, but the ending at least pretends to be happy, enough that you might think your eyes are watering with tears of joy. Also worth checking out: City of Lost Children

Run Lola Run
It’s extremely fast-paced, a little bit MTV, a little bit video game, and it features a character you really want to root for, especially because she’s narratively allotted a few do-overs in order to make things right. And mainstream moviegoers love stories of both chance and second chances. Roger Ebert also noted in his review that it’s the kind of film that could play in a sports bar, so perhaps it’s even more of a gateway foreign film for sports fans than Lagaan. Also worth checking out: The Princess and the Warrior; Amores perros

Tsotsi
Like City of God, this film involves a crime-ridden ghetto, but it’s even more accessible than that film despite its lack of inspiring upward mobility. It could probably appeal most to fans of American “urban” gangster films, but any mainstream moviegoer should enjoy the conventional plot involving a thug who accidentally kidnaps a baby and then changes morally as a result. Also worth checking out: Kolya; Central Station Originally posted on:SpoutBlog<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:00:46 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>SpoutBlog</spout:postby><spout:postto>SpoutBlog on spout.com</spout:postto><spout:postdate>11/13/2008 5:00:46 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Danny Boyle’s new crowd-pleasing film Slumdog Millionaire was originally intended to be shot entirely in English, but apparently due to the preferences of a casting director, about a third of the movie is in Hindi. While this fraction may not be enough to call it a foreign-language film, it could have been enough to turn off subtitle-fearing audiences were the movie not so otherwise accessible due to its feel-good, “Hollywood-style” story involving star-crossed romance, destiny and an ultimate “love conquers all” message. Also, the movie breaks free from one off-putting foreign film tradition by following Man on Fire, Night Watch and TV’s Heroes into the realm of non-traditional subtitling.
Slumdog received a standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award, and it could very well extend its popularity in the direction of the multiplex crowd. If it’s a hit with moviegoers who aren’t typically open to world cinema, this could be the chance for similarly feel-good foreign films to cross over and reach a wider audience, whether they be upcoming releases like the Sundance-winning Captain Abu Raed or titles from the past that could always use more Netflix-queue love.
And so, in the hopes that Slumdog could help open the door to further foreign film consumption, SpoutBlog presents this guide to the most accessible world cinema titles from the past ten years. For every entry-level film on the list, we name a couple of more intermediate titled in the same vein — just in case you get hooked.


Amelie 
Spout.com user leeroy711 recently referred to this imaginative French film as the foreign-language cinema’s “gateway drug.” And it’s certainly true that its fanciful romantic story and colorful tone have won the favor of many a young adult not previously accustomed to European cinema. Never mind that it makes stalking seem a little too precious and innocent — the film’s whimsical title character (played delightfully by Audrey Tautou), full of good intentions and lots of heart, will have you wishing you had such a thoughtful and inventive pursuer. Also worth checking out: A Very Long Engagement; Love Me If You Dare

The Chorus
Hollywood sometimes seems to have cornered the market on movies about inspirational teachers, especially those involving music instruction. But this French film proves that foreign films can have similarly motivational stories about great educators and their newly encouraged students. Also worth checking out: Small Voices; Monsieur Ibrahim

City of God
This Brazilian film set in the favelas of Rio can be quite violent, enough to have been compared to gangster films like Goodfellas (though Goodfellas doesn’t have any little kids being shot in the foot). But at its center is the uplifting tale of a boy who makes it out of the slums in order to become a successful writer. Also worth checking out: City of Men (both the TV series and the feature film)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Martial arts cinema has long been an accessible genre to a large enough portion of Americans, but this film, which became the top grossing foreign-language title in the U.S. (not counting The Passion of the Christ), has managed to acquire fans that don’t normally go for kung fu and wuxia. The main attraction that makes this title more appealing than most is likely its production value, which with its beautiful cinematography and well-crafted special effects allows it to compare to romantic epics out of Hollywood. Also worth checking out: Hero; House of Flying Daggers

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
The running time of 3 hrs. 43 min. probably seems like a deterrent, but this Bollywood film really does feel a lot shorter than it is. Really. And anyway its compelling story of an underdog cricket team is familiar enough that you don’t have to pay too much attention if you don’t have the time — though it will be difficult to let your attention stray except for during some of the less-adequately translated musical numbers that aren’t so significant or relatable to most Western viewers. Just think of this film as your typical Hollywood sports movie, except instead of the final game being quickly highlighted in the last 30 minutes, it’s seemingly depicted in its entirety for more than an hour. And yes, the ending is a crowd-pleaser. Also worth checking out: The Cup; Monsoon Wedding

Life is Beautiful
This Oscar-winning film is so feel-good that it comes close to overkill. In fact, a decade after its release, it’s easy to forget just how entertaining it is. Just as we’re more likely to remember the stomach ache after gorging ourselves with delicious sweets or the hangover that follows a great night of drinking, moviegoers often recall only the obnoxiousness that came with an overexposed and over-awarded Roberto Benigni. But don’t let the cynics keep you from enjoying such a heartwarming and inspiriting tale of a “real life Prince Charming.” Also worth checking out: I Served the King of England

The Motorcycle Diaries
Hollywood could actually take a cue from this film the next time it wants to make one of those prequels detailing the life of an iconic villain (ex: Hannibal Rising), at least if it wants audiences to like the guy enough to forget he grows up to be a murderous rebel. Whether or not you like who and what Ernesto Guevara becomes in the years after The Motorcycle Diaries takes place, you’ll have no trouble falling for his younger self as he ditches his privileged life and devotes himself to a colony of lepers. Also worth checking out: Downfall

Pan’s Labyrinth
In the tradition of such dark yet magical stories as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, a little girl encounters strange creatures and kind of winds up a princess. It’s ultimately a very sad and depressing film, but the ending at least pretends to be happy, enough that you might think your eyes are watering with tears of joy. Also worth checking out: City of Lost Children

Run Lola Run
It’s extremely fast-paced, a little bit MTV, a little bit video game, and it features a character you really want to root for, especially because she’s narratively allotted a few do-overs in order to make things right. And mainstream moviegoers love stories of both chance and second chances. Roger Ebert also noted in his review that it’s the kind of film that could play in a sports bar, so perhaps it’s even more of a gateway foreign film for sports fans than Lagaan. Also worth checking out: The Princess and the Warrior; Amores perros

Tsotsi
Like City of God, this film involves a crime-ridden ghetto, but it’s even more accessible than that film despite its lack of inspiring upward mobility. It could probably appeal most to fans of American “urban” gangster films, but any mainstream moviegoer should enjoy the conventional plot involving a thug who accidentally kidnaps a baby and then changes morally as a result. Also worth checking out: Kolya; Central Station Originally posted on:SpoutBlog</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:Depressing holidays, dysfunctional families, foreign films you gotta love</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Depressing_holidays_dysfunctional_families_fo/190/37287/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/3499/default.aspx'>STEPHENtheDIRECTOR</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/190/discussions.aspx'>Top 5</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 11/13/2008 4:38:42 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Depressing holidays: Pieces of April The Ice Storm Groundhog Day The Apartment Planes, Trains &amp; Automobiles Dysfunctional Families: Pieces of April The Royal Tenebaums Psycho Happiness Running With Scissors Most Accessible Foreign Films: Amelie Night Watch Run Lola Run The Lives of Others Pan's Labyrinth    <br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:38:42 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>STEPHENtheDIRECTOR</spout:postby><spout:postto>Top 5</spout:postto><spout:postdate>11/13/2008 4:38:42 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Depressing holidays: Pieces of April The Ice Storm Groundhog Day The Apartment Planes, Trains &amp;amp; Automobiles Dysfunctional Families: Pieces of April The Royal Tenebaums Psycho Happiness Running With Scissors Most Accessible Foreign Films: Amelie Night Watch Run Lola Run The Lives of Others Pan's Labyrinth    </spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:Depressing holidays, dysfunctional families, foreign films you gotta love</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Depressing_holidays_dysfunctional_families_fo/190/37175/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/119628/default.aspx'>mercurial</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/190/discussions.aspx'>Top 5</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 11/10/2008 10:32:44 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Most Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years:  1.) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon  2.) Kung-Fu Hustle  3.) Y Tu Mama Tambien  4.) Pan's Labyrinth  5.) Ringu  6.) Talk to Her  7.) The Spanish Apartment  8.) The Motorcycle Diaries  9.) CIty of God  10.) Amorres Perros  <br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:32:44 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>mercurial</spout:postby><spout:postto>Top 5</spout:postto><spout:postdate>11/10/2008 10:32:44 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Most Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years:  1.) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon  2.) Kung-Fu Hustle  3.) Y Tu Mama Tambien  4.) Pan's Labyrinth  5.) Ringu  6.) Talk to Her  7.) The Spanish Apartment  8.) The Motorcycle Diaries  9.) CIty of God  10.) Amorres Perros  </spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Re:Depressing holidays, dysfunctional families, foreign films you gotta love</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Depressing_holidays_dysfunctional_families_fo/190/37174/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/121669/default.aspx'>leeroy711</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/190/discussions.aspx'>Top 5</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 11/10/2008 10:25:59 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> [quote user="SkyPilot"]    10 Most Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years**    **I had to laugh when Risselada called Amelie the "gateway drug" of foreign films in this Top 5 Overrated Movies discussion. (Hey Rizzo, I can't find that quote now, did you delete it?) [/quote] That was me. I was adding to what Rizzo had allready said something to the effect that Amelie seems to be the movie that people who maybe wouldn't otherwise see foreign movies will cling to as "their favorite foreign film" So........... with that, here's my list: 1.  Pan's Labyrinth (2006)  2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 3. Run Lola Run (1998) 4.  Am&eacute;lie (2001) 5.  Downfall (2004) 6. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) 7. The Lives of Others (2006) 8. Night Watch (2004) 9.  City of God (2002) 10. Volver (2006)  <br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:25:59 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>leeroy711</spout:postby><spout:postto>Top 5</spout:postto><spout:postdate>11/10/2008 10:25:59 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>[quote user="SkyPilot"]    10 Most Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years**    **I had to laugh when Risselada called Amelie the "gateway drug" of foreign films in this Top 5 Overrated Movies discussion. (Hey Rizzo, I can't find that quote now, did you delete it?) [/quote] That was me. I was adding to what Rizzo had allready said something to the effect that Amelie seems to be the movie that people who maybe wouldn't otherwise see foreign movies will cling to as "their favorite foreign film" So........... with that, here's my list: 1.  Pan's Labyrinth (2006)  2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 3. Run Lola Run (1998) 4.  Am&amp;eacute;lie (2001) 5.  Downfall (2004) 6. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) 7. The Lives of Others (2006) 8. Night Watch (2004) 9.  City of God (2002) 10. Volver (2006)  </spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Pan's Labyrinth works on many levels</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/monoman/archive/2008/11/2/36881.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s262873.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/140746/default.aspx'>MonoMan</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/monoman/default.aspx'>MonoMan Blog</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 11/2/2008 2:54:04 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> Pan's Labyrinth works on many levels, as do all of Del Toro's films. Firstly, it's a classic fairy-tale. There's an innocent child, there's an evil power (the captain), there's a helpless mother and there's a mysterious saviour (the faun). Secondly, it's a story about faith and trust in things you don't really understand other than in an intuitive, if you will, way. Thirdly, it's a film about resistance. About not taking the easy way out. About not giving up the things you are and believe in, even in the face of death. It's also, of course, a great fantasy movie, set in a realistic environment. It's got great actors, tremendous scenography, fantastic score and, to top it off, one of the best directors now living. I hadn't seen any of Guillermo Del Toro's films before I saw Pan's Labyrinth, but now I've seen them all, of course. And I find they all deal with similar subjects. The Devil's Backbone is, I think, the most obvious example.  But even in Del Toro's adaptions of Hellboy there's this element of compassion for the underdog and, also, the offhand strength shown by his outsider characters. Just like the "undercover" resistance fighters in Pan's Labyrinth (the housekeeper and the doctor, and, of course, the little girl who is the main character). Just like the orphan boys (and the professor, of course) in The Devil's Backbone who fight aginst evil and greed in the form of the orphanage's caretaker. Just like Hellboy, who, with his crew fights for the right to... party! And! For the right to be what you are, regardless of what other people see you as. This review's a bit long I guess, but it's my first one here at Spout, and I just couldn't help myself getting a bit carried away. All in all, Pan's Labyrinth has restarted my MonoManic interest in going to the movies after several years of being in hibernation.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:54:04 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>MonoMan</spout:postby><spout:postto>MonoMan Blog</spout:postto><spout:postdate>11/2/2008 2:54:04 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>Pan's Labyrinth works on many levels, as do all of Del Toro's films. Firstly, it's a classic fairy-tale. There's an innocent child, there's an evil power (the captain), there's a helpless mother and there's a mysterious saviour (the faun). Secondly, it's a story about faith and trust in things you don't really understand other than in an intuitive, if you will, way. Thirdly, it's a film about resistance. About not taking the easy way out. About not giving up the things you are and believe in, even in the face of death. It's also, of course, a great fantasy movie, set in a realistic environment. It's got great actors, tremendous scenography, fantastic score and, to top it off, one of the best directors now living. I hadn't seen any of Guillermo Del Toro's films before I saw Pan's Labyrinth, but now I've seen them all, of course. And I find they all deal with similar subjects. The Devil's Backbone is, I think, the most obvious example.  But even in Del Toro's adaptions of Hellboy there's this element of compassion for the underdog and, also, the offhand strength shown by his outsider characters. Just like the "undercover" resistance fighters in Pan's Labyrinth (the housekeeper and the doctor, and, of course, the little girl who is the main character). Just like the orphan boys (and the professor, of course) in The Devil's Backbone who fight aginst evil and greed in the form of the orphanage's caretaker. Just like Hellboy, who, with his crew fights for the right to... party! And! For the right to be what you are, regardless of what other people see you as. This review's a bit long I guess, but it's my first one here at Spout, and I just couldn't help myself getting a bit carried away. All in all, Pan's Labyrinth has restarted my MonoManic interest in going to the movies after several years of being in hibernation.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:love</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>love</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 12478</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 338</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 1480</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:28:29 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>12478</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>338</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>1480</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:Classic</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/Classic/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>Classic</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 816</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 313</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 1454</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:30:46 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>816</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>313</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>1454</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:Loved-It</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Loved-It/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/Loved-It/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>Loved-It</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 509</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 179</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 921</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:56:35 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>509</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>179</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>921</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:war</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/war/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/war/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>war</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 6177</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 179</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 608</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:16:35 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>6177</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>179</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>608</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:awesome</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/awesome/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/awesome/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>awesome</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 187</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 158</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 291</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:23:33 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>187</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>158</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>291</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:amazing</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/amazing/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/amazing/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>amazing</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 179</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 156</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 253</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:49:13 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>179</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>156</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>253</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:beautiful</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/beautiful/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/beautiful/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>beautiful</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 260</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 150</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 417</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:43:48 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>260</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>150</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>417</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:brilliant</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/brilliant/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/brilliant/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>brilliant</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 179</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 137</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 285</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:28:43 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>179</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>137</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>285</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:dark</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/dark/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/dark/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>dark</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 223</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 137</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 390</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:40:47 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>223</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>137</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>390</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
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      <title>Spout Tag:fantasy</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/fantasy/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/fantasy/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>fantasy</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 1044</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 128</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 480</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:54:25 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>1044</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>128</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>480</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:overrated</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/overrated/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/overrated/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>overrated</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 152</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 106</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 240</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:37:37 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>152</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>106</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>240</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
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      <title>Spout Tag:scary</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/scary/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/scary/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>scary</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 155</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 104</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 197</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:30:07 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>155</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>104</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>197</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
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      <title>Spout Tag:masterpiece</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/masterpiece/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/masterpiece/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>masterpiece</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 226</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 101</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 215</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:28:28 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>226</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>101</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>215</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
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      <title>Spout Tag:Cool</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Cool/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/Cool/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>Cool</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 103</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 97</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 188</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:20:50 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>103</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>97</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>188</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:film</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/film/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/film/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>film</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 657</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 82</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 190</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:35:41 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>657</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>82</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>190</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
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