The Orphanage (aka "El Orfanato")

"Believe and you will see."

- The Orphanage

In the spirit of Halloween, I had been building my list of scary movies to watch. I was looking for scary movies, both old and new, seen and never seen.

So, I decided to watch this movie based on a recommendation from my tweep, The Horror Digest (thank you!). I had never heard of this film before and decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did.

Since I'm very much into psychological thriller type films such as my last review, I really did enjoy watching this movie. The above quote sums it all.

Basically, it's a movie about perspective - how we see things and the difference between seeing and believing. And, if you start to believe so much in something then you will slowly begin to see things that some people may not see.

In turn, this becomes reality - your reality. And, what is real to you may not be real to someone else. (If you've seen the film, you'll know what I'm talking about).

I really enjoyed how the film presented the story to tell both the present and the past, and to connect the past with the present. Though the story went back and forth (present to past and vice versa), I did not feel confused - it had a unique way of telling the story. I also enjoyed the use of older objects and places to unveil past events - this worked very well in the film.

In addition, I also enjoyed the use of sound effects and images. Most of the film took place in the house (aka the orphanage) - there were many creepy sounds within the home being a very old home and all.

As with a lot of older homes, there can be many sounds within the home to make it spooky such as creaky stairs, older plumbing pipes, etc. This was the effect and experience I had watching this film - the whole house felt creepy.

There were a few twists and turns, which I really enjoyed. The film really kept my attention -I wanted to see more. And, the ending is definitely worth the wait. I don't want to spoil it for you but let's just say the film really makes a statement about the power of believing. And, how the power of believing can make things a reality.

If you're in the mood for a psychological thriller type horror movie, I definitely recommend this one.

(Note: For another perspective on the movie, check out my tweep's, The Horror Digest, review).

(p.s. By the way, the entire film is originally in Spanish with English subtitles).

Happy movie watching!



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Cinema Paradiso (1988)

I really enjoyed watching this movie -it was very entertaining from beginning to end. Being a foreign film, I thought it was strictly a drama but was surprised as it had bits of comedy.

It's definitely a movie for filmgoers and filmmakers alike - it brought out my passion for film and the kid in me. Great story, great acting, great music - an overall great movie. I highly recommend this movie - it's a masterpiece.

p.s. For those who have already seen the movie, there is an alternative ending in the director's cut. Enjoy!



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Letters From Iwo Jima & Flags of Our Fathers

Since both of these movies are both related to the Battle of Iwo Jima, I thought it would be best to group them together as a "double feature." Both movies are set in the same time period, though each depict different perspectives of the war.

Letters From Iwo Jima shows the war from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers. It's very interesting to see the story unfold from a different perspective.

The film showed the strategy of the Japanese used to defend their island of Iwo Jima from the Americans. It also depicts the personal struggles and lives of the Japanese soldiers. It's a very good movie to watch and to see things from a different perspective.



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Flags of Our Fathers shows the war from the perspective of the American soldiers. It showed the struggles and personal lives of the American soldiers who fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima. It was a neat way of telling the story as it was told backwards - from the present to the past.



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Overall, I enjoyed both movies very much. When watching war movies, it always makes me thankful for the freedom that we have today. I think many people still take freedom for granted. In some countries, a mandatory military draft still exists. After watching these types of movies, it makes me grateful for the freedoms we have today - these soldiers have risked their lives for our future.

I highly recommend both movies. I suggest watching Letters From Iwo Jima before watching Flags of Our Fathers.

Letters From Iwo Jima sets the tone for the time period. You learn the military strategy of the Japanese and also what the Japanese soldiers went through while at Iwo Jima. If you watch this film first, then when watching Flags of Our Fathers you will better understand certain parts of the movie which depict some events and landscape from Letters From Iwo Jima.

If you're in the mood for a war type movie, I definitely recommend watching both these movies. Happy movie watching!