Did you see the movie "Pan's Labyrinth" ? Our reviewers in Portland voted it the Best Picture of

[Radio_Lady]

2006. They also gave the movie the Best Foreign Film of 2006. There was an oversight about Best Documentary -- it was not included.

We have a group of reviewers in a small group here in Portland, Oregon called Far From Hollywood.

I'm really surprised by this vote. I thought the film was OK, but way too fantastic and riddled with horror for me.
Wonder whether you'd agree with them or me.

Here's the rest of the list:

Best Movie of 2006
Pan's Labyrinth

Best Animated Feature of 2007
A Scanner Darkly

Best Director
Martin Scorsese, The Departed

Best Actor
Forrest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

Best Actress
Helen Mirren, The Queen

Best Supporting Actor
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls

Best Supporting Actress
Vera Famiga, The Departed

Best Comic Performance
Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat ....

Best Ensemble Cast
The Departed

Best Original Screenplay
Guillermo del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth

Best Adapted Screenplay
William Monahan, The Departed

Best Independent Film
Half Nelson, Ryan Fleck writer and director

Foreign Language film
Pan's Labyrinth

Best Fiction Film by a NW filmmaker
Old Joy, Kelly Reichardt

Best Non-Fiction Film by a NW Filmmaker
The Heart of the Game by Ward
Serrill

Best Animated Film by a NW Filmmaker
Sno-Bo by Vera Brosgol

Special Award to a NW Filmmaker
Eric Edwards, cinematographer

Exhibitor Award
Rudyard Coltman, Cinetopia Theaters in Vancouver, Washington

[brentspeak]

1. An outstanding film. It has 100-times more depth than anything Hollywood could produce.

[Radio_Lady]

3. Thanks, Brentspeak. I recommend the new movie "Amazing Grace" -- a British production.

Limited release this weekend.

Appreciate your post.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. There is a local movie review show on Saturaday mornings here in NY and they raved about

Amazing Grace. I look forward to seeing it.

[Radio_Lady]

14. Main reviewer gave an A to the German film "The Lives of Others" --

which I haven't seen. It's in limited release this weekend.

Here's a link to Kenneth Turan's review in the LA Times:

http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-lives1dec01,0,2952621.story

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

17. This was reviewed by the same show last week and both reviewers really liked it. eom

[brentspeak]

9. Your welcome

:)

[leftofthedial]

2. great film--not the best IMHO, but better than most of the nominees.

the Academy missed the boat almost entirely this year.

Other than "The Departed" and "Little Miss Sunshine," they picked a bunch of second-rate stinkers apparently for industry political reasons.

[Radio_Lady]

4. Did you see "Letters From Iwo Jima"?

[leftofthedial]

7. yes.

I thought it interesting that of the two Iwo Jima films, Letters and Flags of Our Fathers, the one from the Japanese point of view was more resonant with the (my) current American perspective.

I thought it was a very good movie, but not great. I'm dashing out the door as I type this, can you link me to your review.

[Radio_Lady]

11. Didn't do a formal posted review on either "Letters From Iwo Jima" or

"Amazing Grace" -- I adlibbed these reviews on my audio show. Here's the final grade on Ellen's Entertainment Report Card.

"Amazing Grace" (2007) -- B+

"Letters From Iwo Jima" -- A

Of the movies submitted for Oscar consideration, I think "The Departed" will win the category on Sunday.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. Of all that I saw this year, this was the best film, and Babel comes second.

Pan's was lyrical, brutal, haunting and yet stunningly beautiful at the same time. It is a classic for the ages.

Babel's main theme of the consequences of one's actions is something that is very near and dear to me.

I also loved Little Miss Sunshine!

[catabryna]

10. Babel is the next movie on my list...

I've heard it is very good.

[Radio_Lady]

12. IMHO, "Babel" suffered from some poor plot choices -- I'd have to give you a "spoiler"

to explain this more fully.

See it and let us know what you think.

The cinematography in Morocco is excellent. Acting was fine, too.

But, in the final analysis, the script did it in for both my husband and me.

Too much disbelief in this one.

[catabryna]

20. You are the second person

to mention the "disbelief" aspect to me. She wouldn't spoil it for me either. :)

[Radio_Lady]

21. Well, I guess we want you to see it and see if you agree... or disagree...

[catabryna]

8. I really enjoyed this movie...

there were some pretty violent scenes, but they were important to the plot and I didn't consider it gratuitous. I also enjoyed "Little Miss Sunshine".

[Radio_Lady]

13. OK, that's what makes horse races -- and movies, too!

[catabryna]

19. I'm just a wuss when it comes to violence...

it took all the strength I could muster to look at the Abu Ghraib photos. I did it, but I cried for days.

I still really enjoyed the movie, though, and would definitely watch it again.

[classof56]

15. Thank you for posting this list. I've not seen any of these films.

I'm East of the Cascades, and to be honest, don't know if Pan's Labyrinth has played at any theaters in these parts. I heard Thom Hartmann recommend it on his show (I stream it online every morning) and was intrigued, since I trust and agree with Thom's take on just about everything. Then I began to hear how violent the movie was and that disturbed me. I was very young when WWII ended and word began getting out about the awful, ugly things that happened in Europe, Italy, Japan, my first glimpse at man's inhumanity to man. And now there's Iraq, Darfur, etc...sometimes I don't think my tortured soul can take much more. But I am thankful to DU for helping me keep my sanity and for DUers like you who raise my awareness, especially about things in my beautiful home state.

Blessings,

Tired Old Cynic

[Radio_Lady]

22. Class of 56, thanks for your post. My high school class, too! Was it yours?

I was born in May 1939, so my memories of WWII are similar to yours. My husband was born in June 1934 -- he has much more vivid memories. No one in our families ever served in the military; my father was 4-F with flat feet; husband had a son when he was 24, so he was exempt from service.

You might like to link to my journal -- in the right column, you'll find links to other movie reviewers in Portland who have webpages.

Which movie theaters are in your area? One of our reviewers posts his material in the Tri-Cities area of Washington state.

We've been out as far as Pendleton, Baker City, and down to Ashland and Medford -- I love the Bend area, but we're homeowners now west of Portland, transplanted from Boston, Massachusetts in 1998.

Good to meet you on the DU!

Warm regards,

Radio Lady Ellen in Oregon

[candidate]

16. Apocalypto was the best film of last year

and far better than any of the nominees with the exception of Scorsese's The Departed (though the original film, Infernal Affairs, was just as brilliant).

Not one nomination for Casino Royale either, and Daniel Craig worked harder than any actor last year.

The Oscars are a crock.

[Radio_Lady]

23. "Apocalypto" didn't make my top ten list... but "The Departed" did, and "Casino", too.

Daniel Craig was excellent in that role.

Matt Damon and Leonardo di Caprio were also slighted.

The Oscars are what they are. I watch them just for the entertainment value.

Have a good Sunday!

[Bronyraurus]

18. Pan's Labyrinth Rocked!

And the dude with eyes in his hands was the scariest monster I've seen in a movie in a long, long time.

[Radio_Lady]

24. I must admit, that monster was pretty cleverly done! (Warning: IMAGE IS SCARY)

Here it is for those who haven't seen it: