Sunday, March 9, 2008

The Top 10 of 2006: #3

Venus (Roger Michell, 2006)
Peter O'Toole is this film. He carries it through his pathos and his beautiful longing. This is a love story, though a very unconventional one. At first the love between Sir O'Toole and the teenage Jessie (played by Jodie Whittaker) creeped me out. However, when you move past the sexuality that appears to drive this relationship towards the beginning, something beautiful shows itself. This is an extremely sad film, and it's not for those who are easily upset (sorry Kiki). However, it is a film that is rewarding to the viewer in every sense of the word. I love it.

The Top 10 of 2006: #4

Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
Although I expected something completely different than what I ended up getting with this film, it was captivating nonetheless. This "fairy tale" of a girl removing herself from her dour surroundings through her imagination is a film that has immense emotional power. It also is undeniably one of the most beautiful looking films of the year.