Movie Review: Pacific Rim

A colossal disappointment from one of my favorite directors, Pacific Rim is a wooden, anger inducing mess.

How could the man who made Pan's Labyrinth have anything to do with this? Nothing seems fleshed out beyond a rough sketch. Sure the monsters and robots look cool and it's some fun to watch them fight but the human element is nothing but cliches and catchphrases.

Charlie Hunnam is an absolutely atrocious lead here, with the range of a cardboard cut-out. I felt bad for his co-stars since he clearly brought nothing to the table.

Good special effects can't save this wreck from being anything other than C grade sci-fi.

Movie Review: Cronos

A dark, adult fairy tale from Guillermo Del Toro with fantastic makeup effects and performances.

The story of a kindly old antiques dealer who gets in way over his head with an immortality device, Cronos was Del Toro's first feature film. Though a bit rough around the edges, this is a film with a purpose that accomplishes what it sets out to do.

A one of a kind vampire film and undeniably raw, Del Toro does what he can with his budget to explore death and death after death. Not to give anything away but this film completely shifted gears in what I was expecting about half way through and I couldn't have been more pleased with what I saw.

Performances are enjoyable here including a delightfully unhinged performance by Ron Perlman as the villain's crazy, brutish nephew. Great praise should be reserved for Federico Luppi as Jeśus Gris, the lead protagonist, he brings a warmth to the role that was a nice touch. The relationship he has with his granddaughter Aurora is both believable and in the end quite sad.

A great debut from one of my favorite filmmakers and a wonderfully original vampire story, Cronos much like his later Pan's Labyrinth is a fairy tale even adults with enjoy.