Pan's Labyrinth

Release Date: January 19th, 2007

Genre: Drama / Fantasy

Stars: Ivana Baquero, Maribel Verdu, Sergi Lopez

Synopsis: A pregnant woman moves herself and her young daughter in with a military Captain whom she has recently married near a warzone in 1940's Spain where fantasy and reality collide resulting in heart wrenching drama.

AltAss Ratings (On a scale of 1 to 5 asses)  

Plot:                                        

A fantastic and well imagined story that may have been guilty of being slightly over ambitious.

Writing / Production:               

A stunning visual achievement that did not feel the least bit hokie even when dealing with outright fantasy.  The characters and dialogue are believable and effective which makes "Pan's Labyrinth" a delight to watch.

Acting:                                   

Excellent performances resound throughout this film.  Sergi Lopez as the Captain is as cold and unlikeable a villain in any film and Maribel Verdu plays the brave and rebellious Mercedes brilliantly as well.

Originality:                              

The crafting of this sort of fantasy film for an adult audience is certainly a tactic that is rare indeed.

Overall:                                   

It may take more than one viewing of "Pan's Labyrinth" before the film can be fully appreciated (especially if you don't speak Spanish).  Most audiences should be captivated by a film that achieves excellence in multiple categories which adds up to an entertaining ride.

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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Artist: Kanye West

Release Date: November 22nd, 2010

Genre: Hip Hop / Rap

Singles: "Monster", "Power", "Runaway"

AltAss Ratings (On a scale of 1 to 5 asses)

Music / Beats:               

There are some gems in the track list that will make your head nod but there isn't enough consistency to keep you in that zone throughout the entire album. 

Lyics / Message:           

Sometimes it is hard to figure out what a Kanye West song is about but damned if there aren't some clever rhymes.  Here's one of my favorites since I grew up watching "Family Matters"

"Fresh air, rolling down the window / Too many Urkels on your team, thats why you're win's low" (Winslow)

Kanye seems conflicted between a socially conscious citizen concerned for his fellow man and an elitist superstar concerned only for himself.

Originality:                    

Definitely takes some chances and does some new things, most of which work well.

Overall:                         

I guess the conflicted artist produces a fairly decent product.  "Runaway" is to me by and large the best track on the album because of it's crystal clear message and brutal honesty.  More of that formula in the other tracks would have made this a homerun