Pan's Labyrinth

I really enjoyed this movie. It's a raw representation of the violence of war, where it's now impossible to distinguish who is the "monster" between an unknown, fantastical creature and man, but at the same time it captures the innocence, imagination, and purity of children. I've read and appreciated what I believe to be the works that influenced the production of this film. First and foremost, Alice in Wonderland: a curious, book-loving little girl who finds herself in a world of fantastical creatures by crossing gaps in the woods (even her dress closely resembles that of the Disney character). Furthermore, the banquet scene and the woodland setting, especially the initial journey, remind of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, where spirits also use a banquet to attract men, representing the sin of gluttony that must be avoided or else be transformed into pigs. The banquet's scenes are used to highlight how unchecked desire and overindulgence can lead to negative consequences, morally and physically. I also can see some resemblances with an italian movie, "Roma città aperta", another movie about the atrocity of war, interrogation violence and double-crossing. I also really like the open ending, (open as well as the whole film), but one thing is certain: the cruelty of war brings nothing good except death and destruction, and this is clearly evident. Maybe I would have liked a little more challenges in the labyrinth, but that's just me probably.