The City of Lost Children
1995
🎯 Verdict
✍️ Full Review
Little Alice lost inside Pan's Labyrinth pushing the frontiers of Science Fiction Fantasy back in the mid-90s. A wonderfully weird world of adventurous fairytale inhabited by wacky characters where darkness is as perpetual as the undying and everlasting nature of grit and affection. Has the vibe of Terry Gilliam's Brazil but with the mood of Guillermo Del Toro and Tim Burton. Yet, it's not overtly nor subtly politically conscious like Brazil as The City of Lost Children leans more towards the fantastical elements than socio-political satire based on a totalitarian Kafkaesque dystopia. It has more of the vibe of a Neil Gaiman novel. A Christmas movie that is definitely for children or fresh new parents. If creeping yourself up about a hellish city with disturbing events and malignant cartoonish evil characters is more up your alley, then this is it. Though, it is also full of sadness, hope, love, innocence, dreams and goodwill. Funny at times too. Also, I didn't have any idea Ron Perlman once played such a gentle giant before becoming a stereotypical angry giant.