A balanced blend of the fantastic and disturbingly real

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2007)

I cried in this film. I wasn't sure if I was crying because of the cinematic experience, because of the climactic conclusion, because of how I connected with the fantastical world... but when the lights came up, I didn't want anyone looking at me. I just wanted to vanish, not be left in a house full of people. It's rare that a film captures me so deeply, that I'm able to actively watch it without a live critique going on in my head. This is a sample of film-making at it's finest. Using the language of cinema to say something more about a time and a place. Putting his best metaphors forward, the filmmaker harnesses the reason why imagination exists, and juxtaposes it brilliantly with a brutal war. I was astounded by this film. I expected more of the Labyrinth, and less of the war; but that's just a preconception based on advertising. Despite the lack of David Bowie, this film was the best I've seen all year.