Geraldine Chaplin's father grew up in one

Rating: 9/10 (21 July 2008)

I didn't figure that any movie could equal "Pan's Labyrinth", but "El orfanato" - "The Orphanage" in English - comes close. When a family moves into a former orphanage in which the mother (Belen Rueda) grew up, the adopted son starts making imaginary friends and feeling very detached from his parents. And then, he just disappears. But that's not all...
A major surprise as the movie progresses is the appearance of Geraldine Chaplin as a woman hired to try to help find the son. Ms. Chaplin certainly has a connection to orphanages, as her father spent part of his childhood in one. Although in reality, I don't know whether or not that influenced her decision to star in this.
All in all, a really good one. Also starring Fernando Cayo.