'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'Fountain' explore dark fantasies

When people think of "fantasy movies," they usually think of sword-and-sandal epics or deep-space blockbusters in the far-flung future. And for good reason. Most fantasy flicks are mindless fluff - neat-o special effects and non-stop action, with either magic or robots thrown in for good measure.

But there are a couple of new releases that are a much darker, bleaker type of fantasy. Movies that aren't so much far-out as they are far-in. "Pan's Labyrinth" is a fairy tale not intended for children.

It combines the storybook imagery of a classic Grimm tale with the brutal reality of rural life in Fascist Spain. "The Fountain," on the other hand, tells a mythic tale of reincarnation, immortality and love lost that spans 1,000 years. Both movies are deeply personal and introspective, while also featuring eye-popping visual effects.

Both movies take the word "fantasy" as a definition of something much older than Tolkien or "Star Wars," and more along the lines of the epic poets. And both movies prominently feature a magic tree, both in the story and on the DVD cover. Coincidence?

Or are the Druids making a comeback in '07? "Pan's Labyrinth" is from director Guillermo del Toro, who has been building to this for a long time. He previously made "The Devil's Backbone," a haunting ghost story, and was behind "Hellboy," a dark comic-book fantasy about the son of the devil.

All of his films have a rich, otherworldly feel to them, and this has never been more true than in "Pan's." Ofelia is sent, along with her pregnant mother, to live with a cruel fascist Captain in a rural outpost. The Captain is a cruel despot who kills without mercy in pursuit of the rebels in the forest.

Ofelia stumbles into an old stone labyrinth nearby and finds a secret world of fairies, satyrs and magic. Her coming has been foretold, says the ancient Pan, and if Ofelia completes three tasks she will be taken back to her rightful place as Princess of the Underworld. Ofelia attempts these magical tasks, whenever she can slip away from her horrid life with the Captain.

The battle of wills between the Captain and the rebel fighters ultimately takes center stage, as Ofelia's quest seems to be all but lost. Or is there even a quest to begin with? Has she found a magical fairy tale world, or is her mind simply creating an illusory world as an escape from reality?

"Pan's Labyrinth" is an utterly original and striking film. It has a depth and complexity rarely seen in fantasy films and is visually stunning as well. But the film is rated R, and not because of any particular gore but because of the overall darkness in tone.

Although it unfolds like a bedtime story for children, this movie is just for us grown-ups. "The Fountain" takes a more intellectual approach to mythic material. There are three overlapping stories, all starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz.

Five hundred years ago, he fights Mayan warriors to attain the Tree of Life and to restore the health of his beloved Queen. Current day, he is a scientist using scrapings of a mysterious tree to cure cancer, while his wife is slowly dying. And 500 years in the future, he is bald-headed and floating through space in a giant bubble with the Tree of Life, which he talks to and occasionally eats.

As each story develops, we start to get a sense that we are merely watching the beginning, middle and end of one epic, mythic tale. The stories are shown in such a way to make the events unfold concurrently, instead of linearly. This approach of movie-making (which I call "the Memento style") takes a good story and presents it in such a unique way as to give it a puzzle-box quality.

Some people don't like this kind of movie, and to these viewers I would definitely recommend you avoid this film. "Pan's Labyrinth" requires a leap of faith by the viewer, but "The Fountain" requires an active imagination to fill in the blanks. Because let's be fair - there are a few blanks.

Director Darren Aronofsky (who dazzled with "Pi" and "Requiem for a Dream") gives the viewer all the details, but not all the explanations. Some viewers might end up thinking the film a mess, just another artsy-fartsy jump-cut-a-thon. But I liked it.

I thought the visual effects were impressive yet subdued, and the story, once resolved, was a satisfying one. Not a classic, but a good, introspective piece of work. Two movies, one great and one good.

This week's selection for the Nateflix Great Underwatched Movie Series is a movie you really need to see: "The Zero Effect." The premise is simple: Darryl Zero (Bill Pullman) is a notorious recluse, a lunatic who is also a most gifted detective. His skills rival those of Sherlock Holmes, whom the character is obviously modeled after.

Every Holmes needs a Watson, who in this case is played by Ben Stiller. I always give Stiller a hard time because he only has two characters - nervous wimpy Ben and arrogant bad-guy Ben. But in this movie, he creates a unique sidekick for Zero, and does one of his best performances ever.

The plot is a web of subtle clues and buried character motivations, but the real fun is watching Pullman as Darryl Zero. His brilliance and his bizarre quirks are perfectly realized, and the movie is smart enough to let the viewer figure things out along with him, instead of explaining everything. "The Zero Effect" is a great film.

Truly one of a kind.