Bronwen and I loved this magical/historical look at post-Civil War Spain through the eyes of a little girl, her mom, her fascist stepfather, Republican guerillas, and the magical creatures of the forest and the underground. This is a stellar and incredibly painful film with some scenes of horrible brutality. But the magic is so powerful!. Indeed, it’s much more powerful in its simplicity than is the Harry Potter magic. But it is very frightening in some pieces about the real world, more than the magical. Guillermo Del Toro directs and includes a great director’s commentary on the film, scene by scene. Worth watching in its own right. The acting is first rate all around with the woman from “Y Tu Mama Tambien” Excellent film. See this one!