So just to warn you right off there may be a spoiler, and it may be a bit of a Guillermo fest.
The Orphanage, produced by Guillermo del Toro, directed by Juan Bayona. Right off you can surmise why Guillermo would produce a ghost story taking place in an orphanage. If Guillermo had directed this movie I would have started off skeptical because he's already coved that ground in Devil's Backbone. However I can see why he produced it and, if I'm not mistaken, can see his influence (either direct or otherwise) in this movie. Not that I am a Guillermo expert, I've only seen three of his fantastic movies. A definite style prevails in his movies tho, simple stories with complex intertwining themes that marry fantasy with reality. I will have to check out Bayona's other movies and see if his style is indeed that similar to Guillermo's.
El Orfanato seems to progress smoothly taking you through the story, not forcing you to assume the course of events to try to set up a surprise twist (Re. 6th sense) ending, but giving you both sides at the same time. You naturally assume the supernatural safe in you comfy seat, but if you were experiencing these things the storyline gives you and the supporting characters an 'out.' setting up the tension beautifully. The action progresses in an unpredictable but undeniable way, progressing in ways I didn't expect (eg typical horror tropes) but once there it seemed the natural progression of things.
all in all a great movie, one that makes me wish more new material would come out in broad release in the states.
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