Solid pieces
The first film to kick off del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities is a pretty solid appetizer. It takes a while to get going, but Navarro does well building up the atmosphere and the ending more than delivers. If the rest of the series keeps up this level of quality I'll have nothing to complain about. A washed-up war veteran has trouble paying off his debts. He buys up abandoned lots and hopes to hit a goldmine, but these bets rarely pay off. Until one day he finds a fancy-looking table with some books inside. He brings them to an appraiser, who immediately calls in an expert. The characters aren't very sympathetic, but the actors do a solid job, so they never become too grating. The cinematography is polished (not too surprising for a cinematographer turned director), the score is moody and the creature effects are top-notch. I'm already looking forward to the rest of the anthology.Read all