Anonymous, Maya Worldviews at Conquest (University Press of Colorado, 2009). J. Eric S. Thompson, Maya History and Religion (University of Oklahoma Press, 1970). Rubalcaba, J., Empires of the Maya (Chelsea House Pub (L), 2009). No timeline entries found, but you can help andThe Book of Life — from producer Guillermo del Toro and director Jorge R. Gutierrez — offers proof that in the right hands nothing succeeds like excess. If ever a movie could be said to have too much of everything, this outburst of hallucinatory psychedelia is it. But there are times — at least in art — where too much is exactly what is called for. That’s the case with this visually heady blend of Mexican folk art, folklore, surrealism and a dash of cubism. This is a case where visual panache, a fresh cultural palette and refreshingly unusual mythology easily trump a fairly familiar story about two friends in love with the same girl and trying to live up to — or get out from under — family expectations.
Not to take anything away from director Gutierrez, but the stamp of Guillermo del Toro is all over The Book of Life. I don’t mean the del Toro of Pacific Rim (2013), but the del Toro of Cronos (1993), The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). The Book of Life has the same kind of magical worlds that we encounter in those films — worlds that are at once beautiful and grotesque, and sometimes even a little terrifying. Oh, they’re toned down here so as not to be too frightening for younger viewers, but the magic is still there. The story centers on Manolo (Diego Luna in what may well be his best role — animated though it is — since 2001’s Y Tu Mama Tambien) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum), both of whom have been in love with Maria (Zoe Saldana) since childhood. (It’s clear from the outset that Maria favors Manolo.) They both also labor under the specters of illustrious ancestors. Manolo comes from a long line of famous bullfighters, but he really wants to be a musician — and he refuses to kill a bull in the ring, which is a pretty big career hurdle.
Naturally, his family is happy about neither. Joaquin, on the other hand, lives in the shadow of his late father, a military hero. What none of them know is that they’re part of a bet between La Muerte (Kate del Castillo) — keeper of the lively underworld of the remembered dead — and Xibalba (Ron Perlman) — keeper of the gloomy underworld of the forgotten dead. Xibalba wants nothing more than to trade places with La Muerte and so bets that his pick, Joaquin, will beat out her pick, Manolo, for the hand of Maria. (It should go without saying that Xibalba is not above cheating to win.) In addition to all the human and supernatural duplicity at work, there’s a very real threat to the village in the form of a marauding horror who not only wants to destroy the village, but desires to reclaim something Joaquin has. And there’s also a kind of God figure, the Candlemaker (Ice Cube), who — among other things — tends to the flames of lives. Some of this is neither new, nor specific to the film’s mythology.
The Candlemaker’s flames owe something to Fritz Lang’s Der müde Tod (1921), while the whole idea of the dead only continuing to exist as long as they’re remembered can be found in many cultures and is specifically addressed in Maurice Maeterlinck’s 1908 work The Blue Bird. But let’s be honest, myths drift into each other throughout history. What pushes The Book of Life into near greatness is the nonstop flow of ideas and imagery. Saying that it draws heavily on the Day of the Dead is both abundantly obvious and more confining than the film itself. While its computer animation lacks the handcrafted feel of the recent The Boxtrolls, The Book of Life is imbued with more warmth and overall charm. Yes, you can complain that the film’s framing story is largely unnecessary, but it does set up a pleasurable final note that makes up for it. The question, of course, becomes whether or not it will stand the test of time, but we can only guess the answer to that. I’m inclined to say that it at least deserves the chance.
Rated PG for mild action, rude humor, some thematic elements and brief scary images.Style Icon: Zoe Saldana Try These Creepy Halloween Recipes from the Movies Would You Call Your Kid Katniss... or Kristoff or Rocket? Manolo voiced by Diego Luna in "The Book of Life." The Book Of Life: No One's That Big Discover Guillermo del Toro's Many Fantasy Worlds Why Teen Girls Love Scary Movies 'The Book of Life' and More Animated Journeys into Fear ‘The Book of Life’ Original Artwork Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Voiceover Actors? Have a Sweet 'Book of Life' Celebration News Bites: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Teases 'The Walk'; Eli Roth's 'Green Inferno' 2014 Comic-Con Preview: All the Big Movies You Need to Know About News Bites: 'Avatar' Gets Its Own Cirque du Soleil ShowHeadcanons of Xibalba being a dad deerveng:This is a relations between Xibalba and my OCs. Feel free to add your OCs.-Cider is close to Xibalba because Cider grew up with Xibalba in the Land of the Forgotten-Xibalba would let little Miguel sleep in the same bed as him when Miguel visits his dad in the Land of the Forgotten because Miguel gets scared of the Land of the Forgotten-Little Mila gets jealous and joins Xibalba and Miguel-Mila enjoys playing sword fight with Xibalba-Before Miguel learned to read
, Xibalba would read to him-Mila loves hearing Xibalba’s stories of when Xibalba was a knight-When Cider has a meltdown Xibalba knows how to calm him down-Xibalba was the first one to know that Cider is gay (and he was very supportive)That’s all I can come up at the momentI’ll add a bit more here. -Xibalba didn’t let boys get close to Marigold for a long time. He was doubtful about Camazok at first, but eventually came to accept it. -He let Marigold braid his moustache and beard when she was a child, especially during tea time parties. -He was devastated when she went to study abroad, and before she left he hugged her for five whole minutes. -Marigold correctly guessed Alastor was their father’s favorite (even though he didn’t show any open preference) by noticing small difference in their upbringing. -On her first date with Camazok, Xibalba spied on them the whole time. She knew all along, but decided to ignore him. When she got home and he asked her how it went, she told him he should know.
-Xibalba was devastated the Alastor preferred to discuss certain things, like his first kiss or first date, with Víbora Colorada instead of him, which led him to (incorrectly) think Víbora’s actual revenge consisted on turning Alastor against him, not realizing his own actions are what started to create a rift between him and Alastor. -For Alastor’s first birthday, Xibalba gave him his old baby blanket, his only memento of Selena. Alastor was very attached to that blankie most of his childhood. -Alastor isn’t impressed by his father’s ‘dishonest attempts to tip scales in his favor’. -Xibalba tried to teach Alastor how to spar, but was disappointed that Alastor preferred archery. -Xibalba was beyond excited when Alastor started to grow mustache and beard, to the point he took a picture of it. However, when he learned Alastor wanted to shave it, he begged him not to. Headcanons of La Muerte being a mom deerveng:Since I enjoyed reading other people’s headcanons on Xibalba, why not La Muerte?
Again add your own headcanons for your OC’s! I will be focusing on mine!-La Muerte won’t admit it but she’s a bit jealous of Cider and Xibalba’s relationship (she’s glad that Cider and Xibalba get along, she just wish she was as close to Cider like Xibalba is)-La Muerte wanted Miguel to be a teacher and not become a knight because a) she wants to support Miguel and b) she’s afraid something might happen to Miguel. She even had multiple arguments with Xibalba about him pressuring Miguel being a knight. -La Muerte is one of Miguel’s biggest supporters, she would make sure that Miguel has art supplies and books all the time.-When Miguel decide to be a knight on his own, she felt scared for Miguel’s life.-La Muerte is not close to Mila (Mila is not really close to anyone expect for Miguel) and they both don’t get along due to Mila’s rebellious attitude. -La Muerte got very emotional when Miguel lost his leg and Mila lost her eye site in her right eye. But she tried to be strong for them.-La Muerte also got emotional when Cider decide to live in the Land of the Living to become a superhero.
It reminded her when Santana was banished.-She was however proud of Cider for adopting a human child name Sophia when he and Rei got together (especially when Sophia was living in a abusive household before Cider and Rei came along). She called Cider a true hero.Aaaand that’s everything I can think of!-La Muerte and Marigold are really close, she was always there for her daughter, though stricter when it came to how to treat humans. She taught her daughter how to love and respect humanity, though Xibalba was sore about it. -After reaching her teens, Marigold grew closer to her mother, especially after ‘The Talk’. -Marigold talked about her wishes to go study abroad with her mother, and although La Muerte was saddened, she supported her daughter and helped her convince Xibalba to let her go. -When Alastor was born, La Muerte was a bit jealous that he seemed to like being more with Xibalba than her. However, xibalba always found a way to include her into it, and besides, he couldn’t feed Alastor that way.-Unlike Xibalba, when Alastor grew up, La Muerte respected and supported his decisions, and when she didn’t agree she calmly talked it out with him.