2. The Devil’s Backbone (2001)
There aren’t many filmmakers who could tell a period-piece war story set in an orphanage, mix it with supernatural elements, and still make it all work. But that’s what del Toro does with The Devil’s Backbone, a stunner of a film that’s got everything he’s best at in a small, fitting package. There’s plenty of horror elements throughout, but seen largely through the eyes of children who are confused about the world around them. The film is just so beautifully layered and complex.
