In anticipation of “Pacific Rim”, some of Guillermo Del Toro’s best moments

I’m on a giddy edge about Pacific Rim. Some movies just hit every single aspect of childhood fears and nostalgia and combine into a potent cocktail of anticipation. Pacific Rim is that type of movie for me. Just the image of a towering monster silhouette against the night sky is one of the most primal fears of my childhood, and the sight of a massive, Idris Elba-controlled robot battling in it hand-to-hand combat just fills me with ridiculous levels of glee (and I haven’t seen the damn film yet).

It should go without saying that I’m also a big fan of Guillermo Del Toro. The man hasn’t steered me wrong yet. So with three days to go until “Pacific Rim” comes out, here are some of my favorite moments from Guillermo Del Toro’s filmography.

The Angel of Death from Hellboy 2

In addition to being just a damn enjoyable pair of comic book adaptations, Del Toro always flexed his visual muscles with the Hellboy movies. There are some truly gorgeously designed scenes throughout this film, but none quite as strikingly beautiful as this one. The Angel of Death’s design is just splendid, full of Miyazaki-esque details (I can’t get over the eyes on its wings), and the set is gothic and gorgeous. As art direction and makeup go, this film is just a delight to watch, but this scene might be the greatest among equals.

Blade II: The Reapers

Blade II was an unexpectedly good film, a ridiculous romp that embraced its inherent silliness with gleeful abandon. The Reapers remain one of my favorite Del Toro visual creations

Pan’s Labyrinth: Pick ’em

Pan’s Labyrinth is easily Del Toro’s most celebrated film, largely on the basis of its extraordinary visual creativity. Yes, the bulk of the film is actually a straightforward war drama about a little girl dealing with her mother’s marriage to a sadistic general. But the film’s celebrated fantasy sequences hold up to this day as triumphs of visual creativity.