In celebration of the upcoming film Volver, Sony Pictures Classics is rereleasing eight of renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's films in theaters across the country. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, The Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh, Law of Desire, Matador, and Bad
Education. WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN1988Directed by Pedro AlmodovarStars Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma, Maria BarrancoR - language and brief nudityIn Spanish with English subtitles I saw this as part of Sony Pictures' Viva Pedro film series at the Fine Arts Theater in Asheville, and I really enjoyed it. It's a hilarious, delightfully absurd film about a woman trying in vain to contact her former lover with some important information before he goes on a trip with his new girlfriend, her friend who somehow got involved with Shiite terrorists, the man's timid son, and his insane jealous wife. Brightly colored, keenly observed tale of controlled chaos demonstrates Almodovar at the height of his comedic talents. ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER1999Directed by Pedro AlmodovarStars Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Candela Pena, Antonia San Juan, Penelope Cruz, Rosa Maria SardaR - sexuality including strong sexual dialogue, language, and some drug contentIn Spanish with English subtitles1999 Academy Award winner - Best Foreign Language Film (Spain) My favorite Almodovar film. All About My Mother traces the journey of a woman determined to get the autograph of a star her son died trying to get, then ends up working for and befriending her while attempting to find the father her son had never met. Deeply moving and heartfelt, Almodovar's keen understanding of his strong female characters creates a strong bond between their plight and the audience. Heartwarming, tragic, and funny, Almodovar covers all the bases, with some of the best performances ever in one of his films. Penelope Cruz has never been better, and Cecila Roth deserved an Oscar nomination. A masterpiece, and one of the best films of 1999. TALK TO HER2002Directed by Pedro AlmodovarStars Javier Camera, Dario Grandinetti, Leonor Watling, Rosario Flores, Mariola FuentesR - nudity, sexual content and some languageIn Spanish with English subtitles2002 Academy Award winner - Best Original Screenplay (Almodovar) Almodovar's most lyrical film follows the unlikely friendship that forms between two men who are caring for the comotose women that they love. Haunting and moving study of love, obsession, and sexuality as only Almodovar can do it. Beautifully filmed, with a terrific score by Alberto Iglesias. This is probably Almodovar's most beloved film. BAD EDUCATION2004Directed by Pedro AlmodovarStars Gael Garcia Bernal, Fele Martinez, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Lluis Homar, Javier Camara, Francisco Maestre, Francisco BoiraNC-17 - strong sexual content throughout, language, and some drug useIn Spanish with English subtitles Almodovar's most ambitious film. Dispensing with his usual sexual absurdism, Almodovar instead creates a dark, deeply personal movie within a movie about a transvestite (Bernal) helping make a movie about his experiences being sexually abused by a priest when he was a young boy in Catholic school. It begins as a tender love story between two young boys, moves into a film within a film, and ends up as a dark noir-ish thriller. Bad Education is a brilliant, audacious film that throws convention to the wind and tells a story that is somehow beautiful, heart breaking, and deeply disturbing all at one time. Almodovar's latest film, Volver, will be released on November 3rd, 2006.
October 9, 2006
