Volver

[chinton]

After being very dissapointed by my two most anticipated films Babel and Little Children I was so depressed. Thank God for the great Presitge and now the excellent Volver. Volver joins Children of Men and Prestige as one of my favorite films of the year. Light and lovely but also poignant and dark Volver is a film that's inctedibly hard to describe. On one hand it deals with some pretty dark subject matter such as abuse, death, incest, murder, and rape. Yet, it is also a surprisingly funny film that tells a incredibly sweet and heartwarming story of the bonds between women. I've never seen a movie by this director before, and I'm curious to check out his work. I have heard though that these wild shifts in tone is part of his trademark and once I got over how odd it was I marveled at the effortless way in which he pulled it off.

It is an incredibly well-written film. It's funny and light yet complex and deep and even managed to get me misty-eyes at the end. These are characters who are very well rounded and totally endearing. You'll be sad to see them go.

The acting is also top-notch. Since this is a film that explores the ties between a group of women this movie is overflowing with great woemn roles and they all sink they're teeth into some meaty roles. They're all great and I loved Cruz in it, but to me the best performance is also the most underrated one the women who plays the neighbor/friend Agustine who is dying of cancer. She didn't have many scenes, but I hope people remember her.

In the end it is movies like this (and Prestige and Children Of Men) that make me it well worth spending ten dollars for a ticket.

9/10

[Lazy Boy]

8/10

Penelope Cruz gives a really strong performance (I think her American roles were hindered by her not so strong command of English), and as well as the woman who played Augstine, I really liked Carmen Maura's turn as the mother. Once again, a midway point in an Almodovar film features a character singing, and while Cruz's (dubbed) rendition of what gives the film its title is not as soul stirring as the melody of sadness in Talk to Her, Almodovar shows real humanity in those scenes, contrasted with the sparkling dialogue he gives his actresses. He's probably the premier filmmaker to write great roles for women.

[dman476]

I'm glad you guys liked it.
It's not one of my favorites this year, but I liked it a lot.
I think after I've seen some other Almodovar films, I'll like it even more.
I'm in total agreement with you both. :)
It gets a 7-8/10 from me.

I think it's the best film about strong women this year Lazy Boy...actually, I can't even think of another film that features women so prominently, can you?

[Lazy Boy]

Originally posted by dman476
I think it's the best film about strong women this year Lazy Boy...actually, I can't even think of another film that features women so prominently, can you?

I don't know if you've seen this, but most of Almodovar's comedies about women are very much in the veign of something like, 8 Women, from French director Francois Ozon. I think he's another filmmaker sensitive and finely attuned enough to write women's roles.

Another one that pops to mind is George Cukor.

[dman476]

Originally posted by Lazy Boy
I don't know if you've seen this, but most of Almodovar's comedies about women are very much in the veign of something like, 8 Women, from French director Francois Ozon. I think he's another filmmaker sensitive and finely attuned enough to write women's roles.

Another one that pops to mind is George Cukor.
Ah, George Cukor. That's a good one. :)
And no, despite my love for 8 1/2, I haven't seen anything by Ozon, even 8 Women.

I should check that out.

[chinton]

I really like how it ended I thought it was a fitting ending.


Its interesting seeing a film that show a cast of women firing on all cylinders. Its kind of like oppisite of John Carpenter's male centric The Thing.

Who do you guys think gave the best performance?

[Lazy Boy]

Originally posted by chinton
Who do you guys think gave the best performance?

Hmm, it's tough to argue with the Cannes jury awarding the entire female ensemble Best Actress, but if I had to choose, Carmen Maura was my favorite (really liked her scenes underneath the bed or watching Cruz singing), followed by Blanca Portillo (Agustina).

[dman476]

Originally posted by chinton
I really like how it ended I thought it was a fitting ending.


Its interesting seeing a film that show a cast of women firing on all cylinders. Its kind of like oppisite of John Carpenter's male centric The Thing.

Who do you guys think gave the best performance?
The ending was really weird, but I've grown, I guess, accustomed to it.
It's nice. And yeah, it kind of is the opposite of the Thing. :D
The best performance? Um...would it be cliche to say Cruz?
I mean I was just stunned, because I've never seen her do anything nearly as good as this.
Portillo is next, but they're all good.

What about you?

[chinton]

Honestly they were all great and I've never seen Cruz this good but Blanca Portillo just broke my heart. Her scene during the crass television interview and the final scenes with her during the end I thought were beautiful.


Oh by the way Cruz was so freakin HOT and this movie. I'm gay and even I was blown away by how sexy the movie made her look.

[Lazy Boy]

The performance I think would most likely get overlooked in comparison to the other strong work is Lola Duenas' Sole -- she has to be really funny and yet sad underneath (not wanting to be alone, is what she says, if I remember), a tragic little clown that, by the end, remains probably the most consistent character without much in the way of her honesty and somewhat naievety.

[chinton]

hopefully more pople on this board see this when it expands.

[dman476]

Originally posted by Lazy Boy
The performance I think would most likely get overlooked in comparison to the other strong work is Lola Duenas' Sole -- she has to be really funny and yet sad underneath (not wanting to be alone, is what she says, if I remember), a tragic little clown that, by the end, remains probably the most consistent character without much in the way of her honesty and somewhat naievety.
Lola Duenas was great. Her character was too. I agree.

Originally posted by chinton
Honestly they were all great and I've never seen Cruz this good but Blanca Portillo just broke my heart. Her scene during the crass television interview and the final scenes with her during the end I thought were beautiful.


Oh by the way Cruz was so freakin HOT and this movie. I'm gay and even I was blown away by how sexy the movie made her look.
I've never seen Cruz that good either. Portillo was amazing as well.
Almodovar got some great performances, that's for sure.
And yeah, Cruz was very very hot in this film. I usually don't find her that hot, but man oh man. Majority rule, eh? (2/3)
What doest the Lazy Boy think? :D

[dman476]

I just got off the phone with a lady friend, and she told me she wants to see this. I told her I'd watch it with her, so yeah, it'll be weird, but I'm going to watch this again tomorrow. I don't know. I hope I like it more. :)

[Fisting Ackbar]

I'm neutral on Almodovar as of yet (liked ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER, didn't like BAD EDUCATION), but VOLVER seems interesting. I did read less than flattering comments about the one-dimensional portrayal of the male characters (them amounting to nothing more than incestious rapists), but that's not going to stop me in advance.

Oh, and it seems that almost every thread from a film in limited release gets Lazy Boy, chinton and drman476 as the first schmoes to see it. Glad that you guys can advise the rest of us, but it's does create envy against those lucky enough to live in L.A. ;)

[dman476]

Originally posted by Fisting Ackbar
Oh, and it seems that almost every thread from a film in limited release gets Lazy Boy, chinton and dman476 as the first schmoes to see it. Glad that you guys can advise the rest of us, but it's does create envy against those lucky enough to live in L.A. ;)
It's a blessing and a curse ;)

I personally don't find it fair that we get to watch it first...it should open everywhere at the same time. :)