Wonder Woman (2017 film)

Based on the DC Comics created by William Moulton Marston, Wonder Woman is the story of a princess who leaves her home island to help a young man she meets on the island to end World War I as she copes with her new surroundings and the chaos of the world. Directed by Patty Jenkins and screenplay by Allan Heinberg from a story by Heinberg, Jason Fuchs, and Zack Snyder, the film is an origin story that explores a woman who wants to help the world and save it from total destruction as the titular character, whose name is Diana Prince, is played by Gal Gadot. Also starring Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis, Elena Anaya, Ewan Bremner, Lucy Davis, Lilly Aspell, Emily Carey, Eugene Brave Rock, Said Taghmaoui, and Danny Huston. Wonder Woman is an enthralling and rapturous film from Patty Jenkins.

The film is an origin story about an Amazonian princess who lives in a remote and secret island inhabited by women as a pilot crashes into the land telling her about what is happening in the world as she hopes to end the war and go after a god she believes is responsible for what is happening. It is a film with a simple story but it’s filled with a lot of complexities as it relates to this woman in Diana who has been sheltered in this paradise island raised by her mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) who isn’t keen about having Diana be an Amazonian warrior like Hippolyta’s sister Antiope (Robin Wright) who would secretly train Diana since she was a child. Then when Diana sees an airplane crash into the sea and rescue the pilot who would turn out to be this American spy in Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). With the lasso of truth, Trevor would reveal why he’s arrived as he would reveal what is going on outside of the island of Themyscira prompting Diana to think that the god of war Ares is involved.

Allan Heinberg’s screenplay isn’t just about this story of Diana becoming this heroine and fighting for what is right but also dealing with the world on a much larger scale as well as what she has to face. The first act largely takes place in Themyscira where it is about Diana and the role she’s playing as well as why her mother isn’t keen on having her fight for the world while her aunt knows that Diana has to protect herself yet neither have really explained why as it relates to Ares whom Antiope believes would return. The second act takes place in London and parts of Europe where Diana is definitely a fish out of water into this new environment she’s in as she believes that this German general in Erich Ludendorff (Danny Huston) is Ares in disguise. It’s not just in the plotting and story structure that Heinberg really succeeds in but it’s also fleshing out the characters as Hippolyta and Antiope are these figures to Diana who provide to sides that Diana has to balance while Trevor is a man who has seen the world as he owns up to the fact that humanity is flawed but know that there is still good there.

At the center of the story is Diana as her character development is crucial to the film as someone who is quite naïve about the outside world as she has no idea why her mother wants to protect her as it relates to Ares. Her encounters with the world is comical at first but also has showcase an air of innocence in Diana which is often rarely seen in films about superheroes or super-heroines. Though she is quite powerful in the way she deal with foes in how she can deflect bullets with her metallic wristbands and do all sorts of things as a warrior. She’s also quite vulnerable when she’s forced to face things she can’t really understand as it relates to the dark aspects of humanity. While Trevor admits that he is flawed and everything else is flawed, it’s a moment that leads to its climax where Diana doesn’t have to just understand what it means to be a heroine but about what needs to be achieved for peace.

Patty Jenkins’ direction is definitely sprawling in terms of the world that is set as well as the stakes into what is happening throughout the story. Shot on various locations in London, the southern coasts of Italy as Themyscira, Paris, and other locations in Europe. Jenkins does create something that do have some of the conventional aspects expected in blockbuster superhero origin films but there’s a gracefulness in the way she introduces Diana as the film begins in modern-day Paris in which Diana receives a special gift from Bruce Wayne/Batman at the Lourve. It would then have Diana reflect on her life from being a child eager to fight like her aunt as well as be kind and courageous like he mother. The scenes set in Themyscira are quite simple where Jenkins knows how to use the wide shots not just to establish the location but also a world that is idyllic. When Trevor arrives, the tone changes where it is quite serious as Jenkins know where to use medium shots and close-ups for some of the drama as well as find the right touches of humor.

The scenes in London are quite comical as it involves some of the commentary from Trevor’s secretary Etta Candy (Lucy Davis) who takes a liking to Diana for her proto-feminist commentary as Jenkins would create something that is naturally funny. It help give the film a break from the action where Jenkins would give the film some air to breathe without being overwhelmed by moments of action and suspense as well as take her time to know some of the characters in the film. The action scenes set in the battlefields are quite spectacular as Jenkins know how to move the camera as well as get a sense of what is happening without deviating too much into the very conventional style of chaotic, speed-cutting cinema that is so common with blockbuster films. The film’s climax as expected is quite grand yet it offers so much more as it does have a universal message about humanity and what can be done to provide peace no matter how complicated things are. Overall, Jenkins crafts a spectacular yet heartfelt film about a woman warrior who makes a difference in a world ravaged by war.

Cinematographer Matthew Jensen does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the naturalistic beauty of the idyllic Themyscira to the usage of more low-key colors for the scenes in London, France, and Germany including some of the exteriors at night. Editor Martin Walsh does brilliant work with the editing as it is very stylized with its usage of slow-motion and jump-cuts while not needing to go into fast-paced chaotic editing styles in order to establish everything that is going on in a scene. Production designer Aline Bonetto, with set decorator Anna Lynch-Robinson and a team of art directors, does fantastic work with the design of the halls and palaces at the Themyscira castle as well as the German base and labs as well as some of the locations in France. Costume designer Lindy Hemming does superb work with the costumes from the way Diana’s heroic costume look as well as the dresses she had to wear in London as it is among one of the film’s funniest sequences.

Hair/makeup designer Christine Blundell does nice work with some of the makeup as it relates to the crazed chemist Doctor Poison as well as the hairstyles that women wore during that period in World War I. Visual effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer does some terrific work with the design of the visual effects as some of it is for set dressing for a few scenes in Themyscira as well as some of the action sequences including the film’s climax. Sound editor James Mather does amazing work with the sound as it help play into some of the sounds that happen during the action scenes as well as some of the suspense. The film’s music by Rupert Gregson-Williams is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score that help play into the action as well as serene pieces for the dramatic moments including the early scenes in the film while music supervisor Karen Elliott assemble a soundtrack featuring folk songs of the times as well as a new song by Sia and Labrinth.

The casting by Lora Kennedy, Kristy Carlson, and Lucinda Syson is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Ann Wolfe as a tough Amazonian named Artemis who help trained Diana, Lisa Loven Kongsli as Antiope’s lieutenant Menalippe, Lilly Aspel as the eight-year old Diana, and Emily Carey as the twelve-year old Diana. The trio of Said Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, and Eugene Brave Rock are superb in their respective roles as the spy/master of disguise Sameer, the troubled yet resourceful sharpshooter Charlie, and the opportunistic trader Chief who all provide some nice support in helping Diana and Trevor on the battlefield. Elena Anaya is terrific as General Ludendorff’s mad chemist Dr. Isabel Maru aka Doctor Poison as a chemist who experiments with gas in order to create weapons of mass destruction that would help the Germans win the war. Lucy Davis is fantastic as Trevor’s secretary Etta Candy who is the film’s comic relief as someone that helps Diana in looking like a modern woman while providing some very hilarious commentary and moments in the film.

David Thewlis is excellent as Sir Patrick Morgan as a speaker of peace for the Imperial War Cabinet who would fund whatever assignment Trevor and his men needed as well as be fascinated by Diana. Danny Huston is brilliant as General Erich Ludendorff as a mad general that is eager to win the war at any cost as he has a thirst for power and chaos which makes him a likely suspect as Ares to Diana. Connie Nielsen is amazing as Diana’s mother Queen Hippolyte as a woman who is keen on protecting Diana as well as reveal something she doesn’t want Diana to know as someone who is conflicted yet forced to accept that she can’t be there for her daughter all the time. Robin Wright is incredible as General Antiope as Diana’s aunt who sees the potential in her niece to fight for herself as well as someone knows Diana’s secret but is more concerned with preparing her for the truth as well as Ares’ inevitable return.

Chris Pine is marvelous as Steve Trevor as an American spy who is trying to find ways to end the war as he would crash land into the coast of Themyscira where he is a man that does have a somewhat cynical view of the way the world is but also a humility and charm that makes him an engaging figure for Diana to be with whether as an object of love or as a partner. Finally, there’s Gal Gadot in a phenomenal performance as the titular character/Diana Prince as an Amazonian princess who is a gifted warrior that is eager to do good in the world and defeat Ares in order to create peace. Gadot’s performance is definitely the highlight as someone that isn’t afraid to be vulnerable but also tough when she needs to be as well as display that air of innocence as someone who was very sheltered in her home environment as she realizes what it takes to save mankind and the world from the evils of man as well as those in power as it is a true breakout performance for Gadot.

Wonder Woman is a tremendous film from Patty Jenkins that features a magnificent performance from Gal Gadot. Along with a remarkable ensemble cast, a compelling screenplay, dazzling visuals, and a fine balance of action, drama, humor, and suspense. It’s a film that manages to do a lot more of what is expected in the superhero origin story as well as be something that manages to say a lot about humanity and how there’s hope in the darkest of times if someone is willing to fight for it. In the end, Wonder Woman is an outstanding film from Patty Jenkins.

Patty Jenkins Films: (Monster (2003 film)) - (Five-Pearl)

DC Extended Universe: Man of Steel - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Suicide Squad - Justice League - Aquaman - Shazam! - Birds of Prey - Wonder Woman 1984 - Zack Snyder's Justice League - The Suicide Squad (2021 film) - (Black Adam) – (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) – (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) – (The Flash) – (Blue Beetle) – (Batgirl)

© thevoid99 2017

Sex & Lucia

Originally Written and Posted on Epinions.com on 2/14/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Julio Medem, Lucia y el Sexo tells the story of a waitress who travels to an island following the disappearance of her lover. Hoping to meet her boyfriend's former lover, she learns more about him which involved tragic incidents that changed the lives of everyone who is connected to the man. A mediation on tragedy, sex, and surrealism, it's one of Medem's most poignant and haunting films. Starring Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Najwa Nimri, Daniel Freire, Elena Anaya, and Javier Camara. Lucia y el Sexo is a gorgeous yet haunting film from Julio Medem.

While working at a restaurant as a waitress, Lucia (Paz Vega) receives a troubling phone call from her writer boyfriend Lorenzo (Tristan Ulloa) as she's worried about his behavior in recent months. When she returns home from work, a phone call about Lorenzo along with a note that he's leaving leaves her distraught and upset. Deciding to leave Madrid to deal with Lorenzo's disappearance, she goes to an island that Lorenzo had been to six years earlier where she stayed at a hotel wanting to be alone. It was on that same island that Lorenzo had an encounter on his birthday with a woman (Najwa Nimri) that would prove to be fateful. Upon his return from the island, Lorenzo is having dinner with his friend/publisher Pepe (Javier Camara) where he meets Lucia for the first time. Lucia is a fan of Lorenzo's novels as she says that they will fall in love.

They do as they engage in a sexual affair that is playful yet loving with Lucia reading his stuff and whatever he's working as their relationship would last for years. At the island where Lucia is dealing with grief, she meets a diver named Carlos (Daniel Freire) who takes her to a place that he's staying. The home belongs to Elena, a woman who is a cook that had just moved away from Madrid several years ago. Lucia stays at the home as she recalls the period where he relationship with Lorenzo began to falter five years after they first met. It was around the time Lorenzo discovered that he has a five-year old daughter named Luna (Silvia Llanos) with the woman he had a one-night stand with six years ago. He also learned her name is Elena as he decides to see Luna for himself. He would meet Luna's nanny Belen (Elena Anaya) whom he would have an attraction with. Belen's mother (Diana Suarez) is a former porn star who had just gotten married while Belen is attracted to Lorenzo as they share a mutual love for Luna.

During a night where Belen invites Lorenzo to the house that Elena lives where Elena and her husband were out, they eat dinner with Luna. Lorenzo tells Luna a bedtime story while Belen wants to seduce Lorenzo where things go well until something horrible happens. Lorenzo becomes withdrawn all of a sudden as his behavior reflects the dark mood that he puts into a new novel he's working on. For Lucia, Lorenzo's behavior causes problems for the relationship as it has become extremely troubled. At the island, Lucia continues to wander off alone while having conversations with Elena about escapism where some mysteries unveiled along with who Carlos really is as he's also dealing with some troubles that he's dealing with. With Lucia and Elena both dealing with their own grief, some surprising developments are unveiled as well as the people involved.

The film is largely about grief in some respects but mostly about the power of sex and all of its complications. It's mostly a dramatic mystery with dabbles of eroticism that Julio Medem sets up throughout the script as it moves back and forth from present time and the past. It's a film that relies on memories as a woman deals with the moment she met this incredible man and how it later falls apart where she is now alone on an island. It's at this island where her boyfriend had a one-night stand with another woman who is now living at this same island where the protagonist and this other woman have a certain connection. The script that Julio Medem is complex where the first act is about Lucia's isolation and how she met Lorenzo and fell in love with him. There is also a subplot about Lorenzo's one night stand with Elena and the conception of Luna where the moon plays a big part.

The second act revolves around Lorenzo's discovery of Luna, his brief affair with Belen, and the tragedy they encounter along with Lucia meeting Elena and Carlos at the island. The set-up and structure Medem creates for the script in the first two acts are brilliant as he creates this dreamy yet mystical film of eroticism and mystery that would later unveil itself in the third act. The third act though plays up with a few twists that doesn't entirely work despite its emotional payoff. Yet, it would reveal the outcome for several characters involved in the film.

Medem's direction is truly dream-like from its opening credits sequence of underwater shots to the scenes he shoots in Madrid and the Formentera section of the Balearic islands. Medem's direction in its emphasis on mood reveals the differing worlds where on the island, the people are there seeking comfort from their grief while in Madrid, it's more troubling and intense in its second act though playful in its first act. The film's approach to sex is more explicit with a lot of Hollywood films as it features full-frontal nudity on both sexes while having actors do things that aren't done in Hollywood features. Particularly scenes involving sex toys and other things where in the most explicit material, Medem had to use body doubles which may seems like a cheat. Yet, it worked to create the emotional mood of the sex scenes while the real actors still display their bodies. The direction overall is truly superb from Medem as he creates a moody, impressionistic film that is haunting yet intriguing.

Cinematographer Ivan Aledo does brilliant work with the cinematography from the low-light looks of the interior and exterior nighttime scenes of the Madrid scenes awash in dark yellow lighting to the daytime scenes where it's more colorful but with heightened, tinted lighting schemes. The scenes on the island are more heightened in its tinted look in the day time exterior and interior scenes to emphasis its tone. The nighttime are more intimate and bluer shots of the moon providing a dream-like look to the photography. Editor Kiko de la Rica does great work with the editing from its emphasis on the script's structure in moving back and forth to rhythmic, jump-cut edits for some of the film's sex scenes to capture its energy and feel. Art directors James David Goldmark and Montse Sanz along with set decorator Victor Molero do excellent work with the look of Elena's guest house in all of its diverse look along with the apartment of Lorenzo filled with books and such to present the contrast of Madrid and the island.

Costume designer Estibaliz Markiegi does wonderful work with the sexy dresses Paz Vega wears along with the lingerie that Elena Ayana wears in a seduction scene along with contemporary clothing for the rest of the actors. Special effects supervisor Juan Ramon Molina with digital effects supervisor Alfonso Nieto do great work with the film's minimal visual effects sequence including recreations of the moon and the clouds that provide symbolism for the film. Sound editor Santiago Thevenet and designer Agustin Peinado do excellent work in capturing the sound of locations, notably the island with the waves and winds to provide the atmosphere for the characters and its setting. The film's music from Alberto Iglesias is wonderful for its array of moods and presentation from flute-like music to emphasize its melancholia, ambient textures for its mystery and drama, to more orchestral flourishes for more heightened, dramatic scenes.

The casting by Sara Bilbatua is excellent for its small ensemble that features Diana Suarez as Belen's ex-porn star mother and Silvia Llanos as Luna, the daughter of Elena and Lorenzo. Javier Camara is very good as Pepe, Lorenzo's friend and publisher who provides the connections and secrets that Lorenzo needed to know about Elena and Luna. Elena Anaya is really good as Belen, Luna's nanny who is attracted to Lorenzo as she tries to seduce him that would lead her to guilt over what happens as she becomes withdrawn. Ayana has a great moment in a scene where she's wearing lingerie with ass-less underwear that is just to die for. Daniel Freire is excellent as Carlos, a mysterious man who helps Lucia deal with her grief while carrying some secrets of his own.

Najwa Nimri, who previously appeared in Medem's Los Amantes del Circulo Polar, is great as Elena, a woman dealing with her own grief who takes in Lucia while helping her unveil the mystery of Lorenzo. Nimri's understated performance really shines as she is the performance that really ties the film together. Tristan Ulloa is brilliant as Lorenzo, the man everyone is connected to as he starts off as a playful, fun writer who later discovers a shocking secret that would impact his writing and life. Ulloa's performance is phenomenal for its sense of guilt and withdrawn state as he and Paz Vega have great chemistry. Finally, there's Paz Vega in her international breakthrough performance as Lucia. The woman dealing with grief while exploring her relationship with Lorenzo through good and bad times. Vega's subtle yet playful performance is intoxicating that often featured nude throughout the film while displaying the kind of vulnerability that her character is carrying throughout the film.

Lucia y el Sexo is an excellent, dream-like film from Julio Medem featuring superb performances from Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, and Najwa Nimri.  It's a film that is sensually intoxicating and filled with mysteries and moods that will captivate audiences. Fans of Spanish cinema will no doubt consider this film as one of the finest despite its flaws while audiences discovering Paz Vega will see her in one of her better performances away from her lackluster work in American films. In the end, for audiences that want to see a film that is dreamy yet seductive, Lucia y el Sexo is the film to watch.

(C) thevoid99 2012

The Skin I Live In

Based on the novel Tarantula by Thierry Jonquet, La Piel que Habito (The Skin I Live In) is the story about a renowned plastic surgeon who is obsessed with trying to create skin that would’ve saved his wife. After kidnapping a young woman for his experiment, the doctor’s obsession becomes more troubling as those close to him wonder how far he will go. Directed by Pedro Almodovar and co-written with brother/producer Augustin Almodovar, the film marks a reunion between Almodovar and Antonio Banderas after a 21-year break since their last collaboration for 1990’s !Atame! (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!). Also starring Almodovar regulars Marisa Paredes, Blanca Suarez, and Elena Anaya plus Roberto Alamo, Eduard Fernandez, and Jan Cornet. La Piel que Habito is a chilling yet mesmerizing film from Pedro Almodovar.

Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) is a renowned plastic surgeon that is nearly finished with an experiment to create skin that he hopes will save people from burns and other things. With help from his longtime maid Marilla (Marisa Paredes), Ledgard has found a subject in the form of a woman named Vera Cruz (Elena Anaya) whom he had kidnapped years ago. With Ledgard getting closer to finish his skin experiment on Cruz, he remains haunted by the death of his wife Gal more than a decade ago while his daughter Norma (Blanca Suarez) had committed suicide six years earlier. While Vera tries to harm herself through the experiment, Robert has always found a way to fix the skin as his experiment is finally set to be finished.

While his colleagues like Fulgencio (Eduard Fernandez) and an institute president (Jose Luis Gomez) learn at what Robert did to finish the experiment. He goes into trouble over the things he used for the mutation as Fulgencio and the president believe that he’s violating the laws of science. While he’s away, Marilla gets an unexpected visit from his son Zeca (Robert Alamo) whom she hadn’t seen in a decade. Marilla reluctantly lets Zeca into her home as he’s hoping Robert could fix his face while he’s celebrating Carnival season. When he sees what Robert and Marilla are doing, he tries to cause trouble only for Robert to return and make things right.

When Marilla reveals a secret to Vera about Zeca and what happened to Robert’s wife. Vera begins to sympathize with Robert as he recalls the memories of his daughter’s mental illness and what drove her to kill herself. Notably as it involves a young man named Vicente (Jan Cornet) who had met her at party where an event lead to her mental breakdown. For Robert, he hopes that this experiment would give him the chance to do all the rights while Vera becomes haunted by the secrets that surrounds Robert and Marilla.

What happens when a man’s devotion to his wife after a horrific accident has him become obsessed in trying to find ways to save her? Well, for any doctor that wants to find a way to save someone they love. They would have to do things that would be unethical and immoral in their belief they can play God by saving lives. The film has a lot of similar elements to the 1960 George Franju film Eyes Without a Face which had a similar presence about a doctor who kidnaps young woman so he can repair the burned face of his daughter. What Pedro Almodovar does is take it much deeper than that for the motivations of what Robert Ledgard does. It’s also about finding some sort of peace with the loss he’s suffered in his life.

The screenplay that the Almodovar brothers create is very complex as it’s more than just about a doctor who would eventually fall for his subject. There’s a lot that goes on as it’s really about three people in the center of this story. Marilla is a longtime loyal servant who knew Robert as a child as her devotion to him is much bigger as she also knew his wife and daughter. While her feelings towards Vera aren’t very gracious due to the fact that she’s just a guinea pig of sorts. She eventually warms up to her following an incident involving her long-lost son Zeca. The script has a unique structure where the first act is about introducing the three main characters while the second act is about the completion of the experiment and Zeca’s visit.

Then comes this third act that really changes the course of the story into something much bigger as it involves the death of Norma, a young man named Vicente, and Vera in how they relate to this long experiment. The death of Norma would be the catalyst for what Robert wants to do. The script shifts into various genres such as thrillers, character studies, and melodrama as they all manage to be balanced in what Almodovar wants to do to tell the story.

Almodovar’s direction is very entrancing from the way he frames and composes the scenes to how he lets the drama play out. There’s a lot of what Almodovar does in terms of moving the camera or to just keep it still has him be engaged by things that is happening. Yet, he doesn’t sugarcoat things when it comes to nudity or violence. It’s all because there’s a woman that’s trying to harm herself to disrupt the experiments which forces the doctor to really go into deep to keep it going and see how he can improve things. By the time it reaches the third act, the film moves into elements of thriller and melodrama where it flashes back in time to see how Robert started this experiment. With its vibrant compositions that is shot looking down at a table to the way he frames multiple characters into a frame. Almodovar creates a truly harrowing yet engrossing drama that likes to play against the rules.

Cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine does a brilliant job with the colorful camera work from the eerie nighttime exteriors of the home and cities that the characters live in to the Ledgard home with lots of colorful sheets and objects to help complement its cold look. Editor Jose Salcedo does a fantastic job with the film’s editing as he maintains a stylistic flair filled with jump-cuts and dissolves to help the film move at a leisured pace while playing to the rhythms in the way Robert does his surgery.

Art director Anxton Gomez does a phenomenal job with the set pieces created such as Vera’s spacious room filled with yoga material, books, and drawings on the wall plus the posh objects and things in Ledgard’s home. Costume supervisor Paco Delgado does an excellent job with the costumes from the clothes that Robert and Marilla wear to the skin-like clothing Vera wears throughout while the tiger suit that Zeca wears is by fellow Almodovar collaborator Jean-Paul Gautier. Makeup designer Karmele Soler does a wonderful job with the make-up that is made for the film such as the mask that Vera wears during the early stages of the experiment to more drastic work in the film‘s second act.

Sound editor Pelayo Guttierrez does a superb job with the intimate sound work captured at the home to complement its hollow feel while some of the exterior locations are much broader to create a bit of suspense in the film. The film’s score by Alberto Iglesias is outstanding for its sweeping orchestral score that plays up the suspenseful and melodramatic films while utilizing low-key arrangements for strings and woodwinds for the somber moments of the film.

The cast assembled for the film is terrific as it features an array of terrific small performances that includes Jose Luis Gomez as a medical institute president, Barbara Lennie as a seamstress that Vera knew, Susi Sanchez as Vicente’s mother, Eduard Fernandez as Robert’s colleague Fulgencio, Blanca Suarez as Robert’s mentally-ill daughter Norma, Roberto Alamo as Marilla’s crazed son Zeca, and Jan Cortet as a mysterious young man named Vicente. Longtime Almodovar regular Marisa Paredes is excellent as Robert’s longtime maid Marilla who helps Robert with his work while trying to deal with her own secrets which she eventually tells Vera.

Elena Anaya is great as Vera, a young woman held captive for six years as she tries to deal with her own isolation and the experiments she has to endure while eventually understanding what Robert is trying to do. Finally, there’s Antonio Banderas in a chilling yet intoxicating performance as Robert Ledgard. Banderas brings a calm approach to his character in the way he does thing while being very sensitive in how he treats Vera as a patient despite some of his dark attributes. It’s definitely the best thing Banderas has done in quite some time while it is also a joy to see him work with Almodovar again after a 21-year layoff.

La Piel que Habito is an extraordinary film from Pedro Almodovar that features top-notch performances from Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, and Marisa Paredes. The film is definitely among one of Almodovar’s intriguing but also shocking films as he brings back some of the dangerous elements of his earlier work with the more refined tone of his later films. For fans of thrillers and suspense, it’s film that might not be easy to watch as it’s more about characters and motivations while the third act would definitely get them into a total state of shock. In the end, La Piel que Habito is a marvelous yet spellbinding film from Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Matador - Law of Desire - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Lie Flesh - All About My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - I'm So Excited! - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011

Talk to Her

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 2/19/04 w/ Extensive Revisions.

One of the most enduring and seminal figures in post-Franco Spanish filmmaking, Pedro Almodovar has always been considered one of the greatest international filmmakers of the past 25 years. His offbeat, energetic, and provocative films with colorful textures made him standout among his peers in his native Spain and Europe. From comedies like Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown to sex films like Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! and High Heels. Almodovar also explored different genres in the elements of drama and family with films like Kika, The Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh, and All About My Mother. The success of Almodovar's film not only reached a wide international audience around the world but also became a cult figure to American film critics, moviegoers, actors, and filmmakers who often cited his work as profound and intriguing, particularly since most of his subjects were about women. In 2002, Almodovar decided to shift gears a bit to explore the relationships of straight men caring for the women they love who are both comatose due to tragedies in the film Talk to Her (Hable con Ella).

Written and directed by Almodovar, the film carries the offbeat tone of his earlier work while channeling the richness and textures of modern Spain. Easily categorized as a drama, Almodovar plays with structures with elements of flashbacks and ambiguous storylines about the film's central male characters. Along the way, Almodovar pays tribute to the age of Silent films while giving the film's moments and characters are linear to Almdovar's Oscar-award winning screenplay. With a cast that includes Javier Camara, Dario Grandinetti, Rosario Flores, Leonor Watling, and Geraldine Chaplin, Talk to Her is one of Pedro Almodovar's richest and mesmerizing films to date. 

Two men are watching a ballet as they're both moved by what they're watching as neither knew each other.  One of them is a male nurse named Benigno Martin (Javier Camara) who spends his life taking care of a young, beautiful woman named Alicia (Leonor Watling).  Alicia has been comatose for four years following an accident as talks to her about the ballet and the man he was sitting with.  The other man is a journalist named Marcos Zuluaga (Dario Grandinetti) who is working on a profile on a female bullfighter named Lydia (Rosario Flores) for his Argentinian newspaper.  They meet where they start a relationship where it goes well until a fateful moment would have Lydia in a coma during a bullfight.

During Lydia's hospitalization, Marcos meets Benigno whom he recognized from the ballet as he wonders about the way Benigno cares for Alicia.  Benigno suggests that Marcos should still talk to Lydia despite her comatose state as a friendship grew.  The two men reflect on their lives as Benigno reveals he met Alicia years ago when she practiced ballet in a building across from where he lived.  Wanting to meet her, he learns that her father (Helio Pedregal) is a therapist as he decides to meet him pretending he needed a session.  After learning about her accident, he decides to take care of her while befriending her teacher Katerina Boliva (Geraldine Chaplin).  Marcos is intrigued by the story as he reveals his own issues with Lydia due to the fact that he was trying to get over a previous relationship with a woman named Angela (Elena Ayana).

With Benigno and Marcos becoming closer as they help out their comatose women, Marco learns from Lydia's old boyfriend/bullfighter Nino de Valencia (Adolfo Fernandez) about the news Lydia wanted to tell on that terrible day.  Marcos realizes what happened as he finds himself leaning towards Alicia for company.  Benigno meanwhile, is haunted by a silent film he saw as Marco is bewildered by his strange behavior.  Even worse is when a nurse finds out that Alicia is pregnant with Benigno suspecting of raping her.  Months after the incident, Marcos learns about what happened to Benigno and Alicia along with some other news prompting him to return to Spain.  Visiting Benigno, who is now in prison, Marcos tries to comfort his friend while he learns some shocking revelations about what Benigno might have done that would eventually lead to tragedy.

The dramatic tone surrounding Talk to Her is extremely complex in its plot and characters. The genius of Almodovar's work is for the fact that he doesn't play things easy while not trying to bore anyone. This offbeat is the reason why his films are so appealing and in Talk to Her, it's no exception. The brilliance of the film is in its script as Almodovar brings flaws and human enlightenment to the characters while as a director, knows when to build up moments of suspense, comedy, and melodrama.

For that, he's a master at what he does and is one of the rare international filmmakers who consistently experiment with new ideas and rehashing old ideas to be refreshed. In the silent film sequence, Almodovar brings a sense of comedy and drama that plays well to the film without making it inconsistent or distracting. Here, he uses it as part of the story for Benigno to tell the comatose Alicia about it. It's by far an enriching story that shows Almodovar taking heavy drama with being overly-sentimental nor melodramatic.

The film's look is also exquisitely rich in its use of color and the world of Spain. Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe brings a look that is breathtaking not just in the countryside of Spain but the look of the hospital by making it real and clean as well as the city of Madrid and the bullfighting scenes. Along with the art direction and production design by Antxon Gomez, the film is exquisitely ravishing; even in the ballet scenes with a lovely set decoration by Federico G. Cambero as it brings up life and emotions to the film and the response from its leading characters. Helping in the presentation is longtime editor Jose Salcedo whose tight cutting and perspective is masterfully crafted. Another lovely aspect of the film is the score by Alberto Iglesias who brings in traditional, Spanish flamenco-style music to the forefront as well as an orchestra that enlightens the film's richness and tone.

The film's cast is utilized to perfection with its small standout roles for its nurses and doctors to the families of the coma victims along with appearances by Elena Ayana as Marco's ex-girlfriend, Ana Fernandez as Lydia's sister, and Paz Vega as the woman in the silent film. Of the supporting cast, no one stood out more than Geraldine Chaplin, daughter of screen legend Charlie. Chaplin goes miles away from her usual role of an English woman to play a Spanish dance instructor with such grace and poise while being sympathetic to her student and Benigno's feelings towards her. Rosario Flores' performances as Lydia is spellbinding as a headstrong woman trying to prove herself in the chauvinistic sport of bullfighting while doing a great job playing a comatose victim. Leonor Watling is enchanting as Alicia where most of the time, she plays quietly in her comatose state while she's alive in the flashback scenes, she brings a sense of innocence to her character that is missed throughout.

In the roles of the two central male performances, Javier Camara and Dario Grandinetti are brilliant in their scenes together in the respective roles. Here, we see performances of straight men at their most vulnerable and torturous. Camara's performance is extremely complex as the audience is feeling he's mentally ill for his love for Alicia although he plays the role as if we'rethinking that but there's way more to that. In the end, Camara makes the audience sympathize with his feelings and all he's really doing is taking care of the woman he loves. Grandinetti is the straighter arrow of the two bringing in a harrowing performance as Marco, a man who is guilty of his wrongdoings and love for Lydia and Alicia. Grandinetti doesn't make his character pathetic but allow himself to be extremely vulnerable in what is definitely a remarkable performance.

***Updated DVD Tidbits 10/4/06***

The Region 1 DVD of Hable con Ella presents the film 2:35:1 aspect ratio in the widescreen format in high-definition along with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound in Spanish & French along with subtitles and trailers to films from Sony Classics. The DVD also includes weblinks to the film's official website and Almodovar's own official site. The only real special feature is a commentary track from Almodovar and Geraldine Chaplin which is done in Spanish but includes subtitles. Almodovar, sporting a sore throat, discusses the themes while admitting that he's not a technical director as Chaplin recalls the film's premiere in Paris where everyone was emotionally overwhelmed as she and Jeanne Moreau got into a discussion. Overall, it's a fine DVD from the masterful Almodovar.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

Talk to Her is a lush yet complex film from Pedro Almodovar with great performances from Geraldine Chaplin, Rosario Flores, Leonor Watling, Javier Camara, and Dario Grandinetti. Fans of his films will no doubt, find this to be another classic while newer fans will definitely be interested in this and look for his earlier work. Talk to Her is a film that transcends the boundaries of foreign films and it's kind of insulting to call it foreign. Really it's a film that has wide appeal regardless of language and country. It's really an international film people can relate to and the credit really goes to Pedro Almodovar for finding new ways to enlighten an audience. In the end, Talk to Her is a rich and emotional film from one of Spain's greatest filmmakers.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Matador - Law of Desire - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All About My Mother - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I'm So Excited! - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011