The Song Fight Bulletin Board

What a magnificent film. See it, if you get the chance.

Without being smug, & risking the chance of appearing stupid (not the first or the last time), first time a nomination for Best Actress in a different tongue? Correct me if I'm wrong, please.


Also, hello songfight, some other f**ker must have seen this film ETC

I didn't get to see it until three months after your initial post. It's very good. I know Almodovar has been nominated for Original Screenplay before, in Spanish, for Hable con ella... looking at w***pedia... Catherine Deneuve, 1992, Indochine. Fernando Montenegro, 1998, Central do Brasil. etc.

Ah, yes, I was pretty sure that it wasn't a first, actually, because no-one else seemed in the least bit surprised by the nomination, but I was trying to be funny by pretending to be bullish. Emphasis on the trying

I guess my initial post should be translated to "Hoorah! I agree with an oscar nomination, for once, as Penelope Cruz gives a terrific performance in this very good film, even more so given I think this despite her first language is not mine. Have any other songfighters seen this film, to agree or disagree with me?"

I'm glad you liked it. This was my favourite film of last year (just ahead of Children of Men and Pan's labyrinth.)

j$

I've never heard of this movie. What's it about?

Well... though you could consult any of countless Internet and print resources...

Volver is the Spanish verb "to return," I understand. The film stars Penelope Cruz as a woman, married with a daughter, trying to make ends meet; her husband dies, and around the same time her mother seems to return from the grave to tie up some loose ends left over from her life. That's a very basic description of one of the main threads of the film. On the whole, broadly, it's about death, and family. The performances and script are very special. Almodovar's one of the best directors working today. Very recommended, as are his other films Talk to Her, All About My Mother, Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Bad Education... Everything I've seen of Almodovar's is gold.

I enjoyed this a lot. It's amazing how much better Penelope Cruz is as an actress when she can speak Spanish. I was knocked out by her performance in All About My Mother, and then pretty underwhelmed by every English-speaking role. So it's a nice return to form for her. And for Pedro too. I didn't love Bad Education too much (shots of criminally hot Gael Garcia Bernal notwithstanding), so I was happy to see Pedro back in his comfort zone of writing for kick-ass women.

raisedbywolves wrote:It's amazing how much better Penelope Cruz is as an actress when she can speak Spanish.

Is it really amazing that someone is a better actress in her first language than her second?

I didn't love Bad Education too much (shots of criminally hot Gael Garcia Bernal notwithstanding), so I was happy to see Pedro back in his comfort zone of writing for kick-ass women.

You know, I did like Bad Education a lot, and was surprised to see this reaction from a lot of people. I always assumed that it wasn't pedro's comfort zone, but the audience's, that was being threatened. In the light of generally agreeing with yr opinions on films, maybe I should see it again.