Talk To Her
The latest film by Pedro Almod\xDBvar has been out long enough to win at BAFTA, Bodil, the Bogey Awards in Germany, the Czech Lion, the Cesar Award, the EU Film Awards, the Golden Globe, the Goya, LAFCA, and the Vancouver Critics Circle. We are still waiting to hear how it will do against Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Hours, and The Pianist for Best Director at the Academy Awards.
If it wins the Oscar is will get the wider public play it deserves. Almod\xDBvar's previous films have not gone to the Academy and thus have limited exposure to American audiences. All About My Mother and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown were met with broad international success and are strongly recommended by samfelder.com.
Almod\xDBvar is known for his strong female characters and Talk To Her contains the two most powerful comatose female roles yet seen. Following the lives of two men who meet accidentally we are taken backwards into the lives of the male characters and then forward again through the beginning to the end. This rhythmic retreat into the past and quick thrust through the perceived present is a fairly standard story-telling device that Almod\xDBvar is able to direct with a genuine artistic touch.
Even though I saw Talk to Her at the CO Dupont 5, one of the crappiest theaters in the DC area, I still recommend it highly!
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Who is this guy?
You can tell I'm procrastinating by posting to your blog. But I have to say I didn't find the character of Alicia very well defined. What do we know about her besides that she is a hot ballerina? Huh? PS- Till Human Voices Wake Us is now out. Yay Guy Pearce!
two other interesting directors have films coming out soon.
Lisa Cholodenko (of High Art) released Laurel Canyon to mixed reviews. Frances McDormand plays an older woman with a much younger boyfriend, though as i understand it, the story isn't necessarily about that. and Rose Troche (of Go Fish) is doing limited release of The Safety of Objects, which sounds a bit odd but maybe interesting. these are potentially feminist and/or queer films, so if you choose to see them, please recommend.