Volver (2006) - Best Movie of The Year So Far - LightShed 8

Absolutely brilliant.  Penelope Cruz has got to get an Oscar for her role. 

Volver is easily Pedro Almodovar's best movie yet.  And if you had any idea how much I loved his previous movies, you would realize that that is perhaps one of the best compliments on this site.  Volver is the best movie I have seen this year and probably one of the very best movies reviewed here.  It's that good.

You can watch the trailer here but I am not going to say anything about the plot.  I wouldn't do it justice and I think you will love it if you are as surprised as I was with all the culture and eccentricity and craziness and pain that goes on in Volver.  You are guaranteed to cry tears of happiness -- at the beauty of the movie and of the story. 

Be ready to run to the theaters on November 3, when Volver opens in the US.  After the jump I will talk a bit about the gay content of the movie.

[SPOILER AHEAD]

Before we move on to the gay content, let me just say that the cast is superb.  No doubt about that, but Penelope really steals the show.  In one scene, Penelope sings a song, and you'll think you died and went to heaven.  Awesome soundtrack.

The only explicit gay content comes to us in a quite funny scene.  Penelope asks a neighbor, who also happens to be a hooker, to help her out with a pretty unusual task, the hooker thinks that Penelope wants some pussy action, and Penelope explains that that was not what she meant.  Neutral and funny.

Oh, and just in case you didn't know, Pedro Almodovar is a super openly gay flaming homosexual.  Go Pedro!

Comments

[marcus]

Che!
La película es linda, y Penélope Cruz perfecta!
Muy, muy, muy lindo!

Ahora sé porque lo dices sobre los zapatos en la fiesta del Amigo Secreto! jejejeje

Volveeeer

;-)

[Queer Beacon]

Hey yepal. I will see Volver again!

[yepal]

I saw Volcer the opening night in Copenhagen and it is all you say. I was so amazed by Penelope Cruz. I haven't thought that much of her before but she is just wonderful in Volver.
I can't wait to see it again - and that is something I feel for all Almodovar's movies.

[Dan]

Penelope Cruz was the best I have ever seen her and the best actress performance this year (although I bet some good ones are coming at the end of the year). It presented a really mature actress with grace, subtlety, expression and perfect delivery. Shows the power of directing. I can't wait to see it again to see what I missed the first time. (Oh--I didn't think that was PC singing; good to know who it was though). Thanks.

[Queer Beacon]

Guys, you should really believe the hype. Volver is quite a movie! It is Almodovar in all senses, and Almodovar at his very best.

[Greg]

This is the one film I've been awaiting all year!!!! I can't wait to see it!!!!

[RIC]

Haha!!! I just knew it, Augusto! You would love «Volver»! It's a formidable picture! Just like in normal daily life, there's so much in it all at the same time that you would have to go topic by topic to deal with everything that comes up in the movie. Almodovar is great, man! And Estrella Morente's voice is one of those Spanish voices that I've never known how to describe... Powerful? Not enough...
I'm really happy! :-)

[Marcus]

Volver will "estrear" (how can I say it in English Augusto?) in November here too!
I can't wait!
:-)

[Queer Beacon]

Hey Uliv. I actually meant that Penelope Cruz' character sang the song, I wasn't sure if the voice was hers. So, it was certainly nice to know about Estrella. Her website is great. Thanks for the info ;-)

[uliv]

I have to rectify something you said...the song Penelope sings in the film was not really her voice.
If you meant when she sings outside next to the bar, it was performed by Estrella Morente

http://www.estrellamorente.es