2008 Woodie Awards
Almodovar creates new genre
Movie Review: 'Volver' 3 of 5 stars
By: James Hansen
Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: LifeStyle
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If Pedro Almodovar's new film "Volver" succeeds in doing anything, it is performing exactly what is advertised: A Film By Almodovar. Almodovar's stamp is all over his new film to the point of fault. Rather than using some of the same characteristics and cinematic traits that carry through his work as a cinematic auteur, Almodovar is instead going down a line of creating his own genre called Almodovar.
I suspect those who are reading this without having seen a film by Almodovar have no idea what I am talking about. Those familiar with the illustrious career of the Spanish filmmaker should.
Starting with "Todo Sobre Mi Madre" (All About My Mother), which won him the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1999, Almodovar started a new arena of more "mature" filmmaking. It was a sharp contrast to his wild and crazy films of the 1980's. This mature works seems to have already culminated with his 2002 film "Hable Con Ella" (Talk to Her), which still stands as his most accomplished work.
"Volver," which can loosely be translated as "to return" or "to come back," stands in line with these films to fit into the mature, but somehow more light-hearted, section of Almodovar's work.
Neither a failure nor a towering achievement, "Volver" stars Carmen Maura, who returns to work with Almodovar after an 18-year break and falling out with the director. The film also stars Penelope Cruz, who is garnering Oscar buzz for her role.
"Volver" follows the story of Irene (Maura), who has died. Her ghost returns home to confront family issues she could not resolve while alive, mostly concerning her daughter Raimunda (Cruz), who still hates her. Although Irene immediately comes to her other daughter, Sole, and granddaughter, Paula, she holds off on revealing herself to Raimunda for a vast number of reasons. Perhaps she just fears Raimunda is afraid of ghosts.
Raimunda and Paula run into another set of difficult circumstances, as Paula kills her abusive father. The set-up of the entire film is fantastic and gives us hope for an incredible film. However, we hear her father might not really be her father, which leaves the family in a tough situation and leads our plot down the road of unnecessary twists and subplots.
I suspect those who are reading this without having seen a film by Almodovar have no idea what I am talking about. Those familiar with the illustrious career of the Spanish filmmaker should.
Starting with "Todo Sobre Mi Madre" (All About My Mother), which won him the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1999, Almodovar started a new arena of more "mature" filmmaking. It was a sharp contrast to his wild and crazy films of the 1980's. This mature works seems to have already culminated with his 2002 film "Hable Con Ella" (Talk to Her), which still stands as his most accomplished work.
"Volver," which can loosely be translated as "to return" or "to come back," stands in line with these films to fit into the mature, but somehow more light-hearted, section of Almodovar's work.
Neither a failure nor a towering achievement, "Volver" stars Carmen Maura, who returns to work with Almodovar after an 18-year break and falling out with the director. The film also stars Penelope Cruz, who is garnering Oscar buzz for her role.
"Volver" follows the story of Irene (Maura), who has died. Her ghost returns home to confront family issues she could not resolve while alive, mostly concerning her daughter Raimunda (Cruz), who still hates her. Although Irene immediately comes to her other daughter, Sole, and granddaughter, Paula, she holds off on revealing herself to Raimunda for a vast number of reasons. Perhaps she just fears Raimunda is afraid of ghosts.
Raimunda and Paula run into another set of difficult circumstances, as Paula kills her abusive father. The set-up of the entire film is fantastic and gives us hope for an incredible film. However, we hear her father might not really be her father, which leaves the family in a tough situation and leads our plot down the road of unnecessary twists and subplots.
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