Dvd/150: LOS ABRAZOS ROTOS (Broken Embraces) (Pedro Almodóvar, 2009)

Almodóvar's 17th film is a multi-layered tale of love, loss and film-making; it also continues his collaboration with Penelope Cruz as well as featuring cameos by his favourite acresses.

Former film director Mateo was blinded in a car crash 14 years ago and now lives as a writer under the name 'Harry Caine'; he is cared for by his agent Judit and her son Diego.

As Mateo cares for Diego after an accidental drug overdose, he learns that the tycoon Ernesto Martel has died; it allows Mateo to tell Diego of the events in the 1990s that involved him, Judit, Martel and Martel's mistress Lena who became Mateo's secret lover when he cast her in his latest film, events that ended with the crash which blinded him and killed Lena.

Penélope Cruz is radiant and touching as Lena, adored by Mateo, Ernesto - and, ultimately, by Pedro's camera  too.

Shelf or charity shop?  It's a keeper for Almodóvar's rhapsodic film-making, Alberto Iglesias' score with it's Bernard Herrman overtones and the performances of Lluís Homar as Mateo, Blanca Portillo as Judit, José Luis Gómez as Ernestro, and the delightful previous 'Pedronista's Lola Duenas, Angela Molina, Rossy de Palma, Chus Lampreave and Kiti Mánver.

Dvd/150: VOLVER (Pedro Almodóvar, 2006)

VOLVER glows with warmth and colour thanks to six phenomenal actresses who jointly won the Best Actress Award at Cannes.  'Volver' means 'to return' and here Almodóvar returns to Carmen Maura, the subject of mothers and daughters and the need for ghosts.. 

Sisters Raimunda and Sole regularly visit their La Mancha birthplace to tend their parent's grave who died in a fire three years previously and visit their frail aunt Paula, but she tells them their mother Irene's ghost is there looking after her.

Back in Madrid, Raimunda's daughter stabs her father when he attempts rape. Raimunda hides his body in the freezer of an empty restaurant that she has access to, later opening the restaurant to make extra cash. 

Sole attends Aunt Paula's funeral only to discover Irene's ghost is in the house; imagine her shock when she returns to Madrid and discovers Irene hidden in her car boot...

Shelf or charity shop?  An absolute keeper - Almodóvar's excellent cinematic storytelling deftly moves from supernatural family drama through comedy to a genuinely profound meditation on love, loss and the power of forgiveness.  The film is dominated by three remarkable performances: Penélope Cruz is luminous as Raimunda, Carmen Maura is glorious as Irene and Blanca Portillo is heartbreaking as the secretive, grieving village neighbour Agustina; there is wonderful support from Lola Duenas as Sole, Yohana Cobo as Raimona's daughter Paula and the wonderful Chus Lampreave who steals her one scene as frail Aunt Paula.  A special mention to Alberto Iglesias' excellent score.