All over Almadovar

Oh Pedro, there is no other filmmaker that can paint the world like you.

From the moment I first watched ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER I knew I would always love Pedro. The fiery combination of passionate strong women, tragic circumstances and colours so bold it looks like a 3 year old chose the palate. But for me Almadovar accomplishes the almost impossible, where style, plot, character and themes all take centre stage.

TALK TO HER is the story of two women, a dancer and a female bull fighter who both end up in a coma. It is the story of the men who love them. The irony that these once beautiful accomplished bodies now lie lifeless and limp, but continue to shape the lives of those around them. Thrown in for good luck are a smattering of ballets, operas, and a silent movie about a shrinking tiny man who ends his life in a final moment of pleasure for his full sized lover.

Almadovar pays homage to women of all ages in his movies, and dare I say it, he writes female characters better than most female writers, I always get a sense that he loves women. And his women are so beautiful, seductive and strong and there is nothing Hollywood about them (except for Penelope Cruz but she is not really Hollywood).

When I first saw TALK TO HER, I was a bit awestruck, how could I walk out of a film about disability, death, rape and love and feel as if I had just tasted sangria for the first time.

Yep this movie was a good as I remembered. I thrust aside BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, FERRIS and DIRTY DANCING for this choice. And as good as those choices are, I was not disappointed in mine.

So here is a biggie to chew on; Do we in 2010, still trust artists with the daunting task of easing our worldly fears?

Well if so, Almadovar you are able to colour life's continuum in a way that makes my heart sing.