I just got free tickets to see this film on Wednesday (I think it opens on Christmas day here in the Twin Cities). Is it worth seeing (okay, I will probably go either way, as the tickets are free and it's a chance to hear real Spanish...but it's fun to know what to expect!)?

I did not like it (guess I'm no big fan of Almodovar's recent work), and am amazed that just last night both the actor that plays the main role and himself have won the European Movie Awards .

However Tara, I know many people that have really liked it.

To be more accurate, the awards Pim is talking about were given by the votes of the audience. Furthermore, Almodovar's film also got the best film, best director and best script awards by the European reviewers (ie, 5 awards).

I saw this film tonight, in a packed theatre full of lots of Spanish-speakers. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. The thing I loved about it is just how clear Almodóvar's passion for Spain was...the lingering images of olive trees, of toros and trajes de luces, even of streets and buildings. It seemed quite different from his earlier movies in this...it was slow and sensuous and very lovely.

The story itself was (no surprise here!) odd (two women in comas, two men who love them...need I say more?).

Incidentally, I have found it interesting that some of the main characters Almodóvar uses in recent films (maybe in earlier ones too, but I didn't notice that) are not originally from Spain...so it's always good practice for me to try to pick out different accents (all I can usually manage is that they are NOT Castilian!).

The story was full of interesting twists (I have to say I saw the main "twist" coming a mile away...it was very obvious to me that what eventually happened WOULD happen) and some good characters. I went to see it with a girlfriend, which was probably better than going with my husband. He would have left the theater asking, "What was that ABOUT?" and I would have had to say what I always do after movies like this one, which is that it is a study of characters, not "about" anything in particular.

This would NOT be a good first-date movie, I think, given the extremely strange and very explicit (in a latex-y sort of way) sex scene. Don't ask...you'll have to see it to believe it! All I know is that it would have embarrassed me on a first date...and many of the audience members were squirming.