Diary entries forVolver
Volver
Pedro Almodóvar’s Volver is a film steeped in traditions, culture, and relationships—a familial melodrama that serves as my first proper introduction to his feature films, having only seen two of his shorts (The Human Voice and Strange Way of Life). Right away, it’s clear that he has a knack for exploring the messy, complicated, and deeply intimate relationships that define our past, present, and future. A strong family is the bedrock of any Hispanic household—trust me, I should know. Almodóvar captures this beautifully in Volver, along with the complexities of sisterhood, motherhood, and shared histories. He skirts the purposefully melodramatic elements of the film and uses them to explore the intricate relationships between his characters and their lives with tenderness and care. At its core, Volver is a film about women—the weight they carry, the pain they endure, and the resilience they draw from one another. There’s turmoil here, yes, but also compassion, understanding, and an immense strength that binds them together. It’s a deeply human film, that manages to be extraordinarily funny and heartfelt throughout. Marvelous. • Watched in 2024 — Ranked (https://boxd.it/rMle4)
Volver
fsdo'22 | W5: Penélope Cruz I liked it from the get-go. I'm so glad to have finally watched this! It has a great premise, and the film not only lives up to its potential but exceeds it. There's interesting plot development throughout. The car trunk scene made me wonder if Raimunda's mom had even died in the first place. But the reveal still worked as a plot twist and surprised me because by the time it happened in the film, I was fully on board with the supposed speculative fiction elements and had shelved that wondering. I had thought its presentation of the ghost as less of a haunting figure (going in expected for it to be a haunting, that too, as a really emotionally charged and initially ambiguous experience) and more a figure of companionship was lovely. The truth of existence changed, the idea of companionship (kinda) changed but what it arrived at the end (or transformed into), especially in Agustina's case, was more meaningful, better, deep with undercurrents of sadness. The film handles a lot of dark subject matter with sensitivity, nuance, and weight without, overall, feeling heavy, and I appreciate that. It manages the tone incredibly well and is thrilling and fun a lot of the time. I love that it is a second-chance mother-daughter relationship film. All the performances were great in this; Penélope Cruz was phenomenal. The use of colors also stood out at times, and yeah, Almodóvar is rightly known for that. It also reminded me of Dial A For Aunties
Volver
I had just come out of a horror novel too thick for it's own good. Too much exposition. A muddled plot. It stuck within itself too early to build up an momentum. The writer could learn a thing or two from Pedro. In this film, clean cut, in 20 minutes, we get everything. We get the dilemma, the drama, and such rich characters that unravel more than the skin we see them begin in. Almodóvar has this incredible way of dropping information while still delivering fantastic story. Every piece of dialogue, every cut, every visual cue is there for a reason. Nothing ever feels fatty or mere trimmings. And at such fantastic pace. Absolutely adored this one, which had me screaming in the end when everything ties together.
Volver
Pedro Almodovar dirige un puzzle dramático envuelto en fantasmas, sangre y seducción que sin duda no ves venir, la potencia de su narrativa y la increible intencion dramatica hacen del film un contundente relato conmovedor eh irreal.
Volver
filme milenar, inveja de quem vai assistir pela primeira vez. penélope cruz tu é artista!!!
