There are lots of Chinese in Madrid

Whilst all the evening's shows of Norbit were sold out last night, only about eight people decided to go and see Pedro Almodovar's latest, Volver. I was thinking about writing a post about said new Eddie Murphy vehicle, projected to open around $30m, but this review from the AV Club seems to say it better than I could.

So, anyway, Volver ("coming back"). As you'd expect from Almodovar - it's really colourful, there are plenty of great camera angles and overhead shots, the story is simultaneously sad, moving, tense and laugh-out-loud funny. There are hardly any men in it at all, and the relationships between the women is the focus. Penelope Cruz is the Oscar nominated central character, and it's definitely the best thing she's done in years, and she has real magnetism as a mother, sister and daughter. The characters show grace and resilience, and there's a really nice, stark contrast between the gossipy, tight-knit village life, and the bustling anonymity of Madrid. The story keeps you interested til the end, although the last half hour lagged a bit. At just over two hours, it felt a little too long. But it's still recommended - once again, he's made a film to absorb and enjoy. He calls it a "domestic Indiana Jones", and that's more succinct than anything I could say.