DO WE HAVE TO READ SUBTITLES?!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Yes ye lazy Americans. For these films you have to, and to not watch foreign films because ya have to read is a real waste of the human mind.

Pedro Almodóvar is by now, a very celebrated director from Spain, and if you've never seen one of his films, you do not know what you are missing. His latest effort is called Volver, and although not one of my favorites, I still liked this movie for what he does with the actresses. He truly makes them shine in a strange film about death and ghosts. Penélope Cruz looks astoundingly radiant and pulls in a terrific performance; ya wanna see plenty of the camera focused on her ass and boobs, then this is your film. The film is entertaining and strangely captivating, and has been nominated for Best Actress (Cruz), and Best Foreign Film at the Golden Globes.

The real masterpiece here though is a dark moody film from Mexican director Guillermo del Toro. He directed Mimic and Hellboy, and comes out of left field this time with a truly bizarre and creepy motion picture named Pan's Labyrinth. The film is also nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Golden Globes and represents Mexico, even though the entire picture takes place in 1944 Spain after the Civil War. Most of the actors are true Spaniards as well. The story, acting, cinematography, music, and make-up effects in this movie are excellent. What a dark and hopeless time this seems to be! A little girl (the phenomenal actress Ivana Baquero) must imagine or perhaps truly does see a fantastic world that lets her escape from the cruelty of the real world. Sergi López plays a convincing and terribly cruel character with some very violent tendencies which lends the picture some very disturbing gory scenes. It's not often a film stays with me for days after, and this one seems to be one of those. Truly haunting, original, and definitely one of the best pictures of 2006.

The theater was surprisingly packed, and I was pleased to see so many willing to go and see a film entirely in Spanish. Or perhaps they had no idea. Regardless, they all sat in their seats and applauded the picture when it ended. The makings of a cult classic I'd say.

A truly remarkable and unique achievement, I do expect this little film to take home the Golden Globe this coming Monday night and eventually Oscar gold in the Foreign Film category.

And don't forget Penélope's hot bod in that other movie okay?

:)