Matador

The plot gradually loses steam as it goes along and ends up pretty stupid by the third act. Still, a weaker Almodovar movie is still an Almodovar movie, never less than entertaining, and my enjoyment was enhanced by the jaw-dropping beauty of Assumpta Serna's face (despite her character arc going in a disappointing direction). Seriously, I had to rewind and take screenshots of the scene in the theatre.

Not bad but there are too many frivolities for it to be taken seriously, and too little wittiness to overlook that fact.

Viewed January 18, 2017. I understand that this one never really coheres into anything but it is filled with so many tantalizing and unforgettable moments, from the shocking rape scene in the rain to the final shot of two lovers entwined in permanent bliss.It might not be Almodovar's most focused, and it's not deliberately all over the map with the sort of reckless abandon that characterizes his better films, but beat for beat, it has some of the greatest scenes I've seen from him thus far.

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I prefer Almodovar when he makes his films more flamboyant and self-indulgent, but it's a fairly amusing film that occasionally shows quite how good it could have been (the first murder and the ludicrous yet rather great ending come to mind). The touch of magical realism near the end could have been brilliant were the film more suited to it, as it is it comes off as fairly entertaining but rather perplexing.

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Pretty sure it's a major conflict of interest for a lawyer to represent a client who is accused of murders that the lawyer herself committed. How unprofessional.

One of Almodovar's better, more disciplined efforts creates a determinedly weird, fascinating story (seemingly with even more graphic sex and violence than usual) and peoples it with an attractive, interesting cast of characters, with Martinez wonderful in a low-key study of melancholy. Beautiful scene compositions abound, with original and creative uses of colour; various metaphors linking the masculinity of bull-fighting with the domination of women by men interesting and intriguing.

Another great one from Almadovar! Here he's so self-consciously and perfectly schematic that he reminds me of early Egoyan with a sense of humor.

Beautifully filmed and erotic in disturbing way, Almodovar's style was already in full swing by the time he made Matador, with big nods to Hitchcock and Italian giallo. Banderas gives his finest performance to date.

Dark, sexy, leathal love story, where mate is a scorpion or a praying mantis. Beware.

A black comedy that is very funny and very dark. The combination of sex and obsession and murder, with a touch of magic realism, is straight out of Bunuel. It may be a bit on the insubstantial side, but it's superb filmmaking and quite entertaining.

One of Almodovar's less bad films