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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Pain and Glory (2019) in Movies

Feb 3, 2020  
Pain and Glory (2019)
Pain and Glory (2019)
2019 | Drama
7
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Well acted by Banderas and Cruz
One of the reasons that I go on the trek this time every year to catch all the Oscar nominees in the all of the "Major" categories is that it forces me to catch films and have movie going experiences that I most likely would have elected to skip. This is especially true with Foreign Language films, like Spanish Director Pedro Almodovar's semi-biographical musing, PAIN AND GLORY.

Antonio Banderas, rightfully, has earned his (surpisingly) first Oscar Nomination for portraying a somewhat fictionalized version of the Spanish auteur - a once prolific film Director at the tail end of his career coming to terms with who he is, the physical pain he is currently feeling as his body ages and the reverent feelings and fond memories he has for his mother.

It is a strong, subtle and nuanced performance by Banderas - one that is in stark contrast to the bravura and panache that he has shown previously in such films as ZORRO, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO and as the voice of Puss 'N Boots in the SHREK films. Banderas' acting his been getting better with age and while I do not think he'll win the Oscar, I do think that this is not going to be the only Oscar nomination he will receive in his lifetime.

I was happy to see Banderas work in his native Spanish language - the same goes for Penelope Cruz who plays Banderas' character mother in flashbacks. I recently saw Cruz working in Spanish in 2018's EVERYBODY KNOWS and was just as transfixed by her performance in this film - worthy of a nomination. She is very good in English Language films, but she elevates to a different level when she works in Spanish. I would have loved to see a whole film about her character - and not just get a few scenes in flashback form.

Watching these 2 performances was well worth the time of watching this film, and that is good for I did not connect with the themes, struggles and plot set forth by Almodovar.

PAIN AND GLORY is Almodovar's semi-biographical meditation on life - and as such is a little to "navel gazing" for my tastes. When I watch these types of films either I get sucked into the narrative and characters (like I did with Alfonso Cuaron's ROMA last year) or...I do not.

And...unfortunately for PAIN AND GLORY...I did not. It is a good picture with 2 really good performances but one I was kept at a distance from and one that I never really connected with.

Come for the meditation, stay for the performances. And...PLEASE...if you watch this, DO NOT watch the dubbed version. Listen to the performances of Banderas and Cruz in their native Spanish and read the subtitles.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Zama (2017) in Movies

Jun 5, 2018  
Zama (2017)
Zama (2017)
2017 | Drama, International
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Very art-housey Argentinian movie which has managed to acquire some kind of profile due to the involvement as producers of Pedro Almodavar and Danny Glover. Mildly stressed functionary Zama finds himself posted to a backwater South American outpost of the Spanish empire, some time in the 17th century, desperately tries to get himself transferred elsewhere, has very little success with this. In the end it all goes a little bit Apocalypse Now/Aguirre the Wrath of God.

Beautiful to look at, but one of those films where the fact that not very much happens is kind of the point. Implicitly highly critical of colonialism and slavery, of course - the Spanish overlords and the trappings of their civilisation are shabby and squalid compared to the local people - but more a character study of someone who finds himself becalmed in life (nice central performance). As I say, not very much happens until quite near the end, but it doesn't happen very beautifully.
  
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