The Skin I Live In

I'm sitting in Maudie's Mexican restaurant Tuesday morning, writing up my reviews of films from the past few days.  Maudie's salsa is good, not great.  "Pete's" tacos, with eggs, jalapenos, cheese, onions, sausage, are decent.  But if you put Maudie's salsa on Pete's tacos, something magical happens.  The flavors blend and merge and they become my favorite breakfast tacos.

I mention this because The Skin I Live In, the first secret screening of FF2011, is the best film I've seen so far.  And yet, I can't pin it down to any one thing.  Parts of the film are a little slow, a few parts are a bit uncomfortable, and a few continuity goofs just don't make sense.  But when you put the whole film together as the director did, something magical happens.  The bits and pieces from the three-act story join and it becomes totally fantastic.  It's Antonio Banderas at his creepiest.  You have to see this film.  Do your best to read as little as possible about it first.


The Skin I Live In
2011, 117 minutes, directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Before the screening, we were told that Sony politely asked us to not say what the film was, or to review it before October 12.  WTF?  It premiered at Cannes, so it's not like it's new.  All I can guess is that they want buzz in the days before its Oct. 14 New York limited release.  Sorry Sony, but this isn't the 1980s any more.  You don't get to control your films' social exposure.  And you certainly don't get me to join into your advertisement campaign unless you're comping me something. =)