Volver

Another quirky one from writer-director Pedro Almodovar. Penelope Cruz plays a woman with a terrible husband who abuses her daughter. Bad things happen as a result. Meanwhile, her sister is visited by the apparent ghost of their mother. Almodovar has made a fun, twisty movie about mothers and their daughters, and it’s one of the more interesting ghost stories of the past few years. Cruz is receiving praise for her role as the central character, and it’s much deserved. It’s easily the most intricate and complete performance of her career. Once the film’s big secrets are revealed, you don’t feel duped. The resultant feeling is happiness for the characters, and Almodovar is probably the only guy on the planet who could really pull this film off.