Where I've Been + Robin Hood & Volver

Sorry for not Blogging last week much. I have been laaaazy. Not true. Been busy I finally got a chance to see Volver at the Curzon Soho on Sun. Love the theatre, overpriced at £9.50. But the café and the film made up for it, not to mention they had the England game projected on to the wall in the foyer.

Back to Volver, I have rarely watched a film and come away feeling it was perfect. I am uber critical of films. Not because I am high and mighty, it was a combination of a chef father (Picture a German Gordon Ramsey), studying acting, but abandoning it because actors suck, and a film Studies degree that cumulatively gave me a critical eye. I digress. Volver, in my opinion is perfect. Bad Education and Almodovar’s other films have similar themes (abuse, relationships, sexual identity, figures of authority), but here he has captured a truth within a highly stylized story with eccentric characters that few of his contemporaries could achieve. For me, it is how Almodovar deals with his task the weight he uses to paint each stroke of characterisation. I can’t dwell, must move on because I can’t poss do the film justice with out properly dissecting it.

I thought I wouldn’t like it so much, while watching it I thought I would be annoyed by the man hating. I was not. I thought I would be annoyed by Penelope’s bulging tit’s, I was not.(not what you think, it was the occasional piss take in the banter between the sisters that made the it ok). Loads of other obstacles were perfectly addressed by Almodovar which made the film such a success for me.




Unfortunately, I went from this to Robin Hood on Sunday. I say unfortunately because BBC1’s Robin Hood is good, but would never hold a candle to what I think is the best film of the year. Never the less, it was an achievement. My wife, Charlie, was pleased to see the beeb continuing in the vein of Doctor Who, creating high quality, high budget family shows. Johnathon Ross, in his documentary about the history of Robin productions praised the production for creating an engrossing version of Robin for a new generation.

Technically, the production is good. High standards in filming and post work (all HD). I cant help but say it was a bit self indulgent, with the jump zooms, whip pans and similar.