teje

If you've seen "La flor de mi secreto" you'll recognize the first scene; two doctors trying to convince a mother who's just lost her son to donate his organs. It turns out that it's a roll play. The doctors are only practising how to act in a situation like that. After the "scene" the doctors talk casually to the nurse who's acted as the "mother". Her real name is Manuela, she's got a son and she used to do some acting in the past. So although she had a really small part in "La flor de mi secreto" "Todo sobre mi madre" is her story.

When I left the theater after seeing "Todo sobre mi madre" (while wiping my tears) I felt really happy. Not only because the film is truly a master piece but also because, finally after some quite dubious films, Pedro Almodóvar has shown what he's capable of making. I would go as far as saying that it's a cathartic experience seeing it. The sorrows, the pains and the joys of the characters go straight into the viewer's eyes and heart. The actors are all superb and the shots are almost painfully beautiful, nothing is left to chance. If you can, please go and see it. You won't see anything that fantastic in a long time.

I had seen Riket, part one, some years ago and wasn't disappointed by the sequel, even though it was, if possible, even more twisted and gory. The hospital setting is familiar to all of us. We've seen General Hospital or E.R. There is something about hospitals that appeal to us: life and death, everyday drama and doctors with fate in their hands. And we all love a good ghost story. And together the two, hospitals and ghosts, become a terrific combination. It scares the hell out the viewer -but in the nice kind of way. Because deep down we know that it's all make believe. Von Trier has made a full blown "Dogma-95" (no special effects, no lights, everything is tinted yellow and the handy cam seems to be managed by someone having an epileptic fit) and that way it all becomes even more scary. There is also the conflict between the Swedish doctor who's (wants to be) efficient and rational and the lazy, beer guzzling Danish orderlies and confused doctors. They are caricatures that we love to see, at least us Swedes and Danish. So if you can, rent the video and turn out the lights, arm yourself with a pillow to hide behind when it gets too scary and enjoy!