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In spite of the rather contrived setup, the scenes in former Yugoslavia were some of the most horrifying and realistic war scenes on film. These photojournalists had nothing to protect themselves but Nikons and good luck. Just as the photojournalists used their cameras to record the atrocities, director Elie Chouraqui unflinchingly captured the war crimes committed by the Serbs and the chaos and meaninglessness of war. Adrien Brody showed his Oscar worthiness as Kyle Morris, the coke-head, jealous, unaccomplished photographer with a chip on his shoulder. His was the most mesmerizing performance, because it lacked any pretense. He looked scared to death. Brendan Gleeson was also exceptional, wavering between frozen panic and dedicated war chronicler. Andie Macdowell was pretty lifeless, yet she seemed convincing as a woman unprepared for such an undertaking. David Straitharn had a thankless part as the eponymous Harrison. Elias Koteas was underused as well, and his narration was unnecessary. His part was underwritten, but he managed to give it life nonetheless. The title may have hurt this interesting and eye-opening film. It sounded like a show on the Gardening Network. I would have eliminated the last 10 minutes, (as well as the whole flower analogy- Ugh!) sinking the film into melodrama, but this was a good one to catch on Starz.

When Benigno (Javier Camara) fusses about the prone figure of the lovely, comatosed young woman (Leonor Watling) in the hospital bed, you at first, are struck by his devotion and gentleness. You assume that he is her spouse, her brother, or her best friend. He is wearing scrubs, but his demeanor is more than a mere caregiver. You must question his relationship to this woman, but you admire the dedication he appears to have for this patient. Something is amiss, but you put that in the back of your mind. As the movie progresses and Benigno's motivations become clear, you could kick yourself for liking him. He is certainly creepy, yet there is something inherently sweet about him. Such is the subtle maneuvers of this film.

Marco's (Dario Grandinetti) first scene is one of emotional vulnerability, yet in spite of his tears at the ballet, he seems strong and virile. He is drawn to the woman in the man's sport Lydia (Rosario Flores). She, in spite of her fearlessness against a 2 ton bull, is reduced to tears of panic when confronted by a snake. Marco becomes her hero, and they begin a relationship. But Marco seems to occupy the periphery of her life. Reduced to little more than a member of her entourage, he seems emasculated around her. After her accident, he cannot bring himself to do what is so effortless for Benigno. He can't talk to her.

What does occur is that Marco and Benigno become closer than either of them could ever be with the women that they love. It's a touching and complex moment when Benigno tells Marco that he would love to hug him. But the prisoners' glass is between them. Ultimately, the film is about friendship. I was pleasantly surprised by the devotion that Marco showed for Benigno. He had no qualms about declaring himself a friend even when it was apparent that Benigno committed an unthinkable act.

This film was one that stayed in the mind long after the closing credits. The few complaints I have with it are that Lydia's character seemed to conveniently disappear when the plot was through with her, thus making Marco's connection to her rather flimsy. Also to nit-pick, Rosario Flores is not the most attractive woman on screen and at times she looked more like a man than either male leads. (perhaps that is what Almodovar was after, because Javier Camara has the softest hands I've ever seen on a man.) But overall, it is a thought-provoking and intelligent film.

Having no difficulty whatsoever getting in touch with my inner child, I took a deep breath and dove underwater for Pixar's latest film. "Finding Nemo" is no mere cartoon. I don't think I could like any animated character better than I do those "Toy Story" costars, Woody and Buzz, (actually I like Woody and Buzz more than most "real" actors) but Marlin (the ever-neurotic Albert Brooks) and Dory (a hilarious Ellen DeGeneres) are a close second to those screen buddies. Pixar has outdone itself, creating a water world of such splendor that you forget it's drawn with a pen (or a computer). Halfway through the film, when Nemo is captured in the dentist's aquarium, and Marlin and Dorie are two small fish in the vast blue sea, I gasped at the impossibility of them ever seeing each other again. How in the world will they find Nemo? It's a marvel that director Andrew Stanton makes us care enough to help plot escape strategies. The menacing and misunderstood Bruce (named after Speilberg's mechanical fish?), played by Dame Edna, is just too funny, and Stanton himself also does a mean surfer dude as the voice of Crush the seaturtle. Willem Dafoe is sadly perfect as Gil and that underwater sea creature, the one that lives in the very deepest depths of the ocean looks like it's right out of the "Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. Pixar certainly put to rest the argument "do fish feel?" Of course they do. And they have a pretty good sense of humor too. Don your water wings and fly to see this one.