A Garota de Fogo

This film begins as a fairly common story, a story that in times of crisis anyone can feel absolutely identified. Luis is an unemployed literature professor who is barely able to make his end meet. He wants to fulfill the last wish of his 12-year-old daughter Alicia, patient of terminal cancer. Alicia wants an expensive dress of Japanese cartoon series "Magical Girl Yukiko". On the other hand, the film introduces us to Barbara, a young woman who suffers from mental disorders and Damian a retired teacher doing time in jail.

Three people in extreme conditions seem to move in a parallel universe where violence and pain dominate, but in a poetic way. In the universe of Vermouth, everyone is guilty and everyone is innocent. Magical Girl talks about violence and sadness using the rules of a film noir, with many subtle references of Japanese cinema.

It would be easy to fill pages and pages about the virtues of "Magical Girl", but it is a little complicated to do without uncovering some of the many surprises of the film. Because in reality, it is much more than a story where lives intersect and the storm broke. It is a framework where the details are taken care to detail. The music appears only when it is needed.

Jose Sacristan, Barbara Lennie and Luis Bermejo not need more than one scene to explain the most accurate descriptions of screenplay. Lucia Pollan, a revelation, it is amazing to see her purity and innocence overshadowed by the situation.

What is bad, however, is that all these mixed ingredients in the same bowl can roll back to a kind of niche audience more accustomed to these kinds of films. As for the end, it is open to many interpretations, which can leave the viewer confused, but will give us the opportunity to look, to find our own explanation to what is happening.

Magical Girl talks about violence and sadness using the rules of a film noir, with many subtle references of Japanese cinema.

Magical Girl was a very interesting film. I went to the movie with the idea of looking at a cold drama, and was very surprised to see things take a completely different turn and keep me at the edge of my seat. (Not getting much into details so you check it out!)

For one, I loved the plot. While a good chunk of the exposition is clearly set, we only get the stories and motivations we need to keep the action going. I found that extremely refreshing, specially for Barbara Lennie's character. I can understand that might ruin the movie for some people craving for a closed narration, but to me It's kinda brilliant and much more intriguing and suspenseful to follow the rest of the characters as they are right now without flashbacks or dream sequences to guide the audience through history lane.

The Cinematography was neat, all actors were competent, and apart from an unnecessary monologue on why bullfighting represents the spirit of Spain, Most scenes where well constructed and intriguing.

Overall I loved this, and I honestly would have given 9 stars if leuchemia girl had more fun inappropriate things to do than asking for gin-tonics and cigarrettes. She is the only sane person there and our titular girl, goddamit!

Magical Girl is a very well shot movie. The cinematography is brilliant and overall nothing of the visuals is a problem.

The biggest problem with this movie is how convenient everything is. I get that Louis as a father would actually fulfill the wish of his daughter, Its not that dis-believable. But the lengths he goes to achieve it. can be questionable. But that's not really the problem I have with this movie.

Barbara's illness for which she takes medications for was never explored. While you can try to make the excuse that "It's left for interpretation" (which YMS did on youtube), Its not really an excuse because you are literally implying that I should guess what's wrong with her. This is not how you make me care for a character. Why does she have these scars on her body? Never explained. While I find it convincing that she would help Luise once, I find it hard to believe that she will go to such lengths, in his second "favour" with the 20k euros (which I honestly find It too convenient that just an accessory would be that much more than the costume itself). It doesn't make sense. Like she's literally risking her life and screwing it up as a whole, just so she can remain with her husband. It just doesn't make sense to me. It seems like a complete convenience for this edgy plot that this movie Is going with. Not to mention "THE DOOR" ritual thing (which just literally came out of no where.).

Now for the 3d act. After Barbara is completely screwed up and her life destroyed, due to her own ridiculous decisions (lets remember that she decided to sleep with Luis. Lets not pretend that didn't happen.). She all of a sudden wants revenge now.

OK, the part that really made me mad and just seriously made me hate this movie is the scene in the cafe with Damian and Luis. So you are telling me, that when Damian threatened Luis with the gun, Luis will just decide to respond with "Bitch"? Are you serious? Like, they literally had the whole time in the world in that cafe to discuss what exactly happened. This is what really made me really angry. He presented that whole phone blackmailing, in really the most conveniently horrible way possible. It doesn't make sense for me, that this would happen, when the guy is clearly smart enough to not throw his life like this.

So, this is how I feel about this movie. For me Its a really "edgy" and It hides its convenient plot in its "deepness".

Obsession and desperation lead disparate characters to commit heinous acts in this dark, thrilling, quirky and Almodovorish tale. A father infatuated with purchasing a $15,000 "magical girl" dress for his cancer stricken daughter, a rigid, forceful teacher with a secret and simplistic weakness at being mocked, and a rich, sensitive, impulsive and unstable young woman who takes almost any kind of pain so long as she maintains her facade and knows of someone more miserable than herself, are each transformed by their obsessions into abusive creatures incapable of empathy.

Passions and fears float like ghosts in the recesses of each character's mind until delusions become more real to them than a simple fact or equation like "two plus two equals four." It is as if each character reaches a magical realm or gains a super power of their own choosing, where they may stay insulated from the world and those around them. Their isolation and avarice is emblematic of what is happening in Spain. Simple acts of kindness, fairness and empathy that could do a world of good for people are withheld for fear of some contagion. This thriller is, as I love, loaded with depth, metaphors and significance. The story line, acting and orchestration are exceptional for such a minimal budget. I only wish it had more support and funding. Four and a half of five stars. Seen at the Miami International Film Festival.

This is my first review, it'll be quick and to the point.

There has never been a movie that has changed my emotion and played with my mind and I congratulate the director/writer "Carlos Vermunt" for doing so.

First of all the thing I really love about this movie is how almost every scene is empty in terms of colors. Almost every wall, clothes, and lighting is sort of pale which gives the movie a sort of dark/empty feel to it.

Nothing could have prepared me for this movie, emotionally speaking.I give this a 7 due to my personal feelings of the climax, you may love it or you may hate it based on how it all ends. Needless to say, this movie is art.