Rating: 
Summary: The best film Spain has produced in recent years...
Review: If you thought "Jamon, Jamon" was good, wait 'till you see this one. This film lets you see the other side of Spain you hadn't seen before, but the feel of this movie is very familiar. You can't miss that nostalgic, warm, and often raw feeling found in many of these spanish dramas. The storyline in this film has a subtle yet noticible Lorca-like mix of sensations. There is definitely no doubt as to why Almodóvar picked people like Cecilia and Penélope to star in this movie for a good reason--the film has spanish beauty and emotion written all over it. You can find it here at Amazon for about $20.00 in DVD...you can't go wrong. A must in your spanish-film collection!
Rating: 
Summary: Almodóvar Creates His Masterwork
Review: At last, Almodóvar has created his masterwork with "All About Mother", a film that combines such universal themes as familial bonding, grief, and forgiveness while including a wicked sense of humor. Almodóvar tells the story of a mother coming to terms with the death of her son and her quest to find his father with an amazing sensitivity. The film captures beautifully the strong bond that mothers and sons form when they are all they have. The sequence in which Manuela deals with the news of her son's death is harrowing and extremely touching. The scenes in which Manuela acts in service announcements about organ donation reminded me a lot of the opening scene of another Almodóvar film, "The Flower of My Secret". One particularly enjoyable scene is the one in which La Agrado, Manuela's pre-op transexual friend, tells an entire theater audience about her life, including how much each surgically enhanced body part has cost her. There's a really funny line in that scene, which goes something like, "It costs a lot to be genuine". To fully enjoy and appreciate "All About My Mother", one should see it a few times, because each viewing brings a better understanding of Almodóvar's intricate script. For example, it wasn't until the second viewing that I recognized that the scene that Huma de Rojo rehearses at the end of the film is from Frederico García Lorca's play, "Bodas de Sangre". In that particular scene from the play, there is a monologue that relates really well to the theme of the entire movie. The character giving the monologue is a mother who has seen her child die. Her monologue is about the horror that any mother feels upon seeing the blood of her child on the ground, because that blood belongs to her. Manuela's grief in the wake of her son's tragic death is of the same kind. For those who decide to watch "All About My Mother" and really enjoy it, I strongly recommend seeing Almodóvar's other films, especially "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", "High Heels" and "Live Flesh".
Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece, Almodovar's Best, A Foreign Treat!
Review: With this one Almodovar has proven himself to be the best and most original Spanish filmmaker since Buñuel. Almodovar has always impressed us with his boldly original films that possess a darkly comedic edge that have become his trademark. This is his best film yet, even though his 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' is also a masterpiece in it's own sense. More dramatically successful and less comic oriented than his past films, even though it still has its funny moments. The film is populated lesbians, prostitutes, transvestites and pregnant nuns, seems like something right out of a Fellini or Buñuel movie. The whole cast, dominated by women, is excellent, one of the best example of ensemble acting in recent foreign films. Cecilia Roth delivers a powerhouse performance as a loving mother who tragically looses her son in a senseless car accident (in a powerful and beautiful scene). This leads her to go back to Madrid to try to start a new life. There she meets Huma, an actress playing Blanche DuBois in a Spanish version of 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and becomes her understudy. This portion of the plot is an ode to Mankiewicz's 'All About Eve', the film itself is dedicated to the actresses in general and Bette Davis in particular amongst other people. But fortunately Almodovar does not concentrate on that subplot but focuses on the big picture. Marisa Paredes shines as the aging actress. Penelope Cruz, who is only recently becoming a sensation in Hollywood, is heartbreaking as a nun who gets pregnant and unfortunately gets infected with AIDS. Antonia San Juan is very funny as Agrado, a sweet-natured transvestite who 'aims to please', she has some very funny lines and the scene where she gives her monologue is strangely moving. But still, Almodovar managed to keep a surrealist air in some of his scenes, for example, when Cecilia Roth first arrives in Madrid and is taken to where the prostitutes hang out. A beautiful dreamlike dance ensues with beautiful music and perfect rhythm. Near the end we meet the father of Cecilia Roth's dead son and the man who impregnated Penelope Cruz. We aren't surprised to see a man with a pair of breasts and we don't blame him for infecting her with AIDS. We see a confused pain-stricken man that went through a lot and now, as he is about to die, is willing to try and mend his mistakes. The scene in the restaurant where he is holding his newborn son and sees a picture of his dead son is powerfully moving. Almodovar could have easily ended the picture with an unsettling and sad ending but he went for the happy ending. This satisfying crowd-pleasing ending surprisingly doesn't seem artificial and actually works, leaving us feeling secure about these characters. A great film and a huge step for Spanish cinema. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!
Rating:
Summary: Una obra de belleza y humanidad
Review: Pedro Almodovar's film "Todo Sobre Mi Madre" just blew me away when I first saw it in a seedy little Parisian movie theater. I had heard so much about, but had not had the chance to see it. When I finally did see it, I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least.In a country where films are the same lame story repeated over and over again with cast changes, I was happy to see that this film was appreciated and gained recognition through it's astounding performances and story. This is a must for anyone who appreciates film.
Rating:
Summary: Colorful, bittersweet....
Review: I first discovered Almodovar because I was taking Spanish and my tutor recommended I watch Spanish-language films. Since then, I have become a fan of this Spanish director. Some of his films have made me laugh like crazy, who can forget those "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" (I've seen it six times--it's a must for any woman who has had a cheating spouse-boyfriend) or the sexy "High Heels" (seen this one lots of times too--need to practice that Spanish!). "All About My Mother" is a continuation along his theme--women in crises--and in fact he dedicates this film to them. Almodovar is a man who loves, appreciates, respects, and admires women, and he has several of the best actresses in the world working with him (great guys too--he filmed Antonio Banduras on several occasions; though he's not in this film, several very good male actors are). That being said, I feel compelled to warn anyone who has ever lost a child--this may be a very difficult film to watch. My husband lost a son 25 years ago, and he walked out of this film in the first five minutes. And, he's a counselor who has worked with grief. There are some funny moments in this film, but it's hard to laugh because too much of what Almodovar puts on the screen is really real. People behave in the ways he describes. I've known a few transvestites, prostitutes, nuns, actresses, drug addicts, etc. and Almodovar must have known a few too, because he has captured them well. Too often films depict these people as despictable or odd, when they are amazingly human and behave like you and me in many ways--they shop, they cook they eat. They often have children of their own, have senile relatives, have money problems or not, have regrets, have friends, and sometimes have plastic surgery. (And before you say you've never done that, remember, crowns, caps and permanent partial plates of false teeth count). I honestly couldn't follow the film completely, partly because my Spanish is still not perfect (can't find and English track--you better check the statistics up top) and partly because the story is complex. So I figured I would sit back, go along for the ride, and watch it six more times in the future. In the meantime, I hope someone gets Almodovar's other films out on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Visual, Moving Masterpiece
Review: "Todo Sobre Mi Madre," or "All About My Mother," revolves around the life of an organ transplant coordinator, Manuela, who was briefly shown in one of Almodovar's most recent movie "The Flower of My Secret". After the death of her only child, Manuela sets off from Madrid to Barcelona to find both his father and the traveling troupe who performs "A Streetcar Named Desire," throughout Spain. Argentinian actress Cecilia Roth is both excellent and convincing as Manuela. Her performance for an actress not from Spain is original, since most of Almodovar's leading startlets are Spaniards. Marisa Paredes as Huma, a fading starlet, reminded me of her performance in "High Heels," wher she played a similar character. However the two emerging standouts in this film are Antonia San Juan as Manuela's drag-queen friend (fact: although she looks like a man, San Juan is actually a woman) and the beautiful Penelope Cruz, who plays a HIV-positive pregnant nun (only Almodovar can bring us such characters). Cruz, who radiates natural beauty and style has become Spain hottest export to Hollywood since Antonio Banderas. Keep an eye out for her in the near future. The visual arrangement of colors, patterns, and clothes brings the film so much beauty it is unbearable not to watch and adore it. Almodovar's camera illusions, especially watching a grieving Manuela run to her injured son, Esteban, after he is struck by a car (the camera looks like if the victim is watching his mother run in the rain) and the trick of watching Esteban write in his journal (we see his pencil move through a glass that is supposed to be his pad) is amazing. Only the pure genius that Almodovar is could have thought of this. This happens to be Almdovar's best film in the past 10 years. Truly, if you are an artist, an admirer of Spanish culture, or just love art films, then this film will fascinate you. A true gem in the evolution of Spanish cinema.
Rating:
Summary: Todo Sobre mi Madre
Review: Excelent movie. Very funny, you have to be from Spain to get it!
Rating:
Summary: All about real
Review: What a gorgeous movie this is. I remember when I first saw it 2 years ago in Barcelona where I am originally from. I cried and cried, and laughed and laughed throughout the whole experience. I have seen the movie 8 times (I just received the DVD from Amazon.com and saw it again) and I just do NOT get tired of it. Cecilia Roth is absolutely amazing, Marisa Paredes plays such a colorful and intriguing Theatre Diva, Antonia San Juan is simply fantastic and every single character in the movie adds to the richness of the 2 hours. I Love Penelope Cruz as a person and actress, what a magnificent opportunity to see her in a role so simple and so wonderfully played. What can I say? I guess I really liked this movie. I hope you see it soon if you havent already. If you speak Spanish and if you have spent some time in Spain, you will enjoy it even more and, by far, you will find it a lot funnier.
Rating: 
Summary: all about chauvinism
Review: The coincidences in this film piled up a mile high.And what is it with this so called great director's attitude toward men,he has outright contempt for them.The men in the film or the ones that are referred to are either ineffectual,sex-crazed,invisible,burdensome,transexual(which,in the context of this film makes you an authority on men and women)or just downright evil.There is such a dearth of quality American cinema that a contrived,pretentious,female chauvinistic film such as this can win an academy award.Just imagine if the roles were reversed and women were the objects of hatred in this film.N.O.W. would picket the movie every night it showed.Boogie Nights was lambasted for it's frank depiction of the porno industry and it's frequent use of "colorful metaphors",but this film is praised and it's just as dirty or even worse when it comes to dialogue.I guess if you say it in another language it's considered art,but if you say it in english it's considered dirty or controversial.That's one of the double standards when it comes to foreign films.Don't be fooled by the high production values or the sympathetic characters in this film,it's all an assault on men that Patricia Ireland would be proud of.I recommend you see this film if only to see if you agree.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best of 1999
Review: All About My Mother was a truely entertaing peice of film. To have a film dealing with a transvestite, a pregnant nun, a strange actress, and a grieving mother, it must have been very challenging to make it entertaing. It could of been allot worse from some directors but Pedro Almodovar pulled it off. Even if you have read the subtitles at the bottom of the screen to get it, it's worth it. This film is a real stand out from the rest of 1999's realeses 'cause of it's stellar preformances but above all the story. Overall, All About My Mother was very dramatic, at times, very funny, and very moving. Buy it now!
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