Philly.com – By Steven Rea – Inquirer Movie Critic
It’s a brand name in Spain and in film circles the world over: Almod?var, as in Pedro Almod?var, the Oscar-winning, Cannes-winning, winningly outrageous Spanish writer-director whose wild forays into sexual ambiguity, soap-opera emotionalism, womanhood, motherhood, gay love, straight love, the Catholic Church and Day-Glo color schemes have resulted in a body of work that is full of life – in all its funny, sad, beautiful forms.
Volver, which reunites Almod?var regulars Carmen Maura and Penelope Cruz, had its North American premiere last week at the Toronto International Film Festival. Before this dazzling comedy of family and death begins its theatrical run in November, Sony Pictures Classics is rereleasing eight Almod?var hits on newly struck 35mm prints for half-week or whole-week runs.