Ian Fitzgerald (ifitz)

Brilliant and epicly breath-taking, this film is the prominent example of what anime is simply because it shows what animation as a whole can be. Fluid and jagged all at once, you simply forget that you have no idea what is going on and accept the visuals as is. Furthermore, this film shows how far Japanese film has come. While action, samurai and monster films were common, the quiet and slow melodramas of the 50s and 60s are gone- this film is loud and proud showing a whole new style of filmmaking that is lacking in any element from past forms. Pure brilliance even if the story is hard to follow in any sense!

This film is fantastic! Fucking fantastic! I loved it on so many levels! Twisted, weird, violating and spellbinding, this may be Pedro Almodovar's best film! It honestly stayed with me for days, weeks and still haunts me; it has also solidified my opinions on capital punishments. I could have watched it for hours and was well worth the trip to EIFF! Every actor brings their A game and Banderas is fantastic in his native Spanish and the supporting characters (especially Jan Cornet and Elena Anaya as Vicente/Vera) are brilliant! Heart-stopping, it looks and sounds great and easily, creepily, seeps under your skin!