MovieChat Forums > Todo sobre mi madre (2000) Discussion > This IS NOT a good movie

This IS NOT a good movie

posted 18 years ago by polo_nordic
72 replies | jump to latest

I consider myself to be a moviefreak, I see all kinds of movies: Spirited Away, Oldboy, Amelie From Montemarte, Mysterious Skin, Godfather, The Downfall and also a lot of "slow movies" (just like this: Le Vita e bella, Citizen Kane, Gosford Park and The Hours.. I watch everything and I know when I see a good movie.

Before watching "Todo Sobre Mi madre" I had pretty high expectations, they were not fulfilled.

This was a crappy movie, end of story. Sure the acting was good and the music/score were faboulus. But it was just so BORING! And all the plot holes.....

If you haven´t seen this movie, don´t waste your time.

[–] silverbeach 18 years ago

I watch everything and I know when I see a good movie.

dont be so pretentious.

[–] hdrobertson 18 years ago

When pressed to name my ''favorite film'' by somebody I generally end up saying all about my mother, because it encompasses so many genres and emotions, which is what life IS, this is why Almodovar is such a brilliant director, his films are truely examples of 'art imitating life, imitating art' albeit focused in his own unique perculiar way! Life is never just a comedy, a thriller or constant tragedy (hopefully!) which is why Almodovar is set apart from so many famous Hollywood directors. Maybe the original poster to this thread needs to experience more 'life' generally before watching anymore Almodovar films so that he can empathise with the fascinating characters - perhaps then he won't find this film so 'boring' and 'crappy' because all the directors films are very character driven, and therefore may come across as being slow. Having said all that I wasn't the biggest fan of bad education or Volver, which was a nice film, but sub par for Almodovar.

[–] sarahew239 18 years ago

This is my least favorite of the Almodovar films. I think that Bad Education, Volver, Talk to Her and Live Flesh are all better movies and that this one should have been cut off five minutes earlier when she left with the baby. But, I don't agree that by any means this is a terrible movie. But, I do think that it is one of those movies that you love or hate and that there is no middle ground on it. I think that it is the worst movie from a series of amazing movies by a gifted director that is still an amazing movie, but this is just my opinion. Also, you consider Citizen Kane to be a slow moving movie?

[–] andre_magalhaes 18 years ago

XD

The most hilarious part of the post was Citizen Kane = slow movie. Seriously, WTF?

Boredom does NOT equal lack of quality. It only equals lack of action, which in most cases is a good thing. Just look at 2001: A Space Odyssey. Not the most action-filled of movies, but definitely one of the greatest.

IMO, when people find a movie boring, it's the person's fault, not the movie's. If the person feels too tired or too sleepy to watch a slow-moving motion picture, then that's not because the movie is bad: it's because the person is not in a good mood to see it.

Dumbass.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] brianranwick 18 years ago

I just got done watching this film in my Spanish class, and oh my gosh. Maybe I'm sheltered or something in Minneapolis where I've lived my whole life, but I have never seen the type of filth I saw in this movie. Prime example of what happens when cultures start to slide morally. They all acted like this was just a fine and good way to live life, being perverts, sexual deviants, and drug abusers. Oh and for the record, a dimepiece like P. Cruz would not have sex with a tranny, ok? Never has that once happened ever in the history of the human race. The whole thing made me sick.

[–] elrogos 18 years ago

yeah, we all bet that in minneapolis trans and gay people do not exist... come on, maybe you should watch the film concentrating on the mother's character and on the universal power of emotions.

[–] crazydiamond5 18 years ago

Yeah, I just love it when the original poster takes the trouble to post a comment on a film's board saying something negative about it, and doesn't stick around to defend their viewpoint. Maybe there would be more people listening to him/her if they offered some explanation than 'it is boring'. Also, to Brian the poster two posts above...jeez man, you must have lived a sheltered life indeed if you consider this filth. I'm a Christian (you would expect me to be morally outraged at this then. It amazes me how people think all Christians are uptight, etc. and yet there are people who are not Christians, that are outraged over a film like this) and love Almodovar films, and can't see what the problem is, but then maybe another Christian would call me a godless person, I don't know. I assume you take umbrage with anybody who you hear swearing or anything like that? Or what is the line for you that things become morally unacceptable at? There's a lot worse 'filth' out there masquerading as films (and certainly films that I feel do deserve complaining about), you should complain against them instead. I am seriously not trying to start a fight, I can't comprehend how most people would find this offensive. That's all.

[–] fantasyinme 17 years ago

I watched this movie over a course of two days, I did not find it fasinating or entralling, nor did it pique my interest in the world of transvestites and their love woes. This movie made no sense, but tries to tell a poignant story of a woman who lost her son, yt gets another one from the death of a nun duped by a transvestite?
I am trying to flush crude humor from my thoughts, its not humorous to hear the tale of a woman who is basically a walking frankenstein, but to all the people I may not agree with this lifestyle, but yes i would say that I care for each and every last one of you. All in all, your still human.
Not a good movie to me. Im going to see the Silver Surfer, at least he doesnt have a sex drive like every movie that has comeout lately in the past 20 years.

[–] franzkabuki 12 years ago

"Story of a woman who is basically a walking Frankenstein".

LOL. Honest.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] singinblues26 17 years ago

polo_nordic also fancies himself the freaking guru of all movies. So you've seen a couple of good movies in your lifetime? If you're a true "film freak" you should have found something to at least appreciate about AAMM. Yet you come off pretty pompous and just plain ridiculous. AAMM is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I love movies too. You forget that everyone has different tastes and that yours is definitely not the best, or only opinion out there.

[–] baudelairesmuse 17 years ago

Better say I THINK this is not a good movie. It is an opinion.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] baudelairesmuse 16 years ago

Well put, I agree.
www.myspace.com/marteta

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] geoffrey-jackson 12 years ago

I admire your courage to start such a provocative thread. I can see you are open and honest. I can also see you have a lot of films to compare this one with.

My only criticism is you telling people what to do. I believe people are entitled to their opinion and should be given the opportunity to say it. At the risk of being accused a hypocrite, perhaps you should have been a little more diplomatic by saying something like "If you haven't seen this movie, then you might find it a waste of time."

I too had high expectations of this film. It's certainly highly rated and I can see why. It's the emotion which is a combination of the plot and acting. I would say the plot was the better of the two - mainly because of the excellent plot rather than poor acting if you know what I mean. I suppose the worst acting was from the real life transvestites but they weren't major aspects of the movie. Perhaps the acting became a little too melodramatic on occasions but that's the live stage aspects of the movie coming through. The director did well in balancing the mix. All in all it was a good movie. It got me in. Maybe you were a little tired or in a bad mood or something when you watched it.

While writing this post I am reminded of Abre los ojos (1997) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125659/ and its remake Vanilla Sky (2001) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259711/. I am surprised to see the Spanish version so highly rated and the American remake so lowly rated. In my books the ratings are the wrong way around. I can envisage an excellent US production of Todo sobre mi madre. Maybe Penélope Cruz will play Manuela. Don't know what the US remake should be called. Perhaps All About My Father but that might distract from the multifaceted aspects of being a woman. That is a major theme of the story. In the trailer it says,

Part of every woman is a mother
Part of every woman is an actress
Part of every woman is a saint
Part of every woman is a sinner
And part of every man is a woman

Obviously All About My Mother is derived from All About Eve which is what Esteban and Manuela were watching when they were having dinner. There is another reference to Bette Davis when Huma said that she picked up smoking trying to imitate Bette Davis. She also said that she called herself Huma because it is a derivative of humo the Spanish for smoke.

So, any ideas on what a remake should be called?