So it is a comfort to see Penelope Cruz, and the rest of her female castmates bring to the silver screen women who are beautiful, poised and, am I allowed to say it, feminine? They're real women with real problems in the real world.

Raimunda (Cruz) is trying to get by in life. She's married to Paco (Antonio de la Torre), a listless man who is fired from his job and seems more content to drink beer, watch soccer and ogle his own daughter, Paula (Yohana Cobo). Life starts to unravel when, through a series of events, a lot of relatives around Raimunda and her sister, Sole (Lola Duenas) die (through completely natural means). History is dredged up, hearts are broken and old wounds are mended. Oh, and Raimunda's dead mother returns from beyond the veil to correct the wrongs in her life and help her daughter like she never did when she was alive.

And I'm giving you the bare bones. A lot of films sacrifice plot for character, or vice versa, but Almodovar (whom we shall simply call 'Almodovar'), knows when to give us a small character insight, like a mother watching her daughter's feet from underneath a bed, to broad plot developments. And, like all the great little films, the plot and character are irrevocably bound together, so that with every external influence (a dead mother), it feels connected to the characters and the problems that they face.

Penelope Cruz may get a bad wrap here in the States, but give her a role that she's allowed to breathe in and

    The plot moves quickly, sometimes too fast and the film suffers from loose threads and underdevelopment. Newly single, we're lead to believe that there may be something between Raimunda and a film crew member she meets, but it leads nowhere.

    Almodovar brings a cinema verite style to the proceedings, opting for a slice of life portrait, hence the open plot threads. This is not about the wacky proceedings, of which there are few, but of how Raimunda, her sister, daughter and all the women around her, deal with the problems of life, death, love and friendship. It's like a really high class Lifetime movie that even I found myself enjoying immensely.

    Almodovar shoots on location in Spain, which results in a deliciously lived in, almost…twilight feeling. The village the majority of the film takes place in is falling to pieces and is populated by an aging populace. It's otherworldly. The wind whips down narrow streets lined with cobblestone and blows curtains hither and thither. Almodovar finds beauty in this town that time forgot. The colors jump out at you. And

    Guys, beware: this is a chick flick. Not in the traditional 'lovey-dovey' happily ever after thing. Call it a "post-feminist" grrrl movie. It's cleverly masked and rational, but don't expect to find any good men here. They either exist for two seconds, or are boorish, lazy, pedophiles. I know strong, real women are Almodovar's bread and butter, but it does not have to come at the vilification for men. Contrary to popular belief, we are not all savages.

    If that part sounded bitter and damning, I suppose a part of it is. But the film still succeeded with me on the basis of Penelope Cruz. I am not saying the things the men did are "good", they aren't, nor am I condoning the responses the women take. I am saying that the situation they're in is real. A bit is far-fetched, but never so much that it's outside of reason. Even the ghost of the mother is explained in such a way that we can really believe it. Props to Almodovar for crafting a film such as this.

    This is a movie your mom will love. Trust me: moms don't like anything on the screens these days, but she will adore this movie. If only because the mother in the film is a bit quirky and very motherly. A well-crafted look at the world women; wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, face today, it soars on subtle and wonderful acting, with a palette and scenery to die for, 'Volver' comes recommended for everyone, whether you're an XX or an XY.

speak in her native language, and she dazzles. Somehow, no matter what she was doing, whether it's running a restaurant or digging a hole, her hair always falls in such a way that makes her look stunning. She's beautiful. I know I say that a lot, but damnit, she is gorgeous. Exotic, sexy and…feminine? Her Raimunda has been dealt a tough hand, but rather than complain about it, she shoulders her burden as best she can.

while the focus is always on the actors, he gives the audience a chance to soak in the frame and relish in the subtle grandeur and distinctly European vibe contained within.