aequus314 I'm So Excited is every frame a Pedro Almodóvar film (Talk to Her, Volver, The Skin I Live In): bizarre characters are painted in warm, luscious hues; politically incorrect dialogue are infused with a hint of cheerful irreverence. This saucy Spanish comedy revolves around three gay stewards, two bisexual pilots and a flurry of passengers bound for Mexico.The main narrative occurs against the backdrop of the plane interior itself. When the landing gear of Peninsula Flight 2549 malfunctions, sexual tensions escalate and inhibitions are shed in tandem to the knowledge of impending death and doom.We meet the trio of raging queens Joserra (Javier Cámara of Talk to Her), Fajas (Carlos Areces ) and Ulloa (Raúl Arévalo), chief pilot and Joserra's married lover Alex, his co-pilot and one-night-stand Benito. Seven passengers venture in-and-out of the cramped and narrow-spaced cockpit to interrupt this nervous dynamic. Hyper sensitive virgin psychic Bruna (Lola Dueñas) reacts to her powers of ESP and detects the "smell of death" in certain parts of the plane. Norma (Cecilia Roth), a demanding corporate highflyer in business class has mysterious connections to the oligarchs of Spanish society; she fears the malfunction is an assassination attempt to bury the secrets she knows as a high-end dominatrix. A mysterious and nameless Infante, scandalous middle-aged celebrity Ricardo, troubled husband and father Sr. Más and a pair of dopey, drug smuggling newly weds occupy the rest of Flight 2549's fuselage.Attempts to communicate with family and loved ones ground below are made possible by the only cabin handset that functions — but conversations can be heard over the PA system. This narrative device connects passengers in the plane to various characters on the ground; thus giving shape to back stories that serve to stress and accentuate the panicky mood unfolding within the plane.This latest offering by Almodóvar is an unbridled, satirical film with flashes of political and sexual humour. In many ways, I'm So Excited is a valuable testament to the hedonistic cultural wave of La Movida Madrileña (the famous Spanish 80s) where freedom of expression, transgression of taboos imposed by the Franco Regime, use of recreational drugs all exist to celebrate a new spirit of freedom in the streets of Madrid. Far from existing in a farcical vacuum, it would be prudent to consider the historical undertones in this excellent film — it is a subtle reminder of how far the Spanish identity has since evolved in post-Franco years.cinemainterruptus.wordpress.com

MisterWhiplash Sometimes you go into a movie simply wanting a little fun. After so many years of Pedro Almodovar making twisted psychodramas and searing romances, often to acclaim like Academy Award nominations/wins and film festivals across the world, we now have a total screwball comedy that is another 'bottle' comedy from summer last year (remember This is the End all staged in one place). It's a filmmaker not going for anything serious, anything too deep, anything that will be About The Human Condition (in caps). And if there is, that's icing on the cake. This is just about farce, in the lightest ways for this filmmaker now in his latter years.Here you get to see what these characters do at the end of their self-involved ropes. There's a lot of energy and a lot of silliness with these characters, played by actors who are familiar players in this director's oeuvre, but the sketches click mostly. It's only when Almodovar leaves the plane for a scene where a character calls a woman and we see her story for a bit that it drags and loses its energy.But those male flight attendants are hysterical, in timing and how they express everything as BIG and frantic as possible, and when the music number of the film's title hits it finally releases one of only thinking of the song as that scene from Saved by the Bell (or maybe it's just for me it did). Fast, loose, and knowing how goofy it is, its movie-making that hits the spot at the end of a long day and maybe with a little drink on the side (minus he mescaline).

runamokprods Uneven, but a lot of fun, with some serious thoughts about politics, class and the economy of modern Spain nicely hidden in the mix of sex and absurdity. This (very intentionally) hearkens back to Almodovar's anarchic, rough edged early sex farces like Pepi, Luci Bom, but now he's re-approached that kind of story with the technical mastery of a lifetime making ever more sophisticated films. That cuts both ways. On one hand the gorgeous color-popping polished visuals, and high- level performances make this even more of a joy to watch. On the other hand, it's very smoothness takes some of the bite out of Almodovor's early punky biting the hand that fed him, pushing the limits of film in post-Franco Spain. But forgetting all that serious mumbo-jumbo, this is fun sexual and political farce, 90% of which takes places on an airplane that may be doomed. Led by three very funny, very gay flight attendants determined to keep the upper-class passengers distracted from what's really going on, using everything from musical numbers to mescaline (the economy class passengers have simply been drugged and put to sleep; a heavy handed but effective comment) – the flight gets wilder and wilder as those ruling class passengers reveal their secrets – sexual, social and personal - and their libidos. As do the flight crew. Certainly not Almodovar's best work, but often filthy, funny and smart. And if a good number of the jokes don't quite hit, those that do, will sometimes make you laugh, and others will make you smile ruefully.

Simone Gambirasio This is not a drama, this is a comedy, so please don't compare this movie to other Almodovar dramas. Still, this movie has many issues. It doesn't have a clear message, it tries to entertain, that's all. Is a queer comedy, sometimes it's definitely too gross and stereotyped. I have to admit I laughed sometimes, but not too much. This is not a good movie for families and bigots, of course, but I don't consider myself a bigot at all... It also looks like a movie that speaks only to a gay audience: heterosexual people are quite inexistent or depicted like stupid or repressed. I know that gay characters have a weak presence in blockbuster comedies but please... a movie where straight people don't exist is quite stupid. It looks like a tiny planet born from the mind of an old sex-centric director. I'm not giving a good evaluation because entertaining doesn't necessarily mean that you can't give a message. This movie doesn't teach too much or, if it has a lesson, it's definitely a weak one.