Forgive me for dropping names for a moment here, but sitting behind me at the press screening for Pedro Almodóvar's Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces) were directors Mira Nair and—if memory serves—Jonathan Demme. I say, If memory serves, because sometimes the mind can play tricks on you, especially when you start building associations. I had heard Demme's name being bandied about by colleagues just prior to the screening, and I did see him at another film, so maybe... ah, well. I digress. But the reason I brought these two filmmakers up, were because each of their cinematic sensibilities overlap. They all have a weakness for heightened drama, colorful backdrops, and moments that border on camp. As Los abrazos rotos wrapped up, and the last credit rolled offscreen, the critic next to me (who shall remain nameless) asked that loaded question I always hate, "So... what'd you think?" I gave her a non-answer, as I usually do. I wouldn't expect you to give me the answers to your "pop quiz," why should I give you mine? But she offered, "I thought it was a little too telenovela."
Well, that's sort of the point, isn't it?
