Blu-ray Movie Reviews

When her father becomes gravely ill, beautiful Lena consents to a relationship with her boss Ernesto, a very wealthy, much-older man who pays for her father's hospitalization and provides her a lavish lifestyle. But Lena's dream is to act and soon she falls for the director of her first film - a project bankrolled by her husband to keep her near. Upon his discovery of the affair, Ernesto stops at nothing to ruin Lena's happiness.

A provocative tale of relationships and the damage caused by jealousy. This is one of the most beautiful films I’ve seen this last year with rich colorful photography and gorgeous backdrops. Unfortunately the tale doesn’t have the same beauty and shows the cold cruelty of people when it comes to love. Cruz plays a beautiful woman who is forced into a relationship with her boss to help her ailing father. The story is told by a blind man who falls in love with her during the production of his film, and the jealous rage this inflicts on the boss. The film has some great intersections with its characters and offers some disturbing outcomes as the story unfolds. I loved drama of the film and the performances all around; plus I can’t say enough about the beautiful photography.

Sony delivers this visually sumptuous film with aplomb on Blu-ray. The film’s color palette is simply gorgeous with rich vibrant tones. I loved the fine detail captured and the striking photography of the Spanish countryside. Contrast is rich and adds to the dimensionality and depth of the image. Striking is too light a word. The film also features a wonderful yet subtle score that seems to float in space during the film. Subtle guitar picking sounds wonderfully dynamic and adds so much to the ambiance and tension of the film. A stunning presentation.

Extras include some deleted scenes and an interview with the beautiful Penelope Cruz. You also get a short film from the director and a look at the New York Film Festival screening.

A beautiful film about ugly events is the best way to describe it. The story offers powerful drama and the performances do it every justice. Sony delivers yet another striking Blu-ray presentation with this gorgeous HD transfer. Recommended!