Pedro Almodovar's Volver, out now on DVD, is a joy to behold. Penelope Cruz gives the performance of her career as Raimundo, an embittered woman with a secret. Also Justin Kirk charms in the independent romantic comedy Flannel Pajamas and a star studded ensemble cast enlivens Emilio Estevez's directorial debut Bobby.
1. Volver
Pedro Almodovar reminds us again of his potency as a filmmaker with the sprawling, marvelous melodrama Volver, an engrossing tale--funny and tragic and even surreal--of three generations of women. Penelope Cruz received an Oscar nomination for performance in one of the best films of 2006.
2. Flannel Pajamas
It's a fact: I am a Justin Kirk fan. He gave a staggering performance in the film version of Angels in America, convincingly wooed a lesbian in Puccini for Beginners and is reliably hilarious as the stoner brother in the TV serial Weeds. Kirk stars opposite Juliette Nicholson in this bittersweet romantic comedy directed by Jeff Lipsky.3. Bobby
Check out the ensemble cast in Emilio Estevez's ambitious directorial debut about the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy: Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Elijah Wood, Harry Belafonte, Nick Cannon, Emilio Estevez, Laurence Fishburne, Heather Graham, Helen Hunt, Ashton Kutcher, Shia LaBeouf, William H. Macy, and Lindsay Lohan. The film received a Golden Globe nomination for best dramatic movie.