Fliegende Liebende (2013)

Fliegende Liebende: Directed by Pedro Almodóvar. With Antonio Banderas, Penélope Cruz, Coté Soler, Antonio de la Torre. When it appears as though the end is in sight, the pilots, flight crew, and passengers of a plane heading to Mexico City look to forget the anguish of the moment and face the greatest danger, which we carry within ourselves.

“u0026quot;Iu0026#39;m So Excited!u0026quot; from 2013 is not Almodovaru0026#39;s best effort – itu0026#39;s as raunchy as it gets, and it seems like itu0026#39;s on the light side for him. It really isnu0026#39;t, if you understand Spanish politics.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe plot concerns a flight from Madrid to Mexico with an economy class thatu0026#39;s been drugged so theyu0026#39;ll sleep through the flight and wonu0026#39;t become restless, and a first class with just a few people in it. Those people consist of a dominatrix, a virgin psychic, a man escaping from bank fraud, an actor, a couple on their honeymoon, and a man who describes himself as being in the security business. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThey are attended to by three gay male flight attendants who at one point lypsync and dance to u0026quot;Iu0026#39;m So Excited.u0026quot; They also pass out Valenciana cocktails with mescalin in them.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt seems that the plane might not land – thereu0026#39;s a problem with the landing gear and the pilot is frantically seeking an airport where he can make an emergency landing. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSomeone described this as a gay Airplane! and I suppose in a way it is. Almodovar I think was saying that the economy class (i.e., the poor) are kept unaware of circumstances. The wealthy people in first class are awake and, if not in control, at least they know whatu0026#39;s going on.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf youu0026#39;re not a fan of Almodovar, you will undoubtedly hate this. I liked it – Iu0026#39;m not one for raunchy, sexual humor — but because I like Almodovar and his quirkiness, I put up with it. I have to say the guysu0026#39; rendition of u0026quot;Iu0026#39;m So Excitedu0026quot; was hilarious – I watched it a couple of times. Also, Miguel Angel Silvestre, one of my favorite actors, plays one of the honeymooners. Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz have cameos.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAlmodovar isnu0026#39;t for everyone, but heu0026#39;s an intelligent director with an offbeat sense of humor. If youu0026#39;re unfamiliar with him, I recommend you start with u0026quot;Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdownu0026quot; or u0026quot;All About My Mother,u0026quot; or the wonderful u0026quot;Volver.u0026quot;”