Vicky Cristina Barcelona

         Seldom do we ever come across films that can successfully capture the life and scenery of a city so imagine my joy when I came across Vicky Cristina Barceolona. VCB centers on two American best friends who spend their summer vacation in the idyllic Barcelona, Spain. They end up being enamored by Julio Antonio, a complex character that they both eventually fall in love with. Vicky is the typical self-control freak in all of us who believes in the usual fundamentals of morals, values and principles. Her comfort zone has refrained her from compromising these until she meets Juan Antonio. Cristina, on the other hand, is the wilder side in us that begs to experience the foreign and unknown. She is the constant, self-doubting voice in our heads that pushes us beyond our limits. She dominates the right, artistic brain that continually tries to solve the all-too familiar problem of the meaning of life. If both types of personalities happen to fall in love with the same man, what could be the repercussions of each? Throw in another psychotic character who is the ex-wife of Julio Antonio, played by the seductive Penelope Cruz, definitely thickens the plot.

        The film is a refreshing look into the beautiful mind of famous director, Woody Allen. He brings his viewers from Avieles, to an enchanting town of Oviedo, and lastly, a part of Seville. The film is culturally rich with references to art museums, lyrical Spanish guitars, the usual wine-tasting and the unmistakable sultry accent of Julio Antonio played by Javier Bardem. If you enjoy learning about a city’s culture by taking a peek into an artists’ brain, such as musicians, poets, writers, photographers, and painters alike, you will definitely enjoy this film!