I’m a huge fan of Alejandro González Iñárritu. Loved Amores Perros, loved 21 Grams, liked Babel a lot.
Rented Biutiful last night and it was also very good, even though difficult to watch. Lots of depressing, hopeless-seeming moments about a dying father agonizing his way though the Barcelona underworld. Not a perfect film (a little long and confusing in parts) but definitely has Iñárritu’s trademark depth and heart. And Javier Bardem gives an incredible, sad, soulful performance.
But what I almost liked more than the movie: the short, making-of featurette narrated by Iñárritu himself that includes his journal entries as well as Flip Video footage he captured pre-production and during filming. He explains why he made the film, the experiences of the people in it (many of them not actors) and reveals some upsetting difficulties behind the scenes. Even if you saw Biutiful on the big screen, consider renting the DVD and spend an extra 30 minutes learning what makes this guy so great.
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