Vuelve

Fascinating! Intriguing movie where you get lost in the character's mind. Incredible level of photography, as he usually does the director. A film that takes you to travel through all the senses. It goes from one extreme to another making you feel a sense of tenderness to darkness rarely experienced. In my humble opinion, a truly remarkable work, which, to be an independent production has nothing to envy, and is at the level to compete with any "big production". The music ... what, Ivan Noel ... is a kind of genius unrecognized?. I really could not believe when I read the title, if one person can achieve this level of quality. Obviously at this point I'm not being very objective, but this is a credit to director, producer, composer and who knows how many more thing God. Please ... when more movies are coming Ivan Noel???

Another masterpiece from Ivan Noel. Beautifully filmed and haunting story that will stay with you long after the closing credits. If you like your movies simple and predictable, this is not the movie for you. But if you are willing to venture outside your comfort zone just a bit and have your senses challenged, you'll be richly rewarded. What seems to be a simple tale of a family living in an old monastery slowly leads you down a path of breath taking twists and turns. A traumatic event sets a chain of tragic events in motion, leading to a magnificent finale. Renzo Sabelli, the young actor who plays the (aptly named) boy Gabriel puts in an amazing, believable performance for one so young.

Mr. Noel has created a new masterpiece, after 'En Tu Ausencia' and 'Brecha'. Noel is probably the most attention attracting Spanish cinematographer of the present. His movies are subtle, sensitive and both storyline, camera-work and music are astonishing. Astonishing too is the fact that all this,- story, music and camera -, are works of his own hand. Nevertheless his movies are made with an extremely low budget due to both lack of finance and of recognition. I wonder how long it will take before Art-house lovers will realize that there is a new Spanish master in our midst. 'Vuelve' is highly recommended (and so are his previous films).

The title, Vuelve, means come back or (he or she) comes back. The storyline: a couple, Sofía and Gregorio live with their son Gabriel in a large property, formerly a convent near the town of Jesus María, Córdoba province. Sofia is mentally disturbed; she suffers of Cotard's syndrome (defined in the initial screen). Gabriel, who is very attached to his mother begins to shows signs of mental deterioration too. The situation is worsened by Gregorio's discovery that he has not clear rights to the property and faces the possibility of expropriation and eviction.

The movie begins auspiciously. It lays out subtly an atmosphere of dread and anxiety. Unfortunately, it veers into horror movie territory near the end. There also inconsistencies in the script (by the director). It is not understandable that Gregorio should leave his child, unsupervised in exclusive care of his mother and then alone. Gregorio seems to take care of a vast building on vast grounds with only one gardener and no domestic help. And so on.

On the positive side, cinematography (by the director) is good, very good in some scenes. Acting is good as well and music (by the director) is unobtrusive and fits the action. On the whole, however, a disappointing movie.

A raw but a real description of how a sickness can replace a healthy reality. I like how the director manage to show us a dark part of life. Thru the image, dare to bring a taboo subject, to make us realize, that this is to an important aspect that is not proper managed by us, people. In some parts felt like a documentary, or like a visual journal, delivered almost ' umbilical ' by the mother and son. This is how i like mostly the european movies despite us american movies. American movies are to commercial