Kiss of the Spider Woman

Life in an Argentine prison during the country’s infamous Dirty War might seem like an odd backdrop for a movie musical. But, given the engaging source material on which this film is based – the 1992 Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical featuring the compositions of John Kander and Fred Ebb (best known for their work on Cabaret) and the acclaimed 1976 novel by author Manuel Puig – this exuberant, visually involving new release succeeds in telling a captivating tale of unlikely friendship and romance between two very different cellmates during a troubled time in the Latin American nati...

It’s taken me hours to write my review for this but I still don’t think I can put all my thoughts and feelings into words properly, but this was genuinely nothing short of a masterpiece. The contrast going from the dark, cruel prison to the lively, bright technicolor world of _Kiss of the Spider Woman_ is so striking, both visually and metaphorically, it really does feel like 2 completely separate worlds.

The performances from the three leads (Tonatiuh, Diego Luna, Jennifer Lopez) were so incredible and nuanced, easily some of my the best performances I’ve ever seen. And the chemistry...

When "Molina" (Tonatiuh) is marched into his cell in 1980s Argentina, he is introduced to a cellmate who couldn't care less about his peccadilloes. "Arregui" (Diego Luna) just wants to be left in peace to read his books and not to be disturbed by the flamboyance of his obviously gay roomie - or his beaded bed curtain. The persistent "Molina" isn't about to be ignored, though, and after a degree of attrition finally manages to engage his new friend with a story of the "Spider Woman" - a movie made many years earlier and featuring the legendary "La Luna". Now mingling their grim real life existe...