Word: antonios
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...appears to be how French police, working with the Spanish Civil Guard, captured Francisco Javier Lopez Pena and three other alleged members of the separatist terror organization on May 20. According to reports in the Spanish media (which the Interior Ministry will neither confirm nor deny), police followed Jose Antonio Barandiaran, former mayor of the Basque town of Andoain, to a meeting he held with Lopez in France on May 18th. Two days later, gendarmes burst into a Bordeaux apartment and arrested Lopez and the others...
...Well, why shouldn't Allen have a crush on Juan Antonio? For one thing, he dreamed the character up; for another, Bardem doesn't have to work hard to radiate the sensitive machismo of a man who doesn't use women so much as he allows them to briefly fulfill their dreams in him. Visually, too, the movie is in love with Barcelona, its gnarled Gaudi buildings, and with the countryside of Ovieto, a hundred shades of glorious earth tones. (The cinematographer is Javier Aguirresarobe, who has shot films directed by Pedro Almodovar, Victor Erice and Alejandro Amendabar...
...saved the most vibrant character for last: Maria Elena, which Penelope Cruz turns into one of her boldest, fullest characters. A painter so sexy that Juan Antonio's father still has erotic dreams of her, Maria Elena had been Juan Antonio's muse, competitor and wife; their turbulent marriage ended when she tried to kill him. Of course she shows up, once her ex has set up house with Cristina, allowing Allen to run further amorous permutations. A darkroom kiss between Cruz and Johansson is probably Allen's most direct expression of romantic-sexual connection...
...fully in tune with their feelings: totally willing, and why not?, to act on impulses they've learned to trust. The Americans are children by comparison, a little stiff, so conditioned to overanalyzing every attraction that they would lose the moment - if only there weren't a Don Juan Antonio to send seismic shivers up their consciences...
...movie is narrated in an American voice (not Allen's) that is pitched slightly above all the characters. The voice knows Vicky and Cristina best, but you know it wants to live with, possibly bed down with, cosmopolitan Juan Antonio and crazy Maria Elena...