With his new film, Almodovar once again proves his is the landlord over the modern pansexual landscape which is yet to be embraced by other cinema and other culture. It is brilliant. But his multi-textured, layered, wonderful film also has an astounding theme.

"All About My Mother" is a masterpiece. Filled with Almodovar's usual bright colors, brilliant, vivid visuals, unusual characters and soap opera plotting, it is also one of the most profound odes to motherhood ever to grace the screen.

The acting is wonderful. Almodovar's opening act brings us a mother/son relationship that basks in the warm glow of love and tenderness. The opening shots, of the beautiful, young Eloy Azorin as Esteban are sculptured visions. He is so cute and so charming that we instantly fall for him. His love for his mother, Manuela, played by Cecilia Roth, is a beautiful sight to behold. A moment where she reads to him, especially because of the text chosen, is one of the most tender I have ever seen.

A perfect example of Almodovar's cinematic excellence, recalling his visual wonts, is a shot of Roth in front of a gigantic picture on a billboard carrying the facade of a well-known actress. Esteban looks lovingly from afar at his mother seemingly superimposed over this exaggerated, looming image and his eyes fill with such admiration and love that it is spellbinding. We see, in this moment, how the boy idolizes his mother. How he loves her. How he envisions her as a loving icon. It's spectacular.

Almodovar isn't one for typicality, so his film soon swerves into unpredictable areas. His cabinet of astounding characters and actors breaks open onto the screen peopling the film with one marvellous personality after another. Marisa Paredes is wonderfully drawn as actress Huma Rojo. Her metamorphosis and character development throughout the film are stunning. Antonia San Juan as La Agrado brings forth the most wonderful and realized transgenderal character we have ever seen on screen. These are multi-faceted, myriad dimensional characters who slowly let us into their worlds by subtly surprising us throughout the film.

But alas, it is Roth who is the heart, the corozon, of the film. She is spectacular here. Her character can bring tears to the eye with a sudden frown, a momentary lapse of keeping herself collected. The film's wonderful story and perfect pitch allows her ample opportunity to have emotional moments and Roth make perfection out of each and every chance, never overly dramatic, always realistic, often moving beyond comprehension. This is an Oscar worthy performance and if Roth is not nominated, it is a travesty, a true indication that the awards are useless trivia.

The film may have trouble reaching a straight audience but who cares. It's their loss. Because Almodovar isn't interested, really, in sexuality here, well perhaps as a sub-sub-theme. His characters are more about love and togetherness and humanity and family. He films the piece like a loving dramatic novella and then offers up an almost Western feel at the end, a sort of Foreign, classic Noir feel in some ways when a much referenced character finally makes their appearance. It elevates the film from an awesome story to an awesome film. And the emotions and warmth we feel here is truth. It radiates off the screen like ripples of joy.

I will not lie. I have not seen all of Almodovar's films. Perhaps, at the most, I have seen 4 or 5. But I am willing to wager that this is the best, most emotionally resonant, most subtly nuanced film he has ever made. It's love of it's characters, and the care it generates within us for them, is a true revelation. It's a perfect film.

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