10. Pedro Almodovar
Directed Memorable Performances In: Talk to Her (2002), Bad Education (2004), Volver (2006) and
Broken Embraces (2009).Best of the Best: Elena Anaya in
The Skin I Live In (2011) Psycho-sexual drama extraordinaire Pedro Almodovar makes his appearance in the top ten with his own unique blend of strange psychological dramas and dark humor. He is nearly always centered around the darkest desires of his characters, but still is able to maintain a humorous tone about it all. Additionally, always centering his films on the central questions on distinct types of identities: personal and sexual. The lead women and men that he portray are almost always conflicted with balancing these two. Sometimes with humorous consequences, other times much more serious outcomes occur, that is the genius of the man. You can never really predict where he'll take us in his stories.
Which brings us to the
The Skin I Live In, in a which a never better Antonio Banderas plays a plastic surgeon bent on perfecting a new genetically modified skin. As with much of the director's work, there is much more to the story. Constantly evolving and mysterious Almondovar keeps us guessing to the last at what exactly is going on. Elena Anaya plays a seemingly human Guinea Pig for the Doctor, testing his modified skin by grafting it over on her own. To say more would ruin the twisted tale of revenge, identity and loss but suffice to say Vera is more than meets the eye. It is only after the shocking reveal that one has to admire exactly what Anaya accomplishes in her role, she pulls it off beautifully and sublimely. Not coincidentally those traits have proven to show up in Almondovar's work again and again, serving him well each time.