Russell Smith

Shot as a companion piece to Chungking Express, this film captures Wong Kar-Wai’s fascination with young urban pilgrims and their nocturnal wanderings and cinematographer Christopher Doyle’s narcotizing wizardry with light and color.

Possibly due to the story’s origin as a Ruth Rendell novel, this is the most coherent, viewer-friendly narratives Almodóvar’s ever filmed. It also focuses on male relationships and features a young Javier Bardem.