7 Pedro Almodovar's Masterpieces You Have to Watch Before Strange Way of Life

If you only know Pedro Almodovar's name because of the recent stories about his new short film, Strange Ways of Life, we envy you, since you have so much to familiarize yourself with.

However, even if you're no stranger to the iconic Spanish director's works, we just want to make sure you know the essentials before deep diving into Almodovar's new creation. Here are 7 movies every Almodovar fan needs to watch, in our opinion.

The Skin I Live In

Spearheaded by Almodovar's favorite, Antonio Banderas, The Skin I Live In first seems like your regular thriller story, but wait until you get to that bone-chilling plot twist in the middle of the movie. We for one had to pause the film and just let ourselves stare at the screens for a while.

Parallel Mothers

One of Almodovar's most recent works, Parallel Mothers tells the story of two very different women who give birth in one hospital at the same day. Both have to face their own demons, and they form a strong bond as they struggle with motherhood... and each other.

Pain and Glory

The 2019 movie revolves around a Spanish film director who is in decline, and is forced to face the consequences of his life choices. Besides, he is struggling with chronic pains and dysphagia. Pain and Glory explores regret, grief, and the eternal struggle of "what if."

Volver

Volver means "return" in Spanish, and this movie is exactly about that. Looking back on our lives, as well as on the lives of our descendants, just what do we take with us? When Penelope Cruz's Raimunda and her sister Sole, portrayed by Lola Dueñas, hear that their former neighbor saw their mother's ghost, they choose not to believe it. But sometimes, it's not even ghosts that haunt us, but rather our own unresolved traumas.

Kika

The 1993 black comedy is Almodovar's iconic movie, which paved him the way into the hearts of the viewers, as well as the cinematic hall of fame. Even though Kika received mixed reviews, some still believe it to be one of Almodovar's most intense works to date. If you're a fan of black humor and cynicism, this one's for you.

Julieta

Almodovar's 20th feature film, Julieta tells the story of a woman whose life swings from melodrama to thriller. The movie was based on Chance, Silence and Soon, three short stories from the 2004 book Runaway by Alice Munro. Julieta was even nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards, but never made it to the shortlist.

Talk to Her

This 2002 movie is a beautiful mix of flashbacks and present time, revolving around two men who form an unexpected bond while looking after two women who are both in comas. What they have to do is, duh, talk to them. The only thing we're going to tell you about it is that Talk to Her is generally considered to be one of the best 2000s movies, as well as Pedro Almodovar's magnus opus.