Carmen

AroView: Melissa Barrera (In The Heights) and Paul Mescal (Normal People, Aftersun) star as strangers who become shackled to each other’s fates after a tragic incident at the Mexican border.

For dance fans especially, this owes more to Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo & Juliet than it does to the Bizet Opera or the original novella. It’s the directing debut of revered choreographer Benjamin Millepied (husband of Natalie Portman), though it is the magnificent score by Nicholas Britell (Succession) and a lusty performance by Almodovar favourite Rossy De Palma that truly make their mark.

“A largely enjoyable outing, fueled by a fresh take on the narrative and two leads with great expressiveness and a lot of on-screen chemistry. Barrera’s dancing is truly beautiful, the choreography is inspired, and the gorgeous score pulls it all together.” ~Jeff Ewing, Slashfilm

“Capturing the pulse-pounding emotional whirlwind of its source material (and its characters), it’s a florid reimagining that’s at once bold, beautiful, and, at its peak, brilliant.” ~Nick Schager, The Daily Beast