While still embracing the visual facades that make his films such a pleasure to watch, Pain and Glory finds him stripping away the emotional facades, bringing us closer to him than ever before.

There is jubilation and wonder to be found in these remembrances, moments of pure bliss that are beyond imagining.

Almodóvar shows us that, even after nearly two dozen features over several decades, he can still hold an audience in his hand - and surprise it.

With Pain and Glory, Almadovar may have made his best film since Talk to Her.