Kiss of the Spider Woman

10/6/2025

Life in an Argentine prison during the country’s infamous Dirty War might seem like an odd backdrop for a movie musical. But, given the engaging source material on which this film is based – the 1992 Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical featuring the compositions of John Kander and Fred Ebb (best known for their work on Cabaret) and the acclaimed 1976 novel by author Manuel Puig – this exuberant, visually involving new release succeeds in telling a captivating tale of unlikely friendship and romance between two very different cellmates during a troubled time in the Latin American nation’s history. At first glance, impassioned but perpetually embittered political dissident Valentin Arregui (Diego Luna) seems like the last person who would befriend someone like Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), a s

10/21/2025

It’s taken me hours to write my review for this but I still don’t think I can put all my thoughts and feelings into words properly, but this was genuinely nothing short of a masterpiece. The contrast going from the dark, cruel prison to the lively, bright technicolor world of _Kiss of the Spider Woman_ is so striking, both visually and metaphorically, it really does feel like 2 completely separate worlds. The performances from the three leads (Tonatiuh, Diego Luna, Jennifer Lopez) were so incredible and nuanced, easily some of my the best performances I’ve ever seen. And the chemistry between Tonatiuh and Diego is so raw and leaves such a bittersweet feeling because you can feel their love for each other through the screen (even when they weren’t admitting it to each other) but you know

4/24/2026

When "Molina" (Tonatiuh) is marched into his cell in 1980s Argentina, he is introduced to a cellmate who couldn't care less about his peccadilloes. "Arregui" (Diego Luna) just wants to be left in peace to read his books and not to be disturbed by the flamboyance of his obviously gay roomie - or his beaded bed curtain. The persistent "Molina" isn't about to be ignored, though, and after a degree of attrition finally manages to engage his new friend with a story of the "Spider Woman" - a movie made many years earlier and featuring the legendary "La Luna". Now mingling their grim real life existence in prison with the opulent one described by this enthusiastic narrator, "Molina" takes his friend on a romantic adventure that sees the pair begin to understand each other better, and there is eve