Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz in a movie together? It's like a dream come true. And boy, does it deliver. Scripted by French action maestro Luc Besson, Bandidas casts Hayek and Cruz as turn-of-the- century Mexican bank robbers, out to take down an evil enforcer terrorizing their town. Sure, for the most part it's a silly Western jaunt, but it's an incredibly fun jaunt as well, enhanced by the chemistry between its two beautifully charismatic stars. Hayek and Cruz are a likable duo, creating a team-up that works like a muy caliente variation on the Lethal Weapon films. Plus excuse me as I get a little sociological about this ordeal it's also great to see some Mexican heroines on the screen, kicking ass, for once. Louis Fowler
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Viva Pedro: The Pedro Almodovar Collection (R)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Talk to Her. All About My Mother. Matador. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. That's just half of this collection. As part of that very small clique of directors, whose films are immediately labeled as "important" and "groundbreaking," one of the few to actually (and consistently) deserve the accolades is Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar. For more than 30 years, he has shocked societal morals and pushed the boundaries of world cinema, creating an output that probably will never be rivaled. With eight films included here, this box set is packed though some purists will be disappointed that neither Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down nor High Heels is included. Still, you won't hear me (or other true cinephiles) complaining. Louis Fowler
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Wall (NR)
Lifesize Entertainment
Not to be confused with a Pink Floyd production, Wall covers the Israeli-Palestinian conflict specifically discussing the construction of a defensive wall surrounding Palestinian territories from one French filmmaker's documentary lens. Though various points of the film could be called out for bias, on the whole it still serves to educate on the negative impact of forcefully drawing lines in the sand. The fact the oppressed Palestinians are literally building a fence around themselves because they need the work reeks of the "digging one's own grave" clich it's miserably sad. The film suffers from too-long shots of heavy machinery in action (Hey, move over, Bob the Builder!) that dull any sense of narrative pace. But it's worth a watch, because, as this film (and history) points out, the debacle won't be resolved easily or soon. Matthew Schniper
