ongoing

 Because we often like to go into a movie knowing as little as possible - remember "The Crying Game"? Don't tell anyone the secret! - all we knew about Pedro Almodovar's "Volver" going in was: We didn't know what "volver" meant; Penelope Cruz (nominated for an Best Actress Oscar) remains beautiful and was reportedly a far better actor speaking Spanish than English; and that it had something to do with a dead mother and a ghost. Liking Almodovar very much and never tiring of looking at Cruz and being an unrepentent sucker for ghost stories, we were there. Early on, we thought we were in a Spanish-version of a less ethereal "Ghost Whisperer," but midway through we realized that wasn't the case at all. We were involved in the goings on of this small village, where attempted rape, murder, incest and duplicity were lurking about. And by lurking, we mean lurking. The heavy stuff is never far away, but there's a lot of humor - Cruz's character re-opening a friend's closed restaurant and serving a movie crew for a month - and day-to-day activity propelling the movie forward. This doesn't have Heavy Drama stamped on it, but as the complex plot becomes more clear - who's dead, who's alive, why?, who slept with whom? when? why? - the film takes on a more serious sheen. And there are several truly affecting moments which we won't tease you with because - well, see the first sentence of this item. Hopefully, we've given you enough to say: Damn the subtitles, full speed ahead. Oh, and "Volver" means "we'll come back" or "start over." At  the Landmark Kendall Square Cinemas at 1:50, 4;30, 7:05 and 9:40 p.m. At the West Newton Cinema at 6:25 p.m. Tickets: Around $9
LKSC: 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-499-1996 landmarktheatres.com; WNT: 1296 Washington St., Newton, 617-964-6060 westnewtoncinema.com