Next Monday, Nov. 17, Reel Alternatives presents Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Woody Allen’s newest film starring Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz. Set against the luscious Mediterranean sensuality of Barcelona, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is Allen’s funny and open-minded celebration of love in all its configurations.

Two young American women, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) come to Barcelona for a summer holiday. Vicky is sensible and engaged to be married; Cristina is emotionally and sexually adventurous. In Barcelona, they’re drawn into a series of romantic entanglements with Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), a charismatic painter, who is still involved with his tempestuous ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz).

As one reviewer notes, the scenery is postcard perfect and drenched in that same dizzying lushness that made Allen’s view of New York so intoxicating in Manhattan. There’s also sharpness to the trademark Woody Allen dialogue that has been missing for quite some time. And when Cruz finally arrives on screen, her moody whirling dervish of a performance makes her the front-runner for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars. In the end, you’ll feel like Javier Bardem is the luckiest man in the world, Penelope Cruz is operating at the echelon of her appeal, and Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson, well, they’ll always have Barcelona.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is sponsored by The Shutterbug Gallery and will be at the Capitol Twin Cinema at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov.17. Tickets are $7 at Muskoka Country Furniture and Gifts on Main Street, or $8 at the door.

Upcoming Reel Alternatives films include Deepa Mehta’s Heaven on Earth on Dec. 1 and the sing-along version of Mamma Mia on Dec. 15.