Juanjo Puigcorbe Movies

This entertaining comedy is set in 1938 during the Spanish Civil War when a group of Republican soldiers sneak into a village in enemy territory to steal a bull with plans of butchering it to feed themselves. Fate and the bull itself, however, have other plans. One of the surreptitious bull-snatchers knows the village well -- he grew up there, but that advantage alone cannot guarantee their success, as it turns out. The group of five would-be thieves dress themselves in uniforms of the Nationalist troops in an attempt to dissimulate their true identity. But instead of a neat getaway with a bull in tow, they are caught up in the "correo" or running of the bull, they get involved in a religious procession, and in the end, watch as the bull breaks out of a flimsy ring in a bullfight and heads for the hills. Still hungry, the group of men now have to worry about getting back to their own battalion before they are found out. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Throughout this low-brow semi-comedy, a group of Spanish military inductees regale each other with jokes, indulge in juvenile cameraderie, and generally pass the time away as only the energized young can, voluntarily locked up in a freight car on the train that is taking them to boot camp. While they are busy entertaining themselves in various ways, a fellow recruit who missed the train is chasing it (unsuccessfully) in a taxi, accompanied by his girlfriend. By the end of the train ride, after much commentary on military service and other relevant or not-so-relevant topics, the contrite recruits will have to emerge and face the music. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

40 Years Without Sex, this non-narrative, skit-based satirical film's title in English, refers to the rather extreme moralism of the Franco era (1939-1976) in Spain during which, at least as far as public notice of it went, there was "no sex." In one episode, boys masturbate under the sheets while away at camp. In another, a woman is raped by a German sheep dog. In yet another, a particularly outspoken Falangist has a son who is unmistakably homosexual. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

A taxi driver and a failed actor accept an underworld job that could make them rich in this madcap crime comedy from director Antonio del Real. Down-on-his-luck Augusto drives a cab for a living, and his best friend, Julio, just can't seem to land any good roles. When a local crime kingpin offers the pair one million euros to execute a daring crime, Augusto and Julio eagerly accept. With Augusto's senile father-in-law, a beautiful hooker, and the girl of Julio's dreams along for the ride, Augusto and Julio must carry out their mission before a vengeful group of local drug dealers catchs wind of the plan and puts the pair out of business permanently. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi