Emilio Gutiérrez Caba Movies

Set in the late Franco era in a lonely region of northwestern Spain, this story examines the process by which a socially quite conservative "Miss Lonelyhearts" radio counsellor becomes a woman with a much broader view of life. The girl in question lives with her very religious sister in a large house and gives advice in keeping with the prevailing attitudes of the times. When a man seeks her out and determinedly woos her, she resists him, just as he resists everything she and her program stand for. Eventually, they have a tempestuous and even abusive short-lived affair. Despite the un-romantic ending of their relationship, something has stirred in her, and she questions her old ways of seeing things. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this non-narrative film, a salesgirl becomes embroiled in a lengthy discussion with a soldier and a film director. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Two of Spain's biggest female stars headline this offbeat comedy about the battle of wills between good and evil. Heaven is not getting its fair share of business for the afterlife, so Lola (Victoria Abril), an angel who sings in a nightclub located beyond the pearly gates, is sent to Earth to drum up business by her boss, Marina (Fanny Ardant). Her first prospect is Manny (Demián Bichir), a prizefighter with an injury that could take his life at any time. As Lola tries to claim Manny's soul for the Lord, the wicked Jack Davenport (Gael García Bernal) believes that the Devil deserves the boxer's soul, and he sends one of Hell's waitresses, Carmen (Penélope Cruz), to seal the deal. On Earth, Lola takes the form of Manny's former love and urges him to mend fences with his mother, while seductive Carmen tries to persuade Manny to return to the ring, knowing that another fight would mean his death. While Lola and Carmen wage war over Manny's soul, they maintain their cover by working at a grocery store, where they both learn a few lessons about the pitfalls of earthly capitalism. Meanwhile, Manny is dealing with financial problems of his own -- he owes money to the city's corrupt police commissioner (Emilio Gutiérrez Caba), who is using his strong-arm men to "persuade" Manny to pay up. Released in Europe as Sin Noticias de Dios (which translates as No News From God), Don't Tempt Me was a box-office success in Spain when it was released in late 2001, though it wouldn't reach American theaters until 2003. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A psychiatrist must take some time off from helping others as he tries to come to term with his own troubles in this subtle comedy-drama. Miguel (Sergi Lope) is an analyst whose wife Sara (Marcela Wallerstein) has left him for another man; to add insult to injury, Miguel learns that his wife's new lover happens to be his father. Meanwhile, Sara's mother Elvira (Maria Jose Alfonso) has arrived in town for a visit, and with Sara out of town, Miguel has to pick her up from the airport and play host at a time when he would prefer not to have any visitors. As Miguel turns to his assistant Carola (Geli Albaladejo) for help, he discovers that Paquito (Javier Dorado), one of his patients, has run off his wallet. Miguel sets out to find Paquito, but reaches a dead end with his sister Jasmina (Mariola Fuentes), who has the wallet but has already spent Miguel's money. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Spanish writer Ramón De España penned and directed this adaptation of his novel, a dark crime comedy about a young woman named Maribel who tires of waiting for her husband to die so she can collect the inheritance. After falling in love with a younger man, Maribel enlists the help of her new lover to hasten her husband's inevitable demise. Kill Me Tender was originally released as Haz Conmigo lo Que Quieras. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Based on a 1943 book of the same title by Camilo José Cela, Colmena features the comings and goings of a wide variety of characters, all trying to survive in a poverty-stricken Madrid during World War II. Rather than feature any single story line, these people from all walks of life cross paths almost randomly as they come to a café to sip their one cup of coffee and work on a book, or pick up a prostitute, or get their shoes shined, or play billiards, or just warm themselves on a cold winter's day. This primary setting is complemented by a brothel where a dirt-poor journalist sleeps if there is a room available that night, while during the day he tries to make ends meet one way or another. The demeanor of the people in the café or in the brothel effectively conveys the atmosphere of a long-lost era that may have had hardships but also brought a subtle sense of camaraderie to very disparate human beings. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

A group of asylum inmates escape with a truck during the Spanish Civil War in this actioner. The escaped lunatics first join a group of farmers loyal to the crown. After the local village doctor is killed, the group vents their wrath on both loyalists and rebels who align themselves with the forces of Franco. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

In his second successful starring role in 1983, Agustín Gonzalez is a father who runs a wine shop in Madrid, a city under a three-year siege (1936-1939) because the Nationalists forces of Francisco Franco need to take Madrid before the fascist dictator can be installed in power. The siege has left the Madrileños with very little food, living under the threat of bombs, and worrying about the prospects of defeat. It is the sense of impending disaster, of hunger and deprivation that is oddly missing from this cinematic interpretation of the play by Fernando Fernán Gómez. The daughter in the family (Victoria Abril) enters into a love affair with a soldier and ends up having a baby, the son (Gabino Diego) is coming of age with the maid - and life seems to go on with all its proverbial ups and downs. But without the sharp dialogue of the play itself, this film is not as tautly strung, or as convincingly real as the stage production. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Victor wants to be a famous actor and so has come to Madrid in search of work. There he meets representatives of a Hollywood film company. They want him to appear in their next film as a real macho man. Meanwhile Victor works for a phone sex company and is called by lonely, closeted plastic surgeon, Ricardo and his "wife" Amanda. This riotous Spanish comedy chronicles what happens when Victor and Amanda fall in love. To help her get a divorce, he offers to take incriminating photos of himself and Ricardo making love so that she can sue for divorce. When he learns that Amanda is not Ricardo's wife, Victor is very surprised. Meanwhile, the real wife, Angela and her lover, her husband's business partner, want to kill Ricardo. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A disparate group of women deal with the foibles presented to them in contemporary society in this episodic comedy from Spain. The stories include Magdalena (Julieta Serrano) lecturing her daughter Teresa (Cristina Baeza) on why she can't hold on to a man; Neli (Carmen Balague) offering council to her friend Sofia (Laura Cepeda) on keeping her marriage from falling apart; Andrea (Mercedes Sampietro) explaining to her analyst her relationship with her supremely macho (and unfaithful) husband Emilio (Emilio Guiterrez Caba); Emilio's relationship with Reme (Eva Santolaria), a prostitute who wants him to leave Andrea and move in with her; close friends Mireia (Marina Gatell) and Eva (Anna Casas) battling over the same man; businesswoman Leo (Laura Conejero) struggling to hold on to her femininity in a masculine environment; and Paca (Eulalia Ramon) struggling to raise the money to buy a special pair of shoes for her son. Nosotras was the first feature from director Judith Colell. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide