Joaquim de Almeida Movies
A prominent international screen presence whose Golden Globe-nominated performance in the hit Fox series 24 has only served to cement his success in the United States, Joaquim de Almeida has found equal success on both American and European screens. Though he would tend the gardens at the Embassy of Zaire in Austria before testing his mettle as an actor, the Lisbon-born future star eventually set his sights on New York City. It was there that de Almeida first began to achieve fame as a performer in numerous New York Shakespeare Festival productions, with early roles in Miami Vice and The Soldier first bringing him to the attention of American viewers. Though indeed a skilled English-language performer, it was de Almeida's proficiency in Spanish, German, Italian, and French (in addition, of course, to his native Portuguese), that truly helped him to expand into the international film market. Throughout the 1990s, de Almeida's career continued to pick up steam thanks to performances in such widely seen efforts as Robert Rodriguez's Desperado and the sprawling miniseries Nostromo. In 1997, the actor found his continued efforts before the camera finally beginning to pay off when he was awarded a Portuguese Golden Globe for his spellbinding performance in the romantic drama Tentação. Though few would have the opportunity to see de Almeida exchange gunfire with Emilio Estevez in the hybrid spaghetti Western-Hong Kong action flick A Dollar for the Dead when the film proved dead on arrival, subsequent roles in Behind Enemy Lines and the 2003 miniseries Kingpin served well to keep him a recognizable international player.In the early 2000s, it began to appear as if television was the medium in which de Almeida truly shined. If a recurring role as Ramon Salazar on Fox's 24 wasn't enough for viewers, de Almeida could also be spotted on The West Wing and Wanted. Subsequent performances in such features as The Celestine Prophecy and Moscow Zero -- as well as voice-over work in the controversial video game Saints Row -- preceded a particularly heartfelt turn as painter Óscar Domínguez in the 2007 biopic Óscar -- El Color del Destino. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
A small group of amateur cooks and kitchen guests discover exactly why some refer to the kitchen as the "heart of the house" in director Allison Hebble's intimate drama. As the heat of the afternoon gives way to a pleasantly mild summer evening, thirty year-old Lily Ireland (Christima Hendrix) begins preparing Insalata Caprese for her much-older love interest - a Spanish born photo journalist named Michael (Jaoquim de Almeida). Meanwhile, in a nearby apartment, Chris (Oz Perkins) watches nervously as his pregnant wife Shelly (Leisha Hailey) struggles to make the perfect lasagna. When the dish proves inedible and Chris orders a pizza, hormonal Shelly tearfully seeks solace in the company of her best friend Jude (Rachel Hunter). Despite knowing well that her lover Celia (Clare Carey) won't make it home in time for dinner, Jude passionately assembles an elaborate Italian meal that is destined to become leftovers before it is even cooked. In another part of town, as filmmaker Celia works on a movie scene featuring an elaborate kitchen set-up, the famished crew hungrily devours pizza just out of camera range. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachel Hunter, Joaquim de Almeida, (more)
Author Daniel Dafoe's timeless novel gets the small screen treatment in this television series following a young traveler who winds up shipwrecked on a secluded tropical island for twenty-eight years. Robinson Crusoe left his one true love behind in order to seek out adventure on the open seas, though his travels were cut short when he became hopelessly shipwrecked. His former life drifting further away with each passing day, Crusoe clings to sanity by dreaming of the day he will be reunited with his beautiful wife, and confiding in his new best friend Friday. As the days stretch into months, Crusoe and his new companion must brave the elements while standing their ground against formidable foes and violent marauders. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philip Winchester, Sam Neill, (more)
Part 1 of Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevara saga stars Benicio Del Toro as the legendary Argentine revolutionary. The film opens with Che as one of the important figures in the growing Cuban rebellion led by Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir). The movie charts how the two successfully built an underground army large enough to successfully overthrow the government of Fulgencio Batista. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Benicio Del Toro, Javier Bardem, (more)
- 2006
As a dog is abandoned one snowy winter night near a local bus stop, three characters awaiting the bus do their best to ignore the situation. Thus begins Judith Colell's film 53 dias de Invierno (53 Winter Days). The film subsequently delves into the life of each passenger, and becomes a trio of stories on conflict - the first psychological, the second emotional, and the third social. Because Colell recounts the tales one-after-another but never intersects or overlaps the narratives per se, her film becomes a foray into the hidden stories that lurk behind the eyes of three strangers, whom we might come across on any random street corner - and who only happen, cosmically, to be sharing the same bus stop at the same moment but may never know one another. In the psychological segment, we meet Mila (Mercedes Sampietro), a local teacher reeling from an assault at the hands of a student, who has taken a yearlong sabbatical to recover; the arc of her story involves her gradual attainment of self-assertion and courage. Segment number two - the segment on emotional conflict - follows Valeria (Aina Clotet), a cellist immersed in an adulterous relationship with her married professor, Hugo (Joaquim de Almeida). The instructor decides to break off the relationship but sends his wife to do the dirty work; meanwhile, Valeria's mother (Silvia Munt) sits at home and struggles to contend with her husband's abandonment of her. And in the third segment (which pertains to social conflict), married security guard Celso (Brendemuhl), struggles to make ends meet - a goal that looms impossible as he discovers his wife, Angela's, (Maria Pau Pigem) expectancy of twins. He foolhardily tries to pocket a necklace from the department store where he works, as a gift for his wife, but is promptly discovered, fired, and thrown out onto the streets - where the terror of confessing his misdeeds to Angela keeps him from heading home. Gemma Ventura penned the script. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mercedes Sampietro, Alex Brendemühl, (more)
A young woman struggles to reconcile her dreams, her ambitions and her family in this coming-of-age drama. Jordan (Gina Philips) is a teenager from Miami whose father is Hispanic and whose mother is Jewish; feeling the tug of both cultures, Jordan has rarely felt comfortable anywhere but at the podium during a debate. Jordan's skills as a high school debater are so strong that she's offered a scholarship to study at Harvard and debate on the team led by Coach Amal (Sean Astin). Jordan accepts, but after a heated competition, Jordan meets socially with a member of an opposing team and is assaulted. Disillusioned, Jordan quits debate and tries to put her life back in order. Over the next two years, she's torn between her feelings for two guys -- Chris (Brian Greenberg), who is sweet but insincere, and Elias (Adam Rodriguez), who spends too much time trying to be cool to allow her to realize how much he really cares for her. Eventually, Jordan comes to terms with ambitions and rejoins the debate team, but when she takes the podium for one of the most important contests of her life, she discovers the leader of the opposing team is the man who attacked her years before. Also starring Joaquim de Almeida, Shirley Knight, Azura Skye and Eve Gordon, Thanks To Gravity was the first feature film from writer and director Jessica Kavana. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2005
- Add Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II to QueueAdd Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II to top of Queue
The eventful life of a humble Polish priest who once decried the pomp of the Catholic Church "a circus" and labeled the Pope a "prisoner of the Vatican" before ascending to the papal throne is explored as actor Thomas Kretschmann takes on the role of Pope John Paul II in director Jeff Bleckner's cinematic tribute to the man who would usher Catholicism into the 21st century. Born in Poland and forced to carry on following the untimely death of his family, Karol Wojtyla endured both personal hardships and the rape of his homeland by the Third Reich to spread the word of God through the Catholic Church. Later, as Pope John Paul II, Wojtyla was beloved by millions of Catholics worldwide for his tireless efforts to promote peace, forgiveness, and compassion among the nations of the world. From the sexual-abuse scandal that shook the American Catholic Church in the later-20th century to the murder of Salvatorian Archbishop Oscar Romero and the near-fatal assassination attempt made on his own life, Pope John Paul II endured to bridge the gap between various faiths and encourage an open dialogue between religious people of all denominations until his death resulting from Parkinson's disease in April of 2005. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Kretschmann, Bruno Ganz, (more)
After thwarting last season's attempted nuclear attack on Los Angeles, Day 3 finds Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) again fighting to protect the city, this time from a weaponized virus. But Jack is also battling a personal demon -- a heroin addiction he picked up while working undercover in a drug-smuggling ring run by terrorist Ramon Salazar (Joaquim de Almeida). At Jack's side throughout Day 3 is his daughter, Kim (Elisha Cuthbert), who took a desk job at CTU in the time between Seasons 2 and 3. Complicating matters is Kim's relationship with Jack's new partner, Chase Edmunds (James Badge Dale), whom she has been secretly dating. Further CTU romance is found between agents Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) and Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth), whose working relationship has blossomed into marriage. But it's a rocky union that's tested throughout Day 3, by everything from charges of terrorism to exposure to a deadly virus. Following the dissolution of his marriage to the first lady, President David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) is deep into his reelection campaign. But privately he is still grappling with the lingering effects of the viral attack carried out by assassin Mandy (Mia Kirshner) during Day 2's final moments. New to the series is Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), a CTU senior analyst whose computer skills prove helpful during Jack's mission this season and beyond. Day 3 also features the first appearance of Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), who serves as the new chief of staff for his older brother. While lacking in major guest stars, Day 3 does feature Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as rookie computer analyst Adam Kaufman, and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost), who returns for a second go-round as CTU agent Tom Baker. ~ Todd Thatcher, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kiefer Sutherland, Dennis Haysbert, (more)
- 2002
Alexandre Arcady's thriller Entre Chiens et Loups (Break of Dawn) is about dishonor among hitmen. Radman (Joaquim de Almeida) hires terminally ill Adrien (Richard Berry) and brash youngster Werner (Saïd Taghmaoui) to fire at a Romanian political figure. The catch is that they are supposed to miss and be killed in order to make the politician look strong. Adrien agrees to the arrangement because he wants to collect a windfall for his family before leukemia claims him. The "shooters" are double-crossed and then have to stay alive long enough to get revenge. The film is based on a novel by Claude Klotz. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Berry, Saïd Taghmaoui, (more)
- 2002
Louis-Pascal Couvelaire's action thriller Sueurs (Sweat) stars Jean-Hugues Anglade as a man on a dangerous mission. Truck driver Harvey (Anglade), mechanic Victor (Cyrille Thouvenin), Noh (Joaquim De Almeida), and Simon (Sagamore Stevenin) are hired to drive stolen goods through the Moroccan desert. There is little loyalty between the members of the foursome. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Hugues Anglade, Joaquim de Almeida, (more)
An international party of astronauts crash lands on Mars. Bummer. Since rescue is, oh, 26 months away, and they only have air, food, and water for a few days, the astronauts must come to grips with the idea of dying slow and painful deaths. The captain (María Lidón) and two others explore the planet, only to make an awesome discovery. Meanwhile, Baglioni (Vincent Gallo) tries to convince the very-Catholic Jenny (Maria de Medeiros) to have sex before dying. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Gallo, Maria de Medeiros, (more)
- 2000
Amalia Rodrigues was the greatest star of Portuguese music and the "Queen of Fado," a style of music that Rodrigues described as an expression of "a lament that is eternal." Blending traditional Spanish melodies with the influences of Arab and Gypsy melodies, Fado was the leading musical style in Portugal, and Rodrigues at once typified Fado and took it to places no other singer had before or since, performing in Europe and America and becoming Portugal's most beloved entertainer before her death in 1999. The Art of Amalia is a 90-minute documentary that follows Rodrigues' life and times from her rise to stardom in the 1940s to her retirement from performing in 1995; it includes a number of interviews with the reclusive star, as well as performance footage spanning the full extent of her career. The Art of Amalia was directed by Bruno de Almeida, who previously helmed Amalia: Uma Estranha Forma De Vida, a five-hour documentary series for Portuguese television on the vocalist's life and times, as well as a concert film of her appearance in New York City in 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Renowned actress Maria de Medeiros directs this sweeping historical drama set in Portugal about the heady days leading up to April 25, 1974, when that country was finally freed from 40 years of Fascist rule. The film opens with a series of grisly black and white photographs of Portuguese war atrocities committed against its colonies -- Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. Antonia (de Medeiros) is a teacher who begs her minister-brother to release a couple of her students from the clutches of the secret police. As a result, she herself gets captured, interrogated, and tortured. At the same time, a young couple bid a tearful adieu at the train station just as the man, Capt. Maia (Stefano Accorsi) is drafted to fight in the colonies. Just before the youth gets shipped off to Africa, he manages to persuade the soldiers of a remote army outpost to rebel. Along with his buddies Lobao (Fele Martinez) and Antonia's ex-husband Manuel (Frederic Pierrot), Maia manages to storm a radio station and ultimately besiege the national guard barracks, which houses the president and military advisors. This film was screened at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stefano Accorsi, Maria de Medeiros, (more)
- 1998
With this western saga, the TNT network pays tribute to the Spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone. Featuring the original crew responsible for the Italian helmer's most famous genre entries A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the film was primarily shot in Spain. The tale is set just after the American Civil War and follows the efforts of a tormented cowboy and his strange partner to seek out a cache of gold hidden in the badlands by Confederate soldiers. The all-star cast includes Emilio Estevez and William Forsythe. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emilio Estevez, William Forsythe, (more)
Shot in Lisbon, this drama examines the issue of aging as seen from the viewpoints of five women facing middle age -- self-destructive actress-singer Branca (Guesch Patti), losing the respect of her daughter; single literature professor Eva (Miou-Miou), attracted to the son of her friend Barbara (Marthe Keller), who's in the middle of a divorce; top TV journalist Linda (Carmen Maura), who has a lover but can't commit; and beauty-salon owner Chloe (Marisa Berenson). Shown at the 1998 Palm Springs Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miou-Miou, Carmen Maura, (more)
- 1998
One of Portugal's most popular films of 1998, and the winner of three of that country's Golden Globe awards ("Best Film," "Best Actor" for Joaquim de Almeida, and "Best Director" for Joaquim Leitão), this drama recounts the tragic story of a Catholic priest who finds himself unable to resist the temptation offered by a troubled woman trying to start a new life. Set in Vila Daires, a small northern Portugal town, it begins with Lena's release from jail. A hardcore drug addict, Lena (Cristina Camara) immediately takes up where she left off. Wanting to help Lena, Father Antonio (Almeida) offers to give her swimming lessons. Though all is done innocently and with the best intentions, the two quickly become close friends, something the townsfolk find shocking. Still, the friendship persists, and just when it looks like Father Antonio is having a positive effect on Lena, a tragedy befalls her family, sending Lena into a self-destructive tailspin that causes the compassionate Father Antonio to cross the line between them and leading both characters to tragedy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joaquim de Almeida, Cristina Camara, (more)
- 1996
This drama, set in 1938, chronicles a month in the life of the Portuguese journalist Pereira. He is first seen as a lonely, widowed, and overweight editor of the culture page of a second-rate Lisbon newspaper. Earlier in his career, he had been a news reporter. Pereira is fascinated with old literature; he is also obsessed with death. He hires himself an assistant, Monteiro Rossi, to prepare obituaries for old writers before they die. The young man and his girlfriend are both passionate fighters against the dictatorship in Portugal. They, along with a German Jewish woman, help to draw Pereira out of his dusty old books and spark his interest in the current political turmoil of Europe. Eventually they strongly encourage him to use his position to post notice of the impending dangers to the public. At their urging, Pereira is emboldened to publish his translation of an anti-German French short story. Although he sneaks it past the censors, his editor catches it and Pereira is in deep trouble. Meanwhile Rossi leaves his job to join the underground revolutionaries. Pereira keeps sending money to Rossi's girl, but he doesn't become totally committed to the cause until he meets up with the philosophical cardiologist who narrates the tale. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcello Mastroianni
- 1995
This Portuguese language comedy is about a very contemporary love triangle. Caterina (Maria de Medeiros) is a beautiful, opportunistic and charming woman, a TV journalist. She pretends to be smitten by a handsome political do-gooder in order to gain an exclusive interview with him. She also uses him to father her baby. However, she is definitely not in love with him. Her true love is her lesbian girlfriend Te (Ana Bustorff). Caterina's pregnancy makes Te feel extremely insecure about their relationship. Caterina has been forced to co-host a program with career rival Francisco (Joaquim de Almeida), which neither she nor Francisco wanted. As their rivalry develops into friendship, Francisco begins to try to woo Caterina and he is not summarily rebuffed by her. This friendship only adds to Te's concerns as the movie goes on to its humorous (but very contemporary) happy ending. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
