Ivan Aledo Movies

Having just recently been released from the orphanage where he spend the vast majority of his childhood, a young thief named Alex befriends a pretty kleptomaniac named Sara in this tender tale of love among the nimble-fingered. Ten years ago, Alex's mother taught him to be the perfect thief. Now, after growing up and striking out on his own, Alex ventures into the supermarket where burgeoning thief Sara is attempting to perfect her skills. Eventually entering into a "professional" agreement in which they partner in theft and subsequently split the take, Alex and Sara gradually find their attraction to one another eclipsing their criminal ambition. But the leap from partners in crime to lovers in life won't be an easy one, because despite the fact that Alex has little to lose and no prospects for the future, Sara comes from a respectable background with loving parents and a chance for further education. As the relationship becomes more intense, Alex soon finds himself forced to make Sara's decision for her. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The story of Spain's most infamous family is brought to the screen with surprising subtlety in this historical drama. Near the end of the 15th century, the Borgias are one of the most wealthy families in Europe, with their numbers divided between Spain and Italy, and when Rodrigo Borgia (Lluis Homar) is elected as Pope, his three sons -- Cesar (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), Juan (Sergio Muniz), and Jofre (Eloy Azorin) -- find themselves raised to positions of power as their father arranges politically advantageous marriages for them. Rodrigo's daughter Lucrecia (Maria Valverde) is also used as a bargaining chip when he persuades her to wed Giovanni Sforza, the favored son of a family often in opposition to the Borgias. While Rodrigo benefits from these alliances, his children do not -- Cesar's dreams of serving in the military are dashed when he is made to join his father in the church, Juan's time in the Army is full of unhappy consequences, Jofre's marriage to Sancha of Aragon (Linda Batista) is not fated to be a happy one, and murder stains the lives of most of the family. Originally shot as a mini-series for television, The Borgias (aka Los Borgia) was reedited for theatrical release in Spain, where it became a success at the box office. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The question as to how far a corporate drone would go to land a high-level position at a multinational corporation is explored in Argentinian director Marcelo Piñeyro's back-stabbing boardroom drama that takes its name from a mysterious human-resources strategy imported from the United States as a means of choosing the best man for the job. As the time for a decision draws near, the streets of Madrid are awash with anti-globalization protesters; and the tension between job applicants Carlos (Eduardo Noriega), Nieves (Najwa Nimri), Fernando (Eduard Fernández), Ana (Adriana Ozores), and Enrique (Ernesto Alterio) comes to a head. As the corporate lackeys engage in an increasingly dehumanizing series of psychological games and scorching betrayals, the choice of who will ultimately take the reins of the coveted position will ultimately depend on which applicant is willing to employ the most diabolical techniques of manipulation. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Javier Fesser's stylish action comedy Le Gran Aventura de Mortadelo y Filemon (Mortadelo & Filemon: The Big Adventure) brings to life a pair of comic-book characters. Filemon (Pepe Viyuela) and Mortadelo (Benito Pocino) are bumbling secret agents who are fired after their supervisor hires Fredy Mazas (Dominique Pinon) to track down a powerful substance invented by Prof. Bacterio (Janfri Topera) that has fallen into the wrong hands. At the time of its release in its native country of Spain, the film had the most successful opening weekend in history for any domestic film. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Some people are born with good luck, but others try to attain it however they can -- and at any cost -- in this offbeat psychological thriller from Spain. Samuel Berg (Max Von Sydow) is an elderly man who lives beneath a gambling casino on an island off the Spanish coast. In Berg's world, good fortune is a commodity that can be acquired from others, and while would-be gambler Federico (Eusebio Poncela) has a genuine talent for taking good luck from those who have it, Berg's gift is even stronger, and after a long day of absorbing positive vibrations from winning gamblers, Berg steals the day's "take" from him, leaving Federico to plan his revenge. Federico becomes aware of Tomas (Leonardo Sbaraglia), a man who recently survived a plane crash, and is convinced he has even more luck than Berg can overcome; the two become partners, and Federico enters Tomas in an underground tournament designed to determine who Lady Luck smiles upon most sweetly. After Federico and Tomas win a handsome home from Alejandro (Antonio Dechent), a former bullfighter, the pair seems poised to go up against Berg and claim his luck as their own, but Sara (Monica Lopez), a police investigator, is convinced Federico and Tomas are up to no good and begins exploring their bizarre secret world. Intacto received its American premiere at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Recalling the darkly surreal world of Terry Gilliam, director Daniel Monzon debuts with this delirious film about a teenager shifting between grim reality and the much more alluring world of fantasy. The film opens with the muscle-bound Beldar (Joel Joan) and the vivacious Sonja (Neus Asensi) decapitating monsters and interpreting ancient languages in a dank labyrinth as they hunt for a legendary gem called the Heart of the Warrior. Without it, Beldar is cursed. Just before the dynamic duo meets their demise, Ramon (Fernando Ramallo), a pimply teenager, awakes from a dream. We learn that Beldar and Sonja are characters in a Dungeons and Dragons-style role playing game that Ramon plays along with Victor (Juan Diaz) and the perpetually horny Javi (Jaime Barnatan). As the film progresses, Ramon's intense fantasy world begins to bleed into reality. A one-eyed midget (Javier Aller) who Javi spies on the subway becomes the guardian of the evil Netheril (Santiago Segura), who in real life is a sleazy TV psychic. The fictional character Sonja, who Ramon is in love with, finds her real world incarnation as streetwalker Sonia (also Asensi). Soon Ramon begins to confuse fiction with reality when he bursts into the building of a prominent politician and hurls a sword at him, prompting a nationwide manhunt. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Director Miguel Bardem spins this bizarre crime drama/sci-fi/farce about Lola Otero, who had the unfortunate happenstance to be born the ugliest woman in the world. Rejected by her parents and classmates alike, poor Lola endured getting raped and having her first boyfriend vomit after kissing her. Her fortunes change when a mad scientist transfigures her into statuesque bombshell. Though she soon enters the exalted ranks of supermodel, she is so traumatized by her troubled childhood that she takes to killing other beauties, particularly former Miss Spain winners. Matters are complicated when the glass-eyed inspector assigned to investigate the murders falls for Lola. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

A dark, noir-styled thriller with flashes of edgy wit, Los Lobos de Washington looks at a pair of low-level hoods who unknowingly betray each other on the way to a big score. Miguel (Eduardo Fernandez) and Alberto (Javier Bardem) both used to work for Claudio (Jose Sancho), a car dealer notoriously tight with his money. Alberto is a soft-hearted slob who, since his recent divorce, has been sharing his dumpy apartment with Pablo (Ernesto Alterio), a sad sack whom Alberto befriended when he found him lost on the subway. Miguel, on the other hand, has a way with words and has been using them on Alberto's ex, Sara (Maria Pujalte), even though she's in the hospital and Alberto still carries a torch for her. When Miguel and Alberto discover that Claudio needs someone to help him launder 20 million pesetas, they offer to help him out, with the intention of pocketing a large chunk of the cash. Claudio gives the pair the money, and they hit the road, but to Alberto's surprise Miguel kicks him out of the car, intending to pick up Sara and run off. Alberto immediately calls Claudio to tell him what happened before heading to the hospital to visit Sara. Soon Miguel and Alberto are both in for a surprise -- Claudio has kidnapped Sara and is holding her hostage to insure he gets his 20 million pesetas back. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Julio Medem directed this romantic Spanish drama with location scenes in Finland. School children Ana (Sara Valiente) and Otto (Peru Medem) are brought together when a paper airplane flown from a window by Otto unites Ana's mother Olga (Maru Valdiviesio) with Otto's father Alvaro (Nancho Novo). After this encounter, Olga and Alvaro fall in love -- with the result that Alvaro leaves Otto's German mother Ula (Beate Jensen). To be near Ana, Otto begins living with Alvaro and Olga. Ana believes that Otto harbors the soul of her dead father. As adolescents, Otto (Fele Martinez) and Ana (Najwa Nimri) share a kiss over a book opened to a passage about the Arctic Circle, and they often sleep together. Otto is grief-stricken by the death of his mother -- partially due to his leaving her for Ana. Shown at 1998 film festivals (Venice, Toronto). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Near the end of the Franco dictatorship in 1974, impoverished yet optimistic salesman Lozano (Antonio Resines) travels the Spanish coast in a Citroen with his rebellious teenage son Felipe (Fernando Ramallo), a fan of Patty Hearst. After Lozano makes love to attractive vocalist wannabe Estrella (Miriam Diaz Aroca), both father and son make moves on pleasant Paquita (Maribel Verdu), a local villager. They finally settle down at an American Army base where Lozano goes to work selling imported cars and Felipe finds happiness with black-girl Miranda (Tania Adam). Shown at the 1997 Vallodolid Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

This thriller is a remake of the popular Spanish 1963 version and marks the directorial debut of Jesus Mora. Ex-con Roman is on the road to reform until he gets close to thirty and has a crisis about his heretofore wasted life. He finds himself torn between the criminal temptations offered by Martin, and the sweet rewards of honesty offered by his girlfriend Marisa. Roman chooses the former and with former druggie Picas and his pregnant wife Julia, begins conspiring to help Martin rob an armored car slated to carry the spoils from a big rock concert to the bank. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi