Beatriz De La Gandara Movies
- 2008
The war between men and women becomes a sideline to another set of conflicts in this comedy from Spanish director Fernando Colomo. Guillermo (Ernesto Alterio) is an arrogant salesman from Barcelona whose teenage son Willy (Adrian Portugal) is playing in a youth soccer championship against their fierce rivals in Madrid. Guillermo is supposed to drive Willy to Madrid for the game, but between road rage, a lack of skill behind the wheel and misplacing his wallet, it's anyone's guess if he'll make it on time. Straight-laced Maria (Maria Pujalte) and her hen-pecked husband Carlos (Gonzalo de Castro) are also on the road en route to the game, and they end up traveling with Jorge (Jorge Sanz) and Maribel (Goya Toledo), a younger and sexually adventurous couple. Carlos is more than interested in engaging in mate swapping, through Maria refuses to hear of it. And Rose (Rosa Maria Sardá), who has a grandson playing in the tournament, is having troubles with Xavier (Santi Millán), a vintner who doesn't deal well with stress. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
A well-intending butcher from Madrid steps in to right a wrong made by his overconfident sibling, and as the problems begin to snowball the comedy turns to screwball in veteran Spanish writer/director Fernando Colomo's humorous take on multiculturalism in the Spanish capitol. Cain (Javier Cifrian) is a butcher from the barrio who has never had much luck in love. Cain's married brother Abel (Asier Etxeandia), on the other hand, seems to have the exact opposite problem. An annoyingly overconfident womanizer who has recently impregnated pretty Muslim Aisha (Nur Al Levi), Abel refuses to take responsibility for the unborn child. Eager to do the right thing and perhaps find a little female companionship in the process, Cain agrees to wed Aisha and assume responsibility for the child. When Cain learns that he will have to convert to Islam for the marriage to take place, however, the cultural differences between Cain and Aisha's families grow increasingly pronounced. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Javier Cifrian, Nur Al Levi, (more)
From Spanish director Fernando Colomo comes this adaptation of Gerald Brenan's comedic autobiographical book Al sur de Granada. Matthew Goode stars as Brenan, a young Englishman of affluent and noble stock. Motivated by idealism and with a desire to become a great writer, Gerald moves to a small Spanish town to get away from the trappings of his upbringing. There, he befriends Paco, a local man played by Guillermo Toledo, who helps introduce Gerald to the town. Eventually, the beautiful Juliana (Verónica Sánchez) catches Gerald's eye, and he immediately falls for her. From there, it's up to Paco to familiarize Gerald with the local customs so that he can win the heart of Juliana. Consuelo Trujillo and Ángela Molina also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Matthew Goode, Verónica Sánchez, (more)
The debut film from the filmmaking team of Daniela Fejerman and Inés París, A Mi Madre le Gustan las Mujeres is a racy comedy starring Rosa María Sardà as Sofía. Divorced for years, Sofía gathers her three daughters, Sol (Silvia Abascal), Gimena (María Pujalte), and Elvira (Leonor Watling), together to celebrate her birthday and to make an announcement. It seems Elvira has fallen in love, which excites the girls until she reveals that it is a woman that she's been seeing. The title, A Mi Madre le Gustan las Mujeres, is Spanish for My Mother Likes Women. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leonor Watling, Rosa María Sardà, (more)
- 1999
A group of likable losers aims for fame and fortune as a rock band in this comedy. Apolo (Fernando Cayo), a one-time security guard, is looking for something to do with his life, so he puts together a band with three of his pals, big-thinking Rodol (Andres Gertrudix), self-doubting Zalo (Pau Colera), and trouble-making Malu (Rebeca Jimenez). With drug fiend Kiko (Manolo Caro) as manager, the group adopts the name Shacky Carmine, and struggles to rise from total obscurity to relative obscurity. Shacky Carmine had the distinction of being the first Spanish film to open in theaters and on the internet at the same time. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Fernando Cayo, Andres Gertrudix, (more)
- 1999
Writer-director Agusti Vila explores destiny, coincidence, and love in this romantic comedy set in Barcelona. After getting dumped by his girlfriend, Juan (Alex Brendemuhl) decides to sit in the same park bench at the same time each day in order to improve his odds for a chance encounter. Soon his efforts pay off and he finds himself in the company of the assertive, prickly Alicia (Victoria Freire) and bookworm Ana (Monica Lopez). With each woman, he shares his idiosyncratic ideas on romance and communication. Un banco en el parque was screened at the 1999 San Sebastian Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alex Brendemühl, Victoria Freire, (more)
- 1999
Veteran Spanish film star Fernando Fernan-Gomez plays, appropriately enough, a veteran actor looking back on his career and wondering what his relatively short future will hold. Don Agustin is a 65-year-old actor travelling to Madrid to perform his one-man show Pepe Guindo, in which he chronicles the life of a jazz musician. Don arrives at the theater, gets into costume with the help of his dresser (Veronica Forque), confers with the director and writer (Jose Maria Pau and Pepon Nieto), and greets the musicians who play his band before going into the evening's performance, which comprises the bulk of the film. As "Pepe Guindo" discusses the life of a performer, and the rewards it has brought him at the expense of his relationships with his family, the actor and his character begin to merge, and Don and Pepe both conclude the evening wondering how much longer they can face an audience while holding on to some shred of their dignity. Fernando Fernan-Gomez was 78 when he made this film, and while the film itself received mixed reviews, his performance was widely praised. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Fernando Fernán Gómez, Verónica Forqué, (more)
- 1997
In this Spanish-French comedy-thriller, porn queen Roxy Foxy (Bibi Andersen) is in Madrid promoting her new film and also scoring the orgasm-inducing aphrodisiac known as Blue Ice. Strip-club manager El Calvo (Jose Manuel Cervino) thinks the drug stash is safe with junkie Chano (Javier Manrique), but it's discovered by Carla (Maria Esteve). Other characters include an investigative journalist (Adria Collado), who is writing about Roxy, and a computer geek (Gustavo Salmeron), who spends so much time on the Internet that he leaves his partner Ana (Nathalie Sesena) sexually unfulfilled. The original title translates as Don't Talk to Me About Men Because I Get Atomic. Shown at the 1997 San Sebastian Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cayetana Guillen Cuervo, Bibi Andersen, (more)
- 1997
The title It refers to sex. Originally made for TV, this Spanish comedy received a theatrical release in Spain after winning an award at the 1994 Munich Festival. Nerd teen Domingo (Daniel Guzman) can't lose his virginity since his department store night job keeps him from meeting girls. Encouraged by sidekick Tinin (Antonio Molero), he borrows stylish clothing from the store to impress women, concocts lies, and adopts an assumed name. He scores with diplomat's daughter Elizabeth (the late Diana Galvez), actually cop's daughter Isabel, also sporting an alias). The situation escalates further when it's revealed that hidden cameras are documenting their encounters for a TV "reality" show which hopes to have the couple wed on the show. Complicating matters, Isabel's ex-boyfriend (Paco Maestre) arrives to create trouble. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Guzman, Diana Galvez, (more)
This Spanish-French comedy set in South London seeks to demonstrate that human relationships provide an excellent example of chaos theory. Featuring a bilingual cast, the story centers on Luis, an introverted bookworm who travels to London, accompanied by his overbearing mother, to stay with his aunt Olivia. Olivia has a tempestuous relationship with a handsome television actor, Duncan. Her child belongs to him. With all these people together under one roof, the situation in the apartment is quite chaotic. However, Luis' mother eventually goes back home and Duncan, who is caught philandering at a party, gets the boot. Soon Luis and Olivia are having a torrid affair of their own until his mother returns and causes all sorts of trouble. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1996
In this lively Spanish-Argentine comic fantasy, two luckless actors get angry and with the help of a high school drama class jolt a sleepy, rural Argentina town into to taking much-needed political action. Before coming to town the disillusioned duo were making a meager existence performing their little play at cabarets and in small cafes. Despite their adverse position, Angel remains optimistic. Unfortunately, partner Eduardo, a fiery Basque, has had enough and angrily threatens to quit. An auto breakdown leads the two to the town which is in the process of electing new officials. The actors get booked to perform at a campaign dinner. There, the Eduardo loses his cool and launches a fiery attack on the official's big plan for building an enormous tourist hotel. A riot nearly ensues afterward. Later they encounter an old friend and former revolutionary who has become a school teacher in town and it is he who rallies his class to help Eduardo and Angel put their new play on at the town's ramshackle, abandoned theater. Naturally, the mayor and other officials are not happy that a reactionary play is being prepared in their town and do all they can to stop it. In the end, though a final conflict between the officials and the townsfolk provides the story's climax. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Set amidst the gender-bending tumult of the Madrid nightclub scene, this black and twisted Spanish comedy features excerpts from the lives of a number of offbeat characters. First there is Max, a gigolo who has returned to Madrid to rekindle an affair with Yeye, the lover he betrayed. Max is a murder suspect and is pursued by a psychotic cop. Yeye's roommates are the nymphomaniacal Monica and lovesick Maria, who yearns for the love of her neighbor Carlos. Then there is Alberto, a gay fellow who finds innocent solace in the arms of the heterosexual David after learning that his latest lover Alex is married with children. The main character's lives converge at a series of parties and club hopping sprees all of which are presided over by a trio of lavishly made-up drag queens. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nancho Novo, Cayetana Guillen Cuervo, (more)
- 1995
Two young women leave their old-fashioned Spanish villages in search of wealth and adventure in this gentle drama. Both La Nina and Trini are in their early 20s. After spending time working in a resort filled with aged touristas the two end up in Madrid meeting with Marilo, La Nina's mother. Marilo and her daughter do not get along well, but the mother and Trini become fast friends. Marilo dreams of running a bar along the beach and together with La Nina, Trini, and her lover little Pepe, they all head off to the beach. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1995
Music and sex provide the motivation for this lively Spanish comedy that centers on 20-year old horn player, Pablo, who is nursing a broken heart after breaking up with his boyfriend. Following a failed audition for the National Youth Orchestra, Pablo encounters another musician, Salome who doesn't believe he is really gay and takes him to a psychiatrist to prove it. Pablo's domineering mother, a laundress who affects a vast musical knowledge, wants him to reunite with his former lover, but this does not stop her son from secretly wishing he could be with Salome who in the meantime, falls in love with Pablo's father, a music teacher, who has quietly used his influence to sneak his son into the orchestra after all. Mayhem ensues as Pablo simultaneously deals with his sexual ambivalence and a gentle rivalry for first chair in the horn section. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
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