Francisco Ramos Movies
- 2008
A case of serendipity extends itself over many years in Italian director Silvio Muccino's bittersweet romantic drama Parlami d'amore (Let's Talk About Love). Aitana Sanchez-Gijon stars as Nicole, a quadragenarian housewife in a supremely dysfunctional marriage, and Silvio Muccino is Sasha, the twenty-year-old son of a drug-addicted mother and father; the pair meet when their cars crash one fateful evening and they accidentally injure a dog in the process. Taking the canine to a veterinary hospital, the two strangers sense a latent attraction to one another and swap phone numbers but (for unspoken reasons) refrain from calling each other for a lengthy period of time. In that interim, Sasha becomes unwisely attracted to a low-class girl with barrel-bottom standards; unacquainted with the young woman, Nicole offers Sasha advice that helps him win the girl's heart. In time, however, the new girlfriend drags Sasha into heavy gambling and unsavory company, and Sasha and Nicole subsequently begin to realize just how perfect the two of them are for one another. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Silvio Muccino, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, (more)
When a trio of lifelong buddies living in Barcelona read an obituary for a man they believe to be an old friend, they soon set out to pay their respects in director Maria Ripoll's quirky tale of mistaken identity. Dani (Javier Periera), Francisco (Marc Rodriguez), and Ignacio (Oriol Vila) are soaking in the sun when Francisco stumbles across a death notice that appears to be for their old friend Alberto. Upon arriving to bid their old friend farewell, Dani bumps into his ex-girlfriend Carmen (Nuria Gago) and falls hard for Alberto's sister Cristina (Tamara Arias). When the trio realizes that the recently deceased Alberto is not the same man they grew up with, the complications that follow leads them to reconsider the role that death plays in everyday life. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Javier Pereira, Marc Rodriguez, (more)
- 2006
A young firebrand learns the hard way about the practical problems behind political assassination in this lavish period comedy. In 1814, with his reputation in tatters and his rule of France come to an inglorious end, Napoleon Bonaparte (Daniel Auteuil) flees to the Island of Elba, where his arrival causes no small stir among the citizens. However, not everyone is pleased with his presence; Martino (Elio Germano) is a young and idealistic schoolteacher who believes Napoleon turned his back on the ideals he fought for in the French Revolution, and doesn't hesitate to criticize the former Emperor in front of his students. When Martino isn't busy with his students, he attends to the romantic needs of the beautiful Baroness Emilia (Monica Bellucci), but she's powerless to help him when his controversial opinions about Elba's new arrival cause him to be fired. When Martino learns that Napoleon is in need of a personal secretary and librarian, he has a brainstorm -- if he can get the job, he'll be close enough to the former emperor to win his trust and then kill the despot when no one suspects. Martino is awarded the prestigious position, but once he gets to know Napoleon, the great man's charm and wit make it difficult for Martino to put his deadly plans into motion. N (Napoleon and Me) (aka N (Io E Napoleone) received its North American premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Auteuil, Elio Germano, (more)
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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eduardo Noriega, Najwa Nimri, (more)
A con man finds himself up against an adversary he hasn't the strength to challenge in this crime drama from Spain. Ernesto (Ernesto Alterio) is a man who grew up learning the easier way to get out of trouble was to lie, and over the years, he's built a career out of his gift for twisting the truth as a con man. Teaming up with two experienced grifters, Manco (Manuel Alexandre) and Federico (Federico Luppi), Ernesto is able to pull off a major scam involving the Spanish Army that scores the three a major payday. This should put Ernesto and his partners on Easy Street, but things begin to go sour when Ernesto is reunited with a former girlfriend, Pilar (Victoria Abril). Ernesto is a soft touch for anything that Pilar might suggest, and when she plots a big con for him and his partners, he offers no objections. However, when Manco dies under hazy circumstances and Ernesto's childhood pal Gipsy (Alejandro Casaseca) conveniently appears wanting to take his place, Ernesto begins to suspect that he may be the one being scammed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Don't Move is the second feature from actor/director Sergio Castellito (Mostly Martha), who wrote the script with his wife, actress/author Margaret Mazzantini from her best-selling novel. Castellito stars as Timoteo, a successful surgeon and permissive father whose teenage daughter, Angela (Elena Perino), has just had a life-threatening motorbike accident. Sitting in the hospital, wondering if his daughter will survive, Timoteo thinks back to a fateful day 15 years earlier when his car broke down on a remote country road in the rain and a bedraggled young woman, Italia (Penélope Cruz), invited him into her ramshackle home only to have him force himself upon her. Timoteo then returned home to his lovely wife, Elsa (Claudia Gerini). But unable to get Italia out of his mind, Timoteo returned again and again to her sordid shack. They began to develop genuine feelings for each other. Elsa is reluctant to have children, despite Timoteo's wishes, so when he learns that Italia is pregnant, he has a critical decision to make about how he wants to live his life. Don't Move was shown at New York City's Walter Reade Theater in 2004 as part of a Sergio Castellito retrospective presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sergio Castellitto, Penélope Cruz, (more)
- 2004
A con man finds himself up against an adversary he hasn't the strength to challenge in this crime drama from Spain. Ernesto (Ernesto Alterio) is a man who grew up learning the easier way to get out of trouble was to lie, and over the years, he's built a career out of his gift for twisting the truth as a con man. Teaming up with two experienced grifters, Manco (Manuel Alexandre) and Federico (Federico Luppi), Ernesto is able to pull off a major scam involving the Spanish Army that scores the three a major payday. This should put Ernesto and his partners on Easy Street, but things begin to go sour when Ernesto is reunited with a former girlfriend, Pilar (Victoria Abril). Ernesto is a soft touch for anything that Pilar might suggest, and when she plots a big con for him and his partners, he offers no objections. However, when Manco dies under hazy circumstances and Ernesto's childhood pal Gipsy (Alejandro Casaseca) conveniently appears wanting to take his place, Ernesto begins to suspect that he may be the one being scammed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
The British erotic thriller Dot the I is the debut film of writer/director Matthew Parkhill. Carmen (Natalia Verbeke) is a young Spanish Flamenco dancer engaged to the wealthy Barnaby (James D'Arcy). Right before their wedding, she meets Brazilian actor Kit (Gael García Bernal). Following their passionate encounter, the secret lovers attempt to cover up their betrayal. Also starring Tom Hardy and Charlie Cox. Dot the I premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gael García Bernal, Natalia Verbeke, (more)
Eduardo Mignogna's comedy drama Cleopatra tells the tale of friendship between two women who need to reevaluate their lives. Cleo (Norma Aleandro) is having a mid-life crisis. Her nearly four-decades-old marriage is wilting as her husband is becoming an alcoholic after being out of work for two years. Her grown sons have little meaningful contact with her. She works as a teacher, but must sell makeup door-to-door in order to survive. Remembering her dreams of becoming an actress, she auditions for a new television show. While at the audition, she meets Sandra (Natalia Oreiro), a soap opera actress who is chaffing under the control of her manager/husband. The pair escape together and go on a road trip in which Sandra falls in love and reconciles with her family, while Cleo grows to accept where she is in life. Cleopatra was screened at the Montreal Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Norma Aleandro, Natalia Oreiro, (more)
Spanish-born filmmaker Jacobo Rispa (Un Día Perfecto) helms his second feature with the savvy thriller You Should Not Be Here, which debuted in Spain in 2002 and received its first American issue from the Tanelorn Films label. Pablo Echarri and Pilar Punzano star, respectively, as Gonzalo and Marta, two Internet buffs eager for new thrills and unknown adventures. The pair try logging onto an online discussion forum whose host, Sergio Tristan Ulloa, delights in having his users describe and discuss their reactions to death-defying situations. All of this seems harmless enough, but when the two meet Sergio in person and he begins imposing lethal situations on them, eventually under the threat of murder -- such as trapping them, unwittingly, in a narrow cave filled with water -- Gonzalo and Marta are forced to engage in a series of cunning mind games with their tormentor. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Directed by Juan José Jusid, Apasionados (Passionate People) follows airline stewardess Uma (Natalia Verbeke) and her desperate attempts to become pregnant. Her roommate, being homosexual, is not an option; nor are any of her co-workers or friends. It's her best friend and recent divorcée Lucia (Nancy Duplaa) who ultimately offers her own boyfriend, Nico (Pablo Echarri) as a potential candidate. Though they had planned to induce pregnancy by artificial insemination, unforeseen circumstances force them to make a baby the old-fashioned way. As Lucia begins to suspect that something is amiss, Nico's feelings for Uma become increasingly strong. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pablo Echarri, Nancy Duplaa, (more)
- 2002
Marcelo Piñeyro's emotional drama Kamchatka is set in Argentina just after the 1976 revolution. A lawyer (Ricardo Darín) takes his wife (Cecilia Roth) and children (Matías del Pozo and Milton de la Canal) to the country after the coup, and they adopt new identities. Their new life is difficult, but a visit with grandma and grandpa (Fernanda Mistral and Héctor Alterio) shows that these people are still a close-knit unit. Eventually the older son makes friends with a fellow teenager named Lucas (Tomás Fonzi). ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ricardo Darín, Cecilia Roth, (more)
- 2002
Stones is a film about shoes which functions on the old Native American proverb, "Never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins." The shoes, in this case, belong to an ensemble of wacky characters whose lives are anchored to a brothel on the outskirts of Madrid. Adela is a long-suffering madam who must balance whoring with motherhood; Anita is her disabled, dog-obsessed daughter; Joaquin is one of Adela's most loyal clients, a tango-dancing businessman; Maricarmen is a taxi driver who can't get over her husband's death; Isabel is an eccentric rich woman fascinated by a foot-reading fortune teller; and Leire is a washed-up shoe designer. Together, this motley crew struggles to scrape through life and stay happy, learning to look beyond the quality of the shoes that they wear and to appreciate their quirky personality traits. This first feature film by Spanish director Ramón Salazar shows many influences from the films of Pedro Almodóvar, which often feature an ensemble cast in a slice-of-life situation where the rules of the normal world need not apply. ~ Connor McMadden, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Antonia San Juan, Najwa Nimri, (more)
- 2001
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
- Starring:
- Sergi López, Mariola Fuentes, (more)
- 2000
- R
Six people involved in covering up the death of a friend find that the police aren't all they have to fear in this thriller from Spain. Four years after Nacho (Gustavo Salmeron), an artist preoccupied with death, disappeared under mysterious circumstances, his identification turns up, and police detective Quintana (Emilio Gutierrez-Cuba) decides to reopen his investigation. Quintana questions Ivan (Fele Martinez), a friend of Nacho's, about the missing man, but Ivan denies any knowledge of what happened. However, it turns out that Ivan is lying. He and five of his friends -- Clara (Maria Esteve), Ramon (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), Carlos (Adria Collado), Patricia (Lucia Jimenez), and Candela (Elsa Pataky) -- joined Nacho for a weekend trip to the country. Nacho died, and the group buried his body rather than face the police. Ivan reassembles the group to dig up Nacho's corpse and move it before it can be discovered, but it seems that Nacho's ghost walks, and he's looking for revenge against his former pals. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adria Collado, Maria Esteve, (more)
- 1999
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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elia Galera, Roberto Alvarez, (more)
- 1999
- NR
A wealth of romantic and familial complications face a musician en route to Cuba in the comedy Cuarteto de la Habana. Walther (Ernesto Alterio) is a Spanish jazz musician who gets word from a woman in Havana named Lita (Mirtha Ibarra) that she is his mother, whom he hasn't seen since he was a baby. Walther, excited by the prospect of a family reunion, catches a flight to Cuba, where he meets Segis (Javier Camara), a man who is soon to marry Diana (Laura Ramos). When Walther meets Diana, it's love at first sight, but it turns out there's a hitch -- Diana is Lita's daughter, and though her father was not Walther's father, being half-siblings is still enough to throw a serious spanner into the works. Director Fernando Colomo previously received acclaim for his film The Butterfly Effect. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ernesto Alterio, Mirta Ibarra, (more)
Acclaimed directing duo Alfonso Alacete and David Menkes's third cinematic effort is an outrageous romantic comedy about a widow and a gay man. Youngish and very pregnant Marga (Emma Suarez) mourns the sudden death of her husband in a car wreck. After having the baby, she casts about looking to reinvent her life when she meets up with the gay Inaki (Juan Diego Botto). The two establish a clear emotional bond, but soon more than mere emotional sparks start to fly. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma Suarez, Juan Diego Botto, (more)
- 1999
- NR
Mixing thrills with satirical humor, this Spanish film looks at the power of television and how it affects people in their daily lives. On the outs with his former girlfriend Ana Maria (Natalia Dicenta), Alberto (Alberto San Juan) is living with his friend Elvira (Paz Vega); though she doesn't want him back, Ana Maria is quite jealous of Alberto's new situation. Ramiro (Eduard Fernandez), Elvira's former lover, sneaks into the flat where Elvira and Alberto are staying, hiding there without the couple's knowledge as they watch a television news broadcast. As fate would have it, Ramiro is the top story of the moment; he's a violent lunatic who has just escaped from custody and is believed to be looking for revenge against his former girlfriend, as Ramiro's identical twin brother Ramon leads a manhunt. Although Zapped was not well-received in its native Spain, most reviewers conceded that it has an exciting first act and shows an interesting, energetic visual style. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alberto San Juan, Natalia Dicenta, (more)
- 1999
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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Javier Bardem, Eduard Fernández, (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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernando Fernán Gómez, Verónica Forqué, (more)
- 1998
Often referred to as a cousin to Pedro Almodovar or Bigas Luna, Manuel Gomez Pereira has been covering up his sharp social satire behind nice exteriors in his previous five films. No more nice guy, says Pereira, in an erotic tale of sex-o-mania. And with who else but ravishing Victoria Abril in the role of radio show assistant Miranda who just can't get enough! Miranda meets budding screenwriter Javier (Javier Bardem) during a group therapy session for sex addicts. Javier cannot live without regular telephone sex, while Miranda goes out every night in search of quick sexual encounters. They make love in the back of an abandoned car which has a corpse hidden inside its trunk. Miranda's jealous husband is the cop investigating the case.and it soon looks like Javier has been framed. There is quite a bit of Hitchcock here, which is acknowledged by Pereira. But on the whole, the film does not have a strong structure to carry the weight; the sex addiction theme of the first part goes out of focus when several subplots (unidentified corpse, etc.) distract the audience, resulting in a soft porno picture with little plausibility. The redeeming factor is the convincing acting by the sensual Victoria Abril. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Victoria Abril, Javier Bardem, (more)
