Oscar Jaenada Movies
- 2008
The realities of terrorism in Spain provide the backdrop for this political thriller from writer and director Manuel Gutierrez Aragon. Xabier (Jose Coronado) is a well-respected university professor who is a member of an exclusive Basque dining club. The club is home to a number of Basque nationalists who believe the use of terror against the Spanish government is appropriate and justified; Xabier does not share these views, and speaking out against terrorist violence at their gatherings has earned him several enemies. While Xabier believes the members of his club defend terrorism as theory rather than practice, he discovers that's not the case when one of the loyalists threatens his life and unknown invaders ransack his apartment. Meanwhile, Xabier's girlfriend is Francesca (Vanessa Incontrada), who works as a clinical psychologist in a Spanish prison hospital. One of Francesca's newest patients is Josu Jon (Oscar Jaenada), a Basque terrorist who suffered a head injury when he wrecked his car while being chased by police. Josu Jon has lost much of his memory, and as Francesca helps him piece his life back together, he finds he can no longer support the cause for which he was once willing to die. But Olatz (Leire Ucha), leader of the terrorist cell Josu Jon worked with, is not about to let one of his soldiers walk away without a fight. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oscar Jaenada, Jose Coronado, (more)
- 2008
- R
Nearly 40 years after Che Guevara's execution in Bolivia, director Steven Soderbergh retraces the life of the iconic Cuban revolutionary in this nearly four-and-a-half-hour saga. Part 1 begins on November 26, 1956, as Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir) sails into Cuban waters with 80 rebels in tow. Among those rebels is Argentine doctor Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio Del Toro), a man who shares Castro's dream of overthrowing corrupt dictator Fulgencio Batista. As the struggle gets under way, Guevara proves an indispensable part of the revolution due to his firm grasp on the concepts of guerilla warfare. Guevara is heartily embraced by both his comrades and the Cuban people, and quickly rises through the ranks to become first a commander, and ultimately a revolutionary hero. Part 2 of the saga begins with Guevara at the absolute peak of his fame and power. Disappearing suddenly, Guevara subsequently resurfaces in Bolivia to organize a modest group of Cuban comrades and Bolivian recruits in preparation for the Latin American Revolution. But while the Bolivian campaign would ultimately fail, the tenacity, sacrifice, and idealism displayed by Guevara during this period would make him a symbol of heroism to followers around the world. Part 1 and Part 2 were screened together as Che at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, and also received a limited theatrical release under that same title in U.S. theaters later that same year. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Benicio Del Toro, Demián Bichir, (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)
The romantic comedy El Juego de la Verdad follows the exploits of two married couples who are friends. When one of the husbands discovers he has a terminal disease, he asks the male member of the other marriage if he can sleep with his friend's wife. All the other people involved react in surprising ways, forcing everyone to reconsider their feelings. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Natalia Verbeke, Tristan Ulloa, (more)
