Fernando Colomo Movies

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 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, Rovi

Fernando Colomo directed this fact-based Spanish comedy-drama about leftist philosophy students Tomas (Jordi Molla) and Jaime (Ernesto Alterio), arrested in 1947 by Francoists and sent away to a Madrid prison for eight years. After their friend Velasco (Pepon Nieto) goes to Paris to enlist the aid of Michel (Samuel Le Bihan), noted for his ability to free political prisoners, Michel's girlfriend Kathy (Hedy Buress) and her actress friend Susan (Allison Smith) are enlisted to assist. Tomas and Jaime mount mules to make their escape and meet up with Kathy and Susan at a monastery, where romance takes flight, followed by darker events once the group moves on to Barcelona. Filmed in northwest Spain. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

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

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

This Spanish drama chronicles the struggles of a gang of amoral hoods to survive in a hopelessly violent urban world. The film open inside a crowded getaway car right after a robbery. In is are three men, a woman, and a blindfolded cop, their hostage. Esteban, a robber, is sure that the cop saw his face and now threatens to kill him. The leader of the gang is Javi. Tono drives, and Alex, a 20-year old woman, tries to calm the hysterical Esteban. The car pulls into a deserted quarry. It is Tono who ultimately shoots the hapless cop. Most of the film focuses upon Alex who sports short hair with the word "void" shaved into the back of her head. Alex is the sole supporter of her parents and two brothers. She earns money by dealing drugs and helping Javi's gang run guns. She yearns for Javi to give the love and affection she has never known, but he ignores her. Alex becomes a body guard to an illegal dog fighter and finds herself in deep trouble when she is forced to kill the two men attacking her client. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Life and love provides the focus for this Spanish comedy which focuses upon four couples. Pablo, a pessimist, has a new lover. His relationship is very similar to the relationships of his three friends. Though they are all dissatisfied with their mates, none of the possess the courage to change their situations. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this road movie, a young Spanish teen has formed a band which has been booked to play at the Hilton in Beirut. The group is well versed in mambo and pop classics. When the age-diverse group sets out on its tour, however, they find that they cannot get farther than Cairo and Amman, Jordan. The boy has a stormy relationship with his father and the band's manager, and their being stuck in musical limbo in fleabag hotels doesn't help that much. The group's charismatic trumpet player, a particular hero of the boy's, walks out on the group after getting his fill of drinking and whoring for low pay. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Dora (Angela Molina) is a music-hall type singer who is more than a bit of a floozy. She goes out with lots of men, has sex with them, and quite appreciates it when they pay for it. She met the piano player Juan (Angel de Andres Lopez) during an air raid at the time of the Spanish Civil War. Later, the two of them meet quite by chance as they are both auditioning for a job with Mario (Manuel Bandera), a gay nightclub owner. Juan is in love with Dora despite her unchanged habit of going out with as many men as possible, and the two of them are also friends with Mario (who also goes out with as many men as possible). There is a nobleman whose attentions Mario at first entertains and then spurns. This prompts the gay nobleman's mother to swear revenge on him for breaking her darling son's heart. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

In this engaging comedy, Ana (Veronica Forque) is the wife of Antonio (Antonio Resines), the assistant to the minister of health. When Antonio sets up a clinic to combat sexually transmitted diseases, Ana and her friend cruise the gay bars and the red-light district for potential customers. Soon Antonio is called before his irate boss, who tempers his indignation when he, his wife, and his mistress becomes clients. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi