Change Your Image
flrsgmz
Reviews
Celda 211 (2009)
Hard to believe, tricky, full of potholes, yet excellently shot
I know films are not supposed to mirror reality, just build one in which you can spend 90 minutes believing a story. Still I find completely impossible to follow this one to the end without laughing at his crude script tricks, absurd subplots and unbelievable characters. It is not that it doesn't mate with the Spanish reality, it doesn't even follow the logic it sets at the beginning, which makes it unbelievable. I would even dare to say it's a personal trait of its scriptwriter, as it happens in most of his films. The main character is an evil man who can lead a prison revolt, yet is incapable of following trough or make anything of the traitor that is boycotting him. Then he dies, shot in his back in the final 10 minutes so that we can sympathize with him. All the rest of the characters are simplistic, one dimensional, exist only when the writer needs them, then disappear without any reason. I can't really understand why it has been so successful considering its merits, an i would attribute that to the efficient work of its director, who keeps the roller coaster ride at a good pace and specially, to the brilliant work of the two protagonists, whose charisma makes up for all the failings of their characters.
Mataharis (2007)
Strong characters, so so story
It would be difficult for any filmmaker to top Iziar Bollain's previous film, Te doy mis ojos, a true masterpiece. She just preferred to change the genre. From that point of view, these Mata Haris are a bit deceiving. Was it signed by any other director, the film would be celebrated as a successful and original genre piece. The main characters are definitely believable and the film delivers a precise portrait of this day Spain, with a varied group of characters trying to live his life among the conflicts that define our modern days: Unfaithfull grooms, treacherous partners, hypocritical friends and lovers, dishonest employers... The story revolves about a group of women private eyes, the perfect excuse to peek on other peoples lives. In all it's entertaining and enjoyable, and I am sure that Mrs Bollain will deliver soon another masterpiece.
Stico (1985)
Strange quirky story, an intriguing film
I viewed by chance Jaime de Armiñan last film, Fabian Road. I wasn't familiar with him and it awakened so much my interested that I investigated his previous films. This one is particularly engaging. It's the story of a prestigious University lecturer (Fernando Fernan Gomez)that tired with his life of responsibilities and hard work, decides to become a slave. He calls upon a former pupil (Agustin Gonzalez)who has become a successful lawyer and convinces him. The enticement is simple, by taking him as a slave, he'll gain possession of all his assets. The professor elects Stico as his slave name and moves to the family home of his new owner. Although he behaves as a good slave, his presence shakes the foundations of the family, endangers their relations and changes everything so much that the owner decides to free him. But it is no easy task. They agreed to observe the Roman Code and it limits the way an owner can free a slave to a strict set of circumstances. In all, it's an excellent and very particular exploration of human relations, specially about the meaning of freedom, the effect of wisdom on daily life and the difficulties of harmonizing social and personal life. His form as aged quite a bit, but the story, the dialogs, the moral tale are still quite moving.
14, Fabian Road (2008)
Beauty and wit mark the return of a master
This is Jaime de Armiñan's first film in 12 or 13 years, and he shot it with 82 years. Amazing. The story revolves around an Argentinian writer (Julieta Cardinali) who enjoys a resounding success with her fist novel. She is on a fatiguing public relations tour when a girl (Ana Torrent) approaches her after a press conference and takes her to a secluded hotel, an strange place, a former convent. The writer assumes her driver works for her publisher, but in fact, she is hijacking her looking for vengeance. We will learn later that she does it to heal an old wound. Then a duel between both women develops, a contest of wits, power, seduction, that take them both from distrust to hate to love. In the meantime, the publisher is frantically searching for her missing author. Camila has a contract to deliver her next novel, but success-induced stress has blocked her, and there may be even something worse. The publisher finds maybe it's a good idea to let her be kidnapped. Who will end up as a winer? Most of Jaime de Amiñan's movies are about two ill fitting souls that find each other and fall in love (teacher and pupil in El amor del Capitan Brando, old man and 12 year old girl in El nido, etc). In this case, for the first time, both lovers are women. A major asset of the film are its actors. Julieta Cardinali comes out as a revelation, a fabulous actress capable of transmitting all the complexities of her character. Once you see her you understand why Ana Torrent -who is also brilliant as the secretive women intent on revenge but in desperate need of some affection- finds so difficult to follow trough with her plan. Julieta is so attractive, so clever that she can manipulate anybody and get away with it. The charismatic Angela Molina excels as the eccentric owner of the hotel and, with Omero Antonutti in the role of another offbeat character, a Communist radio operator that took refuge in the hotel as the wall fell, provide some comic moments. For the record, Angela sings and dances a beautiful flamenco song. Technical work is excellent, specially lensing, by Kiko de la Rica. The flamenco inspired music is also enjoyable. The tone of the film is closer to a fantasy, a suave moral tale with surreal undertones than to a realistic story. In its core lies a meditation about the roots of all artistic creation. In all, an engrossing film.