Spanish culture… In Spanish
So, I managed by coincidence to see a couple of good movies in Spanish about Spanish things, both of which were excellent. One of them is a little old and the other is fashionably old and has a provocative title that will probably scare the average person away, but it is worth seeking out. I still have to do another update with reviews of Lars and The Real Girl, The Savages, and Rushmore, as well as a rant about how I hate Hollywood Video, so look for that in the future (hopefully it won’t be too long).
While the last two reviews were about movies that really brought out the spirit of Hispanic culture, these two movies aren’t really cultural showcases, but they are exceptional films made in Spain by Spanish filmmakers, so I suppose it provides some incite into the culture itself.
I also find that watching movies in Spanish is the best way to study for the IB Spanish exams, it’s by far the most enjoyable way to study; I call it passive studying, where knowledge diffuses into your brain down a concentration gradient that begins in the massively concentrated screen. Anyone who calls it “learning by osmosis” is off their rocker and needs to study more, because we ALL KNOW that osmosis involves water transport, not knowledge transport. Sorry for the biology allusion, it’s testing season and I should be studying, yet I am not (I wouldn’t have it any other way). If you’re looking for movies in Spanish to use as study tools, I would also recommend:
Hable Con Ella (2002), Pan’s Labyrinth (2007), Todo Sobre Mi Madre (1999), Babel (2006), Volver (2006) (Okay so I have a Pedro Almodovar thing..), The Motorcycle Diaries (2004).
I’ve also been delving into the world of classic foreign cinema, which has been quite rewarding.
Anyway, here we go.. If theres anything we can learn from my recent forays into Spanish language and culture, it’s that Javier Bardem is in EVERYTHING.
And please comment.
- THE SEA INSIDE - (Spanish - 2004) 
Dir: Alejandro Amenabar; Star: Javier Bardem
Plot: Based on the true story of quadriplegic Ramon Sampedro who fought for 30 years to gain the right to end his life with dignity. Along the way he manages to inspire the women and relatives in his life with his genial spirit. Also a thoughtful and sentimental examination of death and what lies beyond, that is never overly somber, and does not argue for or against the rights to euthanasia; it only presents a man as he is, and his relationship with life.
Kudos: Inspired construction; innovative set production; great screenplay marvels at the joy of life while also examining the inevitability of death; Javier Bardem is awesome, his facial expressions alone express much more than many films in their entirety, his attitude and tone shine with life and love that contrasts perfectly with his will to die, highlighting Sampedro’s true mentality; supporting cast is colorfully depicted and played; some very good, creative editing.
Un-Kudos: Some later scenes seem underdeveloped and may be difficult to watch; One of the supporting character’s stories isn’t properly concluded; some foreshadowing never comes to fruition.
Final Word: The Sea Inside manages to delve into the abyss of death while never seeming overwhelming or depressing, thanks to some talented writing and acting (is there anything Javier Bardem CANT do??), that creates inspiration out of despair, love out of loss, and a very powerful film-going experience. Won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film.
Similar to: The Barbarian Invasions, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Million Dollar Baby
- LIVE FLESH - (Spanish - 1997)
Dir: Pedro Almodovar; Star: Javier Bardem
Plot: Scrumptious Spanish melodrama as made possible only by Pedro Almodovar; A young man falls in love with a junkie prostitute, gets into a fight with a cop trying to arrest him for causing a disturbance, accidentally shooting the cop’s partner landing him in jail, when he is released he discovers that the cop he shot is now in a Special Olympics basketball star in a wheelchair and married to the former prostitute he was once in love with! You’ll have to learn the rest on your own… Needless to say, it’s a thriller that also reveals something about the innate nature of human passion and the irrational drive for revenge. Also, despite the title this one is actually quite tame (at least for an Almodovar movie)…
Kudos: Fantastic writing by the director, told with emphasis on human interaction and irony; Javier Bardem is awesome; highly entertaining; highly interesting; intentionally convoluted Almodovar style works well with this premise; also a heated social commentary!
Un-Kudos: You may get lost in its twists.
Final Word: A movie that you have to see to understand its brilliance, Live Flesh is a thoroughly stunning and thickly entertaining thriller with layers of meaning hidden in the human interactions that are so well placed on screen. Almodovar is in top form with this delicious film.
Similar to: Other Almodovar movies… and little else.
- AMERICAN PIE 2 - (2001) 
Hey, let’s take some funny characters from a good movie and milk them for all its worth! Maybe what was funny the first time will be funny some more! Maybe it won’t get old. Maybe. maybe…
Tags: movies, javier bardem, movie reviews, culture, the sea inside, live flesh, pedro almodovar, spanish, IB, melodrama, mira loma
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