martes, 12 de febrero de 2013

THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS (BILLE AUGUST, 1993)

Bille August directed this film version of the Isabel Allende novel, featuring a cast that includes Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, and Glenn Close. The story is a sweeping and brooding melodrama, spanning generations and filled with violence, revenge, and telekinesis. The tale begins in South America in 1926, when a young man, Esteban (Jeremy Irons), falls in love with the daughter of a rich man, Rosa Del Valle (Teri Polo). He vows to become rich enough to make her his wife and spends months of toil in the gold fields to earn enough money to do just that. Before the two marry, however, Rosa is killed by poison meant for her father. After the tragedy, Esteban moves to Trés Marias, an abandoned ranch, and spends 20 years of his life turning the ranch into a thriving estate, exploiting the labor of the poor who live off the land. When he returns to the city, he comes across Rosa's younger sister Clara (Meryl Streep), now a woman with telekinetic abilities. Clara took a vow of silence years before, but upon the arrival of Esteban, she speaks for the first time in years -- "You have come to propose marriage to me," she says. Esteban and Clara marry, and Esteban takes her back to the ranch, where they have a daughter, Blanca (Winona Ryder). Their daughter falls in love with the son of one of Esteban's foremen, a hot-headed revolutionary named Pedro (Antonio Banderas). Now, the country is in the throes of revolution. Esteban banishes his sister Ferula (Glenn Close) from the ranch, beats his wife, and rapes a peasant woman. The product of Esteban's rape (Joaquin Martinez) grows into an angry young man who convinces Esteban to send him away to military school. When there is a military coup, the illegitimate son returns to Trés Marias with revenge and torture on his mind. (Paul Brenner: All Movie Guide)

Wonderful film!! I loved it! 
Anina 

MATILDA (ROALD DAHL)

 
Matilda Wormwood's father is a mean crooked crook. And her mother's just plain stupid. They think Matilda's a nuisance who should watch more TV and read fewer books! But her lovely teacher Miss Honey thinks Matilda is a genius. Matilda has a few extraordinary tricks up her sleeve, so her horrible parents and even more horrible headmistress had better watch out.

"Matilda" was one of the recommended readings for second intermediate English level students. A very funny book, I loved it.
Anina

BEING JULIA (ISTVÁN SZABÓ, 2004)

London, year 1938. Concerned that her fading youth and beauty will being to affect her career, estranged from her only son and pretending to be ignorant of her husband's philandering, Julia is adrift in the world, searching for some way in which to regain the spark of passion. She seems to find that renewed fervor when she meets Tom, a young American admirer who also happens to be her son's best friend. Tom sweeps Julia off her feet, and the aging celebrity embarks on an illicit affair which, if discovered, would create a social scandal that could ruin her already-waning career and destroy her rocky marriage.

AWARDS

2004: Nominated for Oscar: Best Leading Actress (Annette Bening) 2004: Golden Globes: Best Actress Comedy or Musical (Annette Benning) 2004: Nominated for Goya: Best European Movie 2004: National Board of Review: Best Actress

I borrowed this film from my Language School Library, I didn't like it a lot.
Anina  

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Londres, 1938. La bella y seductora Julia Lambert se encuentra en su apogeo físico y profesional. Sin embargo, tanto su brillante carrera teatral como su matrimonio con el atractivo empresario Michael Gosselyn empiezan a aburrirla y echa de menos la novedad, la emoción. Precisamente entonces entra en escena Tom Fennell, un apasionado admirador que resulta irresistible para la actriz. Julia piensa que quizá un romance pueda servirle para superar su crisis, y decide vivir una apasionada relación. Sin embargo, la relación con su joven amante no sale como esparaba. (FILMAFFINITY)

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"Ironía y sofisticación. (...) Una comedia ejemplar (...) que devuelve al cine su emocionante y hermosa definición de fábrica de sueños." (Ángel S. Harguindey: Diario El País)
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"Muy buena. (...) Excepcional muestrario de las entretelas del teatro" (Federico Marín Bellón: Diario ABC)
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"Una película sencillamente agradable, no demasiado original en líneas generales, pero brillante en muchos momentos (...) Lo mejor: el desenlace explosivo que, además de ser un hallazgo de guión y de puesta en escena, propicia uno de los mejores momentos de Annette Bening." (Alberto Bermejo: Diario El Mundo)
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PREMIOS

2004: Nominada al Oscar: Mejor actriz principal (Annette Bening) 2004: Globos de Oro: Mejor actriz comedia o musical (Annette Benning) 2004: Nominada al Goya: Mejor película europea 2004: National Board of Review: Mejor actriz

Cogí esta película de la Biblioteca de la Escuela de Idiomas, no me ha gustado mucho,
Anina