cine fórum
I love mystery/thriller/suspense as my favorite movie genre, so if anyone has seen any spanish movies that are similiar I would love to know the titles so I can watch them.
Ok, here is a list of movies in spanish (native spain or latin america, not english with spanish dubs) that I have seen over the last month or so. The video store in my area doesn't have a huge selection of spanish titles, so many of them I just watched for the learning experience and am not promoting them as a "good movie", although there were a few ones I liked a lot. My favorite 3 from this list are:
Palabras encadenadas (Chain Words / Killing Words) (2003)
El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) (2006)
Nueve reinas (Nine Queens) (2000)
Also included is a short description and possibly short rating. Description in italics was not done by me. One thing I should note, almost all of these movies have swearing and or nudity or violence. So keep that in mind if you don't like that type of thing or have small children around.
Vale. Aquí hay una lista de peliculas de espanol (de españa o América Latina, no inglés originalmente con los doblajes en español) que he visto en los meses pasados. La tienda de video no tiene una grande selección de películas espanolas, muchas de ellas las veo solo por la experiencia de aprender y no las promuevo como una "buena película", pero me gustaron muchas. Los tres de esta lista que son mis favoritas:
Palabras encadenadas (Chain Words / Killing Words) (2003)
El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) (2006)
Nueve reinas (Nine Queens) (2000)
Películas:
Así del Precipicio (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429609/
Living seemingly privileged lives, Lucía (Ana de la Reguera), Hannah (Ingrid Martz) and Carmen (Gabriela Platas) are three friends besieged by marital, sexual and financial crises. Each must battle personal demons and make life-changing decisions as they try to make sense of their worlds.
This movie I actually liked a lot, I think because I have a thing for brunettes and the main actress is hot.(So I give it 4 stars for that hehe). 
It was sort of sad though, but gives kind of a hopeful outlook on life.
It was more of a Drama type movie. Lots of "Adult" themes, so don't watch with your kids. I also like one of the songs in it alot, "Adios" por Fangoria. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Ry9KDoAuo)
Conejo en la Luna
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401740/
When a white-collar Mexican man (Bruno Bichir) and his English wife (Lorraine Pilkington) are framed for the murder of a politician, they suddenly find themselves pulled ever deeper into a dark web of corrupt government officials, bad cops and murderous henchmen.
This movie was Ok. Kind of a "thriller", but not overly exciting. Also, this one was unique to me as it took place in two countries and would switch back and forth between scenes. It was unique because during the scenes in the spanish country, they spoke spanish(spanish audio), and in the scenes in the country of (england? I dont remember what exact country) they switched to english language as audio.
Cronicas
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382621/
Tracking a serial killer dubbed "the Monster of Babahoyo" -- an elusive criminal who rapes, murders and buries children -- Miami reporter Manolo Bonilla (John Leguizamo) travels to a small village in Ecuador to investigate. But to write the biggest lead of his career requires help from an incarcerated Bible salesman (Damian Alcazar), who wants to trade information for an interview with the host of an American news program
A Drama. This movie was just Ok. Very slow pace. Sort of sad as it has to do with a child killer rapist.
La Reunion
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1059961/
A reunion of seven friends turns deadly when one member of the party is murdered in Antonio Aparicio's thriller. Unexpectedly invited to a get-together at Gonzalo's mansion, the guests have no idea why their host has called the sudden meeting. But suspicion taints the reunion when one of the friends turns up dead, and the key to untangling the web of deceit is safely kept in Gonzalo's pocket.
Mystery. A very low-budget movie, but not bad.
Celos (1999)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212854/
When he discovers a photo of his fiancée, Carmen (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón), with another man, Antonio (Daniel Giménez Cacho) becomes intensely jealous and confronts her. She explains the man is a long-forgotten beau, but Antonio soon succumbs to madness as he obsessively delves into Carmen's past. As his quest deepens, he risks losing the very woman he thought he loved.
This was a slow paced drama / mystery.
El fondo del mar (Bottom of the Sea) (2003)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322298/
When Toledo (Daniel Hendler) discovers that his girlfriend, Ana (Dolores Fonzi), has been seeing another man (Gustavo Garzón) behind his back, his jealousy quickly turns into rage. But without knowing the name of Ana's lover -- or where to find him -- he has no way of seeking retribution. Determined to reveal his rival's identity, Toledo launches a private investigation in hopes of forcing a face-to-face confrontation.
This was a slow paced drama / mystery.
Crimen Ferpecto (2004)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395125/
Rafael (Guillermo Toledo), a top department store salesman with his pick of the comely female staff, thinks he has the perfect life -- that is, until a rivalry with co-worker Don Antonio (Luis Varela) ends in murder, forcing Rafael to find an alibi. Lourdes (Monica Cervera), the one salesgirl Rafael has hitherto spurned, comes to his aid … but at a price.
I liked this comedy overall. The first half was hilarious, second half went downhill and I thought was dumb. By the way, the movie name "Crimen Ferpecto" is miss-spelled on purpose.
Dos Tipos Duros
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380323/
Faced with a mountain of debt, hopeless hitman Paco (Antonio Resines) is forced to take a job teaching gangster Don Rodrigo's (Manuel Alexandre) idiotic nephew (Jordi Vilches) how to kill people. But training this fool to become a killer will be a very difficult assignment. With the bumbling amateur by his side, Paco finds his life continually threatened as he faces one disaster after another.
This movie was kind of a cheesey comedy. Not bad, it was worth watching. It had some funny parts.
Palabras encadenadas (Chain Words / Killing Words) (2003)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0339489/
No one knows what's truly behind the genial facade of Ramon (Dario Grandinetti), a college instructor who's so meticulous, nothing in his world seems out of order. And yet, his basement is a dark place of chaos, one in which he's forced an unwitting guest named Laura (Goya Toledo) to stay and play a deadly game. The stakes are high: If she wins, she walks; if she loses, her life is on the line. Laura hopes she can hold her own.
This movie was one of my favorites so far. Sort of slow paced but very suspenseful. Reminds me of an Alfred Hitchcock movie(I love his movies), as they keep you in suspense and you don't know who did it, and just when you think you know they give a good twist and your wrong! 
Ladrón que roba a ladrón (2007)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0859760/
A pair of reformed crooks team up to pull one more heist. Their target? Master con artist Moctezuma Valdez (Saúl Lisazo), a popular television infomercial pitchman who's gotten rich by swindling countless unsuspecting immigrants. The former thieves attempt to recruit some of their criminal cohorts to help pull off the plan, but when they refuse, the two turn to day laborers to participate in the elaborate robbery scheme.
This movie was decent. It was kind of cheesey comedy. I laughed quite a few times, plus one of the "thieves" was very attractive.
Secuestro Express (2005)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371939/
After a night of dancing in Caracas, Venezuela, Carla (Mia Maestro) and Martin (Jean Paul Leroux) are swept off their feet by a trio of kidnappers (Carlos Julio Molina, Pedro Perez and Carlos Madera) in search of a hefty ransom from Carla's wealthy father (Ruben Blades). As they wait out their imprisonment, the young couple undergoes a terrifying journey through the city, all the while at the mercy of their captors.
This was sort of a gritty drama movie, kind of depressing but not bad. I think you have to be in the right mood for this one.
Volver (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441909/
In acclaimed filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar's foreign-language fantasy, Abuela Irene (Carmen Maura) revisits her hometown in the La Mancha region of Spain -- in spectral form -- to resolve problems she couldn't settle during her lifetime. Gradually, Abuela's spirit becomes a reassuring presence to her daughters
This movie was kind of a comedy drama. Ok disclaimer: I normally do not like "chick flicks", but this was actually a pretty good movie. Had some funny parts in it too. I am sure many of the females would enjoy this one.
X: Equis (2002)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326430/
Javier (Antonio Resines), a cop, wakes up one morning in a home he doesn't remember visiting. His head throbbing from too much liquor and his memories a blur, Javier heads to work, where he's assigned a murder that, it appears, he may have committed himself. Determined to protect himself from accusations, Javier throws himself into solving the case. But he's haunted by a woman who may know too much and by the victim's family, who wants justice.
Mystery Not too bad but not great. It did keep my attention though and the ending was a surprise if I remember correctly.
Impulsos (2002)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322731/
Director Miguel Alcantud's nail-biting thriller stars Ana Risueño as Sara, a young lounge musician coming to grips with the loss of her partner. When she suddenly becomes the only witness to a gruesome killing, the enterprising Sara opts to blackmail the murderer (Daniel Freire). But she gets more than she bargained for when she finds herself attracted to the killer -- and caught up in a potentially lethal game of cat and mouse.
I thought this was going to be dumb, but I liked it quite a bit. It was sort of a slow thriller mystery.
Asfalto (2000)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0225100/
With beautiful Madrid as a backdrop, this stylish thriller chronicles the escapades of winsome Lucía (Najwa Nimri), her thuggish beau, Chino (Gustavo Salmerón), and their pal Charly (Juan Diego Botto) as the trio pursues a lucrative life of crime. All the while, Chino's bluecoat brother (Alfredo Villa) attempts to keep his sibling on the right side of the law -- a scenario Chino exploits to rat out his two comrades for personal profit.
There was strong "adult" content (which seems like it should have kept my attention) but I didn't even finish it, so maybe the ending was a lot better than the parts I watched. (I fell asleep during it). Maybe I will give it another chance someday.
El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) (2006)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457430/
Living with her tyrannical stepfather (Sergi López) in a new home with her pregnant mother, 10-year-old Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) feels alone until she explores a decaying labyrinth guarded by the mysterious Pan (Doug Jones), an ancient satyr who claims to know her destiny. If she wishes to return to her real father, Ofelia must complete three terrifying tasks
This is a must see if you have not seen it. A supernatural/fantasy "children's" story. Good plot and visually well done.
This was not actually a children's movie even though it seems like it would be. Lots of swearing and violence.
Nueve reinas (Nine Queens) (2000)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247586/
This Argentinian heist flick revolves around a sheet of not-so-rare stamps, two con artists (Ricardo Darin, Gaston Pauls) and a sucker mark (Ignasi Abadal).
This was a pretty good movie. I ended up never returning it back to the video store. Not very fast paced, but a good thriller/mystery? (I'm not sure what genre it should be). A nice twist ending too.
Intacto (2001)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0220580/
has the supernatural ability to acquire good luck -- which he can give, take, sell or gamble for other people. As the story begins, he steals luck from an earthquake survivor, Federico, who then vows revenge on Samuel. A series of strange mind games of luck and intrigue follow.
Suspense Not too bad, it was worth watching. Sort of weird.
Fausto 5.0 (2001)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299873/
Controversial Spanish theatre troupe La Fura del Babus transfers the Faust legend to the big screen with a result that isn't for the faint-hearted. Dr. Faust (Miguel Angel Sola) attends a medical conference in the city, where he meets Santos Vella (Eduard Fernandez), a brash, mysterious figure who claims to be an ex-patient. Unable to give Santos the slip, Faust begins a bizarre (and horrifically gory) journey through his psyche.
Definitely a weird movie. The beginning was very intriguing, but it turned bizzare. Still it was worth watching for me.
Anyone have any good recommendations on spanish movies to watch, let me know! Especially mysteries...
Feel free to correct my poor spanish.
2 Answers
Muy buen hilo, cheesie, a ver si alguien más pone alguna peli
Vale. Aqui hay una lista de peliculas de espanol (de espana o América Latina, no ingles originalmente con los doblajes en espanol) que he visto en los meses pasados. La tienda de video no tiene una grande seleccion de peliculas espanolas, muchas de ellas las ** veo solo **por la experiencia de aprender y no las ** promuevo como una "buena pelicula", pero **me gustaron muchas .. Los tres de esta lista que son mis favoritas:
cheesie, I am not adding all the missing accents, you got most of the genders wrong, you have to be more careful, película is feminine!!
What a list...thanks, Cheese!!
