sergiogsanchez-2 Reviews

El hombre Esponja (2003)

End of summer, end of childhood.

[9/10 · 11 September 2004]

"El Hombre Esponja" (Spongeman) tells the story of Jonathan, a ten year-old

growing up up in a fantasy-like Barcelona suburb where kids spend their

afternoons playing mock baseball and listening to the amazing adventures of

Spongeman, a superhero created by El Jefe, their summer camp monitor.

Jonathan and all the kids have a special bond with El Jefe that is broken with the arrival of Socorro, the monitor's troubled girlfriend, and suddenly the world is not such an innocent place, as Jonathan discovers that heroes are not always

that dependable and villains have a heart too.

A simple yet touching coming of age story, "El hombre Esponja" is shot

beautifully with brisk effectiveness by J.A. Bayona, who never allows the film to get too sappy and manages to get amazing performances from the kids and the

two grown-ups, Zoe Berriatúa and the lovely Graciela Molina, who makes

Socorro/Onion-Girl easy to fall for. Technically the film is outstanding, specially Bernat Bosch's lighting and use of scope and Fernando Velázquez's triumphant

score.

It's not easy to come across a short film as fully accomplished as this one. J.A. Bayona is one of the most promising young directors in Spain these days (fellow short film directors Jorge Torregrossa and Guillem Morales are two to watch

closely as well). Watch this little gem if you can while we wait (let's hope

not for too long) for Bayona's feature debut.

The Sea Inside (I) (2004)

This one delivers! Amenabar's finest so far.

[8/10 · 4 September 2004]

"Tesis", "Open your eyes" and "The Others" were proof of Amenabar's talent and skill as a filmmaker, but (in my humble opinion) were also flawed films in their attempt to outsmart the audience, always offering one turn of the screw too many, favoring cheap thrills, twists and turns over depth and resonance. Lucky for everyone Amenabar chose a subject for his new film that would not allow a surprise ending, focusing on characters and the emotional ties that bind them.

The result is a little miracle of a film, beautifully written, photographed, scored, acted and directed. Everyone involved in this film delivers a carrer-high performance,behind and in front of the cameras, from the wonderful cast (Bardem shines, but Mabel Rivera, Celso Bugallo, Clara Segura and Lola Dueñas give the film an amazing authenticity) to Aguirresarobe's exquisite lensing.

The film taps on many relevant issues and emotions effectively , it addresses heart and mind with equal power and delivers a final punch that stays with you long after the credits roll. This is a brilliantly executed film that not only will stand as a landmark in Spanish cinema, but will surely become a pleasant surprise when it opens in the abroad (Sony Classics has paid a record 6 million dollars to distribute it) Don't be surprised it it manages to get in the Oscar race... There's no stopping Amenabar...

Buen trabajo, Alejandro!