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Reviews
Alicia (1994)
A Fantastic Short From One of the World's Greatest Directors
"Alicia" was Jaume Balagueró's first short film. He later went on to direct masterpieces like "Darkness" (with an all-star international cast, including Academy Award winner Anna Paquin) or "Los sin nombre" (which won 15 international awards and starred Emma Vilarasau). Some critics already compare him to Andrei Tarkovsky.
This film, shot in black and white, is pretty much all about atmosphere. It has all it needs to be scary; it's dark, moody, pensive, aggressive and beautiful in a very obscure kind of way. Unfortunately, "Alicia" lacks a real plot, or a message. The surreal images, beautifully filmed and edited, are intriguing and are unforgettable, but it requires a lot of energy and time to perceive a real plot behind them.
A fantastic movie, only nine minutes long, enjoyable for everyone with a sense for dark and scary movies.
Los amantes del Círculo Polar (1998)
One of the Most Beautiful Films About Love You'll Ever See
It's hard not to rave about this wonderfully written masterpiece.
"Los Amantes del Círculo Polar" stars Fele Martínez (who was in famous movies like "Tesis", "Abre los Ojos", and "La Mala educación") and the heartbreakingly beautiful Najwa Nimri (who made her star-turn in "Lucía y el sexo") as Otto and Ana who fall in love with one another as children and try to carry this love through their whole lives. They look for a place to live their love, and finally find it at the Arctic Circle where the sun never sets in summer. They discover that some things never end, and that love is one of those things.
Julio Medem, the director of "Lucía y el sexo", wrote and directed this highly spiritual and modern movie about love and destiny. It's packed with impressive, original ideas and is full of romance. Great performances, a stunningly beautiful cinematography, and Medem's masterful direction make "Los Amantes del Círculo Polar" one of the most enjoyable Spanish movies ever.
If you like this one, I also recommend "Reconstruction" and the movies by Krzysztof Kieslowski.