Title: El rey de la montaña (King of the Hill)
Released: 2007
Director:: Gonzalo López-Gallego

Plot Summary

This Spanish thriller is the story of mysterious Bea who meets the likable Quim by chance in a gas station. Both end up stranded in a remote forest and rely on each other for survival when they are targeted by an unknown sniper.

Wine vocabulary in Spanish

If you're a wine lover or are planning to tour a winery in Spanish, here are a few useful words to know regarding the process of making and tasting vino.

10 Great Spanish-language Films

Below are ten of my favorite Spanish-language films from all over the Spanish-speaking world and a link to their description. Directors include some of the greats, like Guillermo del Toro, Pedro Almoldóvar, and Álex de la Iglesia. Several films take place during an important historic time frame (like Pan's Labyrinth during the Spanish Civil War) or provide a modern critique on their society (9 Reinas, Amores Perros, Maria Full of Grace). Several are slightly scandalous (Y tu mamá también), but all provide entertainment and an interesting insight into the time period and culture in which they were made.

1. 9 Reinas

La Cigarra y la hormiga

Erase una cigarra que se pasaba todo el dia tomando el sol y cantando, por supuesto que no se preocupaba de recolectar comida durante el verano para cuando llegara el invierno, al contrario que las laboriosas hormigas que se pasaban todo el santo dia recolectando comida para el largo y frio invierno.

Un dia, las hormigas le dijeron a la cigarra: -Si no trabajas, no tendras comida en el invierno.
La cigarra les respondio: - Si no pensarais tanto en el invierno seriais menos aburridas.

Title: Los lunes al sol (Mondays in the Sun)
Released: 2002
Director:: Fernando León de Aranoa

Plot Summary

This 2002 Spanish film is the story of 6 shipyard workers in an industrial town in northern Spain after they've lost their jobs. Each man deals with his new reality differently, some trying to reinvent themselves while others just try to get by. Santos (Javier Bardem) proves to be a bit of an agitator while also dreaming of the perfect life he could have in Australia.

While certainly a great idea and good cast, to me the film was slow and slightly monotonous.

Language Learning Notes

The dialogue in the film is quintessentially Spanish, and in addition to some of the fun Spainisms like coño, joder, y hostia, there were some fun new words for me: like astillero (shipyard) and gilipollas (jerk, idiot).

Latin American Films in Denver

Below are several films included in this year's 2009 Starz Film Festival schedule.

My Land (USA, 2009) – Great job by Jason Burlage, who follows a young, indigenous Peruvian farmer, in the most amazingly beautiful setting you can imagine: The Sacred Valley of Cusco, the capital of the Incas. Jason will be on Monday, November 16, 9:15pm and Thursday, November 19, 6:30 pm

Black Box (Mexico, 2009) – In this psychological thriller, a secret organization plots to kill a political candidate – using a dying man as its unwilling assassin. Black Box introduces us to the conspirators via complex, fast-paced animation – but slows midway to a methodical cat-and-mouse game played by captor and captive in alternating roles. Friday, November 13, 7:00 PM, Saturday, November 14, 9:15 PM

Title: Crimen Ferpecto (The Perfect Crime)
Released: 2004
Director:: Álex de la Iglesia

Plot Summary

This hilarious Spanish film is the story of Rafael, a womanizing super-salesman for a Spanish department store. When a floor manager position comes up, Rafael seems the most likely candidate. He is beaten on a technicality by long-term rival Don Antonio, who mysteriously disappears and Rafael becomes the main suspect.