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Watching the World Cup, Exploring Denver's Santa Fe

Submitted by Nikki on

Spanish classes once again offered

After some time off to have baby Lucy, Denver Spanish House is continuing summer classes. Please contact me if you would like private classes or are interested in gathering a group of coworkers or friends.

Practice your Spanish while watching the World Cup 2010 in Denver

With over three weeks of games remaining, there are plenty of places to watch the World Cup in Denver, but if you're interested in watching teams from the Spanish speaking world, check out the venues below.

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Denver Spanish House newsletter

10 Favorite Spanish-Language Films

Submitted by Nikki on

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
Topics: 
Cine - Movies

Fabula de la cigarra y las hormigas

Submitted by Nikki on

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.

Topics: 
Culture

Spanish film featuring Javier Bardem: Los lunes al sol

Submitted by Nikki on

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).

Topics: 
Cine - Movies
Tags: 
Spain
Javier Bardem

2009 Starz Film Festival Latin American Films

Submitted by Nikki on

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

Topics: 
Cine - Movies

Crimen Ferpecto (The Perfect Crime)

Submitted by Nikki on

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.

Topics: 
Cine - Movies
Tags: 
Spain

Spanish-Language Films in Denver and Upcoming Latin Music

Submitted by Nikki on

Spanish Language Movies in Denver

The Denver Starz Film Festival will be showing films this weekend and next week, including several films from Latin America. Latin American films include a documentary about the life of a Peruvian porter on the trail to Machu Picchu in Peru to several films about immigration and an exploration of Mexico City. Here's a schedule of Latin American films playing this weekend and next week.

Several Spanish-language films will be playing at Hooked on Colfax on upcoming Thursday nights at 6:30pm, including:
* Crimen Ferpecto on 11/19

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Palabras irritantes en español

Submitted by Nikki on

Class Activities: 

Hablar de las palabras más irritantes a los estudiantes en inglés y en español.

Antes de leer el articulo La palabra más irritante en español de BBC, hablar de unas expresiones:

  • tiene pocas luces (to be dim-witted)
  • Sacarle a uno de sus casillas (to make someone mad)
  • ponerle los pelos de punta (to make one's skin crawl)
  • sacar de quicio (to drive someone crazy)

Leer el articulo y hablar de las opiniones de los estudiantes. If time or for homework, have students read forum posts about the most annoying words in Spanish.

Fluency level: 
Advanced

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