Belle Epoque 1992 R, 108 min. Genre: Foreign / Comedy
Director: Fernando Trueba Cast: Jorge Sanz, Fernando Fernan Gomez, Maribel Verdu, Ariadna Gil, Miriam Diaz Aroca, Penelope Cruz, Gabino Diego, Michel Galabru, Agustin Gonzalez, Chus Lampreave
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, this sex comedy revolves around army deserter Fernando (Jorge Sanz) who finds refuge with a farmer and his four beautiful daughters.
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Broken Embraces 2009 Genre: Drama / Thriller / Romance
Director: Pedro Almodóvar Cast: Penelope Cruz, Blanca Portillo, Lluis Homar, Jose Luis Gomez, Ruben Ochandiano, Tamar Novas, Angela Molina, Chus Lampreave, Kiti Manver, Lola Duenas, Mariola Fuentes, Carmen Machi, Kira Miro, Rossy de Palma, Alejo Sauras
Fourteen years ago, Mateo Blanco–now known as Harry Caine (Jose Luis Gomez)–was blinded in a car crash that killed his beloved Lena (Penelope Cruz). Harry's collaborator Judit Garcia (Blanca Portillo) and her son, Diego (Tamar Novas) now help Harry make a living as a successful screenwriter. After Diego is injured in an accident, Harry takes care of him, and, one day, Diego asks Harry why he changed his name. Harry is compelled to tell the story, and, through flashbacks, the story of the love triangle involving Harry, his producer Ernesto Martel (Jose Luis Gomez), and Ernesto's mistress Lena is told.
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The Flower of My Secret 1995 R, 102 min. Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Pedro Almodovar Cast: Marisa Paredes, Juan Echanove, Carmen Elias, Rossy de Palma, Chus Lampreave, Imanol Arias, Kiti Manver, Joaquin Cortes, Manuela Vargas, Gloria Munoz, Nancho Novo, Jordi Molla
Leo (Marisa Paredes) writes trashy romantic novels under the pseudonym "Amanda Gris." She has not been doing well in her professional life, and her personal life has hit a new low with her marriage in trouble. As if that weren't bad enough, Leo is now hired to write a negative article about "Amanda Gris."
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Move Over, Mrs. Markham 1985 N/R, 85 min. Genre: Foreign / Comedy
Director: Fernando Trueba Cast: Ana Belen, Carmen Maura, Antonio Resines, Santiago Ramos, Veronica Forque, Guillermo Montesinos, Bibiana Fernandez, Chus Lampreave, Jose Luis Fernandez, Miguel Rellan
Paco and Fernando's (Santiago Ramos and Antonio Resines) publishing company is about to go under, so they manage to gain a contract with Adela (Chus Lampreave), a leading author of children's books. At the signing, the "fun" begins when partner trading and other wild love trysts begin.
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Torrente, the Stupid Arm of the Law 1998 N/R, 98 min. Genre: Foreign / Comedy
Director: Santiago Segura Cast: Santiago Segura, Javier Camara, Neus Asensi, Chus Lampreave, Tony Leblanc, Julio Sanjuan, Jaime Barnatan, Dario Paso, Carlos Perea, Espartaco Santoni
There's not much good to say about Madrid cop Torrente (Santiago Segura) who has been thrown off the police force. Drunkard, sexist, druggy, petty thief, and father abuser are just a few of his bad traits. But when new neighbors move in, he falls for the lovely Amparito (Neus Asensi). To get her attention, he makes friends with her nerdy cousin Rafi (Javier Camara). When Torrente becomes aware of drug traffickers in the neighborhood, he decides to bring them to justice and get back in the good graces of the police department. But Rafi and his equally nerdy friends are all the help Torrente will get.
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Volver 2006 R, 120 min. Genre: Foreign / Comedy / Drama aka: To Return
Director: Pedro Almodovar Cast: Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave, Antonio de la Torre, Carlos Blanco, Maria Isabel Diaz, Nues Sanz, Leandro Rivera, Pepa Aniorte
The definition of "Volver" is "To Return," and the theme of being haunted by the dead is carried out in this story by two sisters, Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) and Sole (Lola Duenas), who lost their parents in a fire years ago in La Mancha. Raimunda and Sole now live in Madrid but return to La Mancha regularly to visit their Aunt Paula (Chus Lampreave). After Aunt Paula dies, Sole learns that their mother, Irene (Carmen Maura), has been hiding with her sister, and, with the loss of Paula, the past returns with more than a few twists and turns. Penelope Cruz received a Best Actress Oscar nomination.
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What Have I Done to Deserve This? 1984 N/R, 100 min. Genre: Foreign / Comedy
Director: Pedro Almodovar Cast: Carmen Maura, Luis Hostalot, Ryo Hiruma, Angel de Andres Lopez, Gonzalo Suarez, Veronica Forque, Juan Martinez, Chus Lampreave, Kiti Manver, Sonia Anabela Holimann, Cecilia Roth, Pedro Almodovar
Gloria (Carmen Maura) works hard to keep some sort of order in a wildly dysfunctional family. Husband Antonio (Angel de Andres Lopez) is a cabbie (and forger on the side) and is infatuated with an aging opera star for whom he was once a chauffeur. His current issue revolves around two writers who have written a manuscript that is intended to be the memoirs of Hitler–if Antonio will copy it in Hitler's handwriting. One son sells heroin while the other moves in with a gay dentist. Meanwhile, the mother-in-law is perhaps the most weird. A fun romp.
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Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown 1988 R, 89 min. Genre: Foreign / Comedy / Drama
Director: Pedro Almodovar Cast: Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma, Maria Barranco, Kiti Manver, Guillermo Montesinos, Chus Lampreave, Yayo Calvo, Loles Leon, Angel de Andres Lopez, Fernando Guillen, Juan Lombardero, Jose Antonio Navarro, Ana Leza
Actress Pepa Marcos (Carmen Maura) gets dumped by her lover, but that's only the beginning of her story. When her ex-lover's son, Carlos (Antonio Banderas), arrives at Pepa's apartment, she takes him in along with his wife. Carlos proceeds to have an affair with Pepa's good friend, Candela (Maria Barranco), who Pepa has also taken under her wing because she is a fugitive from justice. When they talk to a lawyer, she just happens to be the new lover of Pepa's ex-lover. And the plot keeps twisting and turning.
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| 1. Belle Epoque (1992)
2. Broken Embraces (2009)
3. The Flower of My Secret (1995)
4. Move Over, Mrs. Markham (1985)
5. Torrente, the Stupid Arm of the Law (1998)
6. Volver (2006) aka: To Return
7. What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984)
8. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
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