The love story who transformed Juana, Queen of Spain, into Juana "The mad". A story of passions, lies and jealousy with a politic fight behind.

Mad Love <<>> (2001)

Directed By: Vincente Aranda

Plot Synopsis: Juana is married off by her pious parents, the Catholic kings Ferndinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille, to ally Spain, united by their marriage, to the Burgundian and other Habsburg heritage of archduke Maximilian's son Philip. When they meet, it's love at first sight, for her all-consuming, for him one of many happy bed partnerships as she later discovers. Deaths in her family soon make Juana Isabella's heir, but Ferdinand suggests she inherited her grandmother's madness and supports Philip's ambition to rule instead, which becomes the stakes of political maneuvering in the Cortes (nobility-dominated parliament). Combined with Philip's incurable infidelity, which includes a Moorish whore-princess, multiple drama is inevitable, and worse follows. Written by KGF Vissers
In 1496, Juana de Castilla, daughter of the Catholic Kings, travels to Flandes to marry the Archduke Felipe de Austria, known as 'El Hermoso' (The Handsome) and son of the emperor Maximiliano. Even though at the beginning this marriage obeys a political decision, later on passion and desire appear beneath the couple. Juana becomes queen of Spain when her mother and her older brothers die in 1504. However, due to the pressure of being queen and the discovery that her husband has many lovers, her mental health starts getting worse. Felipe, seeing his wife in these circumstances, makes the Burgos Court to declare the insanity of Juana and recludes her in the Monastry of Las Huelgas, proclaiming himself as the king.

Rudo y Cursi

"La vida es un volado"

Directed By: Carlos Cuaron (2008)

Plot Summary: Mexican half brothers Beto and Tato - who will eventually be appropriately nicknamed Rudo (rough) and Cursi (corny), respectively - have a typical love/hate relationship with each other. They both work on a banana plantation and live with their extended family consisting of their mother, abusive stepfather, sister Nadia, and Beto's wife Toña and their children. The family are rural peasant class and are barely making ends meet. The brother's fortunes change when into their lives comes Batuta, a soccer scout. Despite their advancing ages, both Beto and Tato are naturally gifted at soccer, Beto as a goaltender and Tato as a striker. Playing professionally has always been Beto's dream, although Tato has other professional thoughts on his mind. Batuta eventually recruits both for different teams in Mexico City. Beto and Tato's fortunes rise and fall, the falls based on those things which hold more passion for the brothers. For Tato, he loves fast women, specifically television spokes-model Maya, but he loves singing even more. He would give up his soccer career for one in Mexican country singing, if only he was any good at it. For Beto, his passion is gambling. Although Beto is up front and straightforward about most things in life, he would lie and cheat to hide his gambling problem and debts. They just have to keep these alternate passions in check to make their soccer lives lucrative ones.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

"Life is the ultimate work of art."

Directed By: Woody Allen (2008)

Summary: Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.

Themes Explored: Differing attitudes towards relationships; Notions of love; “No one but you should choose your path to unhappiness,” to which we can take the liberty of adding, “because there’s no God and we are alone.” (The Crimson White Movie Review, University of Alabama, by: Ryan Mazer); notion of stereotypes and appearances.

Viewed: 19 octubre 2009

Paraiso Travel

September 28th, 2009

Directed By: Simon Brand (2008)

Genre: Dramatic Love Story

Themes: Immigration from a Colombian perspective; discovering the American dream, the meaning of true love, and personal identity.

Whisky

This is the first film