Spanish & Portuguese Cinema
Undoubtedly the backbone of Alice's Spanish collection are the films of Pedro Almodovar. Since the 1980s this unique film maker has been bringing us such gems as 'Laws of Desire', 'Women on the Verge...' and 'Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down' and nurturing the talents of actors such as Antonio Banderas, Victoria Abril and Penelope Cruz.
But there is more to Spanish film than the talented Mr Almodovar. Everything from the beautiful and haunting works of Carlos Saura to the off-beat and darkly humourous tales of Alex de Iglesia.
Pictured right: One-of-a-kind helmer, Pedro Almodovar.
Matador (1986)
7/10
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura, Assumpta Serna, Nacho Martinez, Eva Cobo
An adventurous black comedy about a retired bullfighter and a female lawyer finding they have similar interests, which happens to be that each attains... Read more
Me Too (2010)
7.2/10
Director: Alvaro Pastor, Antonio Naharro
Starring: Lola Duenas, Pablo Pineda
"Yo, Tambien" This sensitive and moving Spanish drama concerns Daniel (Pablo Pineda), a young man with Down's syndrome who has recently graduated from... Read more
Mysteries of Lisbon (2010)
7.5/10
Director: Raoul Ruiz
Starring: Melvil Poupaud, Clotilde Hesme, Lea Seydoux, Adriano Luz, Maria Joao Bastos, Ric...
Raul Ruiz's masterful adaptation of the eponymous nineteenth-century Portuguese novel by Camilo Castelo Branco evokes the complex intertwined narrativ... Read more
Open Your Eyes (1997)
7.8/10
Director: Alejandro Amenabar
Starring: Eduardo Noriega, Penelope Cruz, Fele Martinez, Najwa Nimri
Aka 'Abre Los Ojos'. In this steamy, intriguingly complex, psychological thriller the line between reality and fantasy is hopelessly blurred. Cesar tr... Read more
Pain And Glory (2019)
7.5/10
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Leonardo Sbaraglia
An aging film director suffering from chronic illness and writer's block reflects on his life. Read more
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
8.2/10
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi Lopez, Doug Jones, Maribel Verdu, Alex Angulo
Pan's Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbindin... Read more
Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno) (Blu-Ray) (2006)
8.2/10
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Alex Angulo, Ariadna Gil, Maribel Verdu, Sergi Lopez, Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones
It's 1944 and the Allies have invaded Nazi-held Europe. In Spain, a troop of soldiers are sent to a remote forest to flush out the rebels. They are le... Read more
Pepi, Luci, Bom ( Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls Like Mom ) (1980)
6.3/10
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Carmen Maura, Olvido Gara, Eva Silva
The first feature from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, made while he was still working at the Post Office. Set during Madrid's post-Franco punk peri... Read more
Princesses (2006)
6.7/10
Director: Fernando Leon de Aranoa
Starring: Candela Pena, Micaela Nevarez, Mariana Cordero, Llum Barrera, Violeta Perez
A compassionate and sobering drama about two young prostitutes, from very different backgrounds, who work the streets of Madrid. Caye comes from a mi... Read more
Room in Rome (2010)
6.2/10
Director: Julio Medem
Starring: Enrico Lo Verso, Elena Anaya, Natasha Yarovenko
A sensual two-handed drama from Spanish writer-director Julio Medem ('Sex and Lucia'), 'Room in Rome' charts a one night stand that develops into some... Read more