Spanish Cinema Now 08. 3.

There is much talk of late about the rise/resurgence of the Spanish genre film, and this year's Spanish Cinema Now series is full of examples. In fact, on paper, the entire fest almost seems a mix of as many genre movies as possible: terrorist, horror, apocalypse, time travel, mystery, thriller, prison and probably more (I haven't nearly seen all the films yet).

Three of these genre films made their debut over the weekend: [REC], which I covered in a previous entry; Before the Fall (Tres Dias, or Three Days is its more appropriate original title), which tackles the apocalyptic genre (and several others concurrently!); and Timecrimes (Cronocrímenes), which adds - with shocking economy, in all senses of the word - some new twists to the sci-fi genre.

In person, F Javier Gutiérrez, writer/director of Before the Fall seems such an effortlessly sweet, kind and charming young man that seeing his film after speaking with him came as quite a shock: This is one dark, ironic, ugly movie. Yet it deals with positives such as growth and redemption (part of the irony, perhaps?), presenting its version of the apocalypse tinged with generic borrowings from the thriller, the serial killer (children are his target, of course) and the revenge movie - among others (did I also mention it's a love story?). That this smash-up succeeds on any level is miracle enough; that it was made on a small budget and yet features some brilliant, low-key, special effects that topped (for me) most of what Hollywood has given us this year makes the movie a don't-miss event. Even though it doesn't really work.

I say this because, for me, the movie's end-of-the-world setting finally renders its thriller/killer, kids-in-danger, non-hero-to-the-rescue hi-jinks pointless. To his credit, Gutiérrez is asking a good question: Do goodness and caring matter much when the end is so near? Yes, he answers, but gives us that answer in a manner that is supremely ugly, full of anger, hatred, violence and blood. The walk-outs I saw as the movie headed toward its conclusion attest, I think, that - for some - the end did not justify the means. The love story, in particular, barely exists: we get only a touch at beginning, middle and finale with no sense of the woman as a character, and so its use becomes merely symbolic. In what may be the film's biggest irony, the "family" that is finally safe and together becomes the film's final, very dark joke.

Yet there is so much good here that Before the Fall demands a viewing from anyone interested in the current state of filmic storytelling. Plot-wise, Gutiérrez knows his way around lots of genres. He blends his special effects seamlessly into the whole, making them by turns beautiful, shocking, surprising and frightening. Visually, the movie is mostly a treat (the fine cinematography is by Miguel A Mora). Gutiérrez has written fine dialogue and works well with his actors (including the great Eduard Fernández and don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-him Antonio Dechent). He draws good performances, too, from the four children, who range from around five to an older teen. Like a kick in the head that leaves you seeing those beautiful whirling stars (and then you learn you've got a concussion), Before the Fall is scarily memorable. Whether it finally or fully works for you, you'd be crazy not to give it a chance. It screens again Tuesday, December 9, at 1:30.

Timecrimes is a horse of quite a different color and, because its plot is so simple yet intricate, I don't really want to say much for fear of giving away its surprises. There are many of these, but most surprising is how very little money was spent - this is probably the least expensive film most of us will have seen all year. And we will be seeing it, for unlike [REC], remade as Quarantine, or Before the Fall (which is, as you read this, being considered in Hollywood for a remake), Timecrimes, distributed in its original language by Magnolia, opens this coming Friday at NYC's Landmark Sunshine Cinema, and soon, I presume, in other cities as well.

The look of the movie is cheap, too, though hardly inappropriately so. It has a cast of only four, anchored by a terrific performance from Karra Elejalde (Visionarios, Los Sin Nombres, Nos Miran) who manages to go from schlubby hubby to... well, it's better I not give anything away. The locations are absolutely minimal and there are practically no special effects, at least as we have come to understand this term - which has got to seem rather strange in a sci-fi film. For me, this movie most resembled the wonderful Primer, though it's not nearly as involved or intellectual. Writer/director Nacho Vigalondo (who also plays the key role of "enabler") has kept his screenplay rather simple but extremely clever.

As in any movie that depends on a repetition of events to score its points, even at 88 minutes, I could have done with a bit more tightening so to avoid that bit of boredom that comes with "reliving" a few too many scenes. But mostly, the film speeds ahead, offering a couple of hugely suspenseful scenes and enough initial mystery to keep us fascinated and then enough tension, once we know what's going on, to finish its job. Along the way, as should any good genre film, the movie troubles us with some interesting questions: If you have managed to actually be in two places at once, can you also be both good and evil? If so, what might you be capable of to insure your well being? As often happens in films of this type, you may be slightly troubled by the chicken-or-egg theory, but I think you'll also be delighted by Vigalondo's thesis (at least I think this is it): Inaction is often a better choice than action.

Timecrimes screened only once during the festival, but as I say, New Yorkers at least can see it starting Friday.

I don't think that Sylvia Munt's new film Pretexts (Pretextos) is a genre piece (unless that genre might be the "thinking-woman's movie") but it offers some unusual pleasures. I don't find anything particularly pejorative about the term "women's film" or "chick flick": This simply means to me that the subject (and often the cast) will appeal more to female than male audiences. Pretextos has some implied violence (against oneself) as it tells its stories of a theater director and her doctor husband (a fine job by Ramon Madaula of 53 días de invierno) undergoing a marital crisis that appears to be rather long-term and the particular problems of a caregiver/nurse who works under the husband at some sort of geriatric hospital.

This encompassing situation allows Ms Munt (who has directed, co-written - with Eva Baeza - and assumed the lead role) to explore theater, life and their overlap, as she tries to bring her production of Chekhov up to performance level. She also shows us the much sadder and less-fulfilled life of the insomniac nurse, played very well by Laia Marull (of Take My Eyes), who has a special relationship with the son of the doctor and director, who is himself obsessed with sounds and the recording of them. (If my précis of the film sounds all-over-the-place, Ms Munt has managed to keep her movie accessible.)

In the supporting cast is the wonderful actor Manuel Alexandre, seen on these shores last summer in Elsa & Fred. At the age of 91, he appears to be in his prime and is, as usual, a pleasure to watch. Francesc Garrido (Smoking Room, The Sea Inside, Caravaggio), as the sexually available, often-pickled actor in the theater piece, also gives a subtle, engaging performance. I enjoyed Pretexts, even if I am not entirely certain of the filmmaker's intentions. Her movie is never less than professionally handled, and her subjects - health (mental and physical), aging, marriage, life and art - resonate. It screens again Monday, December 8, at 2.

I was able to speak at length with both F Javier Gutiérrez (Before the Fall) and Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes) at a couple of points during the festival and hope to have interviews with both directors posted on TrustMovies in the next few days.

- James Van Maanen

Posted by dwhudson at December 8, 2008 8:11 AM