Margaux

Nothing is more depressing than having a good story , and a couple of good actors and then fail miserably at attempting to make a good movie... It is indeed a pity to see that El Maestro de Esgrima (based on a story written by Spain's top-selling Pérez Reverte and with such actors as Omero Antonutti or Assumpta Serna) fails lamentably to raise any kind of interest.

In spite of all the efforts of the talented Ms Serna, the reputed Antonutti and the versatile Almeida, the film is not even remotely interesting. The filming is classic in the worst sense of the word: it is totally unimaginative and absolutely boring. So is unfortunately the acting (with the exception of 3 mentioned before), so stuck up and cliché, you'd think you were sitting at an amateur play. Even the sets and costumes look fake.

All that comes to your mind after a while is "Oh please"... Check what else is on on TV. At least it won't be that boring.

Achilles is probably one of the most fascinating animation short films ever to be seen. The film succintly tells the fate of Achilles and (boy)friend Patrocles, how they grow to love each other and how they die in the Trojan war. The film is most interesting not only because it portrays the story of the Greek warrior under a new light (that of homosexual love, offering a very plausible and well constructed version indeed), but also because it is a rare mix of genres: the animation film is featured as a Greek play, with symbolic props, masks, etc. The movement of the puppets is so close to true life, it is sometimes difficult to believe these are just... well... "puppets". The love scene between Achilles and Patrocles is amongst the most erotic and beautiful scenes ever to be seen.

"Achilles" is a true delight for the eyes, a masterpiece in both the form and the content. It is an original way of presenting the story of Achilles, the mythical Greek warrior, but more generally of telling the story of a man, tortured by a love he does not want to acknowledge until he can no longer hide from it. And in the end, isn't that what makes Achilles so human, and thus so everlasting, rather than his heroic deeds in battle? A must. Don't miss it.

The value of El Caso Almería does not lie in its story-telling qualities. Far from it. Strictly from a "cinematographic" perspective, the story is boringly told, the acting is lousy and so is the direction.

The TRUE value of this film however is WHAT it dares tell and make public: the murder of three young people by the Spanish Military because they were suspected of being ETA terrorists, and how one judge tried to investigate the case. The film is all the more daring when one thinks that the film director was himself threatened while directing it, and found it extremely difficult to release it (I personally saw it many many years later in Belgium!). This clearly shows that the country still has difficulties confronting its infamous past and that alone is argument enough to see and diffuse this film as widely as possible. So that it may never happen again.