Nico and Dani/Krámpack (2000) - Gay's sexually vibrant, incisive coming-out drama

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The two protagonist friends light cigarettes on this poster for Cesc Gay's Nico and Dani

Nico and Dani are two 17 year-old friends, who live alone in a house in the summer for a period: They find girls, - but one of the two falls for his friend, is forced to face his different sexuality, - plus the fact that his feelings are unreciprocated.

Nico and Dani is written by Tomás Aragay (Truman (2015)) and co-writer/director Cesc Gay (Hotel Room (1998)), based on a play by Jordi Sánchez (Pedralbes Centre (1995)). The original Spanish title refers to a kind of mutual masturbation that the two friends engage in in the film.
Nico and Dani is a refreshing coming-of-age drama with sexual frankness, piercing wistfulness, nice images and outstanding performances. The story is related with wonderful straightforwardness, and it has some especially funny scenes of the ignorance inherent in being young. The film is highly suitable for use in sex education classes.

Watch 2-minutes from the film here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: Uncertain - in excess of 372k $
= Uncertain
[Nico and Dani premiered in May (Cannes Film Festival, out of competition) and runs 91 minutes. Shooting took place in Barcelona. The film's Box Office Mojo sheet only covers its North-American and Taiwan releases, of which 370k $ were from North America; the film's earnings in production country Spain and other European markets are missing. It won an award in Cannes. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Gay returned with In the City/En la Ciudad (2003). Fernando Ramallo (Dani) (Between Abril and Julio/Entre Abril y Julio (2002)) returned in 3 shorts and a TV-series before his theatrical return in Algunas Chicas Doblan las Piernas Cuando Hablan (2001); Jordi Vilches (Nico) (La Sagrada Familia (2011, TV-series)) in Warriors/Guerreros (2002). Nico and Dani is certified fresh at 87 % with a 6.62/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Nico and Dani?

Julia's Eyes/Los Ojos de Julia (2010) - Decent Spanish horror with good craftsmanship, little else

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One of the eerie posters for Guillem Morales' Julia's Eyes

Julia's sister is found hanged, possibly by her own hand because she had gone blind. But Julia is not convinced of the theory, and who is the man her sister had started going with? A fatally dangerous mystery is unraveled...

Julia's Eyes is the second feature by Guillem Morales (The Uninvited Guest/El Habitante Incierto (2004)), written by Morales and Oriol Paulo (The Body/El Cuerpo (2012)). It has capable visuals and acting and a story with drive, a twist and a couple of good chills; SPOILER as when Julia plays blind at the killer's house but can really see everything!
But Julia's Eyes is also quite superficial; it never reaches any thematic depths or presents anything substantially new or truly terrifying. Mostly it can be admired for its good craftsmanship.

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: Seemingly at least in excess of 14.8 mil. $
= Unknown (likely a box office success)
[Julia's Eyes premiered September 11 (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 117 minutes. It was shot from October - December 2009 in and around Barcelona, Spain. The above-mentioned B.O. number comes from adding the publicized grossed for Spain (9.3 mil. $), Mexico, South Korea and Italy, but the film has been released in many other countries as well, so the gross is likely higher. Tentatively setting its budget at around 5 mil. $, the film looks like a box office success. Julia's Eyes is fresh at 91 % with a 6.6 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Julia's Eyes?

Biutiful (2010) - Sad globalization stories from Iñárritu

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1 Film Excess nomination:

Best Lead Actor: Javier Bardem (lost to Stephen Dorff in Somewhere) 

+ Best Spanish Movie of the Year

The simple, enticing poster for Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu's Biutiful

In Barcelona, we follow an invisible web of underclass Africans, Chinese and Spaniards through our main character, a family father with prostate cancer, who is struggling to provide for his family, with his manic-depressive prostitute wife and with the many tragedies that his life runs into.

 
Master Mexican director Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu (Babel (2006)) again shows himself as a sublimely sense-manipulating director, who has found a compelling thematical playground in the adverse consequences of the globalized world of today. The tall cake of misery that he collects in this film logically shouldn't come together, but somehow it does. The parts stand out realistic enough, and the great performances and gritty photography help make it all go down compellingly.
The film's vehement gloom and almost bitter, implicit, societal critique makes the experience for some a bit too negative on the whole, but Biutiful has moments of gravitas and beauty and a nerve-racking father issue at its frame that tears at the heartstrings. Javier Bardem (Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008)) and Maricel Álvarez (To Rome With Love (2012)) as the sick woman are terrific, and the child actors also give first rate performances.
Biutiful is the Spanish phonetic spelling of beautiful, (the film deals extensively with immigrants and social outcasts), and is also the spelling of the word that Bardem's character thinks right when helping his daughter with her homework. It is a great film and arguably Iñárritu's last really great film to date.

Related posts:

Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu: 2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Babel (2006) or, Everyone's Connnected
21 Grams (2003) or, Hardcore Life
Amores Perros/Love Is a Bitch (2000) or, People = Bad, Dogs = Good

Javier Bardem as Uxbal in Iñáritu's Biutiful

Budget: Unknown
Box office: 25.1 mil. $ (only 5.1 North America)
= Uncertainty (but probably a hit)

What do you think of Biutiful?
How do you think Iñárritu will do with comedy?