Spanish in Buenos Aires

Week end at the movies

Four new movies are coming out this week in Buenos Aires: a local documentary based in the life of the political activist who founded the Homosexual Liberation Front, a story from Portugal, a new Hollywood comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Jason Bateman and the so-awaited version of Alice in Wonderland directed by Tim Burton, who is expected to be a box office hit.

ROSA PATRIA. A documentary on poet and political activist Néstor Perlongher, founder in the 1970s of the Frente de Liberación Homosexual (Homosexual Liberation Front), attacked by both the male-chauvinist right and left wing. Perlongher is evoked through letters, archive footage and interviews with people who met him. (Argentina, 2008, in Spanish) Written and directed by: Santiago Loza - Documentary - Interviews with: Rodolfo Fogwill, María Inés Aldaburu, Fernando Noy, Juan José Sebreli, Sara Torres, Alejandro Ricagno, Arturo Carrera, Ernesto Hollmann, Flavio Rapisardi - Thursdays at 8.30pm and Fridays 8pm at Malba (Figueroa Alcorta 3415) - Running time: 93 minutes.

Alice in wonderland (‘ALICIA EN EL PAIS DE LAS MARAVILLAS). Tim Burton’s version of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice novels, with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen and Stephen Fry playing the voice of the Cheshire Cat. (US, 2010, in English with some dubbed screenings, check listings) Directed by: Tim Burton - Screenplay: Linda Woolverton on the novels by Lewis Carroll - Featuring: Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Alan Rickman - G - Running time: 108 minutes.

This Dear Month of August (AQUEL QUERIDO MES DE AGOSTO). A sensuous bachanal in summertime Portugal, among the mountains, as villagers return home amidst fireworks, boar hunting and alcoholic excesses. (Portugal/ France, 2008, in Portuguese, French and English) Directed by: Miguel Gomes - Written by: Miguel Gomes and Telmo Churro - Featuring: Sónia Bandeira, Fábio Oliveira, Joaquim Carvalho, Manuel Soares - PG13 - Running time: 147 minutes.

Couples retreat (SOLO PARA PAREJAS). A comedy that focuses on four couples that go to a tropical retreat to rest and work out their problems – but some personal issues will go a-flutter to the beat of sex. (US, 2009, in English) Directed by: Peter Billingsley - Written by: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn and Dana Fox - Featuring: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Jean Reno - PG13 - Running time: 113 minutes.