La Comunidad

Starring:La Comunidad
Studio: Lolafilms Home Ent
Product Type: DVD

Description

Una agente inmobiliaria con suerte... Un cadáver descompuesto... Una comunidad de vecinos codiciosos... 300 millones escondidos en el sótano... Algo huele a podrido en esta casa. Julia (Carmen Maura), una mujer de unos cuarenta años que trabaja como vendedora de pisos para una agencia inmobiliaria, encuentra 300 millones de pesetas escondidos en el apartamento de un muerto y no le queda más remedio que enfrentare a la ira de los miembros de una comunidad de vecinos muy particular, encabezada por un administrador sin escrúpulos. El humor negro deja paso al suspense, luego al terror y, finalmente, a la locura desencadenada.

Customer Reviews:

murder and greed in Spain...not great, but pretty good.......2005-07-23

Alex de la Iglesia has forged a career out of making films that depict extremes (in many cases), and for my money his best is Perdita Durango (aka Dance with the Devil) with Rosie Perez and, in a somewhat early role, Javier Bardem speaking pretty broken English but insanely great.

This film, La Comunidad, is kind of fun to watch and does, to some extent, capture some of the director's spirit of the extremes, but is not as intense or riveting or downright fun to watch as Perdita Durango. It does feature Carmen Maura and she is, hands down, the star of the show--in fact, she's really good. It's not that the other actors aren't as good as she is--all of them do a fine job. It's really that the script is just not as powerful as it might have been. It does hold your interest but doesn't really grab it.

The story finds our heroine, Julia (Maura), a real estate agent, "usurping" one of her primo apartments for her own use with Ricardo, her husband/boyfriend (which is it? I dunno), and subsequently stumbling across the dead body of a really old guy. Later, having found a "clue", she puts two and two together, returns to the apartment of the old dead guy (who's now been carted off for burial), and finds a huge amount of cash.

The title refers to all the people who live in the building who know about the cash but could never find it and who realize that this new "neighbor" has found it. The black comedy hijinks that ensue form the substance of the film.

One of the problems here is that there could have been a lot more sexual tension which would have done much to sharpen the edge of the film. But this component of the film just kind of fizzles. We also don't really see why Julia (Maura) is so attracted to her husband (or boyfriend; we're never really sure which one), Ricardo. Sexual tension is kind of toyed with in the film--Julia is definitely attracted to one of the neighbors--but never really taken advantage of, so to speak; the director teases us with it, then doesn't really follow up with it. This could have really made the film a whole lot punchier than it is.

The resolution is OK, but not great. There are a few pretty funny lines here and there and that helps. This is not really a bad film. It's just not as good as it definitely could have been.

great Spanish thriller-comedy.......2004-10-08

This is one of the best Spanish films over the last 5 years. It is funny and tense at the same time. All the characters are fun and Carmen Maura turns in another great performance. Based on the notion of a building's "community," (or bldg association) this film picks fun at the Spanish culture of nosy neighbors and apartment living. Director de la Iglesias also pays his respects to Hitchcock in a couple of scenes.

Average customer rating:

La Comunidad
Starring: Carmen Maura , Eduardo Antuña , María Asquerino , Jesús Bonilla , and Marta Fernández Muro
Director: Álex de la Iglesia
Manufacturer: Manga Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A1HON0

Product Description

Spain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o English (subtitles) o Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1) o Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0) Synopsis: With the influence of the master of suspense engrained in every frame of the film right down to the stunning opening credit sequence, flamboyant Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia (Day of the Beast, Purdita Durango) weaves a hilariously dark tale of murderous greed set among the quirky and menacing inhabitants of a tightly knitted apartment complex in La Comunidad. After discovering the 15-million booty of a recently deceased tenant, Julia (Carmen Maura) thinks that she may have found the answers to her dreams of finding something more in life. Little does she know that the menacing residents of the building know well of the elusive treasure, and have been scheming for years and building their dreams around aquiring the well-guarded winnings. As the greedy obsessions of all in question spiral unhinged into a frenzy of desperation, Jorge Guerricaechevarria's clever and snappy screenplay keeps the viewer constantly on their toes, right up to the hilariously white-knuckled finale atop one of Madrid's most notable landmarks. Equally effective is Roque Banos' giddily dizzying score. Kiki de la Rico's murky lens lends the perfect creepy atmosphere to the creaky old building, becoming increasingly frantic as greed trickles from the drip of suspicion into a tidal wave of compulsive madness. Nominated for 15 Goyas and taking home three, the film won Best Special Effects and Best Supporting Actor (Emilio Gutuierrez Caba), while Maura's visually unsettling transformation from carefree working woman to a desperate money-hording beast earned her a win for Best Lead Actress. Special Features: o Collectors Edition o Deleted Scenes o Featurette o Filmographies o Interactive Menu o Making Of o Photo Gallery o Scene Access

El Señor de los Anillos: La Comunidad del Anillo

Average customer rating:

El Señor de los Anillos: La Comunidad del Anillo

Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

[Spanish Import]

ASIN: B000HJJ7XK

Product Description

Con la ayuda de un grupo de amigos y valientes aliados, Frodo Bolsón emprende un peligroso viaje hacia el Monte del Destino con la misión de destruir el Anillo Único. Pero Sauron, El Señor Oscuro creador del Anillo, envía a sus servidores para perseguir al grupo. Si Sauron logra recuperar el Anillo, será el Final de la Tierra Media. Este inmortal relato sobre el bien y el mal, la amistad y el valor, te transportará a un mundo más allá de tu imaginación.

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