Father Geek here with the rebirth of Coffin Joe, Jr. after his 2 week end of summer romp. It's good to have Latin-AICN back, my Tuesdays weren't the same without it, but first this look at Del Toro's wonderful little Spanish Film, THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, and Argentina's NINE QUEENS.

RoloTomasi here...every night I go to the Uptown Theatre here in Beautiful T.O., without a ticket to my name, and yet somehow, I find my way into the hot ticket screenings. Sunday night it was THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, and Monday, NINE QUEENS. What can I say? I'm the guy who gets away with it....

THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE (Spain)

Everyone here has been making a big deal about Guillermo Del Toro. I've only seen MIMIC, and I wasn't blown away by it...in fact I don't think I remember anything about it four years after the fact. So I entered this screening a blank slate,knowing nothing, ready to be blown away. Hell, I wouldn't have even expected a ghost story if Del Toro hadn't given it away in his introduction! The film begins with a pile of images - a mysterious doorway, the bomb bay of an airplane, a wounded child, heavy images that dare you not to respond to them. What are we seeing? Is it the end of the film? Is it the beginning? I rarely walk into a movie without some kind of context for what I'm about to see, and love the way Del Toro sets these images up. We know they'll be explained by the end, and we just settle back to enjoy the ride.

You can get the synopsis from any other review here, so I'll just give my opinion (Whatever that's worth). Del Toro lets the story flow slowly, building up suspense over the first hour. Atmosphere is established - the setting is isolated, emotions run high, the Spanish Civil War is right outside the gates - the film is quiet and eerie - in some ways reminiscent of THE SHINING. Del Toro has cited the ghost stories of Henry James as an influence, and I've only read Turn of The Screw, but I remember that foreboding feel I got from that book. Del Toro's slow, steady buildup of the mystery is especially effective once he unleashes absolute carnage of the desert orphanage where the film takes place. After an hour in Del Toro's grip, he lets loose with a violence that feels like nothing less than the apocalypse. The acting is uniformly excellent (Marisa Paredes and Federico Luppi are particularly touching as the principal and science teacher, whose romance is a nice touch of melodrama). The adults however are a distraction - this film belongs to the children of the orphanage. This film is about how they survive the extraordinary situation of war, affected by it, even in the isolation of the desert.

NINE QUEENS (Argentina)

Another SPC pickup - May not be for everyone. Towards the end of the film, the woman sitting next to me was putting on makeup! Still, if I noticed, I obviously wasn't giving it my full attention either.

The movie plays out similarly to David Mamet's HOUSE OF GAMES. This isn't a better film, but I think it benefits from a director with a better visual flair than Mamet (Or at least Mamet Circa 1987). Marcos (Ricardo Darin, looking a little bit like Joe Mantegna did in House of Games) is a veteran con man who picks up a young prospect about to be arrested for a swindle involving switched change at a convenience store. Juan (Gaston Pauls, looking nothing like Lindsay Crouse), the younger shark, is a good short con operator, but he's brash, impatient, and needs discipline. Marcos is in desparate need of a partner, and convinces Juan to stick with him, just for one day. The first 25 minutes of this movie is spent literally following these two men around the streets of Buenos Aires (I'm guessing here), as they move from one con to another. A call from an old partner of Marcos' pulls the pair into a scam involving the titular stamp collection, which could be the big score both small-timers are looking for. As Marcos leads them through the scam, more and more people get involved, and the pair find themselves in bed with half the population of Argentina just to pull off this one scam. Marcos, the veteran, appears to be losing ground with each new deal he makes and each new share he cuts, while he tries to maintain the role of tutor to Juan.

The two things that make the film work are the sharp dialogue and the great chemistry between the two leads. We have to follow them for the entire film, and the fact is that writer/director Fabian Bielinsky has managed to make them likeable, even while they con an old lady out of her precious heirloom ring. And the film feels realistic, unfolding over a 24 hour period. Some scenes don't work, like a short chase sequence where two people chase a motorcycle on foot, or a confused bathroom scene where Marcos initiates the big deal. This is not a big deal - this is one of those movies you'll walk out of liking it, but comparing it to other, better films you've seen before. Bielinsky shows promise - he just needs his own voice.

Hello there everyone, Coffin Joe Jr. is here, back from a trip to the US West Coast, after a two week hiatus. Missed you crazy fellas. The little devils from HELL shall burn your soul if you don´t read on! An army of spiders, snakes and scorpions will invade your home and really mess with you! An unspeakable film "rewrite" will horrify you! Beware! You´ve been warned! My wrath shall be eternal! Not really, but read the column. Please. Please, read it. Please. I beg you.

US

-Paramount Classics had a healthy start to its Colombian movie "Our Lady of the Assassins" ("La Virgen de los Sicarios" is the original title) , directed by veteran Barbet Schroeder, which premiered in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles with a $55,044 gross. Averaging a stellar $13,761 per site, the picture will expand throughout the fall all across the U.S. Visit the movie´s official site at the following address: Click Here to visit (The site has versions in Spanish, English and French)

-Actor John Leguizamo is in a lot of new stuff about to hit your local theater, including parts in the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle "Collateral Damage", in David S. Goyer´s ("Blade", "Dark City") directorial debut "Zigzag" and the Fox animated flick "The Ice Age". Cool projects for Mr.Leguizamo.

Quick one to add to this week´s column. Guillermo Del Toro´s "The Devil´s Backbone" has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics for distribution in the U.S., just to let you guys know.

BRAZIL

-More stuff regarding director Walter Salles Jr ("Central Station") who showcased his latest flick, "Abril Despedaçado", at the 58th Venice Film Festival. It seems that the latest project attached to Salles is a movie about the diary of revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, to be produced by Robert Redford. Italian director Ettore Scola will also be a part of the project. Salles´s "Abril Despedaçado" had a lukewarm reception from the crowd at the Venice Film Festival, got mixed reviews, but won one award, the Leoncino d´Oro, given by the young members of the festival´s audience.

MEXICO

-Lots of good news for Mexican cinema coming from the 58th Venice Film Festival. Actors Gael Garcia Bernal ("Amores Perros") and Diego Luna won the Marcello Mastroianni Award for newcomer actors, because of their work in the movie "Y tu Mamá También" directed by Alfonso Cuarón. "Y tu Mamá También" won another major award, for best screenplay, given to Carlos Cuarón. Congrats to everyone.

"Y tu Mamá También" is already playing in Mexico, it will premiere in the U.S. on October 6th, as part of the New York Film Festival, and you folks up there in Toronto are going to be able to catch it today (September 11th), at the Toronto Film Festival.

COFFIN JOE JR. MOVIE REVIEWS

"Bufo & Spallanzani" (Brazil - 2000) Director: Flávio R. Tambellini

Brief plot summary for those paying attention: Insurance investigator, who later becomes novelist(!?), suspects one of his clients is faking his own death, using the poison from a strange type of frog to remain alive while being apparently dead. He goes on to investigate the case with the help of a girl named Minolta (stupid, stupid name, but she´s naked for most of the picture so who cares?) and a scientist who knows all about the damn amphibians. Sounds strange enough for ya?

This movie is based on a famous novel by local author Rubens Fonseca. I have not read the book, but now I´m curious to see if some of the flaws of the story are in the book, or happened in the transition to the big screen.

There are not many thrillers from Brazil, and a noir is basically a rarity, an odd and very unusual thing to happen. "Bufo & Spallazani" is not your average suspense flick, it has its fair share of bizarre characters, weird plot devices, and just kooky stuff. Don´t get me wrong sometimes it is very good stuff, but the quirky aspect of the whole thing wears out after a while. The naked chick thing ( if you see the movie you´ll know what I mean) felt like a cheap gimmick. Another complaint I got is the lack of solid action, or some tension at least. There is a desperate outburst of stuff in the final reel that just seems out of place.

One thing these guys got right is the mood. This is one moody, rainy, dark, little movie. Great cinematography. Performances are mostly decent as well, nothing stunning, but nothing too bad. The cast handles the material very well, and plays it straight. The plot is a bit confusing at times, but intriguing, and if it had been developed properly it could have worked really well. Unfortunately we get hints of brilliance that never go anywhere. I was truly pissed about this one, because it had the potential to be something really special.

Visit the official site at: www.bufo.com.br

I´m done for this week.

Coffin Joe Jr. says: bye.