Puna I agree, there are always a few exceptions, of course, but whenever I'm choosing a movie to go to and considering the big blockbusters or the "action" ones (violence is more like it), an acute feeling of laziness(I don't know how else to describe it) comes upon me....besides I know for a fact that those will be shown on tv soon anyway. However movies such as "The colour purple", "Thelma & Louise", "The Shawshank redemption", or the more risquee "Boys don't cry", are true gems!!!
On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of Spanish movies, I admit it, I think the younger generations are doing a much better job, but until recently, all the directors seemed to have lived very traumatic experiences during the Franco era, and that showed in their work....way too much in my opinion.
And then there's Almodovar....I don't really think his movies are that great at all, and being a Spaniard I've never related to any of his characters. I relate a lot more to some characters in American movies. I confess I like to watch a good chick's movie once in a while and Americans are the best ("Steel magnolias", "When Harry meet Sally"....)
Plus, we don't have anything remotely close to those great American classics: "Singin' in the rain", "The appartment", "Roman Holiday", "Some like it hot", "West side story", or the more recent "Schindler's list".

Hey LiM, maybe going to the movies would be a good idea to speed things up a little. When my mum was pregnant with me, she started labor at a movie theater watching "Seven brides for seven brothers" !

Pim, at least the movie didn't inspire your mom to give birth to septuplets!

I just LOVE the classic movies you mention--and I would add Casablanca and High Society to the list of movies that are just delightful to watch. And anything with Astaire, even though the plots are sort of lame...

I tend to like movies with clever dialogue more than films with lots of special effects and explosions...and have found that recently, many of the European films (and smaller American films)have "smarter" writing (an example--last year's French film Amelie).

That said, of course I will go see Star Wars soon, even though the dialogue is likely to be horrible. It seems there are some movies that are (or become) part of the popular vocabulary here, and people almost feel compelled to see them!

Tara, fortunately, there would be so many great ones to mention .

Isn't it great when you go to a movie not really convinced that you want to watch it, actually, thinking that it's not going to be "your kind", because your partner "takes you", or whatever, and end up just soo glad that he/she/they did?!

It happened to me with Shrek last year, and more recently, with an Argentinian movie that I was sure I wasn't going to like but that I LOOOVED!!! I recommend it to everyone, is "El hijo de la novia". Such great actors, they're much better than most Spanish ones.

I got this sent from a friend in spain, its in spanish and long, so I'm only going to pick a few. But its funny. Whoever came up with it certainly is a keen observer. If you put yourself in the place of a Non-american watching an American movie, it really does make sense!

Things we would not know if it weren't for American movies:

In any police investigation, its necessary to visit at least one strip club.

All of the numbers in the US start with 555.

Most dogs are immortal.

If someone is chasing you through the city, you can always get away from them by blending in with the participants of the St. Patricks day parade, no matter what the time of year.

Only one match is necessary to light up a room the size of a futbol stadium

Every morning, american moms always make eggs, bacon and waffles for the family even though her husband and children don't have time to eat them! :o

It is always possible to park in front of the building where you are going and have business in.

If you decide to dance in the street, you'll notice that everyone around you knows the steps!

Everyone in medevil times had perfect teeth.

When they're alone, foreigners prefer to speak in english.

Just a few! Hope it made some of you chuckle!

Sorry Pim, but I don't agree with you. I feel more related with characters in Spanish films, although of course, not Almodovar ones. I see almost of the American films as just cinema, but a few of them like Singles, Reallity bites or American beauty which could be a description of the American society. Anyway, I find more closer the description of reallity made in films like Barrio, Solas or Los peores años de nuestra vida. Anyway I think American cinema is not comparable to European

About the Guerra Civil, probably there are more films about the Vietnam War or the II WW, and probably is the only possibility for a Spanish director to make a film in a war environment that we could find more or less actual.

As for the classic cinema, I think the American classics are art, I love them, and I miss that quality in actual films.

I hate the films about themes too American, or the too American scenes in films.

Pim, a number of the American films you mentioned were independent films - released thru major studios. Taravb - totally agree with you - the old classics are just that - true classics. The scripting was superb - same as in so many of the independent films. Espe3 - loved it! thanks!!!

Puma, glad you enjoyed them! Maybe another day I'll post a couple more.