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Nine Queens

Nine Queens

List Price: $29.95
Your Price: $23.96
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Smart Film That Keeps You Guessing
Review: I admit that I'm a sucker for con movies. The idea of the clever heist intrigues me. What this film has, that many others don't, is the appropriate characterization to understand the deal in play. As it unfolds, you're exposed to so many possible angles and, more importantly, plausible angles that you can't let your guard down the entire length of the film. A very enjoyable movie!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Smart Film That Keeps You Guessing
Review: I admit that I'm a sucker for con movies. The idea of the clever heist intrigues me. What this film has, that many others don't, is the appropriate characterization to understand the deal in play. As it unfolds, you're exposed to so many possible angles and, more importantly, plausible angles that you can't led your guard down the entire length of the film. A very enjoyable movie!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Even better than all the hype
Review: I am always hesitant to see a movie after it receives so many rave reviews, becuase it is often dificult for such movies to meet my expectations. This film, is one of the few examples in which it actually exceeded all of the hype.

It's a con movie, in the tradition of classics like "The Sting" but it moves much quicker. It's not until the credits start rolling that the viewer gets an idea of how complete the heist was and exactly who was in charge. I saw this movie first in Europe, and was incredibly disappointed that it was not released in the US, so I could watch it again, because it is a movie that you can watch again and again and gather more clues with each viewing.

I was sad to hear that a US company bought the rights to the story. It will be difficult for them no to butcher it, because this was perfect.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantastic movie - close to the bone
Review: I lived in Argentina for nearly four years, mostly in Buenos Aires, the capital city and location of this plot. It is well crafted, well interpreted and well produced. The characters are quite believable. The "Porteno" (sorry, no enye) is world famous for his slick tounge and lack of scruples. I KNOW some people like that in Argentina. If you shake hands with these scam artists count your fingers before leaving the meeting :-).

Great movie.
Enjoy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fantastic movie - close to the bone
Review: I lived in Argentina for nearly four years, mostly in Buenos Aires, the capital city and location of this plot. It is well crafted, well interpreted and well produced. The characters are quite believable. The "Porteno" (sorry, no enye) is world famous for his slick tounge and lack of scruples. I KNOW some people like that in Argentina. If you shake hands with these scam artists count your fingers before leaving the meeting :-).

Great movie.
Enjoy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Vive La Vivenza Criolla!
Review: I purchased this film based upon my desire for exposure to Argentine cinema and the rave reviews from other viewers, and it did not disappoint. I found Nine Queens to be a very enjoyable and intelligent effort; one that keeps the viewer in full suspence. This is the story of two con-artists: one a seasoned professional looking for a new partner (Marcos, played by Ricardo Darin), and the other a younger, seemingly amatuer "kid" who has a virtuous appeal to him(Juan, played by Gaston Pauls), who is trying to raise seventy thousand pesos to save his father. Together, they set out to pull off the biggest scam of them all: the sale of counterfeit stamps, known as the "Nine Queens", to an overly-eager Spaniard who must leave the country.

As someone who has lived in Buenos Aires twice, I found this film to be an enjoyable ride through a city known for its "vivenza criolla" (creole cunning), where a guiding philosophy for some is "do what you have to do to get ahead". If that means lying, cheating, exploiting the system, or even stealing from an old lady, so be it. While every big city in every country has its own vivenza criolla, Buenos Aires is the perfect setting because of the decadent feel of a Latin Paris whose best days are behind it. The scams involved in this movie are brilliant and even humorous to a point. Needless to say, they are believable. Furthermore, the twists and turns in the storyline add a tension that cannot be beat.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who happens to be reading these reviews and is still undecided. Nine Queens is probably one of the best dvd purchases I have made, and I am eager to show it to my fellow movie-buff friends. A great addition to anyone's library, and *POSSIBLE SPOILER* I must say it has a conclusion that rivals that of The Usual Suspects.

-James



Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mamet-like without the unbearable Mamet dialogue
Review: I rented 'Nine Queens' because I recently saw the Argentine film "Son of the Bride" and really enjoyed Ricardo Darin's performance. 'Nine Queens' was his previous film. Thought I'd give that a try as well. Verdict: Even better.

The closest approximations to this film I can think of are David Mamet's 'House of Games' and 'The Spanish Prisoner.' Even though I like Mamet, his stilted, staccato staging of rat-a-tat-tat dialogue drives me (any many others) crazy. 'Nine Queens' gives you the intrigue and twists and cons of Mamet, stripped away of the irritation.

The movie itself is a finely crafted, guilty pleasure. It's pretty much impossible to review without itching to give away plot twists, so you'll find none of that here.

The two leads (Darin, Gaston Pauls) are very good, but I want to point out a performance that I thought was outstanding: Ignasi Abadal as Spanish businessman Vidal Gandolfo. His performance is mesmerizing...a perfect blend of arrogance, confidence and bluff.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent Argentine film that Americans will enjoy!
Review: I saw Nine Queens (Nueve Reinas) while in Argentina in 2000, and absolutely loved this movie. It has appeal beyond it's country's borders. The plot pulls you in as it thickens, and the characters are vibrant. You will be riveted up till the end of this movie. The cinematography is also excellent, and the use of Buenos Aires' port and other areas is very well done. I haven't seen this movie yet in the US (hoping it comes to my town!) but plan to see it at least once more, if not several more times.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: a great flick
Review: i saw this movie on a hunch with a few friends. hey, we like our independent films. it completely blew us away. jean plays the innocent street urchin brilliantly, while marcos is even better as the man who always tries to screw everybody. while i call it brilliant, there weren't too many surprises in this double-cross movie. pretty much just guess at the opposite of what is happening and you're right. but it was still a brilliant piece of filmmaking. go see it. definitely.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: So clever, I didn't even mind reading subtitles!
Review: I usually hate subtitles, but this was such an engrossing movie that I barely noticed doing it. The acting is great, the characters engaging, and honestly I can't see one hole in the plot, in spite of how complex it is. Usually movies like this have a few holes but this one is very tightly written.


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