Steineded How sad is this?

Executscan Expected more

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

eschnitz Cuéntame is a great depiction of how history is lived by ordinary people. You don't have to have been there to appreciate it, it informs you with a wealth of everyday detail in the sets, characters and conversations. I had seen odd episodes on previous visits to Spain and now I'm here for the year, I'm watching it religiously! And luckily now we're in the fall of 1975 at the end of Francoism and the beginning of the exciting period of the Transition (to democracy). It's fascinating to see all the aspects of society brought out in the different episodes, from the sexual revolution or pop culture to the Communist underground or the many ways people saw the coming political and social changes. Arguments in the local bar or around the dinner table are fascinating. Other aspects include the transformation of Spanish women (and recovery of the rights they lost under Franco), as we see the mother of the house go to university and confront new ideas. As an older woman who has struggled to reach a comfortable status, she is seen as bourgeoise and worse by the other students. The series is full of such revealing details, and the actors all perform very convincingly. Sometimes Cuéntame hits a nerve, as in the latest episode shown on Nov 8th 2007 on TVE. The Alcántara brothers go to visit their father's grave and talk about how he was killed and where he was buried- a prime example of the importance of the Law of Historical Memory just passed by the Spanish government after long, grinding debate. Antonio- the marvellous Imanol Arias who gives him all his interesting tics and his honesty- once again manages to express the perfect middle ground, slippery as it may be.I wish there were more series of this kind, and in other countries. An example to be followed!

s c This series must be the best Spanish series of the decade. Every Thursday (it's on Thursdays) it's number 1. This means that nearly all Spain has watched this.This happens every single Thursday except when there is football.I'm a huge fan of this series because of lots of reasons. It is a perfect mix of fact & plot. Depicts the era perfectly from an insider's point of view and keeps the viewer immersed in the life of the Alcantara family. If you are not watching it, I would start by buying all the seasons. It is really worth it. It has won lots of prizes, it is the Spanish TV series by excellence. I hope you will enjoy it if you see it like I've enjoyed it the past 10 years. This is the best Spanish cinema.When I come home on Thursdays, I come home to see Cuentame!

mateluna First "Cuéntame", then "Cuéntame cómo pasó", this series interestingly started 2 days after 9-11. It follows more or less the same format of "The Wonder years" TV series, but in Spanish.It narrates the life of a working class Spanish family from Madrid, with the background of the latter days of the Franco dictatorship in Spain, as seen by the eyes of a little boy.The family is made up of Antonio and Mercedes, who emigrated from a rural village, with the maternal grandmother, Toni and Inés, the teenage kids, and Carlos, the youngest (and the narrator).And while it does have some clichés (the hardworking father who does not want to see reality -something not too unfamiliar in these times-, the respectful mother, the revolutionary son, the proletarian priest, etc), it does try to depict the life of a particular family in which the traditional point of views of the parents/grandparents collide against the younger generation, influenced by the university, the cultural scene, and the preponderance of fascism, genocidal wars and the overthrowing of governments in the name of "democracy".

maria-dolores_vazquez-abad The great value of "Cuéntame cómo pasó" is not the story itself, but how is it told to viewers. With simplicity, honesty, at times comical, at times tragic, without exaggerating characters or situations, this is the most enjoyable and the best TV series I have ever seen.It is a true family show, with the added value of stating deep social, moral and ethical questions, which avoids completely "cheap philosophical clichés" presenting realistic circumstances where the different choices often lead to opposite consequences. Furthermore, as in real-life, the characters make the choices influenced by individual emotional feelings frequently contrary to reason and good sense. We see all this happen and understand each character's realistic situation, never knowing what to expect.There are no good or bad individuals; they are people just like any one of us. Their interactions are not predictable and they don't always act the way they should, making mistakes leading the plot to unexpected outcomes.Although it is set in a specific time and place, and yes, historical events are carefully embroidered within the plot, the main story is about the human being, jealousy, greed, lust, pride, drive for performance and improvement; and the interactions of every-day individuals within and without the family circle, their double standards in the judgments of others compared to their own; it exposes the weaknesses and strengths of our culture, transcending beyond Spain to all Western cultures and beyond Spanish to non-Spanish speaking audiences.