Director Aníbal Di Salvo (the one of Las lobas and ¡Chúmbale! fame) revisits his childhood years in Bella Vista. ¡Me robaron el papel picado! is the only new Argentine release this week, starring tango singer-actor Guillermo Fernández and Mimí Ardu (the has-been starlet rescued from oblivion by Pablo Trapero in La Bonaerense).
Marking a departure from Thursday as film première day in Buenos Aires, Michael Bay’s Transformers: la venganza de los caídos (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) opened yesterday at numerous screens around .
Thursday will see the release of the thriller Pride and Glory (US/ Germany, 2008, in English and Spanish), and Italy’s Giorni e nuvole (Italy / Switzerland, 2007, in Italian with Spanish language subtitles).

—¡ME ROBARON EL PAPEL PICADO! An exercise in self-adoration by filmmaker Aníbal Di Salvo, who recalls his young years as a singer in the northern BA district of Bella Vista, and then his first contact with cinema. He started out as a cinematographer, a field in which he achieved renown, and then tried his hand at directing. Written and directed by: Aníbal Di Salvo. With: Guillermo Fernández, Mimí Ardú, Miguel Habud, Damián Padín, Edgardo Moccia, Carlos Galletini. NC13. Running time: 83 minutes.

—TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (Transformers: la venganza de los caídos, US, 2009). For those familiar with this adventure saga, Starscream returns to Earth to engage in a battle to save the whole universe. The Autobots find out that the dead body of Megatron has come back to life thanks to the good services of Skorpinox, and that Megatron has now sided with the villains. Written by: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Directed by: Michael Bay. With: Shia LaBeouf, Isabel Lucas, Josh Duhamel, Michael Papajohn, John Turturro. One print to be screened with the Imax 2D system. Distributed by UIP. NC13. Running time: 149 minutes.

—PRIDE AND GLORY (Código de familia, US/Germany, 2008). This is a very atypical family: all members are cops, but some are on the wrong side of the tracks, which comes to light when four New York law enforcers are murdered. Peppered with drugs and snitches. Written by: Joe Carnahan and Gavin O’Connor, based on a story by Gavin O’Connor, Gregory O’Connor and Robert Hopes. With: Colin Farrell, Edward Norton, Jon Voight, Noah Emmerich, Jennifer Ehle, John Ortiz. Distributed by Distribution Company. NC16. Running time: 118 minutes.

—GIORNI E NUVOLE (Days and Clouds, Canada/Sonrisas y lágrimas, Argentina), Italy/Switzerland, 2007). A well-off, rather sophisticated middle-class family finds themselves in dire straits after the bread winner is fired from his well-paid job, which goes to show that everyone, even First World citizens, are subject to this kind of tribulation. Written by: Silvio Soldini, Doriana Leondeff, Francesco Piccolo and Federica Pontremoli, based on a story by Silvio Soldini, Doriana Leondeff and Francesco Piccolo. Directed by: Silvio Soldini. With: Margherita Buy, Antonio Albanese, Giuseppe Battiston, Alba Rohrwacher, Carla Signoris, Fabio Troiano. Distributed by Impacto Cine. PG. Running time: 115 minutes.