Goya's Ghosts

Last night I was watching a movie from 2006 called Goya's Ghosts, directed by Milos Forman. The movie opens in Spain in 1792 where the Inquisition are investigating the works of successful painter Francisco Goya (played by Stellan Skarsgard). However, one of Goya's models, Ines (played by Natalie Portman) is arrested by the Inquisition and "put to The Question" (tortured). In order to release her, Goya is forced to make a deal with hypocritical Inquisitor, Lorenzo (played by Javier Bardem). Although the historical setting of the movie is fairly authentic, the plot is entirely fictional. The movie is visually very lavish and very well-made. Apparently it had pretty bad reviews when it was released but I really liked it, and Natalie Portman looked great. It reminded me in many ways of Forman's earlier film Quills, in that they both feature an iconoclastic and controversial artist (in the case of Quills it was the Marquis de Sade), both of them semi in love with a young muse, and struggling against a hyprocritical authority figure. Personally I preferred Quills.

It was another really dull day at work, and as usual I was really glad to get back home this evening.