Terrorism knocks your front door....HOMELAND

There are times when economic crisis hit us. Others when social media explotes and goes viral. Others when violence invades the streets and security is a matter of time. Or some when family values are expose by tendencies and new sets of mind. But what happens when all the above mix and get together invading every corner of the room? It's call terrorism. Since a decade ago we've been witness of a war happening in the middle eastern. A war that explode based in a clash of politics and religion with the occidental world. And when other interests get involve the result translates in one of the most recent wars in history between the world and terrorism cels trying to break us and infiltrate with violence into society creating a sense of threat among your daily basis. But who's behind all this? who create who? Are the one who pushed the bottom to activate them or we are just a response from their actions?

The United States of America are the main country involved in this, representing all what the new world means. Their policy of create and get involve in all different kind of wars around the globe since the end of WWII has created a sense of hate against them and once that the gulf war ended a new one detonated with Afghanistan as the center of the Islam. So back to 9/11 when the country was under attack a new war exploded till these days. Most of this war has been located out of the country but many threats of new attacks had been moving around. So what would happen if the enemy is at actually here already. At home. And it's one of us under the direction of one of the main cells planing a new attack unless someone can figure it out, identify it and stop it. This is "HOMELAND" (2011-actual), one of the most engaging shows recently, an Emmy winner as best show, a thriller that will keep you edging at your seat wondering what would be the next move and if we would be able to stop it before it's too late.

The story centers on a CIA agent, Carrie, one of their best. A woman that has been in the field back in Afghanistan, that has seen the war and know the faces that we are looking for and how the pieces are moving in their side so when she hears that a new threat is coming under the arm of one of our own won't stop till prove the opposite. Just in time a lost soldier was found and brought back home. Sgt. Brody, a tormented marine that has been kept in enemy arms for 8 years fights to get back home in all ways. His mind seems lost and far, and the fact that he has change after all what he has been through won't make it easier to his family that now have to get back to the idea of him not been dead. Is he ready to re connect or has to find first his way home? Or is he just finding a way to complete his mission or in fact he's innocent and we are just watching him evolve from a prisoner to freedom again. Can you be the same person after being adopted for a different culture that torture you but at the same time saved you?

Our main fear is the same as agent Carrie Mathison, fail to protect our home, our culture, our nation, our believes and ideas, all what we stand for can end in seconds in hands of something different, but is that new stranger always a bad thing or again is just our fear to something different and unknown that scare us? A race against the clock stars and won't stop even after knowing whats the target or who's behind the curtain. We will learn that war is more complex than just an act of terrorism. This feeds from all the politics and interests behind. There are so many people involved, not only government but agencies that things get more complex to identify a real cause or origin but a snow ball keeps growing and feeding from avery act till everything is too confused that only looking at details and small pieces that we'll be able to see through. That's the quest of Mathieson, a woman with bipolar disorder, hiding to from her agency to protect her career but only leading her to a personal war that will get in between saving her from herself and save her career and her country from other hands that are looking for other than what this nation stands for.

So, who are the real enemies or the real villains in this story? are the terrorists outsiders or they also live in here? As the seasons of the show go by, we learn that things have always a two side story, two perspectives and no one act just without reason. We didn't create Islam but th kind of hate against it has been growing inside by people with an agenda for their own.We set the pieces in the right place to create chaos and detonate war. Also nobody is as bad or as good to be a hero or a villain, so neither Carrie or Nicholas are able to save or destroy without help and when they both collide, not only romance will happen but also they will help and learn from each other, saving them from a destiny of honor and disgrace, from death and glory. So when comes to protect your home what is really on stake? Saving yourself from others or you really threatened by others trying to destroy what you have built? Will you as them figure it out in time to stop it or maybe it's too late for any of us?

BRADLEY COOPER...a very american sniper and hustler

Bradley Charles Coope nació un 5 de enero de 1975 en Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, razón por la cual a la fecha es fiel asiduo al equipo local de football. De ascendencia Italiana por parte de su madre e Irlandesa por su padre fue criado catolico. Graduado con honores de la universidad de Georgetown, en la cual participo en el programa de arte y teatro así como aprendiz francés fluido tras un intercambio en dicho país por varios meses lo cual lo orillo a iniciarse a las artes tomando una maestría en The New School en NYC y su escuela de drama para actores. Mientras tanto trabajaba de portero en un hotel. Esto lo llevo a participar en un episodio para la serie "Sex and the city" que lo llevo a debutar en su primer rol cinematográfico, interpretando a un gay de closet en la comedia ahora de culto "Wet Hot American Summer" (2001) y que en ese entonces compartiría créditos con un elenco de A listers de esta generación.

Despues de este lanzamiento se mueve atreves de varias seres televisivas con participaciones que van de pequeñas a medianas, llamando mas y mas la atención a cada paso en ellas. Pero es en 2005 que con su papel de antagonista como el prometido patan y machista de la dulce protagonista en la comedia "The Wedding Crashers" que su cara se pone bajo la mira de todos los reflectores, mas aun cuando la cinta fue un éxito sorpresivo de dicho verano cotizando a todos los involucrados. En 2006 regresa a la pantalla grande en otra comedia romántica "Failure to Launch" interpretando a uno de los mejores amigos del protagonista y aunque su papel es limitado en dialogo y tiempo en pantalla, logra ponerse a la altura del resto del elenco con mayor reconocimiento y su cara genera expectativas en una comedia que no ofreció nada nuevo contando las travesías de un soltero treintañero con miedo al compromiso.

En 2008 protagoniza una cinta de bajo presupuesto que paso desapercibida, "Older than America", contando la historia de la aniquilación de los nativos Americanos en la colonización de la nueva Norteamérica. Moviendose a territorios mas comerciales y re conocidos forma parte de la cinta "The Rocker" (2008), una comedia sobre un adulto buscando liderear una banda de rock en busca de popularidad. La cinta fue un rotundo fracaso y el actor no pudo estar mas agradecido de su pequeño rol que no lo relaciona con ella. Desgraciadamente 2008 no fue su año ya que finalmente logra protagonizar una cinta, "The Midnight Meat Train", un thriller donde el actor funge como protagonista y villano al contar la historia de un reportero siguiendo la leyendo de un psicopata que asesina en el metro. A pesar de estar basado en la popular serie de novelas, la cinta paso desapercibida y mucha gente a la fecha ignora la participación del actor en ella, mala publicidad tal vez?

La suerte da un giro cuando regresa a sus conocidos roles del mejor amigo del protagonista, esta vez para la cinta "Yes man" (2008), sobre un hombre que se propone decir a todo que si, lo cual lo llevara a divertidas e inesperadas sorpresas. La cinta fue un éxito de la temporada decembrina de ese año lo cual torno las cosas a favor del actor ya que en 2009 es el año que cambiaría su carrera. Empezando con la cinta "He's not that into you", una comedia romántica que fue un éxito y con un ensamble de actores reconocidos interpretando varias historias sobre amores y desamores de jóvenes en relaciones modernas, mas el actor destaca como uno de los mas atractivos y populares a pesar de su historia ser una mas de desamor que de romance. Posteriormente para ese verano co protagonizaria su mayor éxito a la fecha y su rol mas conocido como el amigo galán de una tercia de perdedores en "The Hungover", una comedia que se convirtió en un éxito que nadie vio venir, donde tres amigos despiertan crudos y sin memoria de lo que paso la noche anterior cuando festejaban la despedida de soltero del cuarto amigo que ha desaparecido.

La cinta genero dos secuelas: "The hangover part II" (2011), y "The hangover part III"(2013), la primera superando el exit de la primera pero repitiendo la formula solo ubicada en Shanghai y la tercera con menor éxito tratando de mostrar una historia diferente donde los amigos enfrentaran a la mafia antes de otra boda. Pero regresando al 2009, y tras saborear las mieles del éxito y la popularidad el actor presenta un tropiezo en el camino, la comedia "All about Steve", una las peores cintas del año acorde a los críticos y que tuvo cero éxito en taquilla, tras pretender fungir como comedia romántica para un par de personajes histéricos y atontados que pasear del carisma de sus protagonistas, el actor y la actriz Sandra Bullock, fue imposible de salvar. Pero cerrando el 2009, regresa al genero de suspenso con la cinta "Case 39", sobre un mujer encargada de adoptar a un pequeño que carga con una maldicion que amenaza a la joven y a todos a su alrededor. Esta cinta a su vez sirve como excusa para relación al actor con la protagonista, la actriz Renee Zellweger, con quien vive una relación que terminaría dos años después.

Tratando de repetir formulas y éxitos, forma parte de otra comedia romántica con historias paralelas y elenco multi estelar "Valentine's Day" (2010), mas esta no corre con la misma suerte al sentirse cansada la formula y no ofreciendo nada nuevo, pero siendo la historia del actor y Julia Roberts una de las mas rescatables de la cinta. Gozando de popularidad, ingresa a los blockbusters, en un remake de la serie de television "The A-team" (2010), la cual para su genero y dada su fuente original resulto en una agradable sorpresa que se tradujo en una taquilla decente, pero encasillando al actor en su rol de galán y héroe simpatico, lo que lo llevaría a su primer protagónico, la cinta "Limitless" (2011), un thriller sobre un hombre que tras tomar una pastilla desarrolla una habilidad en su cerebro por arriba de la media, logrando descifrar y ver lo que nadie mas, poniéndolo también en riesgo como objetivo de experimento. Al día de hoy el éxito de la cinta llevo al actor a producir una serie de television basada en ella. Y ya metido en la producción también lo hace con la cinta "The Words" (2012), otro thriller sobre el romance de un hombre y la musa que lo inspiro a escribir su historia, pero la falta de suspenso y ritmo llevo a la cinta a un fracaso taquillero.

Tomando el asiento trasero por un monto solo forma parte de la cinta "Hit n run" (2012), una comedia de acción de corte independiente que paso sin gloria por la taquilla pero la critica le aplaudió, mas poco se oye de la participación del actor en ella. De lleno en la escena indie, forma parte de una cinta mas aclamada, "The place beyond the pines", un intenso drama familiar que se lleva a cabo en tres actos, y donde el actor interpreta a un policía que cargara en su conciencia con una decision que afectara el resto de su vida y su familia. Aplaudida por críticos y taquilla, así como a su elenco. Continuando su racha de grandes proyectos y excelentes actuaciones co protagoniza la cinta "Silver Lining playbook" (2012), una comedia romántica sobre un par de incomprendidos con problemáticas de comportamiento y que le generaría una nominación a los premios Oscar de la Academia. Ademas del éxito taquillero de la cinta. Esto lo haría regresar a la batuta del director David O. Russell para la cinta "American Hustler" (2013), sobre un grupo de bandidos de cuello blanco en los setenta y donde el actor interpreta a un joven neurótico viviendo con su madre mientras planea los siguientes movimientos de sus socios. Otra nominación para el actor entre varias mas para la cinta.

Regresando a los blockbuster, esta vez solo presta su voz a un mapache mal hablado en la cinta de ciencia ficción "Guardianes de la Galaxia" (2014), una de las sorpresas de ese verano y una las cintas mas taquilleras también, al menos hasta que otra de sus cintas, esta vez protagonizada por el y contando la historia de un francotirador americano en la guerra del medio Oriente, que lo ha llevado a ser el numero uno en cabezas caídas a la fecha, "American Sniper" (2014), otra nominada los premios de la Academia así como otra nominación para el actor. Este año lo vimos finalmente en "Serena" (2015), un melodrama histórico de dos recién casados y donde vuelve a compartir créditos con la actriz Jennifer Lawrence pero que tras ser apabullada por la crítica gozo de una corrida limitada y se fue directo a Netflix.

Posteriormente y en lo que ha sido un año negro para el actor, un fracaso mas a lista, otra cinta enlatada que vio la luz en el verano para ser aplastada por la critica e ignorada por la audiencia, "Aloha", otra comedia romántica que ni es comida ni tiene romance al pretender contar la historia de redención de un piloto al re encontrarse con su ex esposa en su natal Hawaii y encontrar el amor con una general. Así de mal como suena es el resultado que ni un atractivo elenco ni el pedigree del director pudo hacer nada. Y quemándose tal como su titulo "Burnt" (2015), otra vehículo para el lucimiento del protagonista fallo este otoño al mostrar a un patan como protagonista y su historia para enmendar su vida como persona y chef, tratando de tomarse demasiado en serio fallo en una formula repetitiva y que nuevamente ni el atractivo elenco pudo salvar. Y para cerrar con broche de oro el año, "Joy" (2015), una comedia sobre la vida e historia de una madre de familia creadora del trepador que se seca automático y que la llevo a ser una exitosa mujer de negocios y donde el actor solo aparece como actor de reparto interpretando al gerente de una cadena televisiva que ayuda a la protagonista en su lucha por posicionar su producto. Mientras la taquilla sido benévola, la critica a rechazado este nuevo proyecto dejando su futuro y el del actor en suspenso y en busqueda de una real redención que le permita regresar al buen camino de buenos proyectos y actuaciones que lo posiciones como uno de los mejores de su generación o quede en el olvido de las caras bonitas.

Concussion...will hit you hard

What would take to break you down? or how much damage do you need to kill yourself (physically or psychologically)? or on the other side what motivates you or you want the most? As the movie quotes: heaven was on top and America was next to it, that's the motivation and life changing for our leading man in "Concussion" (2015), the journey of a man while becoming and discovering what be a real American means while fights and stands for what he thinks is right and to prove the truth against the most American tradition, football. He is a Nigerian doctor that always dreamed to become and be seen as an American since from his country and own perspective, this country is a land of opportunities. A place where dreams come true and you can become who ever you want and do whatever you can. A place where anyone can pretend or become the person wanted to be even if that means being for real or fake just to become a better self. But as great as it sounds it all comes with a price as he is about to realize and most important, not everything is as good as it seems and it's all about selling an image and an idea.

He is a very pragmatic and dedicated person. Dedicated to study and improve in his field as a doctor working in the morgue performing autopsies to death people unable to connect with the living but finding exciting to discover what happen with the death bodies to end there and discovering by the way they die how they used to live. Circumstances put him in the right moment for a life changing event when a local sports celebrity ends in his table and once he performs the autopsy more questions pop out, leading him to get deeper involved and discovering facts that will change a national league. This celebrity was a football star and what he found in his brain exposes a new desease caused by concussions in his brain after years of being exposed to crashing a helmet while playing cause our body was not design for such impact.

Football is the most popular sport in the USA. Ruled by the National Football league (NFL), has become more than a sport and entertainment into a millionaire industry that works only for business, not caring about the health of it's players but to rule a game that owns a day of the week and it's loved by millions. So what happen when the fun and the passion for the game turns into a sad reality where once super stars start to die at a young age. We realized how blind we have been craving for a sport that fulfill us with that energy and passion to root for a team that we cherish as our own, caring for it as part of our lives just to move on when the lights are off and all those beloved players become strangers and their faith goes dark for the rest of us until they are back to the front page news as part of suicidal stories.

How come a sport so popular can hide such a big impact in their players and rule the industry and economy of it's country that is able to sacrifice a few in order to keep the show going on. So once that this doctor publish a new desease blaming them for negligence and stands for the truth gets treated and offended, he hasn't done anything wrong, just doing his job and being called a liar for doing the right thing, how offensive to anyone that can be? that's where he'll realize that this idea of a perfect nation is not but another dream and performance that was sold to the world. How's possible that in a powerful nation like this, not a single doctor exposed this before and all the insiders preferred to sell their soul and buy a lie over to do the right thing and one someone does, is looked as an outsider, and in fact it is but the funny fact is that the foreign is the one doing actually the most american thing, standing for what is right, so who's the real hero here?

What really means to be part of a new culture? Football is seen all around the world as a strategic game where giants face each other to fight strategically to overcome the opponent, a very american tradition and historical thing, but as in real life and as history proves, they will be up to sacrifice who and whatever it takes in order to achieve it and stand that idea. Everybody will point fingers and criticize when feeling threatened but at the end truth will stands for it's own and will prove who was right in the first place even if by then you had to overcome all the consequences and become another person or at least fake it in order to achieve the best of you. In that same way this movie moves from a drama that analyzes the life of a foreign doctor fighting to become the person and citizen he always wanted to be while facing the biggest challenge in his career, then switching to a scary thriller that exposes a reality that feel to relevant to be true but if so will let us wondering how's possible we could be so blind or if we would be able to watch it the same way ignoring all this facts and watching these people getting damage for life or will just move on once we leave the theater and be back to our routine and turn the tv on next Sunday.

SISTERS...cause they are some attachments that need to be broken

Hemos visto muchas parejas famosas en el mundo del entretenimiento a lo largo de la historia, por lo cual siempre las acordamos con afecto y nostalgia, y caemos fervientes antes su redes, sin importar de que se trate su nuevo proyecto. Así como Biruta y Capulina, Tom y Jerry, hasta las hermanas Olsen o pituka y petaca, tenemos a la colaboración mas moderna, gracias al famoso sit com live SNL: Tina Fey y Amy Poehler, quienes han demostrado ser metes creativas desarrollando proyectos independientes tanto en cine como television, mas cada excusa para ponerlas juntas siempre es bien recibida, incluyendo conducir los Globos de Oro. Pero el publico las ama juntas o separas y la química que transmiten es inigualable, razón por la cual en la vida real son grandes amigas o al menos es lo que pretenden mostrar, mientras una vive en NYC y la otra en LA.

No por menos, su nuevo proyecto, una nueva película que les brinda la oportunidad de protagonizar y estar detrás de cámaras como mentes creativas del proyecto, es una de las apuestas para esta concurrida temporada navideña. La cinta en cuestión, "Sisters" (2015), una comedia con un estilo de humor que mezcla el clásico humor exagerado de Poehler con el sarcasmo de Fey, pero que ha evolucionado en los limites de la comedia americana llena de pastelazos, gags tontos sobre drogas y sexo, así como mantener mucho corazón como historia lineal que la salva de convertirse en una comedia mas del montón o una apuesta barata del genero, pero definitivamente son sus protagonistas quienes llevan la cinta en sus hombros y la logran sacar adelante, no solo entreteniendo sino dejándonos con un buen sabor de boca.

La historia es muy simple, dos hermanas, totalmente diferentes una de otra, pero unidas y con mucho amor por la otra, son forzadas a reunirse para visitar a sus padres una vez que estos han decidido vender la casa en la que crecieron para limpiar sus cuartos y tirar o guardar cualquier artefacto que gusten como recuerdo de su infancia. Obviamente la nostalgia las invade organizando una ultima fiesta de despedida que dará un giro a las cosas y a sus vidas dándoles finalmente una lección de madurez y para moverse adelante de la familia. Tratandose de una comedia y con un plot tan simple, el final se siente predecible incluso antes de que la cinta comience pero como bien dice el dicho, no todo es acerca de la meta sino del trayecto para llegar, por ello es que es este trayecto nos dará una que otra lección y bofetada con guante blanco mientras nos hara reír como cuando éramos niños.

La hermana Poehler es la menor, aplicada, dedicada, siempre tratando de ayudar a todos inclusive sin que se le pida o requiera, divorciada, vive atrapada en un mundo de aburrimiento incapaz de soltarse y aventurarse por mas, temiendo a otro fracaso e incapaz de romper sus propias reglas. Por otro lado esta la hermana mayor interpretada por Fey, una mujer irresponsable, capaz de comprometerse y hacer que las cosas funcionen por su espíritu liberal y aventurero y a pesar de ser una madre, su propia hija esta cansada de ser ella quien cuide de su madre. Ambas mujeres están atoradas en este dilema de sus vidas mas incapaz de salir de el pues es su propia personalidad la que las define y por la cual están donde están. No es hasta que esta rebeldía de organizar una fiesta invitando a todos sus ex amigos de la escuela, ahora todos casados y viviendo la vida de adultos, que las hace recapacitar entre la vida de adultos y sus responsabilidades como tal y la vida que pretenden como adolescentes, obligándolas a tomar riesgos y cambios que no serán fáciles que son mas un deber que una opción.

Esto nos pasa a todos mas seguido de lo que pareciera, sin darnos cuenta de donde estamos parados, vemos la vida pasar pensando que estamos haciendo lo correcto a pesar que todo el mundo nos tira en la cara lo contrario. No hay reglas que nos dicten cuando o que hacer para madurar, para comprometerse a una relación, para lograr un éxito profesional, pero siempre hay un manera de saber cuando las cosas no están saliendo bien y aunque volver a casa y recurrir a la familia es siempre la opción para sentirse seguro y recargar la pila para volver a enfrentar al mundo, aveces es esta escala la que nos regresa al punto de partida y en vez de volverse en una ayuda se vuelve una de las fuentes del problema, por lo que en ocasiones saber cortar el cordon umbilical y volar fuera del nido para aprender a sobrevivir por nosotros mismos sera la única lección que nos dejara conocernos a nosotros mismos por lo que somos y no por lo otros esperan de ti así como enfrentarnos a si mismos y darnos cuenta que el apellido lo traemos marcado en la sangre y aveces ese lazo es tan fuerte que l distancia ayuda a disolverlo para er las cosas claras y ser capaces de volver a casa con nuevos aires y una mejor persona que la que se fue.

THE BIG SHORT....a big hit!

When was the last time you heard or learned abut finance? Do you really know and fully understand what's going on with the big markets over Wall street and how they operate and control your nation's money? Well if you have no clue but you saw two years ago a movie called "The Wolf of wall Street" (2013) with Leonardo DiCaprio, you might have an idea of the concept of Wall Street, what is the role it plays economically and how all these people get involve with the money, buying and selling, investing in what brings millions to the table. But now we are about to see the movie that the previos mentioned intended to be. This is "The Big Short" (2015), a true story based on a novel from the same name that intends to tell the truth behind the last economic meltdown of Wall Street history and the last one that made the world collapse leading millions to lose their jobs and homes. And thats the best example of how the first world rules worldwide. How capitalism takes advantage of any opportunity to sell even lies and illegal transactions and how USA can make the markets go up as much as can make them go down.

So, not trying to get in details of the movie and ruin the surprise and also avoiding to bore anyone with financial terms hard to explain, this movie stand on it's own being the most interesting and funny finance class you will attend in years. Being original and creative, the story serves as a parody that makes us root for its characters while they try to achieve their goal, which is basically steal our money, which is when the reality hits and everything turns as sad and sarcastically pathetic as the system is. Delivering great performances from an A list cast that includes Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling,
Steve Carell and Christian Bale, the smart direction and script make them dance between comedy and drama, showing us how humans can we be when comes about money and how greedy can ur morals can turn, without being villains or heroes, just being smart and finding opportunities in a sea full of them. and it could be the more realistic heist movie you've seen in years but they are not planning to robe anyone, this guys just realize of a bubble in the system that can be used and turnes as an opportunity for a few and a disaster for the rest.

We are the ones to blame. For being so naive to put our future and money in hands of a system that promises to deliver more back, interest and ideals of dreams where everything can happen and we can jump from a hard working life to the American dream just by playing with the odds and take a risk. Is that how lazy we are or that's just pat of our fight to achieve and earn our place in a world that values who you are for how much you own? how much are you willing to sacrifice to make your money worth? Hanging around people that disgust you or annoys you but might be the right connections to get you to a better place matches with your own ideologies and what you stand for? How much do you know about the government rules and it;s rule for your money and future? Because we like to blame others for our own ignorance and it's not until things happen that we open our eyes or a movie like this comes to show us and explain us what really happened for something that only a few saw coming and no one ad the courage to stand for.

In 2008, an economic crisis happened in the United States, pointing fingers to the banks that as major institutions in the country managed to clean their guilt and made it through the chaos, but no one paid consequences but as the movie well says, just the ordinary people ends paying for the mistakes of those on top. If facts like this can happen in major economies like the big countries ruling the world what can the others called a third world can expect? when their economy hangs on currencies far from their own, becomes like a world wide to manage stability from falling down and crash. but how things end on the wrong hands if even the own government has no control on those markets and assume that all controls are set to avoid a mistake but theres no perfection and that cost will be paid for the rest of the country but not for the ones who created it in the first place. So that makes you inmoral or lack of honor if trying to look up for yourself in a market that becomes a battle field but where if place the right cards, can leave you with a financial security of a life time? What becomes more important, the role each of us play or the power that we give to others to play for us?

Each of one of the characters in the movie play an essential role in all this events. Each of them isolated from the other but acting like a chain reaction, getting this machine to work even realizing of the damage that will bring if succeed, but as said the fault won't be theirs, as they are just acting under the rules, taking advantage of a possibility, one created under the major nationwide mortgage industry and its own deficit as based for this country economy. All of them are doing their part and if succeed will deal with their own guilt but aso will get their own reward. And part of dealing with that guilt is that they came straight forward with the truth to the media and the government that ignored them and avoid getting into the sensitive matter, again letting them get away with their own. In fact sounds funny and ridiculous as any good comedy but also feels so real that makes it the worst drama or suspense in life and that's why this movie is now a golden globe and critics choice awards nominee, because it's able to educate, slap in our face while make us cry and laugh about the truth of real events that either you will enjoy it, will learn more about your finances, and will have a history lesson and explanation of facts, you will be entertained by the sad major event of the biggest most recent economic crisis if the century that affected million of people around the world and that at this day, has no faces that paid for it and no major rules have been applied to avoid and control banks and other institutions from steal our money. How's that for the next horror movie?

KRAMPUS...your worst holiday nightmare

OK. So the holidays are around the corner. Soon would be time for christmas carols and lots of presents and family reunions. Holiday parties and snow. But what's all this joy and love for the season? Why it's called the most wonderful time of the year? Corporations have sold the idea of Christmas as an opportunity to increase their sales by pushing people to run to the stores and fight for the perfect gift. Families love the opportunity to share a meal with their love ones that travel just to bring presents and catch up under the excuse of being united for this great moment full of love and hope. And that's essentially the idea of creating a Christmas day. To remember everyone that we can't lose hope. We have to remember ourselves to love and value the people we love and care about us. A reminder that there is good in all of us and sharing with others is not only a celebration but a gift.So what went wrong? Well seems like everybody forgot all that and focus on their personal agenda, stressing out to give the perfect gift or host the perfect party but what about the real propose of having people over and share the best of you with them?

Not everything is about give, but learn to forgive and move on could be of more value. That's why marketing create Santa Claus, as an example of being humble and give before ask and get. To share and be humble enough to accept and learn from our mistakes to become a better self. But now days this is more like an urban legend, same as Santa Claus. More a pop icon than a real meaning. But as all good comes in different shapes, has to be something dark, another reminder for all those grinches that had lost hope and lack of love in their hearts. For all the joy and cheers that the big guy in red brings to kids and their families, there's another legend for all those empty, dark souls, and it's called "KRAMPUS" (2015).

Based on another Germanic folklore story about a dark santa that will come not to give but to take from all those that had lost hope in Christmas and it's real meaning. That had fallen in a dark path where life seems to have no meaning and real purpose but to feel miserable and complain. So, the same way that Santa will come to bring all of us that joyful and happiness to the children and the family in form of presents, this sinister devil will come with a full of servants and toys to help him to take away all the family members of those whose wish wants to become true. All as a reminder that hope shouldn't be never been lost. And this won't be a nice time to celebrate or be excited for but a moment to fight for survival and a time to meditate of what been done and what took us there. Not only when we start losing that we start noticing the value it had in our lives. As hard as it sounds most of the time we learn and overcome better from our mistakes and for the challenges than for the triumphs and the good times.

It's more common to find more and more people calling themselves Grinch for the holidays and christmas, avoiding all cliches that come with them under the philosophy or not falling for all this marketing created to sell an idea and push capitalism to its extreme. And they might be right in terms that at least the whole month people get such in a bad mood worries to finish all errands before the holidays to be able to spend them with family which is another motive to stress out. The idea of spending days with family ends in fights and discussions instead of making the most of it. A competition to prove who gets more and the best and show off in their own houses and school becomes like the next game changer of the year. Far from all those cute and innocent images of communities sharing a moment and enjoying others company, not matter if family or strangers.

 Sadly the movie is not as scary as expected, specially after watching the previews, as it moves from comedy to parody and then to horror, keeping a PG rated mood approachable to the family, but still brings good entertainment and assertive suspenseful moments and some other full of heart that won't feel into cliches or trying to preach us but to show how bad can things go if we don't do good, specially for anyone annoyed by the fact of elf singing nonsense and people trying to be friendly and happy even when life seems to be unfair and hard on them. All thanks to a great cast that serves perfect to this propose and an accretive direction for a screenwriter turned director that know how to manage an hilarious suspense. That's why this movie serves as a dark reminder for all that and feel like a fresh breeze in the horror genre and for this holiday season bringing the best timing to prove all said above and serving as a dark tale to bring the best of it. Remind us that we should never give up and lose faith even when things get bad and try to leave the moment and never put aside the people we love the most cause maybe tomorrow will be too late to have them back and show us the real meaning of family, a group of people united by blood and by learning to accept and respect each others not by choice but by the love of being part of something bigger than you and that's a success enough to cheer for the box office and for this season with a new motive to go through it and learn that behind every fake smile you will come across there's a whole krampus story along waiting for it.

And the Academy introduces you....THE DANISH GIRL

You can hide from others but we can't hide from ourselves. Eventually the truth of who we are and what we want to become will chase us and will be the key to reach happiness otherwise we are doomed to live in misery and a life full of secrets and lies and we might be able to lie to others and fool them but never to ourselves even if we start believing our own lies. Reality and curiosity will chase us like a curse and we'll feel trap between our mind and our feelings, and so we'll doom all our significant others and most important we won't get to know the person that we could become if we'd the courage to face all those thoughts and feeling and challenge ourselves to become who we really are or who we always wanted to be. "The Danish girl" (2015) brings those topics to the table making anyone wonder about their personal quest for happiness and the search of that real person we wanted to be regardless of all the expectations from others. We can choose what to wear, what to study, our profession, what food to eat, but there are some other things we can't choose, but sometime we are afraid of those preferences so we cover them with lies and a fake reality that will please others and in some terms will satisfy anyone to pursue their dreams but it won't be a full and honest way of themselves.

We can't choose how to love or why we like some activities or why we are scared of other, or why are we attracted to certain type of people and we feel totally off for others. There are some personal behaviors that we don't understand until we get deep into them and start some research or get around people that open our eyes about them but the first step will be always try to e as honest as possible to ourselves so we can achieve the idea of acceptance and love for them. The movie takes this risky path trying to explore all this subjects, feeling and decisions, based on a real case from the early 20's on Denmark where a couple of artist will face a new reality once one of them realizes and faces the truth about himself. Everything explotes once The famous illustrator and artist Greta Wegener asks her husband, the artist Einar Wegener to help her posing as a female model. This experience leads this man into a personal quest of mixed feeling and excitement that has been always there undercover by a character created and performed as society requirements. And everything happened as a game, when his sister in law named him Lilly as an unreal character or another person had taken over him, when both girls dressed him up for an event where his portraits as a female model became so popular.

Once he is performing this new persona, not only becomes a performance but a real tease of happiness and then won't be a turn back, only pushing him towards that new possibility of become and accept who he really is. Sadly the movie is so well done that that works against it. All the settings are perfectly done great performance, a direction that feel like watching a classic painting, a beautiful score and photography, everything feels so beautiful that we get to a point that we as an audience feel like watching a great painting at the museum trying to understand all the story behind it and relate to it in any possible way. All the sadness, the pain, suffering, exploring, even the nudes, and sexual awakening, are so well taken care of, that we are missing feeling shaken when get aware of what all this process meant for both of them. A man realizing that he is not a man anymore and he's been living in a body that doesn't belong to the soul and mind inside, the real challenge to fight to become what we really belong to and convince his wife and friends that he's not crazy nor ill but just different.

Craving for love and support from them to make it through all this, fighting to let go what he already has which is great and full of love but just doesn't feel right. And a woman facing the fact that her marriage and the person she loves is not real and is ending and transforming in something that will take her apart. Both journeys feel It's a relieve and scary at the same time that almost a century later things have changed for some and haven't still, like some countries where still people are discriminated for their sexual preferences and sexual identities.

Homosexuality has been more accepted now days with people realizing that individuals are still same person that they know just with a preference for their same sex so now the time has come to open our minds a bit more to accept and respect all those people who have been struggling with their sexual identity, realizing that being transgender will be a harder way to accept themselves as they live trapped in a body that doesn't belong to them and now at least they have hope but the way to go is hard and painful not just by morals but physical and emotional. At least good things come from all this intentions, like the danish girl, a quite mysterious woman flirting with guys while hiding the truth between her legs, it is educational and open minded for all the process we don't see happening behind their doors while they become into the butterfly they are meant to be.

Creed ... fighting to make your own legacy

Why does everybody follows what been told? It's hard to find our own place in the world, making our name stand by itself but why seems like everybody tries to show us where to go, and what to pursue? When growing up we are taught basic about life and society pushes us in a direction to become a good person as adult but what about if our own choices are a good option as well?What to play, what to study, where to go for fun, what hobbies should we follow, what's the most in thing right now? all of them tendencies that will change with time but all of them with no intention other than manipulate masses in the industries benefits or pop culture innovations making us just followers instead of leaders. So when someone steps up and decides to try things different is criticized, finger pointed and rejected till success is proven.Then that someone can become in a legend because has the courage to think differently and applauded because their achievements but usually that happens in rare occasions and long time after all the suffering for going against the flow for a while.
But those ones are the ones that get movies, biographies, become role models for bad or good, so why don't try it?

Why still sit and settle with what other had chosen for us. But some things will never get old and this kind of values and traditions will always be up to date and encouraging to new generations to achieve their goals and find themselves through their passions and things they love will bring the best of them and turn in to success whatever they decide to go for. If still confused or have no clue what i'm talking about, then thats why we got "Creed" (2015). Don't get confused by the tittle, because we are still in one of the most cherish franchises in cinema. Also known as Rocky 7, this movie is the perfect example of the clash of generations when an old franchise gets a new renovation by new a generation to show how new can still have some old in there own or how old gets better with some new touches. So far the movie has gotten the best reviews for a movie of it's kind and after the original from the 70's, making it already a triumph that remind us why these kind of movies are made for and from and bringing new and old characters to it's best. Usually sports movies are repetitive and have the sub plot of a feel good movie where an underdog achieves success and hits all goals so what does each different sport should stand by for itself to tell a story of its own.  So what about boxing? a sport made for two individuals to fight to each other and try to beat the there by punches and standing the longer than the opponent.

This time the story centers on a young orphan boy that growing up by himself he learns to take all the anger inside out by starting fights and beating other boys. Once that someone offers him the opportunity to take care of him and be raised in a home and be part of a family, has the opportunity to be loved and feel that belongs to some where but still when time goes by and now as an adult the life of an average man, working in a company, with a 9 to 5 job, getting promotions, living in a big mansion is not enough. He's been always pulled by his father legacy, a boxing legend. Reason enough for him to quite everything and pursue what makes him happy and be passionate about: fighting.

With the help of an old friend from his father, the famous Rocky Balboa, he will start professional boxing training and learn how to deal with all that anger and his attributes as a fighter because that's what he has learned, fighting to survive. So the boxing will become an opportunity to show how we all have different battles to fight in live and it's not always about winning but to fight for what makes us happy and what we really want in life other than we have been told. Finding the right people to share all this with will become in our real family and will help to make us feel accepted. Once the challenge is set up, we'll do whatever it takes to achieve it other than just try our best. A perfect balance of boxing scenes with a big heart scenes that will show us the best of two men fighting their own battles while learning one or two things along. But who would choose to train and be beaten up multiple times in order to win and earn how to be stronger and more agile than others to give the best punch? Well, seems like is not about the pain we are about to face but the fact that challenging yourself through all the process that will take you there and when the ring bells your name will stand by its own become in a legend yourself.

ZOO... revenge of mother nature

What if finally things turn opposite as we know and human race after being on top of the chain starts to get the same treatment it gives to other animal species? Humans are the only animals that kill for fun, sport, business or curiosity. For centuries we've been dominating the planet as we own it. Using other animal species to feed us, help us with chores or just as companion. A few times we treat animals as equals specially as pets, giving them a decent quality of life in return of their company and love but even in some cases we take advantage of them and use them to take all our stress and frustrations into them. The fact that we are the only specie that has evolved in a way to build cities, create technology and being able to research and find formulas to help us keep healthy and innovate in industries and travel doesn't mean we are the smartest of all. It's been proved that we are also the only ones that make mistakes more and once and can learn from them but also can forget them with time. Just because we had proved to be superior and able to dominate most of other species we had taken advantage of the planet as if they are meant to serve us and as we deserve it all.

But how much is to learn from other animals. Their ability to communicate with body language or sounds, their sense of community that help them survive even in the worst circumstances of nature or their respect and understatement for other species killing just when need it to feed their own. "Zoo" (2015-current), is a new tv show based on the popular novel, that tells te story of what if things change and from the sudden nature has a turn and start taking against human beings the same way they were treating other species just to develop a new plan for them that no one can identify as the idea sounds just as ridiculous as the facts are but is it? for real?

In it's first season the show got a warm audience last summer from all those fans of that genre where animals or monsters or any kind of treat start attacking and killing humans as a countdown for the best and worst killer scene. But critics and readers from the original novel didn't love it that much specially for the non sense plot of having another species that have been as today, proved to not been as racial as humans, so that make it so unreal that was hard to relate. But reading all those reviews sounds more like people simply just don't like the fact of being taken out of the main spot and feel like they are not on top of the chain anymore. How sure can we be that theres nothing out there that can beat us in other fields? Maybe that's why we love and rely so much into those extraterrestrial invasions as the only justified source to feel less superior with the obvios excuse that they are from other planet letting us be the top one specie in this planet still.

But if we can take our egos and be more eco friendly, we should realize with any need of a metaphor as a story to tell the idea of how damage we've been doing to the planet not to mention to animals. The way we hunt whales, seals, sharks, elephants is just barbarian, and the way we treat animals in some zoo's, keeping them in small cages or limited areas just to entertain the masses coming to see them just feels unnatural  and not fair. So when we can immerse in this idea, that we have seen in other forms at movies, we can totally relate to whats happening on the show and feel torn between our own specie and to others that are suffering consequences of being dominated. Like monkeys, rats, cats, dogs, that are being used for experiments and testings. Who gave us the privilege to use them and their lives over us? So the show starts when a couple of animal attacks happen in Africa and the United States, bringing together a group of people trying to find answers just to come across a series of events that lead them to a theory where humans are the real cause of this.

Even that animals are the real story and the main characters in here, we continuously switch from one specie to other among the twelve episodes of the season, so the plot line between them are the humans that are fighting to save them and the humans to find peace and restore order. The leader of this group is Oz a zoologist that starts discovering the truth behind the attacks and is related to source of all this plan and with his Kenyan friend Abraham will start fighting not only against animals but humans that are trying to stop them finding their proof a treat for human civilization. Then there is Nora, a french special agent that will help to fight back all this people with her connections and knowledge. And finally Jamie and Dr. Mitch, a reporter and a veterinarian than get involved after the attacks in american soil. Everyone with their own skills will help to track different attacks around the globe try to connect the dots to solve the puzzle and figure out what is really happening with all animals around the globe.

Visually the show improves bringing real animals to the screen, skipping the usual FX, so even that the attacks won't seem as brutal as we are used to in the movies, the fact that we can watch a real bear acting and pretending to eat a woman is totally worthy. On the other side, the script based most of its plot as a thriller, taking us around the world to solve a new theory and presence another random attack, that lacks of the real drama of the humans involve and all this changes in society making it more a guilty pleasure than an award winner show but don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean necessarily a bad thing, as for all looking for a different show, with enough action, suspense, romance and full of conspiracy theories will be more than pleased and for all of those that want to bring a conversation to the table, this will give enough reasons as how cruel animals can be specially after witness human cruelty agains them, when we are supposed to be the civilized ones and the racional ones. What else do we need to stop acting as caveman and proving we are stronger and smarter killing just for sport or fun, and treating others in a way we wouldn't like to be treated? How long till we realize we are not that special and start paying for all those selfish actions against the planet ? If shows like this can help to educate people and realize that we are not as smart as we though definitely this will be my favorite show ever.

Because we always have each other....THE NIGHT BEFORE

Since we've been talking and discussing about friendships, we get another movie related to the topic and going even deeper with the holidays mood, but this time the story won't be all about friends and the power of friendships but it's influence and how it influences in our lives and ourself. What's stronger after family, the connections we build with other people, friends come to serve as a family by choice but that choice comes from the fact of love and support and joy they bring to our lives that we are able to be truth to them and open ourselves in order to be know as we really are for some strangers that are willing to stand at our side and show us how to enjoy life and go through it in an easier way.

But what if... we are stuck in a moment, unable to move on, incapable to grow up and keep going with life in a way that is expected, specially when everybody around us is doing so, are we justified if something unfortunate happened to us, or we were part of a tragedy? and is everybody supposed to accept and respect this, understanding our justification as a valid one let us be and stay there for when needed? But how about the fact that friends are suppose to be honest and straight forward, being able to tell when things are getting bad for us. Is there an easy way to say it and help others without hurt their feelings specially when friendships are supposed to last forever or is there a time to grow apart? Nothing better than the cheerful and sometimes hated holiday season to make a stop and deep breath while trying to figure out where are we standing and where are we going.

"The night before" (2015) is a comedy surprisingly funny and with lot of heart. Following the tale of three friends, tres amigos, that after the lost of one of them family, they created a tradition spending the holidays together as a new kind of family, going from traditional moments to crazy ones as three duds can get into, but when two of them start moving in different directions like marriage and a successfully career, what is left for the third that keeps accumulating failures in his relationships and keep on hold a career making excuses for all them as a way to hide from his own fears and trying to keep this family together but with what end but making a long time loss into an eternal stop that just seems to turn us into a grinch or boy trapped in a man's world.

The story follow this friends through their last night together before moving on as grown ups, but not tonight. The night before christmas will be a party that no one will forget, exploring the city of New York this friends will learn not about the spirit of the festivities but the real soul inside of them and their own fears and expectations from their own lives. When marriage is not a chain but a journey that is helping us to explore and be better, how about parenthood? The fear of become parent and be a good one, counting that a new life will be in our hands, would that be reason enough to freak out? How can we manage that kind of stress that no one has tough us about but everybody goes through? Well as any cliche in american comedies, drugs seem to be the solution to release stress and chill enjoying ourselves. So talking about cliches, the movie is full of them, trying to make fun of religion and some of their stereotypes by all this goofy and stupid jokes, but in its favor have to say that they work for good making them believable for this characters that as a blast their having their struggling with their life turns.

How much does our career can define us or change us for better or worse? Sometimes we fall pursuing success that we forgot who we are and what do we believe in. Our live becomes a reflection of our job and if it's going well we can become cocky and self centered, getting surrounded by new friends and co workers that more than sharing a connection with are part of a deal that was not suppose to happen, so our true friends will be able to see that and still able to see the real you or are just as distracted as ourselves? So is this valid or won't be a excuse to use our success to become a different person and not a better one? Then who can be able to bring our feet back to the ground? The movie moves between those moments when we as humans try to enjoy life and have a blast, taking advantage of the opportunity of a night out with friends, including whatever cross in front of us and putting all responsibilities on the side and as kids be able to just have fun, maybe thats why alcohol and drugs become an option to have fun, letting us loose ourselves and forget the rules for a moment that can turn into a forever.

So when you turn back and are able to see people that let down, how we let love get out of us and fear is driving us, what do we need to man up and challenge our selves and start moving on. Is it letting others get in the only way to let others go? Are we able to heal and pursue dreams when things are about to change and expectation are in the air or just believing that we turned in the worst version of us is motive enough to start a new journey to bring now the best? The movie takes in all this journeys while people get crazy, high, horny, loud and irreverent just as an excuse to expose the best and worst we all have. Sometimes the most ridiculous things need to happen in order to see what is seriously happening inside. In order to grew up we need to act like stupid kids. If we want to succeed we need to fail, only making fun of us, we won't be able to take thing so serious and move on, trying the unexpected and letting changes come so we can move on and always keeping those who truly believe in us and are willing to  be stupid and serious with us in a way only people that loves and know us can do, and always after the night the sun will come up.

Friendships are forever so.... MISS YOU ALREADY

They say friendships are forever, but is not about the fact of being friends as an easy way to escape our problems or get us some company for future events. As any other relationship it all goes to find a connection that will evolve into something bigger, better, stronger. Is all about love. Because love has different shades and ways to express itself. Finding someone that shares our crazy ideas, that accept us the way we are, challenging us to be better against all other challenges in our life, from our own family to other relationships, no judging and respecting us, because that's what love is for. A way o acceptance and respect that will let us enjoy life in the bad and good. And as we have said before, we are not meant to be alone, we are social. Human beings ned validation and acceptance from others so finding people that will love us of what we are and be there to have fun at our side while show us a the best and worst of us is a truthful kind of love.

While we go through life, we meet people, someones are meant to stay others are just momentarily but at the end they all have a propose in our lives, lessons to be learn. But when someone stays around and is able to share those moments that mark our lives like episodes in a tv show, those are the people that we get to call friends. "Miss you already" (2015) is a story about friendship. But not the kind of friendships that goes all around looking for fun and sharing moments that will impact for the rest of our lives. Is the kind of friendship that reflects it as the relationship it is, with bumps in the road and with highs that feed it to keep going. is the story of two girls, very different from each other, that found that connection that made them stay together and love each other through the years, being at their sides at every moment in their lives, from graduations to weddings, from death to birth, evolving into a new family by choice, being able to have each other when needed from joy to sadness.

Milly is the narcissist and selfish one, always needed from attention, is a successful woman with a career and a lovely family, a young and attractive husband and two spoiled kids. But we met her just when this perfect picture is about to fade. She's being diagnosed with breast cancer so needs to deal with the fact of fighting against it while going through changes that this will bring. What could be worst: the fact that you will deal with a desease and death or the fact that the process will change you and all what you know? For someone that screams validation and appearances are the most important in life every step of the way from this journey will be a challenge that will either destroy her or bring the best of her. With the love of her family and specially from her best friend, she's able to go through chemo and surgery, but not even love can save her from herself and the fact that she looks different and she's not the same woman overtime she looks at herself in the mirror. Pity is not what she's looking for, the lack of the look of admiration as a strong successful woman from others is draining her down and all what she has, including all her relationships and she can not longer love if she has no love for herself.

Jess is nice, down to earth one. She's just in an opposite direction from her best friend, living with her husband in a boat and working in a non profit fighting to save our environment. We meet her when she's facing the fact that she can't get pregnant, and even that's not a problem for her marriage, the desire of both to build a family makes them fight for it till finally they get it. But facing her best friends illness, she decides to keep the good news for herself trying to be strong and be there for her friend facing death while she faces birth. But when enough is enough? how long can we put other first before us to be a good friend or a good person? How much can any relationship can take if one of the involved is not the one we used to know. Can we make it work or we also grow apart from them, being love not strong enough to evolve the same way facts are doing? How can happiness face sadness and overcome it? Is it love able to give hope and bring people back when something is broken?

At this point you might be thinking that all of this sounds like a perfect cliche for a hallmark cancer drama made for old women willing to get emotional but fortunately the movie manages all the cliches of the kind. Yeah we have emotional moments that try to manipulate our own feeling and get some empathy to this two women and their journey and the soundtrack, some cheesy scenes and corny lines will not help, but once we can put all that aside we are able to see a movie that either can be seen as a personal journey agains a desease, and a story of love and friendship with two well lined characters that will show us the flaws in any relationship making us wonder about all those good moments versus all the bad ones we've been sharing with all those people we call friends and be able to be proud of having them and value their love for us and with the movie twists finally realize why they say friends are the family by choice and how things can be put on a test even when you think you have shared everything already.

People take friendship for granted. As something that we deserve. That meeting people and sharing fun times will make it enough to call them your friends, giving them the ability to listen and deal with you when needed, but as any other kind of love should this be earned and builded from both sides? Why do we expect to be popular and make new friends if we are not even a good friend ourselves at the first place, meaning we are able to give what we are expecting for. To be able to enjoy those great fun moments we need to be able to share and open on the not so good ones, learn to give before expect to get, open ourselves so others can see us, get to know us, respect and then love us. Like any audition will be failures but will be success and even there's no dating or romance involve the pure fact of have someone you can lean on is as exciting as any other i love you you can hear or get.