A country or a lifestyle? ... THE AMERICANS

The best way to analyze something or being analyzed is to take a perspective out of the subject, so if we want to understand a different culture, for example, or get to know someone different from us, we need to experience it and take a step back being able to see and recognize all the differences from in and outside of it. It's hard to make a point or understand it when we are use to it. When we don't know anything else but that. And also we can't compare or criticize it just for being different, we need to understand it and get to know it first to be able to be objective with our own experience to understand two different perspectives. So in order to expose a culture or a way of life nothing works better than an outsider that will sumerge into this new reality and make it his own while struggling to deal with his past and what his new future offers. And since American culture is being thrown out all around the place by entertainment media, all the globe has been witnessing American ideals, traditions, way of life, by the news, movies, tv shows, music, fashion, politics, exposing themselves to the best of the world as trying to become more popular among tourist destinations and to expand business in all different industries. But as we all know, once you put yourself out there some might like it but some others might not, so you get fans and haters.

Lovers will fall for it but haters might want to destroy it. So while we have some american idols in music, movies and tv, there are some haters on politics, economics and life style. So why is that?, well there are many factors but just to mention an example, when trying to create and show your country as the number one in the world, the one that matters while the world is being destroyed by an alien invasion or a world war, but being the only one able to save the day, for fun will be nice to watch but in reality will turn some heads down as politics and economics will question why can't be global and why things have to be one way, since history has proven that everybody body wants to rule the world, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Italy, UK, France, Spain, China, Russia, Germany had tried to colonize the world and set empires, but now is the time for the Americans to get to the top as they been since the second half of last century. "The Americans" (2011-current) is a tv show that serves equally as a thriller show, where a couple of russian spies moved to America in times of the cold war just to infiltrate to  different levels of the main politics and economics of the country trying to get some information to deliver back home in order to help their mother country to win this silence war, but also serves as an intense drama where this couple, figuring their life in a different country and culture get to cover themselves as a real couple, building a real family and raising it, suffering from all what any other family will.

How can you mix  a job where you have to hide and pretend to be someone else without losing yourself so you can actually have a life even if that life isn't supposed to be real? It's all complicated. As a spy your duty and only object is to serve a bigger purpose. You serve your country and as any other soldier, even putting your life first if necessary,  so nothing else matters, so are able to sacrifice family and friends in order to accomplish your targets, but what happen when part of your duties are to raise a family and pretend that this is real to use it as a cove to infiltrate in the system and embrace the culture you are trying to destroy? How can you stop developing feelings or caring about others when this is your life, a life you didn't choose but now is there, and now gave you two kids, of your own but are just part of a bigger plan, and not a one made by choice. How can you not enjoy this new culture when it's your daily basis, and is what you do or need to do every day, has become part of you but you still fighting against it? How can you be part of it without be involved? Is it too complicated to understand?, well imagine how it could be experiencing it.

This is the story of Phillip and Elizabeth, a couple of Russian spies that were couples to be assigned to move to the U.S. in order to infiltrate their system and get all the info possible to the russian government and help them to do the dirty job needed to win this war, a one that was silent, but was happening raising tension and threatening to explode anytime and start a real conflict where nuclear bombs were involve, so the only way to win this is getting as much information as possible and avoiding being caught. So this man and woman, one of the best spies of their country, being pretending to be a real couple, then got married, and then have kids, like any other couple, but they can't get involved because their job will need them to get involved with other people, seducing them , fucking them, killing them, so they can accomplish a mission. But how can you not develop feelings for someone that is your partner in crime and has been there for you for years, saved your life, ad sex with, is the mother or father of your kids and you sleep next to him every night? Well that's actually the real mission and the biggest target of the show. The struggle of having a double life and fight wth the fact of become or being the best at what you do, feel passionate about your job, be able to do what it takes to accomplish what is needed from you but also be a good father, partner, neighbor, a good citizen of two countries, one that demands you and other that embraces you. How can you live a lie big enough that is becoming a reality for you and all the people around you, making that line between reality and fantasy so thin that you can't even notice what is real or not.

How can you stop to develop feelings like love, compassion, jealous, attraction, passion, when you have two kids at home waiting for you and you are trying to raise them as good human beings and citizens of their country but you are killing people and lying to orders in order to get something from them. And while all this drama goes on, and more questions pop out and are drop to the table, also comes the fact that while we are witnessing all this drama about this two individuals, the american culture is been exposed through there eyes, two russian eyes and some other foreign eyes looking to bring down America as a threat of a world that seeks to become the next number one after the old big countries are recovering from a devastated world war. The way Americans behave as individuals, looking out for their passions, trying to achieve goals as part of their personal success and check list, how do they raise their families and interact as neighbors and citizens, their traditions, their relationships, the way the seek for love and embrace it, how good or bad are they at it, it's all exposed from different perspectives, the insiders and the foreigns, and no one is right or wrong, there are no moral discussions, no finger pointing what we should do, or what works better or how to work out wth both, on the contrary, is all just drop there, able to become a subject to study and analyze, a subject for discussion, and everyone can have a different opinion but seeing your culture being naked that way through different eyes definitely will bring some questions and some affirmations and won't be easy to swallow but also can be an eye opener to break the bubble and take some perspective. As said at the beginning it won't be easy and very complicated but will be a fun and intense ride for sure.

The Lobster ... nobody wants to be alone.

What if your life depends on finding your match? The right person that truly belongs to you, the one that will love you the way you are and will be there for you. But if things are about life and death, how would you know if they are there for the right reason? And how could you choose the right one without been misinterpreting your feeling with desperation? Why no one seems to be ok with the fact of being alone and independent? Do we really need someone to spend the rest of our lives? Does love transforms us and makes us a better person or is it just the excitement of finding someone we are attracted to and with whom we can share things in common?. Yes in fact we have talked about love and relationships hundreds of times and most romantic comedies try to prove one point or the other, how love and relationships really affect our lives in ways that sometimes it's defined by them and others are just a casualty that some have the opportunity to experience, but at the end of the day everybody talk about it and in some point wonder about the possibility of finding a match, the right partner or your other half as some romantics like to call but also how about all the benefits of being single and enjoy your time without needing to take other in consideration and be able to make decisions by yourself, letting you enjoy whatever you feel capable of.

Well, how about a movie that finally hits both sides nailing points where everybody has been as single or partnered, and all this questions about love and the mysterious world of relationships. How about a romance that will make you feel and think while also prove to be some kind of funny, cause it's sense of humor is more sarcastic and wicked that you might feel guilty to laugh about it, because everybody has been there, done that, and can feel sometimes like a slap in the face. "The Lobster" (2016), is a new redefined film from the formulaic genre of rom-com's where everything follows a series of cliches or if trying to avoid them miss the point and heart of the movie. Due to it's title, some would be pushed away from the theaters, but this indie project definitely is not for everybody, but realistic and skeptics will be pleased with a story that will serve to prove that love is in indeed in the air but also is a hard work that has no happy ending but an exciting journey that takes times and compromise. So for everybody wondering already what's about it, let's just say that the story centers in a middle aged man, that has lost his wife. But in any other reality this would be the starting point for  a very intense drama, but in this alternative world, people are meant to be coupled. So when someone for any reason loses a companion and becomes single is retired from the city and sent to a hotel that looks more like a prison where would be signed for 45 days of vacation all included.

But those are no vacation, they are a countdown to you final days when if not finding a new match will be executed and transformed into an animal of your option. So our loner here, is no prince and looks more like a married man than as an eligible bachelor, so knowing his circumstances and attributes, so while going through his process of loss decides to choose be turned into a lobster, hence to the title. Why? well cause they are cold blooded, they live for more than 100 years and he really likes the ocean. So once he made up his mind is ready to enjoy this little retirement and with his new friends take advantage of the pleasures of this civilization. But when people start dying, or being transformed, pressure starts building up and without noticing he would feel it and get trapped in this scenario of finding a match before his last day, so without any attractive woman available and refusing to accept all kind of proposals from the old and not very well looking ones, he goes after the only one thats seems acceptable to his eyes even if she represents all what he dislikes, because she is a bitch and heartless woman. But pretending to be also as cold blooded as her, will prove her that they are a match, so he can be saved but as we all know, lies come down at some point so thats like treason, so our hero now is forced to runaway and hide in the woods trying to survive as a loner, but there is a group of loners out there trying to make a live by being independent and avoiding a coupled life.

So, this group has another extreme rules, because as they embrace and seek a life with no attachments, any intention or contact with others in a flirting way will be severely punished. So as life is unpredictable and works in mysterious ways, now that he faces a live of independence and solicitud, he will meet a match, a middle age woman that shares his short vision (because matching in this reality is not about things in common or liking the same stuff, but sharing some attributes) and so it's love at first sight, they both like each other and the more they spend time, the more they realize how good is one for the other. But they are also living in this place where their lives are endanger so they are cautious and learned how to communicate and get along until it becomes very noticeable bringing others attention that will put their love to a test. And so the story goes the more similitudes with anyone's life you'll find. The world of couples is well represented as this pressure that we live from society pushing us to find someone to spend the rest of our lives, and that pressure mostly leaves to make the wrong decisions and ending with the wrong person but that doesn't matter to the rest while you can keep dirty things in secret, or they will create excuses to make it work or keep them together, like children or getting their own place. But when we actually meet a right match things will flow naturally and we'll want to spend more time together, be touching each other.

But also, facing the reality of what means to be single gives more value to the fact of being in a relationships because it's ok to be able to spend time with ourselves, doing whatever we want, getting to know us better, and letting us facing trouble that will make us stronger so we can let others help us when we really need it instead of putting all our efforts on them. The idea of being strong and independent is important after being living under rules of society where that was not well taken but now being a family is not a must but an option that if taken will bring joy and love for the ones involved. But definitely this is not a movie that will please everybody. If you a fan or sucker for romantic comedies that will make you leave the theater in cloud nine or walking over the rainbow just wanting to call immediately to your partner, this is not for you, and don't get me wrong, it is romantic, but in a more realistic and sarcastic way, making fun of all those ideas, called cliches, that pretend to turn every time spent with your lover like a tv commercial when we know won't happen that way. But also you will definitely be smiling and laughing while witnessing all this stereotypes being exposed just to prove that we have transformed love into a merchandise and relationships are now more a check list, a must in everyone's life than a decision made in base of chemistry, attraction, connection and commitment because all those roses will be put into a test at some point and all that love that you swear to the other will be questioned to a point where you would be asking to yourself what would i be able to do for my lover? How far i'm willing to go for my partner ? What sacrifices i'll accept in order to make this relationship work? And even if you can swear you love someone with all your heart once you have to answer those questions, till then you will realize what love means and if you are with the right person or you just trying to match to be together. With great performances from actors Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in this unique/bizarre love story you'll be dared to answer the big question and let you fall in love again or for the first time.

The Nice Guys... being mean is outdated

A few decades ago one of the big trends were the cop/buddies movies where two cops would fight through their differences to find the way to solve a case while bounding into each others lives just to find the clue and save the day and become best friends a long the way. Usually this couple is a perfect match while one of them is very different from the other so that brings a balance to the table and also bringing the perfect recipe for funny gags of two very different men trying to get along with someone that doesn't make any sense to the other but as any kind of relationship what is different from you will challenge you and make you better but what really matters is how each one's skills will help to solve the case and catch the bad guy that seems to be paying with these guys getting them in any kind of trouble. After a few very popular franchises the formule felt tired and after several try outs for a revival, including all types of diversity, it just didn't felt right until now.

Warner Bros. studios presents this summer a couple that sounds as compelling as funny could be, and who would ever imagine that these guys would play nice and well together. "The Nice Guys" (2016), it's the new movie bringing a couple of two guys trying to solve a case that brought them together becoming a partnership that sounds like the only way to find answers. In this case won't be cops but two detectives back in the 70's L.A., a time and place where disco was ruling, and sex was trending as the new thing so when a young girl disappears not before hiring a detective playing as a hitman to take care of other detective that keeps following her and her boyfriend that as older than her seems to be taking advantage of her. But when this girl seems to be in a running, hiding from everyone specially her mother, a high range political that hire these two detectives to find her daughter from what seems like just an act of a spoiled teenager but as they start getting closer to get some answers things start getting confusing and deeper than it seemed at the beginning. Involving a porn film and rich and famous popular in the city that was build for the entertainment industry just brings some turns that you might never saw coming.

But who are these guys? and why are they making a difference or worth to watch? Well in this case we get Russel Crowe, playing a tough macho older detective that has been working as a hitman, being payed to punch someone as his client requests. But his loner life after a heart broken just left him in a place where not even punching faces or breaking noses will take his pain and stress out. So Ryan Gosling comes to the page to match him perfectly as a young failure detective that pretends to solve cases that mostly don't need to be solved just to get some money from his clients and be able to support his teenager daughter after losing his wife in an accident that gets him trying to raise a daughter and accomplish a career that doesn't fit him very well but who would tell that this actor could bring such charisma with physical comedy, playing as a fool that deep down is smarter than average and with the help of Crowe's character will be able to solve the clues to find the girl while punching some face along the way that will try to kill them before they could find the secret behind this teenager using the porn industry as a tool to protest from some government decisions.

But when we were used to alpha males and tough cops driving thought cities chasing bad guys to solve cases and save the day these new guys are playing nice. And don't get me wrong, they will still be punching faces, chasing bad guys, and getting trapped into gun shots but even they are still back in the 70's, back in 2016 things are different and playing as a douche doesn't work anymore. Being nice is the new cool thing. So they won't kill unless necessary. They will try to help others and will played cool with others to get the answers they are looking for to find their girl. Being nice has turned to be a thing these days, when violence is knocking our doors in daily basis and people are so self involved that seems like nobody cares for anyone. Helping others feels so long time ago that being rude is just not right anymore. The fact of someone trying to do the right thing makes a different and feels refreshing that when a man acts so confident and trying to play nice without trying to prove how tough can be or how macho he seems like, it gets a new meaning and proves that being a real man and be sexy is more than a cool thing of being nice and make a difference serving as an example than just act like a caveman and prove that being the alpha male will bring the attention when that is definitely outdated.

So why is this movie, case, man couple so worth it and is getting a lot of buzz, with great reviews making it one of the funniest movies of the summer and the year so far? Well as we previously said, we got a refreshing couple that brings a new balance between comedy and testosterone that works perfectly to make you laugh and sit through it rooting for them while they try to solve the puzzle. But also this puzzle takes you back to an era that breaths like a new era and can't feel more related to this one. Who could tell back in the 70's that the introduction of porn will transform the pop culture and filming. Celebrities will become popular not for their work but their personal affairs and excess out of the screen (who said reality tv?), and technology will start raising to become a topic make anyone try to figure out what would be the next step while feeling outdated mean while new generations take the lead on that field. So now again, we have the feeling that nothing has changed and things tend to recycle and at the end theres nothing new under the roof but definitely we can make it look nicer and cooler and that feels like fresh deep breath while we realize there are still stories that need to be told even if happened time ago, their impact is as current as the new smartphone.

CHLOE GRACE MORETZ... a kick ass neighbor

Parte de una nueva ola y generación de actores que ahora se encuentran en su temprana adolescencia y que empezando desde pequeños han construido una prematura carrera que los ha puesta ya en el gusto del publico y dependiendo de su talento y carisma, su carrera podrá continuar este despegue para consolidarse en un futuro brillante como estrella de hollywood o solo ser parte de la conocida generación de niños actores que tan pronto crecen y entran en la edad adulta pierden su trayecto, muchas veces orillado a una vida de excesos y otras simplemente perdiendo esa chispa que los caracterizo cuando jóvenes, pero tal pareciera no ser el caso de Chloe, esta joven actriz de tan solo 19 años y que empezó su carrera a sus siete primaveras y en doce años ya ha construido una filmografía que muchos envidiarían y sobre todo, ha sido capaz de mostrar un talento nato que ya lo ha puesto en la mira de varias nominaciones por no decir de su amplio circulo de fans. Originaria de Atlanta, Giorgia e hija de un cirujano plástico y una enfermera, lo cual señalaba para inclinarla por la medicina en vez de la actuación, sobre todo al ser la única mujer de 5 hijos y provenir de una familia muy cristiana.

Sin embargo en 2002, Sin embargo en 2002 se muda a NYC con su madre y hermano mayor, siendo este aceptado por la escuela de artes y siendo ella quien le ayudaría a ensayar sus lineas, acabando por conseguir pequeños roles en cine y television, dando el gran brinco en la pantalla grande con el remake de la cinta de horror "The Amityville Horror" (2005), a lado de Ryan Reynolds, sobre la famosa casa embrujada que orilla al padre de familia a asesinar a su propia familia. Curiosamente para este tipo de cintas que no logran mayor buzz y menos siendo un remake de un clásico de los 70's, es la joven actriz quien llama la atención con una nominación a mejor revelación de actriz joven. Lo cual la catapulto a mas apariciones especiales en series de tv y películas, como "Big Mammas House 2" (2006), una comedia sobre un policía haciendo pasar por una mujer madura para infiltrarse en un caso y "The eye" (2008), otro remake de horror, este vez de una cinta japonesa sobre una mujer que tras recibir un transplante de cornias, empieza a tener visiones de gente muerta que busca hacer contacto con ella dado su don.

Para 2009, aparece en un papel secundario en la popular comedia romántica "500 days of summer", sobre la historia amorosa de un joven que tras su ultima relación logra ejemplificar los va y vienes del amor y donde la actriz interpreta a la precoz y directa hermana menor del protagonista que tras su breve pero brillante interpretación robo cada escena que aparece mostrando un talento nato para su corta edad, lo cual la otorgaría su entrada a su siguiente proyecto: "Kick-ass" (2010), la adaptación del cómic indie sobre dos jóvenes que deciden convertirse en heroes tan solo pateando traseros vestidos con peculiares disfraces. Su interpretación como hit-girl le gano excelentes criticas por encimas de los estelares reviews de la propia cinta, catapultandola de inmediato bajo los reflectores en la mira de todo el mundo. La cinta también resulto en un sorpresivo éxito lo cual definitivamente ayudo a la actriz. Ese mismo año también la vemos en un rol pequeño en la adaptación del libro "The Diary of a wimpy kid", una cinta para adolescentes y niños sobre un joven en primaria tratando de sobre llevar su infancia mientras brinca a la adolescencia.

Mas tarde la veríamos en otra estupenda interpretación, la de una niña vampiro, atrapada en un mundo obscuro, aislada y con su único contacto real, su joven vecino de a lado que la ayuda a alimentarse y mantenerse oculta para no ser descubierta. "Let me in" (2010), el remake americano de la novela y cinta que rompió records en Europa y que con su madura y profunda interpretación para una joven de su edad la consolidaría como actriz infantil de esta generación. Desgraciadamente en 2011 recibe su primer papel protagónico en la cinta "Hick", la adaptación de la novela homónima sobre una joven que hereda un arma tan solo para verse sumergida en el mundo del narcotrafico de Las Vegas. Desgraciadamente ni su elenco de categoría como Eddie Redmayne, Blake Lively y Alec Baldwin pudieron salvarla de las pésimas criticas y una muy limitada exhibición. Sin embargo, se pone en la manos del director Martin Scorsese para su nuevo proyecto "Hugo", la historia de un joven en busca de la verdad de sus padres de quien solo pose un reloj que le dejaron al abandonarlo y que es la única clave que tiene para descubrir mas de su pasado, llevándolo a una serie de aventuras acompañado por la sobrina de uno de los comerciantes de la estación del tren donde se refugia. En este caso las criticas fueron mas positivas así como su recibimiento en taquilla.

En el verano del 2012 forma parte del elenco de la adaptación de la telenovela "Dark Shadows" a la pantalla grande, donde una familia lidereada por un vampiro y su lucha contra una bruja que busca apoderarse de los negocios del pueblo. Desgraciadamente ni la singular vision del director Tim Burton, ni su elenco que incluye ademas de la joven actriz a Johnny Deep y Michelle Pfeiffer pudo salvarla de un inminente fracaso. Lo que pareciera ser el inicio de una mala racha solo se asentua una vez que la actriz se une al elenco de "Movie 43"(2013), una intento de comedia que esta formado por varios cortos dirigidos por diferentes comediantes y que no solo fue una de las peores cintas del año, sino un fracaso en taquilla. Lo que pareciera inminente tras el éxito obtenido, parece la secuela "Kick-ass 2" (2013), con la incursion de Jim Carrey al elenco, pero desgraciadamente ni las buenas criticas la salvaron de una pobre taquilla y cero buzz por parte de los fans que amaron la primera cinta. A pesar del fracaso de sus anteriores proyectos, el talento de la actriz  y su popularidad es innegable por lo cual recibe otra oportunidad como protagónica llevando el peso en sus hombros del remake del clásico de horror de los 70's "Carrie" (2013), con una modernizada vision de la novela de Stephen King sobre una joven criada por una religiosa madre interpretada en esta ocasión por la actriz Julianne Moore. La cinta solo logro una mediana recepción en criticas y taquilla.

Moviendose por aguas mas independientes, decide involucrarse en "Leggies" (2014), una comedia indie sobre la amistad y el crecer, desde un punto de vista femenino, representado por la actriz Kiera Knightley, interpretando a una joven que se encuentra en una relación con su novio del colegio y que cuando este le propone matrimonio, huye asustada para refugiarse con una adolescente a la cual le compra vino y con la cual iniciara una amistad que le devolverá aquello que creía perdido en si misma para aprender a tomar las decisiones mas maduras sin perder la joven que lleva dentro. En el verano del 2014, regresa al cine comercial con la adaptación de la novela para jóvenes "If i Stay", un drama sobre una joven que tras un accidente automovilístico vera su vida pendiendo sobre este mundo y el siguiente mientras esta en coma, para valorar quedarse con su joven amor o dejarse ir tras su familia. Obviamente el drama robo las lagrimas de las adolescentes fanáticas de la novela mas no del completo gusto de la critica que la sintieron demasiado dramática ignorando sus mayores puntos sobre la vida, el amor y la familia.

Retomando los papeles arriesgados que la caracterizaron desde un inicio, participa en "The Equalizer" (2014), una cinta de acción donde interpreta a una joven prostituta rusa que se relaciona con un polis retirado acarriandolo tras la mafia rusa para salvarla de sus negocios sucios que la ponen en peligro. En 2015 se involucra en otra adaptación de novelas populares, esta vez "Dark Places", de la ahora popular escritora Gillian Flynn, en una historia de suspenso sobre una mujer que tras el asesinato de su familia cuando pequeña, ve la oportunidad de descubrir la verdad y rescatar su vida del hoyo en que se encuentra, pero tras algunos screenings la cinta mostró poco interés sufriendo una corrida limitada y ni el nombre de la actriz o Charlize Theron como protagonista sirvieron de mucho para crear buzz entre sus seguidores. Volviendo a la escena independiente, participa en "Clouds of Sils Maria" (2015), a lado de Juliette Binoche y Kristen Stewart, en un drama sobre una actriz que es contratada para un rol como la amante madura de una joven naciente actriz y su romance lesbico que la enfrentara con sus inseguridades y celos profesionales mientras una creciente tension sexual surge entre ella y su asistente personal. La cinta debuto en el festival de Cannes con grandes criticas y aunque gozo de una limitada corrida, su pedigree la respaldo para ponerla en boca de todos como una de las mejores cintas del año.

A inicios de este 2016 la vimos en otra adaptación de una novela YA que sufrir el mismo destino de su mayoría, "The 5th wave", esta vez sobre la inminente destrucción de la raza humana tras una invasion extraterrestre y que pone su destino en las manos de una adolescente que esta atrapada entre sus sentimientos por dos jóvenes, un humano y otro extra terrestre, creando un triángulo amoroso que distrae de los temas sobre aceptación y diversidad que la historia promete y nunca aterriza. Obviamente la mala adaptación se tradujo en un fracaso en taquilla y critica. Pero este mes promete renovarse con su participación en la secuela "Neighbors 2: Sorority Raising" (2016), a lado de Zac Efron y Rose Byrne, siendo ahora ella la lidere de una hermandad de jóvenes que buscan la igualdad para las mujeres de la que los hombres gozan y poder organizar fiestas y ser tratadas con respeto, mientras se muestran como mujeres fuertes e independientes a la vez que los adultos batallan nuevamente con la realidad de crecer y hacer lo correcto o encontrar su camino cuando su oportunidad como jóvenes irresponsables se ha ido. La cinta tiene decentes criticas y definitivamente te robara mas de dos carcajadas, ojalá también se robe la taquilla como lo hizo su predecesora. y posteriormente la veremos en "November Criminals" (2016), a lado de Ansel Elgort, interpretando a una pareja de criminales basado en la novela homónima de 2010. Ojalá las cosas empiecen a dar un giro para su carrera y sea capaz de tomar proyectos arriesgados y novedosos como lo que la definieron en su inicio y la posesionaron como una de las mas interesantes promesas de su generación y que ha sabido manejar su vida personal y su carrera con la madurez y profesionalismo suficiente para sobrevivir su adolescencia enfrentando un futuro promisorio pero desafiante tal como su carrera lo es.

Because fighting for your country starts at home....ENLISTED

This is more a tribute than a review because our next tv show on the table is no longer current. Sadly suffer the faith of many shows these days that only get a chance for a pilot episode or a first season but due to the big demand on tv actually, no body can afford letting stay any option that goes above average so they just cancel it even if was a promising one. Viewers have in their hands the opportunity to save or destroy a show, and sometimes a small group of fans can do miracles like letting the show stay alive by changing network but others not even them are able to save their favorites and just keep the good memories on demand or DVD. But in this case was the lack of viewers and a promising first half of the season that after no getting any buzz other than great reviews , turned into mediocre second half that was meant to be canceled and terminated. Mostly everybody didn't even realized this show existed and others totally denied their great sense of humor because was realized in a time where republicans and all their ideology was criticized so that gave to it a great repellent even that the show makes fun of it by itself and serves as a parody of all those ideologies and politics, but the timing wasn't right and people just avoided when trapped in the most republican network of the country: FOX.

And the show was "Enlisted" (2014), a sit-com that served as we mentioned, as a parody of that very republican ideology of war and military as a base of this nation. Who are these people that are willing to enlist into the program to serve their country and fight for it? What is all these programs that contribute to create an ideology of nation and proudness for their country and its values? What are they fighting for? and most important what is left back home when they are not here? All this is just the excuse to tell the story of three brothers that happen to be enlisted in the military. But why all three? who are these soldiers? is this another saving private Ryan story? well, definitely this is a more fun and joyful ride. The story of these three brothers starts when they are just kids and after losing their father, a former General, changed their perspective of things making them living the rest of their childhood among the military, undercover by his father best friend, another soldier in his way to became a major General. So was no doubt that when they got in proper age to make a decision they will be willing to join the program as it is all what they know. So oldest sibling Sergeant Pete Hill is an honorable soldier that after an injury in combat gets a ticket to go back home and recover but his love and devotion to what he does will get him back on track just in a different way than expected.

Once back in Florida, he will be assigned to take care of a unit. A unit that happens to include his younger siblings and other cadets that even are struggling to get there and make it inside that just seem to have no clue and material for what the milicia needs, making them a group of underdogs that no one wants and cares. But since family is involve he will accept the mission just to confront all the baggage that was left stand by when he left and his brothers will remind him who he really is and what he left behind seeking for redemption and running away from a life that took everything from them but he has bought the idea of be a hero and make a difference by fighting for his country forgetting that the most important thing to fight for is under the same roof. So we met Corporal Derrick Hill, the middle one, a seamless, careless young man that feels more like trapped in between his other two siblings than be looking for his own dreams. He is more artistically oriented but hides all those preferences trying to help and guide the other two losing himself for moments, so he would need some moments of reassurance to get back in track and finally find his own path, but in the meantime will figure as the glue for this fragmented family that needs more of a figure and honestly to keep it going than just spending 24 hrs together.

But for that we have Private First class Randy Hill, the youngest sibling that can't be more naive and fun than any other in the academy. His heart is as big than won't be afraid to show his feelings and fight for his family while trying to make them happy and smile but all this will save as flaws for his training making him not soldier material, so in order to get a position in this unit more than the pet of it will have to try harder an fight double than others just to grow up and man up when necessary learning from his sibling what he never got a chance to learned from a role model figure. So mixing all this in a blender what we get is a bunch of moments that will look awkward and silly and others than will show the path for self growth and retrospective for a group of guys that were left behind by a father and now are trapped in a system just because thats all what their life has been. But be in real combat is not all what counts. They will learn the real meaning of training and be a team, while hanging with the rest of the unit, a very peculiar group of cadets that are no close to what a soldier looks but deep inside have all what it takes to become the best one, just need the proper guide and training to be themselves and prove that toughness and strategies are more than points needed to win a war but with enough heart and brain anyone can make you laugh and that will get you to win any war.

So is this all what war, militia and military training means? true to be told, the real charm of the show is to show another face from what military means. To show the other side of those soldiers that go to real combat overseas. These guys have to stay home and take care of it and their own helping with errands that most of people don't want to take care of. They are helping others while helping themselves to become betters soldiers and prove that are ready to serve their country and fight for it. So what makes this show so different from others? As we mentioned at the beginning, the simple idea of a show about a system that has been severely criticized over the past years but basically built some of this country culture for power and discipline deserves at look just by the fact that will make you laugh out loud while make you feel and re think all those points that make a loser not to be one and become an underdog just to be happy staying there, proving that all what the system by itself embraces is not as real as it sounds and at the end even the show as the reality becomes a parody and war is not always the solution but definitely theres a fight happening in every home and in every one of us and its the fact of fighting for our believes and finding the answers of who we are and that define us in ways that most of us don't know or try to avoid so even this show got canceled, it might be always time to review what we missed and can help us to be better and why not? make some jokes along the way never hurts.

Money Monster... stealing or investing?

 Sadly we live in a world ruled by capitalism and with that money buys everything but most times the way to get it is harder than others. Reason enough why everybody is fighting and struggling to earn it, not the same way to spend it. Finances come to the table as a tool to learn how to use money. They say that if you learn how to manage it, the way it goes will it come. But for some is not as simple as that and want just an easy way to make the best of it. Investing could be a smart tool, if you know how the markets are behaving you can buy or sell in order to get a profit. But in order to find the highest point, which usually is the riskiest, you need to lear how to play with the other factors that let the markets go up or down. Economics start playing an important role in here to determine the real value of the money and if having enough to take a leap of faith and invest in the right time or with the right move can leave you with a big sum that might solve all your financial problems. That's what we learn through the eyes of a young man in "Money Monster" (2016).


The main character in this thriller that tries to prove for once how the financial world of Wall Street is a mine soil where everyone can play knowing the rules and learning how to make the best out of them, even if that means playing fair or not but where everybody seeks for the biggest amount. That's the story of Kyle, a young New Yorker that after inherit a decent sum of money decided to invest in a big company following the advice of a financial guru through his tv show. But thing go south and this company that was supposed to behave in certain way had a slap blamed to clinch in their system. But as we have learned so far, the rules and laws for investing are wide open so while theres no one physically to blame for won't be consequences, so the losers just leave without money and while no apparently winners things will just calm dawn after a while and as always everybody will move on. But not Kyle, he wants an answer. He needs to know what happened. What went wrong and since authorities and no one seems to care or do anything about, he will take hands on this.

Targeting Lee Gates, the one who on national tv advised to invest assuring a sure bet, makes him the right call to get answers for. So he gets kidnapped on air at his tv show while everybody is watching and with a bomb hanging on him, he'll have to figure out his way out of this with help of his producer , a woman that also happens to be his best friend and partner in business and more apparently. Because while both of them seemed to have their own issues early that day and Lee seems to don't care as usual thanks to his ego and an apparently shitty life under the spotlight. While she seems to just trying to do her work, having her own agenda, till this threat comes to her workspace and makes them realize their own mistake in public pushing them to find the truth to save the day and save their ass at the same time. Because all what Kyle wants is an answer after losing everything and specially when his life seems to be holding to anything now, so it's time to make a difference and stand seeking for the truth. While the movie falls into all the cliches of the genre, delivers some tense moments and goes deep into a topic that has been turning the world into the financial world in need for attention.

We saw this recently in other movies like "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013) and "The Big Short"(2015). Two examples of how the world of wall street works and all the people involve in it. Bankers of white collar that seeking to invest as bankers are making a profit with our money and with us getting nothing. After the last financial crisis of 2008, the world urged for attention and answers after millions lost their jobs, money and houses. With so the system was exposed as an imperfection that has a lot of black holes letting the ones who play inside learn the rules and how to trick the system in order to get the biggest deal and profit. But when definitely are a lot of people to blame for the lack of control and laws in this system, has been most of us that have believed in it and while trying to get an easy and fast exit to earn some money and realize everyone's fantasy of becoming reach with no hard working, we have made it bigger and let it go out of control and blinding ourselves from this corruption pretending this is not happening till will happen to us.

Once we get deep into this context we can be able to enjoy this thriller that mostly proves one of our most fears of losing everything and taking the risk of go bigger or go home. You will definitely enjoy the ride, as we already did with the two previous movies just mentioned, while the financial system is definitely a complex one and while talking about money can be fun and exciting, learning all the rules and facts in it won't be but confusing and boring for some, so in the hands of the actress turned director Jodie Foster and the satisfying performances of awarded actors Julia Roberts and George Clooney, this will be a miss or hit, an opportunity to finally open your eyes and realize that this is actually happening around the world, there are companies, and the people behind them, trying to make more profit from their investors, you, and while there's a chance you can make some money out of it, there is also a big risk you can lose everything, like gambling in a casino, and while the an be fun, gets also addictive and if you are losing money it's only you to blame but when you start losing others, things stop to being right, so it;s time to ask for answers and create a control over it and while we can't change the fact of living in a world ruled by power and money, we can't let our greed or others to ruin or change our lives, it;s time to stand up and ask for a change, and while no bomb will be necessary, only making our voices be heard will stop those that get have been getting away with all from us. It's show time and it's your call.

Post live out of the closet...4th Man Out

Gay cinema usually tends to go for a more dramatic path, and no wonder why since most of all journey for gay people is full of insecurities and drama, which means that they don't have it as easy as others since all our culture was based for heterosexual behavior and everything is based on this idea pr pattern till now when things have taken a different twist allowing all this people to open themselves and feel accepted in a society that once rejected them and judge them as different only to realize that they are as humans as everybody else and we all part just of a very diverse human behavior, without being one better than the other. But with a lack of background that support the education and evolution of gay culture, these community has faced fear, mostly of rejection and the feeling of being not loved so how can you ask someone to love each other when we thought them the opposite and bullied them in their own homes, turning into a new generation that rejects and judges their own only in an eternal search for acceptance and validation that only sees what is on the surface for being afraid to go deeper and being hurt.

So for any gay the first step in this unique journey they were born is to accept themselves and with that, coming out of the closet, which means, coming as a gay person to others, family and friends. So even this is the most important and harder moment in any gay's life, obviously will be the scariest and  most difficult to face, reason why tends to go more for drama side, when depression and rejection shows up, so finding a more feeling good movie that focus on this process making it accesible to their audience, both the ones involve directly or in any other way, and without trying to preach or educate, reflect a crucial moment for a big % of the population.This is "4th man out" (2015), a story of a young gay man that faces the moment in his life when has to man up and tell all the people he cares about and care about him, his sexual preference as this will impact in many aspects of his life and being honest and transparent will only bring the best for any of his relationships with others. Living in a very straight world, working as a mechanic and sharing his free time with his other three best friends, the ones that has since childhood, and living in a small town, this young guy is introduced to us just in the moment when due to his 24th birthday feel the need to be honest with his friends and tell them this truth about him now that he has gone through his personal process and accepted himself the way he is, seeking for the life he deserves.

His first approach will be to Chris, his closest friend from the group and the one he has more in common with and after a fun night out he just took it out and confess, putting his friends in a zone where they have no idea how to react and say. But Adam, our main character, doesn't want anything to change, he just need to be accepted as has always been, now with this change in his life. So his friends will struggle at first to adjust and do the right thing to support him but the love they have for him and the fact that he is still the same guy the uno and like will make it easy for them, proving that once anyone is letting himself to open up for different things and opening their mind to accept something relatively unknown and different, things will clear up by itself. So once that they start feeling confortable in this whole process of acceptance and tolerance, things will go back to normal and they will look for the same thing they want in their life, to share them with his friend that seems a little bit lonely, so they will sign up for a series of adventures to take him out there and meet new people and go on dates to find that right guy for him but even in comedies and light perspective of things, life is not that easy and things don't always go the way we want to, so Adam will face the reality of a gay scene where guys take care themselves too serious and finding a connection seems harder than all the coming out process.

Even the movie falls into most of all cliches of the genre, is refreshing to feel hope and root for this people that live among us and has been marginalized for so long and also deserves their happiness the same way we have been witness of thousands of classic rom-com's that while trying to prove that happy endings do exist and love is in the air, his also should apply for everyone, no matter in what minority they could fit into. Part of evolution and society evolving into accepting diversity means showing them what they can't relate to, so showing stories more accesible than the usual dramas of gay cinema will help to show how this community co exist and faces a reality that used to be a taboo in the past. Only realizing how hard is for anyone to come out of the closet and accept to themselves as to their beloved ones their sexual preference, making a journey and a process that is definitely not as easy as sounds but with help of the people we love, will make a big difference for sure. Usually this process send them to very lonely place and a depressing feeling of rejection and being by themselves that only love and friendship can help to make it easy. Sadly even their own community will reject and judge them by their looks and likes before getting to know them, then family ill play a major role as theres a black hole on how to raise  a gay son, but to show them your love, respect and support will make a difference.

Usually friends help and mark our lives in ways that we won't recognize at the beginning. We set a mark on things that we know from them and others that they learned from us, making both of us better everyday and thats the pure magic of friendship and love. But how can we make this process to start since early stages so by the time they grow up, will become as normal and as cool person as any other without the stigma of their sexual preference. Only showing them your love and respect will avoid the need of them to seek for validation while having sex and hooking up with everybody and 24/7. Definitely this movie has heart and for those not close enough to relate to the topic, will be a smooth introduction to an unknown process that a few deals as part or their lives and while making us smile will also make us feel and think about all this community that deserve better other than just party, sex and shopping, but to feel normal and seek for a normal life. So if you know someone or you someone dealing with all this, you might sit and turn the tv on and find this little jewel on Netflix and start realizing what is all bout and showing some love and respect will change their lives, unless you might prefer to go back to a close minded closet where no tolerance and rejection is still aloud hile out of it everybody is ready to enjoy the diversity of human condition on how all this new generations are evolving to a more superficial side losing their contact with reality .

Captain America: Civil War...like any family reunion

I was talking to one of my best friends recently about super hero movies and how they have become such a big deal and a huge box office success not to mention a big influence in the pop culture worldwide, but how can this be happening for a genre that was made for kids with an original source coming from comic books? And it makes perfect sense that all kids feel attracted to all these characters as part of their childhood and growing up but how come when i saw this movie on it's opening night, 99% of the audience were adults and mostly of 25 yo and up. So for starters we have to realize that we all as grown ups are still attached to our childhood in many ways: the way we communicate, they way we express our feelings, our goals, ideals, role models, even the people we are attracted to are based from our childhood experiences so we can't deny that just because we are over an age where we are so called adults or mature, we are not related still to all what made us fantasied or get us excited as kids, and in a healthy behavior it also shouldn't be locked as we need that creativity and keep that side of us alive to survive all the responsibilities that are made for any adult. With that said it's also why they are all kinds of comic books or graphic novels, as they might seem or were intended in they origins to entertain and create a world where super heroes save the day but as they and us have evolved, their stories had been becoming darker using just the metaphor as a way to cover a bloody drama or psychological thriller under super powers cover.

Using this cover or excuse we can go deeper into politics and economics to attack some of society's bigger concern or fears, and also explore the human psyche through the eyes of some people that are suffering racism, bullying, war, depression, loneliness, power, loss, just that is all cover with a nice ribbon where they also can save the day through they powers and abilities or gadgets that will blow our minds and make us connect to them in ways that without them might be hard to understand. Under this cover comes the new entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), that has been better known for his joyful and visually fun stories, to get into deeper, sadly not darker, waters with "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR" (2016), where as the plot implies will be war among our heroes and that set the bar to get into more adult topics rather than mind blowing sequences of FX, and after reading a few of the raving reviews it has, and seen it by myself can agree with the fact that even blockbusters can deliver fun, action, FX and still bring to the table topics that matter for everybody and deserve attention to talk about and even a movie like this won't give answers to the them or will change the fact of their existence their impact on social culture will be enough to make people wonder and go and research more about them to feel confortable to talk about them when discussing the movie.

So the time, we have again the group of heroes called The Avengers, fighting to keep the world save and bring the bad guys back to jail but after a wrong turn in their last mission, a new question will arise among governments of the world regarding this super heroes, while most of the people sees them as heroes some of them not and the reason is totally understandable and logic. While we've been focusing on their success bringing the bad guy down, we assumed they save the day but in the process to achieve that were side effects, collateral damages, meaning, cities were destroyed, lots of people lost their properties or were injured and even worst, casualties, people died in the middle of this fight, so who would pay for those loses? who gets to decide who lives and who dies, and while everybody applauds to this group of people that are fighting and risking their lives for us, who will confort and pay for the losses in between? who gave them the power to sacrifice innocent lives in order to save the rest of the world? So nations will get involve and create a new law that will bring all this heroes under certain control worldwide so they can respond to their actions.

While some of them agreed with this new jurisdiction, others won't approved as will limit their opportunity to save more lives and protect the world not to mention that will act under personal agendas and agendas tend to change depending on their intentions and needs so they can't afford that. So now the group will be divided into two perspectives of how to deal with their guilt and conscience as some of them are carrying it through their bad decisions and others acknowledge it as part of their job. But tensions will arise making this team face each other defending their positions. And while is fun to watch from this perspective how even these guys that are supposed to be super cool and invencible with their abilities, they also have to deal with issues between them, and try to solve it politely, and once we turn to our own direction, this sounds just like home, because even in the most harmonic and lovely families, there is always a time when things get messy and we start to fight, defending positions and believes, or even that we all love each other we have to learn how to live together when we don't agree with the same things or we are very different from each other but always keeping in mind we are family or friends, and we love each other and sometimes we don't get to choose them but learn how to respect them and get along even when they break down our nerves.

And thats one of the major points of this movie, cause even we still get really well done sequences where will see our heroes kick asses and destroy any facility comes across their way, they will show that even the most invencible guys in the world still have feelings and struggle with loses and clash of personalities and ideologies. What is right and what is wrong? Are we fighting for the right reason? And as we said at the beginning, even them are stock with their childhood experiences so as any of those, they are humans as well so they get to struggle with some baggage that we keep carrying from our early years and has become a reflection of our temper and personality, so we'll fight for what we believe and the people we love, because we believe in them and want to keep them safe, so as in any war, our motives are always the same, keep our beloved ones safe and prove that friendship is one of the strongest relationships in the world that deserves to be fought for. And sadly also we'll realize that villains are not just some mad, crazy, over powered, angry guy, but any of us can turned into one if the circumstances through us in that direction, making our judgement fail and embrace hate and pain, unable to forgive and let go, consuming us by anger and revenge, cause as much as we are able to love and be capable of great things the same way we can focus all that effort into destroy and kill, so seems like the right time for super heroes to start growing up and evolving into more mature experiences exploring what real life is about other than just be a cartoonish reflection of it, and with so we will embrace the fact that deep inside of any of us hides the idea of become a hero someday and save the day while we try to keep our life in order and free of chaos.

KEANU...how to spend your 7 lives

What could you get from a mash up of two comedians and a kitten? the idea sounds just like a big bummer coming or a very well planned disaster but when you get deep into it things might get a different meaning. Cats are the most watchable animals in youtube and own millions of videos over other animals like dogs or goats so definitely have became very popular among those browsing for something funny or just killing time. And when you get two of the most creative and hilarious comedians in tv these days that have no problem to criticize american culture and expose with straight forward jokes all their new tendencies that as a culture has experienced we just can get a very fierce social analysis able to creat a satire from the new pop culture or make a serious comment from stupid ideas as music, diversity, racism or pets. So what could be said from a comedy that is just released in the out coming summer with tons of comedy offers and big budgets packed with A-stars?

Well the answer is just "Keanu" (2016), the story of a kitten as cute as hell. That just to watch him staring at you will make you melt. Like any other cute videos in Youtube, you'll just aww and smile any time that he is on screen an even as the movie gets to it's third act you;ll see more of his moves and some acting flashes that will inspire you for a possible big applause. But what would be the point of just make a movie from a kitten running all around the place and being adopted from a loving lonely guy to be te most wanted pet in the mafia. Well if you add the fact that this kitten is the most wanted from the mafia since before falling in front of the door of a single young guy that has his heart broken and is going through the phase of a break up just to call his cousin for desperate help while this other guy, the cousin also happens to be in need of help, even that he hasn't asked for it, his scream for help is as obvios as his playlist and high tones are.

So the idea of a night out for these two guys sounds like the perfect way to start a weekend, but they are just two simple dudes, with no malice in them. They are just as average as the top 40 in music or as any action movie playing out there. They are geeks that love intense conversations and pretend to be action heroes and dream with all what they are not because they are just two normal guys living a simple and normal life. But when they come back home and realize that they little super cute kitten is gone and was taken by a very dangerous local drug dealer, they will man up to save it cause that little pet is all what he has and need it to hold to something so even the other doesn't want to, can't leave the other by himself so they jump to the van and start what would be a life changing experience. Pretending to be street sellers, they find the way to sneak in the group and make a deal with the dealer in order to help him with the business getting the kitten in return.

This will just be the excuse to detonate a series of adventures in the streets for these two hanging out with other four guys from the group that will check up on them while helping to accomplish the sell. But these guys are not your nice, friendly neighbor. We are facing the darkest side of our society, those guys that have grown in the streets just surviving and leaving scars physically as emotionally just to become savages willing to kill to find their place in a society that has taken all from them and reject them as parias while deep they are just another simple and normal guys that just had a rough and tough journey since the beginning, and have no other option or at least not one that they know. But when things start to get out of control they will need to face reality, these is no longer a game for a fight for their life and what started as a game now is real and just they love from each other motivated by a little kitten will help to come along all this mess and just stay alive and fool everyone as they have fooled themselves.

As intense and serious all these sound these is just a parody so we'll face this challenge with laugh and irony because the only reason for all these journey is to expose how american culture has iconized drug abuse, own of weapons, violence, racism, diversity, pet adoration and pop culture as guide lines through our every day forgetting that for all of these are side effects and consequences, that some of those would never experience, some other maybe for a while and others will face it as a curse for the rest of their lives, just while trying to follow the steps that have been shown just not in the right way so who are we to blame and who's fault will be behind all the mess? Probably just at the end  will need to face reality and grow up enough to challenge our faults and fight to achieve the ideal of a person we have back in our minds just to become the person we always wanted to be, taking away all those fears and realize that sometimes theres more that we can see, specially if theres a cat or a video involve. Its time to face reality and challenge ourselves and why not, criticize the system just to break it at our own way and have fun all along the way.