GAME NIGHT...only for competitive souls

Have you ever wonder why do get along with your friends? Why is so much fun to gather around them? And why we connect and fall in love with some people while we just can't stand others? And specially why we act the way we do? Like if we were programmed as a video game to act in some way and make the same kind of decisions over and over, and then present that kind of behavior that everyone around us knows us better for? Is it the game of life that set us up for what is coming or is it really us who start building up the sum of experiences to be able to face the final set and win the game, able to have it all and achieve the american dream? Well one thing is for sure. We all are different and unique in some way, that we can be a specific character to play a very challenging game even if we all are playing under the same rules and setting. Things will look different for each one of us according to our own expectations and personalities that no matter how similar we think we are to others, we can't be more different as a whole and more similar in our core and basics. So is this an advantage or disadvantage at the end, or will help us to win at the end and achieve our goals and dreams? Maybe. It's all subjective. So why are we talking about this you might wonder? Well, because there is a new comedy that happen to be a funny one, not very original, but entertainingly enough and well done to care about their characters to a point that after having a blast watching it you might end wondering what's about this game of life we are all playing beyond those games we like to play with friends for fun or the ones we are trapped in real life. Is life a game or we are playing the game of life?

"Game Night" (2018) is a new comedy that actually tries to expand itself to different levels, telling a compelling modern story filled with funny gags and some action. Telling the story of a young modern couple that happen to be also a very competitive one. Reason why they were attracted to each other at the first place. These young folks met at a game a night and their skills and level of competitiveness got them together and since then they have become a team. Which is basically a metaphor for what a couple should represent in real life. A team where both can contribute with their own skills to become a stronger team and make it through in the game of life. But even we all have some level of competitiveness inside, some just seem to have it exponentially higher than others, and while it might seem fun, there is always more behind that. Usually that need to prove yourself as the best, to challenge yourself to achieve higher levels and push yourself to achieve always the number one spot rather than just enjoy the game no matter what position will you end at, comes from that need to fulfill something inside you that needs to be proven. That's why the more we get to hang with these guys the more we realize what hides behind their own game. They are trying to move their relationship to the next level, but something is holding him back. He seems very anxious and over stressed and it's affecting their plans. And all points to the visit of his brother that will be in town for the next game night.

Once we get to meet the brother, another piece in the puzzle starts to fill in. He represents the success of the family, the charming, with social skills, popular, charismatic, confident. All things he lacks of. No matter how successful he might seem, with a nice job, pretty house and beautiful and cool wife, he doesn't feel that way, so that's why he pushes himself to win every time in any kind of game. He can't afford himself to feel like losing in game night. But this game night will be different. A new game has been set up for this peculiar group of friends. The brother is trying to impress everybody and for so has planned a murder mystery game with real people and real locations that they will have to figure out through the clues that he left. What they haven't anticipated is that he is also running illegal business so now the mafia is looking after him and will crash their game night to take him with them. So now we get both scenarios mixed up, confusing the players that will try to win by rescuing their friend. So soon they will realize that they don't know him at all. Specially his own brother. Who has always seem him as a threat and now realizes that it has always been the opposite. He is actually the successful one while the other has been falling into all kind of trouble and living at the edge by trying to get what he has.And that is what competition brings. Usually blinds you from realizing the truth behind the each player as you can only focus on yourself and find the ways to overcome your own obstacles looking at every body else as your competition rather than finding them as allies.

We all play by the same rules but at the end is hard to win by being yourself. So just like poker, we need to pretend to be a different version of us to feel like we fit in, or to connect with others that normally we wouldn't, or just because we can't accept our own truth so we buy the one that we always wanted to be. So with that many masks, we build layers on us that will cover our own beauty and intentions, misleading everybody else, turning the table and the game in so many directions that at some point we won't know what are we playing for. But wait, because this movie is not all about one couple but we have two more couples competing to try to win this game. The second couple is an African american one, high school sweethearts, that feel like thy know each other in every level, giving them this advantage over other couples trying to adjust to each other while they seem to have everything figure out. until they don't, and that might get in between them. When you think you have everything in control just to realize you don't can shake you and make you tumble putting your whole game at risk because trust is hard to get back once is broken and that wound goes deeper than any bullet. But why would you expect to know everything about someone? Isn't that the excitement of the game of being part of a relationship, to keep growing and exploring and discovering new phases of yourself and your partner along the way? Or is it makes a better team to posses all the knowledge and be on a comfortable spot able to avoid the unexpected?

And last, we have the third couple or wanna be couple, of the night. The bachelor of the group, forever single and dating multiple girls that all look the same, like gorgeous models, but no caring about their personality because they are mostly here to fulfill a space and be the plus one of he night. He is also not a very smart guy, reason why he compensates his lack of personality with his good looks and muscles but maybe tonight he might discover that what really matters in order to build a connection is personality and that will make someone more attractive to your eye. Once you get to know someone and happens to actually enjoy their company, plus feeling challenged by them, will turn the heat on, rather that just follow the check list and make someone your type in paper but at the end, will be game over. So now you have more than one reason to go and see this under rated movie that unfortunately has been overshadow in the box office thanks to the attention we have given to bigger blockbusters or award winning dramas, forgetting that we all are still playing the game of life and game night will come soon and will remind us how important is to stay focus and keep our game going, but only by understanding who we are and where the other players are standing at, to avoid get confused and tricked by appearances, but reminding that life is meant to be to enjoy, if there is a game inside that we need to figure out, has to be to make us better and achieve our own goals, not others, and have fun along the ride, just as all this characters will try to prove us, with a smart, funny, deep but ambitious game night. Because we all love games and comedies, we are just afraid of accept it.

OSCAR ISAAC....inside star wars ex machina

No hay mayor recompensa en la vida que disfrutar de esta y ver como los caminos se abren de manera inesperada para aquellos que persisten y cuentan con un talento nato para algo, el cual saben explotar y experimentar para ver a que destinos los llevara. Tal es el caso de uno de los talentos Latinos con mayor reconocimiento hoy en día, Y por Latino me refiero a esta nueva generación de Estado Unidenses que son criados o nacidos en el país pero cuentan con ascendencia Latina y que esta transformando las minorías en los E.U.A., Oscar Isaac Hernandez Estrada mejor conocido como Oscar Isaac, nacido en Guatemala pero re ubicado en Miami, Florida a tan solo 5 meses de edad, y criado estrictamente cristiano por sus padres, una madre Guatemalteca y un padre Cubano, que le ofrecieron una educación privilegiada en una escuela cristiana privada, a lo cual, el ahora actor, hace burla pues siempre gusto de hacer reír a sus compañeros lo cual lo llevo a ser expulsado de la misma. Como parte de su rebeldía se une a varias compañías de teatro donde logro varios rolos tanto en ensamble durante festivales o roles principales, hasta que termina formando un banda de rock que a pesar de no lograr despuntar en grande lograron varias presentaciones importantes abriendo conciertos para otras bandas mas comerciales.

Aunque su banda no logra el éxito esperado, le abre las puertas para ingresar en la prestigiada escuela de artes Julliard en NY, por lo cual pone su carrera musical en pausa, logrando algunos roles mientras aun en la Academia, mas a la fecha es un reconocido guitarrista e interprete, orgulloso de haber pertenecido a diferentes bandas de diferentes géneros musicales y aunque nunca se imagino casado, en una relación monógama y ahora todo un padre, varios medios y publicaciones lo catalogan como un símbolo sexual. Su debut en la pantalla grande viene con "All about the Benjamins" (2002), donde con una pequeña participación en una cinta sobre un cazador de recompensas y su aliado tratando de atrapar a un ladrón de diamantes, realmente no logra una gran impresión a pesar del éxito de la cinta. Después solo le caerían roles menores o pequeñas apariciones en cintas para video, hasta que co protagoniza la nueva adaptación bíblica de la natividad en " The Nativity Story" (2006), con una producción digna de Hollywood donde el actor interpreta nada menos que el rol de Jose, el esposo de Maria, madre de Jesus. Y aunque no fue un fracaso la critica la rechazo y la taquilla respondio muy tibiamente.

Sin embargo, esto le sirvió de parteaguas para abrirle las puertas a nuevos proyectos, tales como la cinta independiente "The Life before her eyes" (2008), un thriller protagonizado por Uma Thurman, basado en la novela homónima que cuenta la historia de una mujer que de joven presenció una tragedia y como esta le sigue afectando su idílica vida ahora como adulta. La cinta fue aplastada por la critica y su limitada exhibicon no ayudo en nada a la taquilla. Por fortuna el actor, nuevamente solo aparece en un rol secundario. Posteriormente participa en el ambicioso proyecto del director Steven Soderbergh "Che" (2008), el cual esta dividido en dos partes contando la biografia de este revolucionario icono de LatinAmerica. La primer parte se centra en su vida antes de la guerilla y su jornada que lo lleva e inspira a convertirse en rebelde y la segunda totalmente enfocada en su lucha revolucionaria. La cinta genero polémica y en su mayoría criticas positivas mas en taquilla no logro el éxito obtenido, a pesar de su recorrido por varios festivales de renombre. El actor tiene una breve participacion en pantalla pero funge como narrador durante la dos partes. Dando el brinco a producciones de mayor presupuesto lo vemos en "Body of Lies" (2008), protagonizada por Russell Crowe y Leonardo DiCaprio, bajo la batuta de Ridley Scott, en una historia de espías sobre una misión de la CIA en Jordania, y donde Isaac interpreta a un agente de la CIA ubicado en dicha region y que sirve de contacto para el rol del agente interpretado por DiCaprio. Esta vez, con mayor presencia en pantalla, logra su primer gran exito en taquilla aunque no de igual manera con la critica.

Volviendo a proyectos mas artísticos, forma parte de "Angora" (2009), el nuevo filme del aclamado director español Alejandro Amenabar y que cuenta la historia de Hypatia, interpretada por Rachel Weisz, una mujer astrónoma y matemática del siglo IV de la antigua Roma, interpretando el actor a un estudiante que se enamora de ella exponiendo temas que contrastan la religion con la ciencia. Desafortunadamente la cinta recibio una tibia taquilla y criticas que dado su presupuesto la hicieron un fracaso. Probando nuevas tierras, co protagoniza el filme Australiano "Balibo" (2009), la historia de cinco reporteros que son capturados y asesinados en la invasion de Indonesia en 1975. El actor fue galardonado como mejor actor de reparto por la Academia Cinematográfica Australiana por este rol. Regresando a America se pone en manos del aclamado director Ridley Scott por segunda ocasión, esta vez en la nueva adaptación del clásico "Robin Hood" (2010), ahora interpretado por Russell Crowe, y donde Isaac interpretaría al villano, el principe Juan, quien pondrá un precio por la cabeza del justiciero ladrón. La cinta obviamente fue un exito en taquilla de ese verano mas no favorecio a la critica.

Continuando en linea con blockbusters lo vemos en "Sucker Punch" (2011), una cinta de acción, con un estilo visual muy del estilo de su director Zack Snyder, cuyas protagonistas son un grupo de jóvenes bailarinas en un mundo ficticio creado por la protagonista que esta recluida en un asilo para locos por su padrastro y donde el carcelero, interpretado por el joven actor, fungirá como el propietario del burdel donde estas jóvenes están atrapadas como esclavas sexuales por lo cual pelearan por su libertad. La cinta genero mucho buzz en su etapa de produccion pero el resultado fue aplastado por la critica y la taquilla apenas recupero su alto presupuesto. Por ello regresa al proyectos mas independientes, como la cinta "W.E." (2011), cinta dirigida por la cantante Madonna, un melodrama sobre dos mujeres de dos tiempos diferentes, separadas por mas de seis décadas, una mas actual obsesionada con el romance de la otra en su época. El actor cuenta con un rol secondario, lo cual no parecio afectar en su carrera una vez que la cinta fue aplastada por la critica y logro una pobre taquilla. En "10 years" (2012), un filme independiente sobre un grupo de jóvenes en su reunion de graduados una década después de la graduación, logra interpretar finalmente a un músico. Desgraciadamente la cinta contó con una muy limitada exhibición a pesar de contar con un elenco multi estelar que incluye ademas de Isaac a Channing Tatum, Kate Mara, Chris Pratt y Rosario Dawson.

Continuando su linaje en el cine independiente forma parte de "Drive" (2011), un aclamado drama sobre un mecánico que a su vez es conductor de acrobacias, que trabaja para la mafia, pero su vida da un giro una vez que empieza una relación con su vecina y su hijo, pero el esposo de esta, interpretado por Isaac, sale de prision y pondrá al protagonista, Ryan Gosling, en una encrucijada con su vida personal y laboral. La cinta fue excelentemente recibida y a la fecha ya goza de un estatus de clásico del genero. Posteriormente forma parte de un elenco muy latino que incluye a Andy Garcia y Eva Longoria en la cinta "For Greater Glory" (2012), una historia que busca retratar los eventos de la batalla de los Cristeros. Sobra decir que la cinta fue aplastada por la critica e ignorada por la taquilla. Tras tanto fracaso, su carrera de varios pasas hacia atrás relegando al actor a obtener pequeños roles, tal como en el blockbuster "The Bourne Legacy" (2012), protagonizada por Jeremy Renner y donde Isaac solo aparece como otro agente sin mayor impacto en la cinta. Lo mismo sucede en "Won't back down" (2012), donde comparte creditos con Maggie Gyllenhaal y Viola Davis en la historia de dos madres que enfrentan la corrupcion del sindicato de maestros. Apesar de una buena campana y una historia relevante, la cinta tuvo criticas negativas y una pesima sino casi nula taquilla.

Por fortuna la cosas cambiarían justo cuando pareciera que el actor quedaría relegado a roles secundarios, cuando los hermanos Cohen le dan el protagónico de su siguiente filme, "Inside Llewyn Davis" (2013), una tragicomedia muy al estilo de los directores, sobre un joven cantante de música folk luchando por sobrevivir como músico y poder llevar una vida normal a la vez. Con el historial del actor, el rol pareciera estar escrito para el, por lo cual su interpretación se convierte en un parte aguas en su carrera, que no solo lo pondría en la mira de la industria sino lo llevaría a multiples nominaciones como mejor actor en los círculos mas importantes críticos incluyendo el Globo de Oro.La cinta a su vez fue un éxito en critica y taquilla para su genero. Esto solo le permitiría seguir buscando proyectos interesantes, tal como "The two faces of January" (2014), una cinta independiente basada en la popular novela homónima y que co protagonizan Kirsten Dunst y Viggo Mortinsen, mas a pesar de la aceptación de la critica, la taquilla no la encontró tan atractiva y fue ignorada por la audiencia. Por fortuna esto no seria problema cuando aparece en "A most Violent year" (2014), un drama sobre una familia y su pequeno negocio en los 80's, el cual enfrentara la competencia de la mafia y grandes corporaciones poneindo sus vidas y estabilidad economica en riesgo. La cinta es una oda al sueno americano y la luchade todo empresario por sobrevivir en la economia del pais. La cinta genero excelentes criticas aunque una pobre taquilla mas una vez mas el actor se colgo varias nominaciones a su curriculum.

En 2015 regresa con "Ex-Machina", un drama de ciencia ficción que sorprendió a todos por su profunda vision sobre la tecnología versus la humanidad en una época donde la inteligencia artificial emerge como la promesa de un nuevo futuro. Interpretando a un científico que esta llevando su proyecto un poco al extremo, lo cual nuevamente le brindaría varias nominaciones por parte de prestigiados círculos de críticos, ademas que la cinta emerge como un éxito de taquilla y un clásico contemporáneo del genero. Después lo vemos en "Mojave" (2015), otro proyecto indie que se fue directo a video tras una muy limitada corrida y a pesar de haber sido parte del Festival de Tribeca. Mas esto solo seria un pequeño tropiezo para lo que vendría meses después, co protagonizando la nueva entrega de la serie "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015), que ubicaría la franquicia décadas después de la trilogía original y que rompería todos los records en taquilla al momento, ademas de que de paso cautivo a la critica y gano audiencia con las nuevas generaciones ansiosas por formar parte de este fenómeno, donde interpretaría a un piloto, el mejor de su época, de la resistencia, en búsqueda de un mapa perdido que lo guíe al paradero del ultimo Jedi. Lo cual da titulo a su secuela "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017), la cual acabamos de ver hace un par de meses y aunque no gozo de la misma respuesta esta lejos de considerarse un fracaso.

Buscando mantener un equilibrio entre sus nuevos proyectos de alto calibre y su estilo mas independiente, es que lo vemos en "The promise" (2016), a lado de Christian Bale, en un drama sobre un triangulo amoroso ubicado en la decadencia del imperio Otomano. A pesar de tibias criticas, la taquilla fue un rotundo fracaso, considerando su alto presupuesto y mucho debido a la fallida historia que no pudo conquistar corazones de la audiencia. Mas esto pasaría desapercibido por otro gran tropiezo, al interpretar al villano principal de la nueva entrega de la franquicia "X-MEN: Apocalypse" (2016), donde interpretaría al villano que da el titulo a la cinta, supuestamente el mayor villano que este grupo de super heroes ha enfrentado pero con un maquillaje que lo hace irreconocible y una historia que falla en profundidad para caer en pirotecnia y acción, este nuevo trilogía cerro con mal sabor en la boca y la aparición de Isaac en ella fue de lo mas criticado. Pero aveces lo importante es estar en boca de todos que ser ignorado, y así pareciera ya que al actor le siguen lloviendo nuevos proyectos, tal como "Suburbicon" (2017), una comedia negra escrita por los hermanos Cohen y dirigida por George Clooney, que cuenta la historia de una familia blanca de un refinado suburbio y que ha sufrido un ataque en su propia casa y una familia afro americana que se ha mudado y es víctima del rechazo de todos culpándolos de dicho atroso mientras pareciera que las verdaderas víctimas son ellos mismos. Exponiendo los valores sociales americanos con un toque de critica al racismo la cinta fallo con la critica que la rechazo y esto se reflejo en una pobre taquilla, apesar del gran talento involucrado, ademas de Isaac que interpreta al representante de seguros encargado del caso, esta Julianne Moore y Matt Damon.

Este 2018 inicia con un ambicioso proyecto, "Annihilation" , en el cual lo vemos este mes, un drama de ciencia ficción, sobre un meteorito que ha caído en la Tierra y pareciera estar cambiando todo aquello a la redonda, creando y mutando todo, por lo cual un grupo de científicas encabezadas por Natalie Portman, se adentraran en el territorio para buscar respuestas. El actor interpreta al desaparecido esposo de esta cientifica en uan moderna adaptacion de la popular novela homonima y que traera a discusion varios puntos a la mesa. Desgraciadamente su propuesta apesar de haber fascinado a la critica, la taquilla no la ha recibo como se esperaba para una cinta de su talla. Y por ultimo, mas adelante lo veremos en la cinta "Life Itself", de los nuevos estudios Amazon, y de la cual no se sabe mucho mas que el actor es uno de los protagonistas interpretando a un hombre casado con una mujer mucho mas joven que el. En fin, ya veremos que le depara el destino en Hollywood a este talentoso y multi facetico actor que finalmente logro despegar a las grandes ligas mas aunque esta en su momento dentro de la industria, hemos ya visto muchos casos de estrellas que terminan por apagarse o talvez decida de continuar con su carrera en la música, solo el tiempo y la taquilla lo dirán.

BLACK PANTHER...foolish build walls, smarts build bridges

It is very surprising that these days the only things that bring people to  the movies are franchises, extended universe, novel adaptations. Feels like no long ago were still movie events, new stories able to captivate the heart of an audience or bring new material to their imagination in order to tell a story that will become a classic. But not anymore. With so many offerings from different studios trying to take a bigger size of the cake in the box office and looking for the next option that will make more cash to the industry, deep buried are those progressive and innovated projects that transformed cinema into a cult that brought so many to the theaters around the world. But not all is lost. Even that we have to deal with the same kind of offerings week after week to get one in between that will break a new record, when this happen, we are about to witness a movie event in it's entire form. So what is going on with this new movie that just after days of release has broken all kind of records and it's attracting masses to the theaters? What is all the buzz around "Black Panther" (2018)? A new super hero movie, one more in the well known Marvel Cinematic Universe, that actually follows the events of this character after his introduction in a previous movie, and with all that said, sounds like shouldn't be anything new or great about it, so what is the big deal this time?

Ok, so for starters, this is the first black super hero. Introduced not as a African-American, but a real African native hero that has the potential to save the world and compete and kick any other super hero's ass. So that is definitely a novelty for the genre. But again, is it that enough to make it the movie event of the year so far? Of course is not! For what we've learned from any super hero story, there is no hero that is able to save the world by itself. Their journey to embrace their powers and become super comes from his or her allies. Those ones around them that will bring some technology, words of wisdom, perspective, knowledge, etc, to help our beloved hero. That's why sometimes when reading or watching their stories, these characters grow close to us, because they are the ordinary ones that in some way helped to save the day, and we could be one of them, they end inspiring us while the hero save us. And Wakanda, a fictional country in Africa, where after a meteor crashes, leaving an out of this world metal that will transform their society with technology that no other place in Earth has, so it's king, is surrounded by this and great people that will fight with and for him now that he is about to inherit the throne. All these characters are represented by different tribes from Africa, exposing the diversity that exists in what we call a third world, a land that we heard about but we have forgotten as don't represent any potential for the modern world.

But in a way to represent all the vast richness that the continent offers to the rest of the world without having modern civilizations, this country looks like the most advance country in the world with high tech that let them travel, treat health, and build the most advance weapons that any army in the world would die for, and all thanks to this unique metal they possesses, and that exactly what triggers the whole story once a misfit, one of their own that has left behind is looking for revenge and in order to reach that hidden city will fish them out by trying to sell their precious metal just in time to challenge to death the new king and being able to take the throne as a result of being a royal himself. Playing more like a soap opera than a super hero origin movie, the film is packed with great visuals and action scenes that will please all kind of taste. But again, this is not what is bringing audiences to the theaters. The answer is that finally is exposing a different story, a different culture, based on real African history, finally the continent and its population, now all spread out around the world get some credit and recognition for their contribution in culture and as part of this new globalization, presented as one that actually is capable to change the world as we know it and because of that will be the one, the minority at any others eyes, to teach the rest how things should be done. It's the perfect timing to show the world that those that we used to discriminate and judge as a third world, lack of culture, and aged civilization to take the lead and prove ho rich and advance they could be being the ones taking the lead to prove that acceptance and unity is key to win and dominate.

So once that this fictional African country faces the fact of having two possible kings, the vision of each one will divide the entire country accordingly to their own agenda. One is looking to use their power to dominate and control the rest of the world, finally coming out and exposing their civilization and technology to position themselves as the more powerful country in the world thanks to an advantage that they obviously have, because hiding has no purpose anymore, while the other wants to keep their civilization and technology hidden, because that's the way always has been and have let them evolve and maintain peace with the rest of the world so no need to change things now, in order to preserve harmony in it's own country. With these two oposite visions of how to rule the country and use their resources, the different cultures that live in peace with other under the same roof, will start to separate towards the option they feel right for their country dividing what once was a peaceful city and pushing them to fight between each other. If this doesn't sound familiar you might have been living under a rock at least for the last decade, so watching in a big screen, what we are living now days in your own country whatever that is, and seeing this civilization fighting to keep united and trying to find a middle ground where both sides can work together as they used is as motivating and inspiring as any good news of the day you can read.

But if these story can feel so real even all what we are witnessing is mere fiction, would that give us some answers and that is the real reason why we need to go and watch it? Let's say that besides it's powerful family drama, where a king becomes stronger to rule his country and unite it in difficult times, thanks to a deep journey to understand where he is coming from and make peace with his predecessors decisions that he might not understand, specially when facing the consequences of it by himself, but all will line up to show him the answers he need to feel more confident to sit at the throne and become a true but different king that the modern times need, and in the same way, all the sum of these events will enlighten the audience with some inspiring moments and characters that will serve as role models to bring some ideas rather than answers, and the way is going back to the basics, unity makes us stronger, and building bridges is a smarter move than bringing walls that will isolate us from the rest, that we all are the same just we come from differences circumstances and our journey has us fighting different battles to make it through and sometimes our idea of peace is the one with ourselves instead of with others, so we will need to put that on the side for a moment to find a bigger picture that will help us all. Maybe we just need a super hero to remind us how to behave and react to the circumstances we live day by day rather than be saved so if for all the ones that are fighting to be listened, trying to find peace to themselves and their home towns, to be recognized as great as anyone else or just to unite all us, this is a film that might show you one way or two while kicking some ass and entertain you big time.

THE 15:17 TO PARIS.... packed with patriotism and hope

It's becoming more and more frequent that we get to see stories about real heroes trying to save the day when they are just ordinary people that happened to be in the wrong place at the right moment to be able to hep others and do something greater than them. But the fact that we all are heroes of own in everyone's life and we all struggle to survive these days where mas shootings happen around the corner, at schools, malls, music venues and public transportation, that starts to feel old the fact of dedicating a whole movie to tell the story of just a few when we are leaving out so many others that, as said, are risking their lives on a daily basis. But maybe is the fact that a big country as USA, facing the fact of not being involve in a war anymore, lacking of stories and examples of war heroes to inspire their citizens, or the other fact that inside the country they are living a political climate that has divided the nation, triggering several movements from different positions that has the entire nation facing violence and feeling unsafe at home that those examples of random people being able to inspire the whole country, uplifting their hope for  a better good is very needed as part of good news among a cascade of horrible daily news. Considering this, made it feel at the beginning like a deep breath of fresh air when we got to hear and see those stories of ordinary people, the ones that could be our neighbors, co workers, friends, being able to save the day in a selfless act that will pass to history as an heroic thing, bringing some hope and courage to the rest of us to make it through and believe that everything will be ok, but will it really be ok?  And what about all the other stories that didn't get a big attention from the media but it happened, and sometimes with a major impact just in  different scale? If we are living in difficult times, and more and more people can be called heroes in based of their actions, what makes a story more worthy to be told than the other?

This is the exact feeling anyone will experience after seeing "The 15:17 to Paris" (2018), a movie based on a true story, again, based and built in one act that takes only about 10 minutes of the whole movie but is teased since the beginning with short glimpses, building the anticipation for the audience to stay until the end and witness what really happened in a train when a terrorist shows up with enough ammunition to kill everybody on that train. But who is this guy, what are the motives to his actions, why that train, what was the purpose of this horrible act, we'd never know. Instead we focus for the rest of the length in the life of the three young Americans that saved the day and with bravery stopped this guy from commit a violent act that could kill hundreds and instead just left a couple injured. And of course we are curious to see and get to know this guys, to understand them better before they got to that moment in their lives where with just seconds to plan and execute were able to do such thing. But that only last until we are immerse in their lives realizing that there's not much to tell about but that specific heroic moment when they risked their lives to save others and the aftermath of it, which again we don't get to see much of it rather  than a long speech from France president thanking the courage of these young men con decorating them with the highest honor of that  country. Is this the reason why their story stands up among many other? Or the fact that it was selected, produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, a talented director and actor that has proven to be attracted to this kind of stories, bringing that sense of patriotism to all of them that makes you appreciate the service of every enlisted men and women.

And so is the case of at least two of the three guys. Spencer and Alek were friends and neighbors since middle  school. Both raised by  single moms, since kids they showed interest in guns and with some kind of rebel behavior at school after both feeling misunderstood by their school mates and teachers, they found some meaning playing war games and collecting all kinds of toy guns. Lacking of that father figure and with their moms focusing on make it work, they found comfort in each other keeping their friendship through years until finishing school but missing that push to pursue a career, always wondering what life has in storage for them. Always keeping back in their minds, what is their real purpose in life, reason why they enlisted in the army but because some physical limitations they couldn't serve abroad, having to stay in the country and find another way to serve. And that is basically how we spend an hour of the story, where three young men, as many others, struggle to find their place in the world, that search for purpose an meaning to do something useful and great with our lives. Usually rebel hearts are not always trying to break the rules but trying to find the best way to fit and do better. And usually by doing that they can heal any wound and move on. That;s why we have so many students dropping of from college or high school. As they need to figure out their place and their mind before building anything that has been set up for them but that doesn't mean the are bad persons or that they are broken. They just have been missing something so fulfilling that empty space is a quest that many others don't have to go through, making them look like misunderstood, but they might raise and achieve greatness, just need a little bit more of extra help and inspiration.   

Unfortunately, Eastwood takes us through a different path focusing in all the moments that leaded them up to that train and explain or justify why each one of them reacted in that way. Instead of exploring the real issues that these guys were going thru after coming from broken homes and feeling like misfits they whole life, before becoming heroes, and how are they doing after such event. How things have changed, are they still dealing with those issues or have a new ones now that are under the public eye and their whole life has become public. Alek has been playing celebrity for a bit now, so definitely things have changed for all of them. But we don't know more than what the cameras are showing. Why so much effort in telling where this guys are coming from rather then where are they heading to? Spending half of the movie in their back pack trip to Europe where the only thing that matter there is how they ended taking that train but instead of relate to this guys we just keep wondering why are they so special that their story could resonate among others beyond what by no doubt was a truly heroic act. But now after seeing them playing themselves in a movie based in their lives, can't keep but wonder if they still feel lost and trying to find a new opportunity for them to shine and figure out that purpose in life or that was it, they got they 5 minutes of fame and they'll always be remembered for what they did but there is no more to look after that. While many other stories are waiting to be told and many other examples of ordinary people that faced extreme circumstances that turned them into heroes and fighters.

So why is this urge to keep proving that heroes live among us? Is that the only that can we compensate the terrible circumstances that we are living by inspiring us to believe that no matter how bad it gets we can make the best of it?  So why not start changing what is actually wrong so we don't have to force any one into that situations and try to have a peaceful life? Isn't that the purpose of saving the day? And why can't we understand that there are no true villains here. Every horrible act comes as an urge to express something. Something that was nurtured by a difficult life but how many times these acts are trying to proof something. We only look at the casualties in one side but for some, there have been casualties on both sides so what we see might be a reaction that we provoke. We need to understand that the same way that good and brave actions are built some horrible but brave actions are too, we just look at one side as victims but every action comes from a reaction  and sadly in this case, we get to so the bad guy as a bad guy that just showed up to cause some damage but we don't know what was behind. Represented as the stereotype of a middle eastern man, with an expression that only shows fear rather than hate, he goes through the intention of using the guns he is carrying but what was his goal, was he looking for someone specific or was he just looking to start shooting everybody or maybe was more an hostage act? So by the end of an hour and a half all we get from here is that yes, there are heroes among us, there is still ordinary people capable to use their skills and training to serve and help others because there still exists decency and bravery but those people also has been through some trouble and might not be perfect, so how can we help them? they might be lost and maybe in the future their acts won't be in our favor, and maybe that is why we also get some ordinary people looking to hurt others and hurt themselves. We all need to do something to change this and stop violence and stop those that are still letting the use of guns and violence promoting hate, racism, war and that is the only train we need to take and make it stop.

CASUAL...afraid of commitment?

Being single in the modern era has become more than a status, a luxury that just  a few are willing to let go. Why would you give up all the benefits of being in charge of own life, with no bigger responsibilities other than taking care of yourself? You can focus on improving all the areas where you think you might need some work done, fitness, career, go back to school, travel, investments, anything that will bring some challenge and fun to your life and routine. So why should i jump into a relationship where i might need to compromise all this, including my free time in order to share it with someone else? Well, specially because it's February, it's cold, and Valentine's Day is around the corner, the hopeless romantic in you would say, that is always better to share everything with someone. That love makes things better and it's a bigger motivation to improve yourself and bring the best out of you. That at the long run, building a family of your own will pay off as no one wants to get old by itself and missing those great moments that only family can bring. Because finding the right one is a way to complement yourself and build a team to face all the curves and joys that life will throw at you, plus some benefits as having a regular sexual partner to be adventurous with and explore sexuality, some taxes, social, and financial benefits of having a spouse and share incomes and expenses in order to get a better quality of life. But that is just a good thought. Once we are trapped in our routines and life style is hard to give up, plus new generations are coming more often from broken homes with divorced and re married parents so in lack of that role model is hard to be real and jump into a healthy relationship.

But talking about our own issues and fear to commitment is definitely no fun, reason why also in this modern era of tv and streaming, Hulu brings us a show that will match perfectly that lack of therapy while having some fun and awkwardness , "Casual" (2016- current), a dramedy series that follows a family through their messy lives while exposing what means to be single, professional and a parent in the new millennium. Basically we follow three main characters, in the center we have Alex, the youngest brother that is living the life after co founding a dating site where a special algorithm will help you to find the right one, but funny thing he is super single and far from finding the right one, using it only to go on dates and have some casual sex with all these girls looking for love and the one. But this behavior is no random, no girl wants to be with him either as he acts like an douche with everybody, taking all his frustrations in life towards anyone that crosses his path, that's why he lives by himself, lonely and horny at a very nice place in California. What should be the perfect example of a role model for young entrepreneurs, is just the opposite, someone that had luck finding the right spot in business, able to make it and live from it. But how many times have we seen this already in real life? Is it fiction copy reality or the opposite? The fact that so many young people can achieve success so early and fast is turning the game into a debauchery where unable to grow they get frozen in time acting like a 20 year old unable to grow emotionally an develop that sense of commitment in any aspect of their life.

In the other corner, we get to meet mother Valerie and also Alex's oldest sister, and her daughter Laura, a teenager that sometimes act like the grown up in the family. She has left her husband after he admitted being cheating on her and have a girlfriend now, so now she is moving in to his little brother's house trying to stick with family and help each other through their shitty lives. Soon she will be introduced to her brother's way of life, full of casual fun and immediate pleasures, with no commitments and responsibilities but to satisfy the need of company for a moment. But she is not familiar with this, neither ok with it, as she has always been more conservative and as a psychotherapist, she can't see what is the healthy side of it. But now that she is single again and has decided to put herself back in the game again, she will be exposed to the reality of dating in an era of online dating and sex apps. This serves to clash two different generations trying to understand the new status quo and lifestyle where we get immediate pleasure and a lack of intimacy. And for her will be a double shock as soon will realize that her own daughter is living this kind of life, being sexually active at only 16 years old, and with more openness about it and more experience that her as the grown up in the family. But she is still dealing with her broken heart and this new exposure to dating and romance in the new millennium is just making her anxious and overwhelmed. How can you seek for intimacy and passion when all you need is to swipe right or left, and no one seems like offering that? You can't even say you like them on a first date because that will scare anyone away. Where is the romance and get to know someone in all this?

That's why we get Laura, the young soul in the picture that obviously will relate more to her uncle than her mom. She's a precocious girl that tries to act like the grown up in the house but at the end is just a teenager going through all kind of issues proper of her age. Using her boyfriend more for pleasure and status at school than really care about him, she also has a crush in her teacher so will try any way and opportunity to get closer to him and try to seduce him, without noticing that he can't see her as the kid she still is. But she doesn't know about love or intimacy or passion, all she gets its from her friends and social media where what matter is who you sleep with, how experienced you are sexually so you can share your sexual misadventures and seem like a really bad ass woman rather than a naive girl. So basically  we are teaching the new generations how to swim with sharks and become a hunter before even be ready for it. But who cares? it's only casual, just something random and fun. Nothing to be worried about as they are all well informed about protection to avoid any risk. While not long time ago sex was such a myth still, now is something that we breath and buy every minute, having access to it 24/7 and by just a click. So why should we jump into something serious and build a relationship if we can get to have fun anytime without any commitment? As Laura serves as an example of those that can't look for something that had never been part of, or Alex will discover once we let's that facade of attitude come down and show himself as one vulnerable and able to have feelings just afraid of being hurt again, we all will discover that behind this casual status, hides a bigger issue, a fear that is not about commitment but to the fact of being vulnerable and being hurt.

Plus when you never had experience the ambiance of functional family, you can't know what are you missing, and now we all have the excuse of become dysfunctional since we all are in the same status and page, we are all a mess, self involved in our issues, and not because we all have them, but in an era where sex comes as fast as your food, anything that might cause some kind of trouble, messed up with our routine, take u out of our comfort zone, will be an issue for us, and because of that deserves to be avoided. Sex is part of our nature, an instinct and a necessity that drives all human kind, so is something that needs to be full fill, but romance, love is more a luxury that not many can afford, and means hard work and even the pay off is worthy, not everyone is ready or able to deal with what comes included in that benefit, so, let's better focus in matter that we can control, like our career, hobbies, health, and let's keep sex casual as a win win in time and energy, plus we get to have sex with not just one exclusive person but with whom we want or could. But again, the reflection of this status comes from somewhere deeper than an easy life style. Our parents, our friends, family, past relationships, they all left a mark in our soul that in order to survive will protect itself by keeping this light and meaningless, because get deep into those scars and holes will hurt and no one likes pain, but is better to keep digging that hole while is painful without noticing how deep can it go and sometime will get to the bottom and that might even kill us or face the fact that we all have baggage and we need to face those people that are messing our lives and deal with it for once? it might be a casual habit but at the end is our life that is on stake, do you still want to play or be an adult? Maybe both?