Far from the Madding Crowd .... and far from all cliches

What means to fall in love? What's for real to fall for someone? to Connect and develop feeling for someone beyond the simple things as looks or social status. Romance have been sold as a fairy tale where two people can meet and fall in love at first sight or when opposites attract just to get caught in a fight that turn hate into love. Or finding the perfect match, a loyal friend that will be at our side no matter what to fight for or with us, bringing the best of us. Or maybe just a crazy intense physical attraction that will lead to hours of passionate sex and make our minds go crazy just thinking about next time.

What about if love is all the above and none of it at the same time. Where do our feelings, fears, insecurities, goals, ideals, fit in all the process? We can't forget that a relationship is made of two, so we need to be ready and open to fall in love for the right person otherwise we will just fill one empty space to create a dysfunctional relation that will turn either into a disaster or a happy scary ending. Being ourselves and getting us out there just will be 50% of the process of that connection, thats why its been called finding your other half for centuries, as the idea is to find someone to complement you instead of someone to fix you or help you become who you are.

What the right person definitely will do is bringing the best of you as a process of challenge to match his or her path and will make us get to know us in better or worst ways with encouragement and inspiration and support of someone we trust and know us for real. Thats why this romance could be scary and touch deeper bottoms that can block us from others or make us push them away. Also if not very confident about ourselves we will bring a way to protect us that will scare others or sabotage everything, screwing things up, even ourselves.

Based on the romantic novel, "FAR FROM MADDING CROWD" (2015), is a story of a young woman that has grown up by herself in an old fashion country land, in ancient times where woman where treated more as objects than person. A time where woman had no voice, less power, and when their highest goal would be been chosen to get married so they have to be prepare for the best bachelor. Bathsheba, our beautiful girl, is an independent and strong woman that has fought against all this standards, making it be her own, so when she heritages her uncles farm, she gets to the high society club and as a farmer and owner has to prove other what she is made of.

But before that, when she was still no one, she get to know another farmer, a hunky noble one that sees the courage and brave heart she posses so as they lives close by started spending time till he out of the blue proposes her with the promise of a bright future as he now owns a hundreds of sheep that will give him the chance of a better future. Sadly events turned bad for him and better for her switching places, so now she hires him as her farmer and any chance of romance is gone as their relationship is pure business now.

As a woman in charge of people, she gets the courage to bring the farm up and make ir profitable. Once she puts her name out in the market, she earns respect from others businessman, and her position now is more one like a man than what a victorian woman will do. So eyes started turning to her, but not the ones she was expecting. Her new neighbor, a rich, educated, attractive, well known farmer, that can bring her stability in business and life, so she flirts like a shy woman knows, but its until she stops that he gets interested just to get her rejection as she realizes she has no feelings for him, it was just her mind trying to convince her, he was a good option.

Then she crosses paths with a soldier that has been broken hearted and seduces her, showing her all what passion means for a virgin woman with lack of experience with men, never been kissed before. This passion blinds her turning her into what she never wants for herself, become a trophy wife, a property for a man. Even the noble hunky farmer warned her, she realizes this late, just to be aware that other than passion there is no more for her now husband.

With all this confusion and turn of events what this movie and its novel based, really brings to the table is the process she goes through as a woman and person to experience love and get to know herself as a grown up woman, her sexuality and her feelings, crashing with her goals and ideals. She gets caught in this relationships, all very different from the other but each one represents one of the main things everyone seeks for, attraction, passion, stability, loyalty, chemistry, challenge, and he realization that is hard to find them all together in the same person, but sometimes the ones we cherish for more will evolve and develop others, but each one will be a lesson that will lead us to a personal introspection about ourselves, who we are and what we really like and want.

When we are able to realize that someone that has been there for us, maybe not in the way we expected but under the surface has been challenging us to bring the best of us, because they can see it even better than ourselves, or are as loyal to stand at our side when no one does, or help us in difficult times and even been honest saying the truth even when thats not what we want to hear, if we are able to embrace that, then passion and romance might turn on and as a test to success, just then we will acknowledge what we really are and what we really want to become a better version of us, like a fairy tale turning a pumpkin into a beautiful carriage.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON....a new super hero era

In recent days has been a big discussion regarding this new super hero genre that has become more popular among the audience, bringing more box office than any award winning film. Directors and critics that are into serious films, dramas or deep stories that give cinema a real meaning of art, well created when able to develop and show human condition, meanwhile super heroes are creation of fiction, something that won't happen in real life and no real drama to evolve in what defines to be human. But should fiction imitate reality as art does, and in that case the best way to perform and get into the human condition would be since a different perspective that aloud to bring a different perspective like a metaphor?

In that way maybe super heroes won't perform as family portrait in the most traditional way or bring a dramatic and intense movie experience whit long shots and a cinematic language as trying to please their fans and embracing their own perspective. The comic label Marvel has been developing a graphic novel narrative with a series of movies than all connected created a new universe where super heroes clash into others in order to bring a bigger plan, pursuing a great finale. Under this scenario we get a new mash up of some of the most popular superheroes from the Marvel Universe: Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Iron Man among others and new additions like the mutants Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

After breaking all records and becoming the first cinematic experience where we can see a group of our favorite super heroes fighting all together, it was meant to be to bring a sequel, that comes under the surname "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015), based on one of the most popular and biggest enemy of the group, a robot that poses A.I. turning his power into something as dangerous as all the world wide web. A treat that can mobilize all around the globe and can manipulate all technology available this days sounds scary and hard to catch. But the real thing about this sequel is the evolution of our beloved heroes.

We've been following them through their own movies, each one of them giving and creating clues to follow this path that will lead us to a big major event but now that we finally have them fighting together for a second time, what would be novelty compering to their last time? And will that be enough to please critics and fans like they did previously?. The answer is a big maybe that just will bring more material to the table for a bigger discussion about this type of movies and their popularity among entertainment or pure art.  True fact, this movies start to feel tired, there are not many surprises or wow factor anymore, even that every time things get messier and we can see more about our heroes kicking asses, the more we see the more expectations we create and that's a hard line to catch and to please everybody.

And yes, there are a lot of action sequences that will blow your mind and make you feel like a kid again, but a said, we have seen that before, so now the group of heroes feel more confortable hanging with each other the same way their actors feel as performing them, we get a few deep moments as a fun ones where they try to hang together more like a group of friends when the phase of connecting and bounding has broke the ice. And right there, is where we can gave a glimpse of what this kind of movies can make for a real cinematic experience.

These heroes are humans. What's going on after/before their fights? Some are soldiers, others scientists, that under different circumstances got some kind of power they've been using in order to save people or do the right thing. But as they start fighting more, the inside battle also becomes bigger and deeper. They need to deal with the fact of sacrifice their own lives or ideals in order to achieve something bigger, or dealing with consequences from their acts after trying to do something good but things are never as simple as good or bad or right or wrong. So they start fighting against their own feelings and frustrations. Like Iron Man, under his alter ego, Tony Stark, a scientist that has been focusing on his own ideals and expanding his industry, now seeks doing good for all human kind, trying to emend what has done wrong to others, so in his mind hides the unconscious idea of trying to do always what it takes to save and protect others even that sometimes consequences will be bad or even worst than the damage that was done before. How can a simple human with a great mind and lots of money can fight against its own fears and battles to take back the damage he had made?.

Same story with the other scientist of the group, The Hulk a.k.a Bruce Banner, a mastermind in bio physics  that because an accident ends turning him into a big green monster with lacks of control, capable to destroy cities and hurt people, creating an insecurity of his own, running and pushing away the ones that care about him to avoid hurting them while trying to help others in need while not able  to trust himself. Reason blocks feelings. How many stories we have been of smart people with poor social skills, fighting to find their own and accept themselves while let others get closer?

On the other side we get soldiers, like the mighty Thor or the nice and genuine Captain American or the fierce and wise Black Widow, the type of fighters that make a move under a code, thinking about the team and the bigger picture, trying to lead and protect their own, always thinking about their team or their own battle. But as they improve their skills and become stronger in body and mind, the lonely they turn, the more sacrifices knock to their door, accepting their own destiny and figuring out what they are made of and their real purpose, blocking their own feelings turning into an iceberg moved by logic and reason more than propose and feelings. How many stories do we know about people fighting their own battles, realizing their own skills, and taking the wrong decision in order to achieve something good, or help their significant others, not knowing what the future holds for them.

Everybody has a power, skills or a great body or mind that will make them unique and capable to help or hurt others. We all have daily battles to accept the way we are, trying to make our own a better place even if sometimes luck and destiny seems to be against us, trying to accept ourselves the way we are and changing what we are capable of. Analyzing our actions and consequences so we can become a better one or simply to get what we want the most, no matter what it takes. We might no need to face a group of evil soldiers or robots trying to destroy our town but if we don't look deep to our actions and the effect we have in to others, would create a thin line that will turn us into a hero or villain. And thats where this kind of movies bring inspiration and a difference for everybody who needs to see things from a different perspective to realize what is right or wrong, and who is evil or not, but only bringing that hero inside of us, off to the surface and enjoy two hours of fiction, heroes smashing bad guys and accepting their destiny that we will embrace ours and that is a piece of art as real as life.

Entretenimiento para adultos

Cuando pequeños todos crecimos viendo television y recordamos aquellas caricaturas con un humor simple, blanco, donde los animalitos jugaban y se hacían bromas entre si o se perseguían  para comerse uno al otro cayendo en un sin fin de trampas. O aquellas que se burlaban de la entonces sociedad y familia como una institución de una manera que en ese entonces se veía chistoso y cuyos roles estaban por demás definidos. Posteriormente, al ir creciendo, y mas entrados en la adolescencia nuestros gustos cambiaron por aquellas caricaturas de acción, donde en la galaxia u otros planetas alguna nueva raza pelea por la paz de su planeta o contra fuerzas que pretenden dominarlos, o simplemente robots o cualquiera excusa de ciencia ficción en nuestro propio planeta que detona una serie de batallas y destrucciones. Lejos han quedado esos días ahora que somos adultos y hemos madurado nuestros gustos en television por series dramáticas o rom coms o nuevos genero como series de suspenso o ciencia ficción via super heroes o seres supernaturales. Por ello las animación o caricaturas, han evolucionado para complacer a una audiencia de adultos y que a su vez entretenga a los pequeños con  sus dibujos chistosos.

Así nacen "Los Simpsons" (1989 - actualidad), una caricatura en estilo a aquellas de la firma Hanna-Barbaera, cuya historia se centra en una típica familia americana, nuevamente con roles bien definidos, padre, madre y tres hijos. La diferencia, visualmente los dibujos están alejados de aquellos rasgos que pretenden simular semejanza con la realidad, aquí estamos ante seres amarillos y con rasgos mas caricaturescos, pero es su guión el cual lo ha mantenido en el éxito por 26 temporadas, al usar un humor sarcástico, mas adulto, permitiéndose un doble sentido en sus bromas que para los niños suenas chistosas y para los adultos hilarantes, permitiéndose de esta manera parodiar y criticar a su vez la sociedad moderna, donde todo padre de familia se permite no ser perfecto, ser flojo, aceptar que por mucho amor a sus hijos hay días en que desea matarlos, los hijos no pretenden ser educados y perfectos, son rebeldes y estudiosos, son mal hablados y educados, son pequeños adultos que buscan su lugar en el mundo adulto mientras los mismos adultos se aferran a la nostalgia por sus días de antaño como jóvenes.

Esta serie animada ha revolucionado la industria creando varias similares e incluso su propia película, la cual es considerada como una edición especial de la misma serie, con duración prolongada. El éxito también los ha marcado como personajes iconicos de esta generación ya que no hay lugar en el planeta donde no se le conozca a la familia Simpson y su natal Springfield. Es este pequeño poblado el reflejo de cientos similares alrededor del país y del mundo el que lo hace tan atractivo y accesible. Podemos encontrar personajes tan comunes que es difícil resistirse, el cantinero del bar local así como nuestro mejor amigo, el cual es un ávido consumidor del mismo, lo cual significa estará borracho la mayor parte del tiempo, el vecino que se presenta perfecto, para embarrarnos en nuestras propias narices y casas todos nuestros defectos como persona y familia en el rol social. Los pollitos corruptos y la industria del entretenimiento como una mafia que manipula a la sociedad por conseguir sus propios beneficios. La maestra que oculta sus verdaderos deseos por complacer su rol profesional, y el inicio del bulling escolar con los compañeros agresivos que por ser mayores y tener problemas familiares se desquitan con aquellos mas débiles y con un perfil mas nerd.

La serie se ha burlado de cuanta celebridad se ha prestado para ello, lo cual ha tenido un desfile de invitados especiales, muchos representandose tal cual y otros en forma ficticia aportando alguna característica personal que los define. Siendo este humor sarcástico y mas elaborado pero que a su vez es simple y chistoso para los pequeños, lo que le ha valido tantos años de éxito y le ha permitido la aceptación para ir evolucionando a travez del tiempo para continuar su critica social conforme esta ha ido evolucionado sin sentirse tan gastada. Desgraciadamente como mencionamos previamente, ha sido sujeta a imitaciones y han surgido series animadas similares que cada una con su propio estilo, juegan el mismo campo pero al ser un genero muy nuevo han encontrado cada una su audiencia para su tipo de humor. "Family Guy" (1999- actualidad), es la mas representativa y famosa de ellas, nuevamente basada en otra familia y "American Dad" (2005- presente) como otra alternativa. Curiosamente todas ellas bajo la misma cadena televisiva, FOX.

Así que ahora entrados en materia, era de esperarse un cambio, y este viene de la mano de la cadena FX, subsidiaria de la FOX, con una propuesta totalmente diferente: "Archer" (2010- actualidad), una serie animada completamente para adultos. En esta ocasión, la única diferencia es que estamos ante una animación o caricatura, mas el guión y la historia esta hecha para adultos. Centrándose en una parodia del genero de espias, especialmente con grandes guiños al famoso 007, Archer es un espía internacional, que es tan estupido como atractivo, lo único que lo mantiene vivo es su suerte, su buena condición física y el equipo que lo rodea. Mantiene su trabajo ya que su jefe es su propia madre quien maneja la agencia, y sufre de sobre protección para su hijo, lo cual le ha impedido madurar. Como buen espía, goza de una presencia atractiva y envidiable, teniendo las mujeres que desee, mas no la que el realmente ama, Lana, una agente clase 1, que realmente cumple con su papel y trabajo a diferencia del famoso macho alpha. La agencia incluye a un grupo de secretarias y gerentes que como cualquier oficina disfrutan mas del chisme y sexo que de su propio trabajo. Así como el científico encargado de desarrollar todos los gadgets para su equipo y que a su vez fungirá como triángulo amoroso entre los espías.

La animación en este caso, es totalmente lo opuesto a las anteriores, aquí el fondo esta filmado en escenarios reales para darle un toque final de pintura que lo hace ver como un dibujo mas realista y los personajes presentas trazos muy realistas, con facciones y cuerpos estilizados, lo cual se agradece ya que aquí habra desnudos y escenas de sexo, lo cual es un parte aguas en la animación pero que dota a esta serie y la historia de un realismo y una personalidad única. El tono de humor cae en parodia pero es un humor mas negro, ya que no toma la sociedad de manera directa como mediante la familia, una institución y rol social, aquí la historia se centra en resolver casos de asesinos, terroristas, bandidos, politicos, científicos locos, y mediante las aventuras de esta agencia de espías por salvar al mundo es que podemos burlarnos de la sociedad contemporánea, como las relaciones de pareja de estos días donde importa mas las posiciones sexuales y que tan bien dotado se este que cualquier conexión personal se tenga entre los dos. O por ejemplo el rol padres e hijos, siendo ellos quien los educan y empujan para ser lo mejor pero a su vez los mal educan protegiendo sus errores y tratando de manipularlos a lo que ellos esperan de sus retoños.

Ya sea, tratando de salvar al mundo mientras apuntamos el dedo a todas sus fallas que en realidad son las nuestras como humanos, y siendo el humor la mejor herramienta para criticarnos en pos de superar esos errores y reírnos de nosotros mismos para aceptarnos como no perfectos, es que podemos aceptarnos como adultos y no adolescentes que tenemos el poder en nuestras manos para cambiar las cosas si aprendemos de ellas y las aceptamos como imperfectas, a la vez que nos divertimos y no nos tomamos todo tan en serio. Así que porque no? seamos adultos y a la vez divertíamonos como niños pues solo encontrando ese balance entre el niño que llevamos dentro y el adulto que somos ahora podemos crear e innovar mientras disfrutamos y jugamos a ser mejores y encontrar esa clave para la llamada felicidad en un mundo maduro que no da cabida a fantasias o príncipes pero si a familias unidas con respeto y amor y a individuos que luchan por ser alguien mejor cada día mientras se divierten en grande.

UNFRIENDED .... like it or post it

It's good news that horror genre has been surprisingly refreshing this year so far and "Unfriended" (2015), a new horror film that sets a new narrative and suspense for the new generations is definitely one film that is worth to see. Ok, first of all why? well, basically because as we know, teenagers have been the object of mutilation in classics like "Halloween" (1978), "Friday the 13th" (1980), "Nightmare on elm street" (1984), where a killer haunted all these innocent and horny teenagers to spill their blood all around the screen. But things have changed and they are no more running into the woods, or going to summer camps, or having sleep overs. These days new generations are spending their time online.

Yes, the game has changed as a new era has emerged based in the new online communication creating social media where they can post photos, share they thoughts or whatever they are doing, even if no one cares but then eventually everybody will know, or having cam sessions with friends just to chat. The new communication skills is based in a new language capable to be written faster and based in a slang that fits all this social networks like Instagram, Facebook, Skype, Twitter, youtube, etc. So human contact has been delayed to a bunch of text messages, Face times, and likes and posts. So what all of this says about these new generations that we don't know already? or why they made it part of a horror movie?

Well all this new tools to communicate might bring a new system and new slang but that doesn't mean they will change human behavior. In fact, proves are that we are becoming more impersonal and our social skills have been frozen as any emoticon. Far away seemed those days where girls where trying to lose their virginity and guys were athletic jocks. Now girls have as much sex as any guy but hey, if you don't keep it for yourself still will be judged and guys are popular for being jerks capable of get you any drug at the party. Now nerds and geeks are consider popular as this is their world, they know all this tech stuff so everyone likes to have one around and even they are not funny they can be rude and accepted.

So where are we going with all this? No one wants to win competitions at school cause nobody cares but trying to post a pic of last night party or a perfect view from the city or your dinner will get you hundreds of likes, meaning, you are popular, even you don't know all this people but makes you care about them and their actions. So every time we go online, we share our life to others, friends and strangers. When having great time gets overwhelming to see others support you but when making the wrong choices can push your limits and ruin your social life. Right there is where this movie fits. A girl killed herself after being ciber bulled with a video posted by her supposedly friends where she gets drunk and more. Now seems that revenge will take care of their of them.

Talking about the movie, it might not have the narrative we are use to, to be consider a serious film, or the acting will bring breakthrough performances, even they won't be scary scenes that will keep you awake all night but definitely brings a new kind of suspense that keep you edging for more than an hour on your seat while you watching in the screen what would be the screen of anyones computer. The scary part comes from these characters that as they start to being exposed, they show their true colors and friendships starts to get a new meaning. The fact that you are sharing your life with all these people doesn't mean you know them and everybody like the attention, so our beloved teenagers with their lack of experience and maturity to not take themselves serious, make poor decisions in order to get the best hash tag or visits to their pages. Proving that being able to write a text doesn't mean what you writing won't mean it and that keeping a doble life on and offline doesn't mean that things won't get noticed, specially for those you are supposed to care about and sooner and later evidence will reach you from any source.

As truth keeps surfing, the scariest all of them become, admitting all their mistakes, jokes, made just because were trying to be funny or follow the rest, not caring about the meaning or consequences of their words or actions, so what can you expect from a relationship based on lies? can you really call them friends if you can't trust them or you just want to trust them even if thats not an option. Of course we got a couple of gore scenes that just serve to give you an idea of the fatal ending they are pursuing but not using it as the movie structure which is very well appreciated. So if you over age 26 and wondering what are all those weird names, pages we just talked about, or want to learn the new code among younger people, or don't know what a troll online means, or just enjoy seeing and remember those old days when we all made poor decisions based on our lack of popularity and trying to feel accepted, you might learn one thing or two about your Facebook friends and those in real life.

THE LONGEST RIDE .... fall in love is scary

The whole idea of this romantic movies is that feeling good moment at the end when you leave the theater with a smile and a hope that everything will be ok, that there is someone out there waiting for you, that will be ready to get to know you and love you by the way you are, sharing a life, and making it a better place full of romance and of course, sex. Passion, romance, adventures, the idea of a soul mate. All those ideas were sold decades ago and been evolving generation by generation fitting to each decade standards and new rules but the basics still remain the same.

It's not about sharing a life with someone, it's about making life plans and have someone to share them and feel supported while going through it. It's not about someone falling for you, but the idea and confidence that there is someone capable of like you and care about you which is one of the basic need as a human being, part of a society. We can feel accepted. And loved. Also regarding our pure instincts, sex turns into attraction, and one of things that moves everyone so the idea of feeling attractive and other willing to do what it takes to seduce you, its a confidence boost.

We've seen all these ideas, patterns, stories multiple times and most of them look easy and incredible seductive in paper, who doesn't want that? either romance or sex? it's hard to resist as part of daily basis where we are bomb with unconscious messages from the media and people around us. But truth to be told, its never as easy as it looks, and finally, in an era when relationships are over rated and romance is considered old fashion, stories about real relationships become more usual and silver lining they working towards fixing whats missing and trying to bring back the basic concept of love and what it means and how it matters to everyone, for the healthiest sake.

Women are usually the first ones attracted to this idea, but things have changed. Now women like to be independent, been fighting for an earned place at jobs where is proved they can make it big, as any other man. They start reconsidering about the whole idea of family and marriage. So now the whole game has changed. Even there are still those who can't wait to fall in love and start their own family, the world has focused in personal goals pushing everyone to give the best of themselves to be the best and make it out there through all the competition the market offers trying to make their voice heard.

With all these changes, novel from the american author Nicholas Sparks became a thing for all those looking for the lack of romance in their lives. Mixing love with drama, making feel romance as part of a tragedy that can be confused with our daily lives, turned into best selling books and now motion pictures. After more than five books turned into motion pictures from the author, we got his last adaptation. Surprisingly this one gets out of his own formula to focus just in the story and the romance about it. Yes, still is a story full of cliches and corny lines but mix two different story lines that make all this evolution a comparison of old fashion vs new romance. Best way to prove that in real life love is complicated, messy, hard work, but it's also sexy, sweet, and brings joy to anyones life so what everybody has to think is not if they want it but if they are ready for it as they will deal with their own baggage as with the other's and it might not be for others and can't be confused as a way out for feeling or being lonely, otherwise will turn into a nightmare and thats definitely other movie and other genre.

"The Longest Ride" (2015), its based on the story of two young guys, Luke, a farmer turned bull-riding champion, risking his life more than for joy to get some money as the only way he know to keep his family farm going. And Sophia, a young college student who loves art and just got an internship at a famous gallery in NYC. When this two very different world collide, attraction happens. The feeling of being part of something different, learn, evolve, be accepted, all mix as a chemical reaction and set a table for a perfect romance, but what about a relationship?

Yeah they both like each other and definitely both get along and have great looks, but when their own lifestyles, goals, and ambitions start to get involve is not as simple as saying i love you. Relationships are hard work, and need commitment. Things that new generations have forgotten as focusing in their own  lives expecting to be other who fit in them or if looking to change them having big expectations.  So when this young couple is about to take different paths, they save from a car crash an old man that shares his stories from the letters he wrote to his beloved wife. The more he starts sharing the similar things start to get in between the young couple only to prove that there is nothing new under the sun just the set up has changed.

Realizing how much they care for each other, how great of a couple they make, from having fun to bring the best of each other, they start to work on their relationship to make it happen, but as risky as riding bulls can be, putting yourself out so anyone can get to know you with the chance of being hurt, and get your heart broken it's scariest. Love is a fantasy sold as roses and romance but every relationship is different and as has great moments to hold on the price to enjoy them comes with a lot of work, commitment, communication, love for yourself, your life and others, so once you get to sign for that fairy tale that lives in your head realize that there is no prince charming but a real challenge that will bring to your life a whole new perspective and by the end of it will be mark with all those shared moments and the fact that you are a different person thanks to all those moments at the side of the person you chose and choose you. It's in fact The longest ride to could ever take.

Las Voces desinteresadas de...RYAN REYNOLDS

Hay dos tipos de celebridades actora, aquellos que gozan de gran talento y en cada interpretación nos brindan lo mejor que como espectadores y fanáticos podemos esperar y otros que brindan exactamente lo que buscamos de ellos mas no precisamente es su talento. Tal pareciera que el segundo es el caso del actor canadiense Ryan Rodney Reynolds, el actor de 38 años que este 2015 parece entrar en una segunda faceta de su carrera que busca crear el puente a la primer opción y ser tomado mas en serio, seleccionando proyectos mas personales y artísticos que le permitan demostrar su talento, el cual ha sido puesto en duda mas de una ocasión.

Pero no todo es color gris para el actor quien gozo de gran fama y estatus de estrella durante la década pasada, mas como un símbolo sexual que como una revelación de talento. Todo se remonta a su natal Vancouver donde creció bajo el techo de una familia católica para dejar la universidad y perseguir sus deseos artísticos. Siendo a sus 20 primaveras que debita en una telenovela juvenil del canal Nickelodeon y debutando en filmes para television con la cinta "Sabrina: la bruja adolescente" (1996). A partir de ahi llamaría la atención entre las pubertas que lo verían como el galán de moda lo cual lo impulsaría a participar en otros filmes para tv.

Siendo en 1999, que se cuela en "Dick", un filme de adolescentes co protagonizado por Kirsten Dunts y Michelle Williams, dos jóvenes actrices en ascenso, en una comedia que busca parodiar los hechos del escándalo de Waterwate, sin embargo no logro tal efecto en su taquilla o critica. Continuando en la linea de filmes sobre y para adolescentes logra protagonizar el filme "National Lampoon's Van Wilder" (2002), una cinta sobre un joven, el mas popular del colegio, que lleva siete años haciendo todo lo posible para no graduarse y seguir fomentando las mejores fiestas y eventos hasta que su padre decide no pagarle mas. Lo absurdo de su guión resulto en una sorpresiva buena respuesta en taquilla mas obviamente apabullada por los críticos pero lanzando al actor a su promisoria carrera como man en taquilla.

Tratando de quitarse la etiqueta del eterno adolescente, regresa bajo la batuta del director Andrew Fleming, con otra comedia, en la cual solo co protagoniza en papel secundario, "In-Laws" (2003), un remake del clásico de 1979 y un fracaso que ha sido encajonado en el baúl de recuerdos para el actor y su co protagonista Michael Douglas. Así que no hay de otra mas que regresar a lo seguro, y con ello participa en "Harold & Kumar go to White Castle" (2004), una absurda comedia de adolescentes donde el par del titulo buscan la mencionada cadena de comida rápida después de haberse drogado para caer en un sin fin de tontas y absurdas escapadas. Lo mas triste del asunto es que fue un éxito en taquilla y que derivo en una secuela. Mas para el actor le permitió abrir mas puertas y continuar una buena racha que lo lleva a cambiar de genero, uno de sus favoritos, las cintas basadas en comics. "Blade Trinity" (2004) sobre el mitad humano-mitad vampiro que busca aniquilar a los chupa sangre, en su tercera entrega une fuerzas con una dupla de jóvenes mas el resultado fue el mas bajo para la franquicia.

Mas para el actor significo ganar mas puntos en su estatus de sex symbol, que como tal lo encaminaría en una serie de proyectos comerciales como "The Amityville Horror" (2005), un remake del clásico de terror presentado a las nuevas generaciones y donde la escasez de espantos se vio compensada por el six pack del actor que luce descamisado la mitad de la cinta. El resultado, un éxito en taquilla. A pesar de probar que la formula le vende, decide intentar proyectos mas independientes y que le permitan mostrarse mas como actor. Así protagoniza "Waiting..." (2005), una comedia indie a lado de Ana Faris y Justin Long, sobre un grupo de jóvenes trabajando como meseros mientras planean su futuro aunque esto ya se les paso de tiempo. Para el presupuesto de la cinta, es considerada un éxito mas no para los estándares del actor. Asi mismo, termina su relación con la cantante Alanis Morissett la cual empiezo en 2002 para entrar en planes de matrimonio en 2004 pero la terminan sin mayores explicaciones.

Tratando de usar su fama pero queriendo quitarla de su físico, protagoniza la comedia "Just Friends" (2006), donde interpreta a un joven con sobre peso que esta enamorado de su mejor amiga, quien es una de las chicas populares del colegio por lo que al reunirse años después y lucir en mejor figura buscara recuperar el tiempo perdido y re conectarse con ella. Un éxito modesto, mas nuevamente masacrado por la critica. Intercalando genero, en 2006 participa en la cinta de acción y crimen "Smoking Aces", sobre un mago de las Vegas convertido en espía de la mafia y Reynolds interpreta al agente del FBI que busca protegerlo de la misma. A pesar de gozar con un elenco multi estelar como Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck , Andy Garcia entre otros, la cinta no se gano a la critica y tuvo una mediana recepción con el publico. Continuando su coqueteo con el cine independiente protagoniza "Nin9s" (2007), una cinta de ciencia ficción sobre tres hombres interpretados por el actor en busca de la homónima religion y el secreto en el cual gira. Este mismo año empieza una nueva relación con la actriz y también sex symbol de su generación, Scarlett Johansson la cual duraría tan solo hasta 2010.

Con la misma linea indie, protagoniza "Chaos Theory" (2008), una cinta canadiense sobre un conferencista sobre administración del tiempo que vive bajo el ejemplo de lo que promulga viviendo en una organización de cada minuto para aprender que la vida exige espacio para improvisación y no todo en ella se puede planear. Con "Definitely, maybe" (2008), regresa al terreno de la comedia romántica interpretando a un padre soltero que busca ayudar a su hija a lidiar con su divorcio contándole l historia de sus tres grandes amores y como uno concluyó en conocer a su madre. Confirmando su estatus en el gusto femenino y su estatus como sex symbol generándole otro éxito comercial mas no así artístico pero al menos si gozo de buenas criticas. Mas su perseverancia rindo frutos al formar parte de "Adventureland" (2009), una comedia independiente sobre la vida y amores de un grupo de jóvenes que trabajan en un parque de diversiones durante el verano. Aquí el efecto fue el opuesto ya que la cinta se gano a la critica mas no logro mucho en su corrida comercial, pero no se le atribuyo al actor quien tiene un papel secundario.

Logrando uno de sus mayores anhelos, interpreta al super héroe Deadpool en el crossover "X-Men Origins:Wolverine" (2009), uno de los blockbusters mas anticipados contando los origines del famoso mutante pero que resulto en uno de los mayores fracasos de la franquicia y siendo la adaptación de dicho super héroe de lo mas criticado de la película. Afortunadamente para el actor meses después  protagoniza la comedia mas exitosa del verano "The Proposal" (2009), haciendo uso de su encanto en el gusto femenino y con un rol de un joven profesionista que acepta casarse con su jefa para que obtenga su green card lo cual desencadenara el romance entre ambos no sin antes una serie de cómicos encuentros. Y ese mismo año remata con otra cinta de bajo presupuesto "Paper man" sobre un novelista frustrado que cuenta historias imaginarias sobre el y su supuesto amigo super héroe buscando la manera de salir de su bloqueo narrativo. El resultado, un fracaso en todos aspectos.

Lo que pareciera una carrera en ascenso empieza a tambalearse tras el estreno de "Buried" (2010), una interesante propuesta donde por hora y medio estamos en tension al ver a un joven que ha sido enterrado vivo y sus intentos por ser localizado y rescatado. Desgraciadamente el peso de la cinta cae por completo en el actor quien no logro satisfacer a su publico a pesar de las excelentes criticas de la cinta siendo un éxito dado el bajo presupuesto pero muy baja taquilla para los estándares del actor, poniendo en riesgo su gusto entre sus seguidores. En 2011, protagoniza uno de los proyectos mas ambiciosos del año "Green Lantern", la esperada adaptación fílmica del famoso super héroe y que resulto en un desastre otra vez, conviertiendolo en una especie de maldicion para el genero, no solo los fans la odiaron, la critica la apabullo y la taquilla fue de los mas bajo para este genero de películas y mucho se atribuyo a la interpretación no fiel al comic del actor. Mas todo tropiezo trae algo bueno, ya que inicia una relación que concluiría en matrimonio y su pequeña hija con su co protagonista la actriz Blake Lively.

Tratando de recuperarse del golpe co protagoniza la comedia "The Change-up" (2011) a lado de Jason Bateman nuevamente, sobre dos mejores amigos que tras desear tener la vida del otro, uno es casado y con hijos y el otro un soltero empedernido, cambian de cuerpo haciendo su sueño realidad para terminar valorando lo que tienen y lo que no. Un sorpresivo éxito que no quito el mal sabor de boca y se atribuyo mas a la dupla actoral y a un guión que es familiar para al publico. En 2012, co protagoniza la cinta de acción "Safe House" a lado del actor Denzel Washington, sobre un famoso delincuente que es perseguido por todos sus enemigos y el joven encargado de la casa de seguridad donde esta resguardado y que tendrá que evitar s fugue. Otro éxito sorpresivo, que en esta ocasión se atribuyo a la presencia de Washington y una cinta novedosa para el genero, mas el actor quedo delegado. Prestando su voz, incursiona en el genero de animación con la cinta "The Croods"(2013), sobre una familia de cavernícolas que al conocer a un joven que ve las cosas de diferente manera los inspirara a abrir su mente y tratar cosas diferentes.

Posteriormente vuelve a prestar su voz al caracol protagonista de "Turbo" (2013), otra animación que mediante la historia de un caracol que gusta de la alta velocidad y como su perseverancia y creatividad lo lleva a realizar sus sueños. A pesar de sur una oferta fresca y divertida, sufro de un mal timing para su estreno en un verano saturado de películas animadas lo que la llevo a una poca recaudación en taquilla. El tiro de gracia viene con R.I.P.D. (2013), una comedia de ciencia ficción que emula el estilo de varias cintas sobre una dupla de detectives tratando de salvar una ciudad, mundo, galaxia, y en este caso almas en pena o seres del mas allá. Su fracaso se veía venir desde su pobre mercadotecnia. Sin grandes opciones comerciales y la poca confianza de los grandes estudios vuelve a navegar en el cine independiente, nada mas ni menos que de la mano del aclamado director Tom Egoyan en "The Captive", la cual padecido de un mal karma al ser de las peores obras de su director y su potencial para competir en los premios quedo muy alejado al gozar de pobres criticas y una limitada exhibición tratando de contar la historia de un padre que dirige la busconead de su hija desaparecida por mas de 8 años pero que de repente una serie de sucesos prueban su posible paradero.

Este año debajo del brazo de varios proyectos aun en el renglón independiente o de bajo presupuesto, pero que están llamando la atención, como "Las voces" (2015), una comedia negra sobre un psicopata cuyas voces en su mente las traslada a su perro  y gato para terminar en una serie de asesinatos con las jóvenes del pueblo. Interesante propuesta para un genero y publico limitado en busco o con gusto por dicho genero. Este mes a lado de la actriz Helen Mirren en "Woman in gold", sobre la historia verídica una judía Austriaca que busca recuperar una pintura familiar que le fue arrebatada por los nazis y que la llevara a enfrentar su duro pasado. La cinta ha generado criticas encontradas por su saturación de cliches y productividad mas la interpretación de la actriz y una sob trama que conmoverá hasta el mas duro, se ha ganado a otros pocos, mas el actor ha sido ignorado en su mayoría.  Para el verano viene con una modesta propuesta de ciencia ficción interpretando a un hombre que en un futuro cercano , su mente es transportada al cuerpo de un joven fallecido para de alguna manera reencarnar y re iniciar su vida, que harías diferente? Finalmente la esperada y aclamada cinta "Misisipí Grind", una oportunidad que le ha permitido al actor brillar y finalmente robar miradas a su posible talento en una historia de adictos al juego y la apuesta como metáfora para poner las adicciones en general en USA en tela de juicio. El desenlace la llevemos y la incógnita de si es una estrella o su carrera ya esta estrellada se definirá muy pronto si logra una grata adaptación fílmica de su amado super héroe Deadpool.

FURIOUS 7 .... and the magnificent seven

Lucky 7 would be the ideal title for this movie, because it's incredible to find all this kind of things around a movie and a franchise that's being for so long and instead of getting old it got better after a reboot back on it's fourth installment. And to be fair to say now got to the point that its entertainment got so excessive and ridiculous that is funny to still find it good and reinventing, not to say all the additions and loses with the cast that has made this movie a must see for all audiences.

Starting with the movie, would be the lowest point for this new saga. The plot is as simple and non sense as many of it's stunts. The car races that defined the franchise are gone by this point but the cars have turned into another character using them as a new excuse to involve our characters into new adventures and action sequences with lot of turbo and gas. In the fourth chapter was about races and the mafia behind them to bring a kind of justice to the streets by this group of outlaws. By the fifth, we got a heist plot located in the city of Rio, Brazil, where this same group of outlaws where trying to get some money while escaping from the international authorities.

So by the sixth they had to collaborate and help this same authorities to track an international theft involves, of course, with cars and races, which only brought another level of stunts and jaw dropping sequences. So by now, when we thought we have seen everything we got surprised with cars doing sky diving, jumping from tower to tower only to get our famous outlaws that now happened to be best friends of the authorities, and because of that suffering the consequences from terrorists and spies trying to vengeance their own with their families.

For that, now they have to help a group of spies to locate a hacker and find this terrorist that actually its not hiding but showing up overtime to try to bring them down, making us wonder so why they bother to complicate all that? So let just say that this new world is far from our. This is a fictional world closer to any comic based, super hero movie, where cars can fly and outlaws are needed to bring down terrorist that FBI, CIA, KGB, MI6 and other international authorities can't. So once we are able to give some sense of that, then we are ready for the fun.

And that's what this movie is about. Lots of fun. The stunts are made to amaze anyone. The fighting sequences feel so real and vibrant that make you wonder how this didn't happen before. The lines are funny but simple, but as we are having that much fun, who cares. The acting is very lame as there is no much room for it, so all the weight goes to the director, James Wan, at his first time in the franchise, and better known for his well done recent horror films. But surprisingly he manages to keep all this together bringing some sense in this fictional world and let us enjoy with the rest of the cast, and even close the chapter with a tribute and a goodbye that is more than well done.

So bad, that feel's good, would be your feeling when you leaving the theater. And maybe too long at the end, when some action scenes would look better under the editing room, but still we can manage it. And mostly it's all connected by heart. The cast offers what the new audiences are looking for: a mix of characters and situations that make this movie connect it's fiction with our reality. With the original cast reunited, we are already involved with this family so every new chapter we can't but root in their favor hoping the best for them. And in this case the movie was surrounded by it's off screen spoilers. Due to Paul Walker's dead while they were shooting the movie, all kind of rumors about how would the movie end were online. Adding also a new must see point to it, this is your last chance to see the charming actor in his most popular character.

And that worked well. the movie and the franchise turned into the perfect momentum to say good bye while offering a tribute to his character and this actor by his best. This kind of scenes are one of the reasons why people like the franchise and are connected to it. Not to say that the cast offers one of the most mixed cast on recent movies that more than look as a catalog represents the new face of America and the first world countries. Those ones that were populated mostly by a majority, now looks all mixed with variety of personalities, backgrounds, and races that is exactly how looks any office, school, neighborhood in the main cities of NorthAmerica and Europe. Being hispanic, African American, Asian, Middle Eastern is not more just a location, its barrier is down and not even languages separate them. They all interact and live as one, Like this new family of car lovers and outlaws.

What definitely makes us wonder, is what would be the future of the franchise as it has been proving to have the energy to keep it alive and reinventing itself while making more money as it keeps going but as it's plot and stunts next time we can expect anything supernatural or out of space that will make it more furiously ridiculous or maybe a faster sleeper hit. We'll see.