PATRIOTS DAY... when things make us work together

A pesar de haber sido estrenado en EU el invierno pasado, ahora que se ha estrenado en Blu Ray y finalmente llegado a las salas de LatinoAmerica, justo en un momento en que la escena política de dicho país se ha apoderado de las noticias a nivel global y no precisamente en el buen sentido de la palabra, poniendo al resto del mundo en la mira sobre sus actos y el destino que depara para todos que ha final de cuentas co habitamos el mismo planeta, presta el momento perfecto para hablar de una cinta que ha pesar de no haber logrado un impacto en taquilla como se esperaba, mucho debido al tema que se trata y la sensibilidad de la audiencia para enfrentar nuevamente hechos tan drásticos y recientes, pero que no por ello la demeritan, siendo una cinta fuerte y totalmente entretenida que si logras analizar por debajo de lo ves, otorga un mensaje que si bien se siente manipulado y patriota, es precisamente ese sentimiento el que necesitamos despertar  en muchos como un ejemplo de superación y union en tiempos difíciles y por ello, la hacen una cinta digna de no dejar pasar ya sea en la comodidad de la sala de tu casa o en las salas de cine para apreciar este espectáculo cinematográfico que merecía mas atención en su momento pero como dicen nunca es tarde para "Patriots Day" (2017).

La cinta es dirigida por Peter Berg nuevamente en mancuerna con el actor Mark Walbergh, quien es originario de la ciudad de Boston, MA., ciudad donde ocurren los hechos de la cinta y por lo cual hace sentido busque brindar cierto tributo a la ciudad y su gente quienes como cualquiera tras sobrevivir una tragedia, se unen para salir avante a pesar de cargar con ciertas heridas, algunas quedan marcadas de por vida. La cinta narra los hechos del 15 de Marzo  de 2013, cuando en plena celebracion de la festividad homonima y cuya mayor atraccion es el maraton, uno de los mas antiguos y populares del pais, sufrieron un atentado terrorista cuando dos bombas explotaron en plenas gradas ubicadas en la meta de la carrera, dejando cientos de heridos y algunas fatalidades, sin contar el dano a los locales vecinos. Dichos hechos suenas como el perfecto tema para una pelicula de accion y suspenso, aquellas que previamente hemos visto con detectives y federales persiguiendo a los villanos atravez de ciudades y paises para evitar una catastrofe mayor y que nos mantienen al borde de la botaca por dos horas, inclusive cuando algunas perdidas suceden, mantenemos la esperanza en nuestros heroes de que al final lograran salvar el dia. Pero que pasa cuando toda esta accion se traslada fuera de la pantalla y deja de ser ficcion, y los eventos que estamos atestiguando fueron hechos reales y esa gente y esos lugares, son aquellos que llamamos amigos y vecinos?

Así es como. para todos nosotros que somos ajenos a los hechos mas allá de haber visto las noticias, a una ciudad que se prepara para su mayor  celebración ya que a pesar de ser una gran ciudad aun guarda ese estilo provinciano donde la gente aun se conoce de tiempo y esta relacionada de alguna manera, y también a varias de las víctimas que empezaron su día como un día normal, sin imaginar lo que tendrían que enfrentar tan solo unas horas después. El ataque se presenta de manera sutil para evitar caer en violencia barata o entretenimiento cinematográfico y mostrar cierto respeto al evento mas se agradece la crudeza y sinceridad con las imágenes que presenciamos pues solo de esta manera podemos entender lo que es atestiguar un evento de tal magnitud. Sin embargo la historia en vez de caer en el drama y sentimentalismo, se mueve directo a la cacería que tanto el FBI, CIA y policía local y estatal establecen para buscar primero a los responsables de esto y después de lograr encontrar a los posibles responsables, capturarlos. Lo cual por motivos de ser una película, los hechos son modificados de una manera en que no se pierda el ritmo de la historia y simplificando o sumarizando momentos para hacerlos facil de personificar, cayendo el mayor peso en el personaje de Walbergh, cuando en realidad su papel viene siendo la suma de las acciones de varios.

La vision de Berg como director denota un lenguaje cinematográfico real y entretenido sin distraerse del tema principal y aunque criticada por su patriotismo y cliches sobre este tipo de cintas, es en realidad la intension de esta, enaltecer este valor que da precisamente titulo a la cinta con el mero propósito de usarlo como reconocimiento a todos los involucrados y mostrar al resto del país y del mundo que cuando es necesario por muchas diferencias que puedan tenerse en casa, si se meten con uno, se meten con todos, y esa union como comunidad y como individuos es lo que ha demostrado,, logra vencer batallas y construir ciudades, motivo por el cual dicho ejemplo debería ser usado en muchos lugares donde la division social, política y económica de la region o del país entero, hace de este una tierra de nadie, donde cada individuo libra sus propias batallas y las peleas son con un solo interés personal, nunca logrando esa comunión con su cultura y gente, siendo aveces de esta de quien mas se aprovecha por intereses propios. Y es esto lo que sirve de parte aguas para exponer el motivo de aquellos que planearon y llevaron acabo este atentando. Porque razon estarias dispuesto a sacrificar tu propia vida y privar a otros de la suya? Acaso las creencias e ideales personales sobreponen a los de otros a un grado que el sacrificar vidas y poner en riesgo a tus seres queridos es mas fuerte con la intención de hacerlos valer que luchar por un bien común y buscar una manera pacifica de expresión y entender y aceptar la diversidad de ideales y culturas en vez de represarlas y atacarlas?

Hemos llegado a un punto donde la globalización ha permitido la fusion de culturas y una diversidad nunca antes vista pero que es peor o mejor?, el unirnos para enfrentar un problema y luchar juntos por sopesar lo malo y salir adelante o unificarse para luchar en contra de ideales opuestos a los nuestro, atacando aquellos que van encontrando de los propios? crear terror como un medio de protesta y siendo difícil levantar la voz y expresarnos en medio de una multitud, buscar hechos que causen cierto impacto para demostrar nuestro punto y ser escuchados sin importar los daños colaterales. La cinta se presta coo un cierto documental de los hechos fuera de lo que se vio en las noticias, ya que a diferencia de otros atentados, este se mantuvo muy controlado para los medios, por lo que aquí finalmente tenemos una vision de los hechos de inicio a fin, el impacto que tuvo en la comunidad Bostoniana y aquellos afectados por las bombas así como el trabajo de todos los involucrados por cazar a los responsables de los cuales poco se supo, pero aquí al menos vemos una perspectiva, muy hollywoodense, pero que a fin de cuentas nos permite ver los motivos que llevaron a este par de individuos a actuar de dicha manera, mientras, como mencionamos previamente, nos da una lección de humanismo y fortaleza, ejemplificando el porque una nación como los Estados Unidos de America al igual que sus enemigos del medio Oriente se han formalizado con el tiempo, porque a pesar de sus diferencias, el patriotismo que los une es tan fuerte con cada tropiezo, se levantan mas fuertes, mas unidos, capaces de demostrarse como iguales y luchar al unísono por la misma causa dando ejemplos de entereza y valentía que por muy ridiculo que se oiga, a muchas otras naciones les serviría como ejemplo de lucha para fortalecerse y evolucionar como nación y cultura, probando nuevamente que en los momentos mas difíciles los seres humanos somos capaces de demostrar acciones y que en otras ocasiones pareciera imposible de lograr, entonces porque esperar a llegar a tal punto?

ARMIE HAMMER....the man of a nation

Como hemos visto previamente algunos actores nacen dentro de la industria, rodeados del talento y glamour de los artistas que nutren en ellos el deseo y hambre por ser parte de esta comunidad, mientras otros no tiene tal fortuna per su talento viene natural despertando en ellos esa curiosidad por explorar su talento y algún día formar parte de alguna expresión artística que les permita brillar. Desgraciadamente muchos solo buscan brillar como una estrella entre las multitudes y ganar popularidad que los convierta en celebridades opacando muchas veces a aquellos con verdadero talento y en busca de oportunidades para su talento mas alla del precio de la fama. Esto ultimo pareciera ser el caso de Armand Douglas Hammer, mejor conocido como "Armie" Hammer, nacido un 28 de Agosto de 1986 en Los Angeles California, lo cual suena logico para haber desertado en este joven, hijo de una ejecutiva de banco y un empreeario,el deseo de formar parte de la industria del entretenimiento.  A pesar de haber crecido en Dallas y posteriormente las Islas Cayman para terminar estableciendose en Los Angeles, dejo la escuela para perseguir la actuacion aunque tiempo despues regreso para terminar la Preparatoria.

Sus inicios datan en la  television donde tuvo pequeñas apariciones en series como "Gossip Girl", "Veronica Mars" y "Desperate Housewives", sin embargo su primer aparición en la pantalla grande es en "Flicka" (2006), una cinta basada en una popular novela sobre una joven y su relación con uno de los  caballos en la finca de su familia. El actor tiene un papel sin dialogo representando al hombre perfecto para la joven pero su presencia le ganaría el boleto para siguientes proyectos, a pesar de que esta cinta paso sin pena ni gloria por las pantallas. Su siguiente proyecto seria como para la mayoría de las grandes celebridades, una cinta de terror, en su caso es "Blackout" (2008), un film independiente que gozo de una corrida limitada a pesar de su original historia y gozar de criticas mezcladas, lo cual no es del todo mal para el genero, especialmente en una historia que cuenta con solo tres personajes atrapados en un elevador después de un apagón, y donde después de varias horas descubrirán que uno de ellos es un psicopata, poniendo en peligro la vida de los otros dos mientras están atrapados en esa caja metálica. Posteriormente participa en otros filmes mas artisticos e independientes que figuran mas en circuitos especializados y que aunque reconocen el talento del joven actor, distan del alcance del publico general y de la industria Hollywoodense.

Mas esto no fue en balde ya que la experiencia le sirvió para moverse en la industria y así, para 2010 conseguiría uno de los roles que lo catapultarían bajo los reflectores, interpretando dos roles en uno, como los hermanos gemelos Winklevoss en "The Social Network" la cinta que narra la creación de Facebook, una de las redes sociales mas populares y revolucionarias del nuevo milenio, así como exponiendo la vida de su creador en dicho proceso y donde estos gemelos jugarían un papel importante al formar parte de circulo universitario que ayudaría a la inspiración y creación del mismo. La cinta gozo excelentes criticas e inclusive importantes nominnaciones y premios bajo la batuta del visionario director David Fincher. Gozando de las mieles del exito, el actor se pobe en las manos de otro aclamado director, Clint Eastwood, en "J. Edgar" (2011), la cinta autobiografica del ahora considerado creador del FBI, y donde el actor Leonardo DiCaprio interpreta al polemico personaje     y el joven Hammer interpeta a Clyde Talson, su mano derecha y por momentos, interes romantico. La cinta gozo de buenas criticas pero una taquilla aceptable que le valió algunos premios y nominaciones pero nada que la hiciera trascendente, a pesar de sus potentes interpretaciones de un talentoso y reconocido elenco.

Probando su talento e imponente presencia en la pantalla, logra co protagonizar la cinta "Mirror, Mirror" (2012), una nueva adaptación del clásico Blanca Nieves y los 7 enanos, interpretando al principe azul y compartiendo créditos con Julia Roberts como la malvada madrastra y Lilly Collins como Blanca Nieves. Esta nueva vision del clásico tuvo malas criticas y una taquilla aceptable pero no grandiosa por lo cual no genero secuelas pero permitió al actor mostrar otro lado mas cómico y menos de una cara bonita. Esto le  valdria otro protagonico, ahora interpretando otro  clasico, esta vez de la television, "The Lone Ranger" (2013), bajo la batuta de los estudios Disney y el director Gore Verbinski, viene esta cinta sobre el famoso llanero solitario y su fiel acompanante, el apache Tonto, alla en el lejano Oeste. Desgraciadamente la atención fue fijada en su co protagonista, el popular Johnny Deep, quien busco hacer de su interpretación otra gran entrega, mas todo fue fallido pues la cinta gozo de un excesivo presupuesto que no logro recuperar sus ganancias, convirtiéndose en un fracaso, aunado a las malas criticas, fue una de las bombas mas sonadas de ese verano y un intento fallido para el estudio y su búsqueda por nuevas franquicias.

Recuperandose de este fracaso, lo vemos hasta el 2015 en un cameo en la cinta "Entourage" basada en la popular serie de television, sobre un grupo de amigos abriéndose camino en Hollywood, como actores, artistas y agentes, exponiendo la realidad que viven todos los involucrados día a día detrás de la pantalla. La cinta viene despues de un largo periodo desde que la seri termino lo que le costo haberse empolvado para la audiencia y sus seguidores y apesar de gozar de buenas criticas, la cinta fue un fracaso. Pero para el actor vendría mas, co protagonizando "The man from U.N.C.L.E" (2015), otra adaptación de una serie televisiva, esta vez ubicada en el mundo del espionaje, interpretando a un agente ruso y su relación con un agente americano interpretado por Henry Cavill, ambos bajo la dirección de Guy Ritchie, quien entrega una cinta entretenida mas no logra sobresalir del montón, lo cual le valió aceptables criticas pero una baja taquilla para un blockbuster de su talla y que nuevamente sin ser un rotundo fracaso le cerro las puertas a cualquier posible secuela, a pesar de la buena química por parte de ambos protagonistas.

Esto no detendría al actor para buscar propuestas mas serias y que logren consolidarlo en las ligas de actores reconocidos mas allá de caras bonitas o celebridades del momento. Así forma parte de la cinta "Birth of a Nation" (2016), un film independiente que gozo de una excelente recepción en el festival de Sundance y que auguraban potencial para su estreno comercial, contando la historia de un esclavo negro en el Sur de los Estados Unidos y que tras vivir como predicador para motivar a su gente y ser testigo de los abusos que sufren, inicia un movimiento que daría pie a la lucha por la igualdad en el país. Desgraciadamente la cinta fue opacada por escandalos personales de su director que ni las excelentes criticas pudieron salvar llevandola a una pobre taquilla e ignorada en todo los premios de la temporada. El actor interpreta al joven heredero de la hacienda donde el joven revolucionario es criado, ensenandole a leer y tratadonlo como un amigo mas que a un esclavo. Una potente historia que no debe dejarse pasar apesar del amarillismo que la rodearon. Semanas despues lo vimos en "Nocturnal Animals" (2016), la segunda cinta del empresario Tom Ford, que demuestra su talento narrativo y visual en una intensa historia sobre una mujer que tras seguir los consejos de su madre termina casandose con un atractivo y exitoso profesionista, interpretado por Hammer, en vez de seguir su corazon y dejar a su idealista novio, un aspirante a escritor, lo cual la sumerge en una vida fria y aislada. La cinta cuenta con poderosas actuaciones ademas del joven actor, como Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, y excelentes criticas que respaldaron la pobre taquilla debido a la cruda historia no apta para el gusto popular.

Con este pedigree lo vemos este 2017 muy ocupado, ya que a tan solo seis meses, ya lo vimos en "Mine", un thriller psicológico sobre un soldado que tras una misión fallida queda atrapado en un campo minado, sin poder moverse, tendrá que sobre ponerse a las condiciones climáticas del desierto así como las físicas propias para aguantar su posición por dos días en lo que llega la ayuda. Desgraciadamente la cinta tuvo una corrida muy limitada, que aunada a pesimas criticas no le ayudaron para utilizar el potencial del actor que lleva todo el peso de la cinta en sus hombres en una interpretacion de un solo personaje en la pantalla. El mismo  caso con su siguiente proyecto, "Free Fire" (2017), donde a lado de un talentoso elenco que incluye a Brie Larson y Cillian Murphy en una historia de accion sobre una transaccion de compra venta de armas que por cuestiones personales toma un giro inesperado convirtiendose en una balacera que dura por mas de una hora, llena de humor y suspenso que le valieron excelentes criticas pero al parecer no fue suficiente para atraer audiencia a las salas gozando de una muy pobre taquilla, por lo que nunca es tarde para darle una oportunidad ahora que esta accesible en video y demanda.

Por ultimo lo veremos el proximo mes prestando su característica voz a uno de los nuevos y as potentes coches de carreras en "Cars 3" (2017), la nueva entrega de la animada franquicia de la casa PIXAR y que cuenta las aventuras del corredor McQueen ahora sintiéndose viejo y devaluado pero aun dispuesto a ganar mas carreras a pesar de los nuevos retos proporcionados por las nuevas generaciones. La franquicia no es una de las favoritas y aunque goza de decentes criticas y su taquilla en su apertura no es despreciable , es de las mas bajas para la distribuidora por lo que esta por verse los alcances de esta entrega que al menos quita el mal sabor de boca de su predecesora. Posteriormente lo veremos en "Call me by your name" (2017), adaptacion de la popular novela que explora las altas y bajas del primer amor asi como las iferentes tonalidades del amor per se, todo bajo la historia de dos hombres jovenes en Italia de los 90's explorando sus sentimientos apesar de que lo que sienten es algo prohibido para la epoca pero al fin y al cabo es amor y al parecer esta vision ha gustado a la critica y el publico otorgandole varias nominaciones de los premios mas importantes reconociendo la belleza de la historia y el sentimiento de ambas interpretaciones. Y por ultimo lo veremos en "Final Portrait" (2017), bajo la dirección del actor Stanley Tucci, en un drama donde co protagoniza a lado de Geoffrey Rush y que fue estrenada en el pasado festival de Berlin generando criticas positivas así que las cartas están sobre la mesa para que el actor pueda demostrar finalmente su talento o si es del gusto del publico y finalmente da el brinco a grandes proyectos ademas de su vida personal que mantiene muy al margen de su carrera, a lado de su esposa y sus dos hijos, contando con una filmografía variada y al menos una mayoría de cintas sub valuadas, su potencial pudiera estar en nuestras manos como audiencia para apoyarlo y darle esa oportunidad o como muchos no creer en su potencial y dejarlo pasar.

When things get out of your hands...COLOSSAL

Have you ever thought about the decisions you made and the consequences of your actions? Most of us have but usually we only look at the ones that affect us and they are usually limited to how will they apply to us. When you date someone you most be thinking how this person could be the one for you, meaning if makes you happy, if you like that person, if there's attraction, chemistry, what things you have in common and barely is there room for how this person fits in your world. Would he or she get along with your family and friends, is this a good influence for you? Or when looking for a new job or expanding your professional career, been ambitious, is mostly for the better being of yourself, but how those your career affects your personal life? Your relationship with your family, friends, lovers? Is this what really is the best for you? Not that you need to start making decisions in base what others would like or prefer because that would be totally insane but the same way we should think what is the best for us we need to realize how these decision will impact in others, specially the ones we care the most but also all those around us, that we might or not know but some reason live and hang around our circle because you never know how your actions can change the cycle of others.

This is the premise of a new experimental film, that under a low budget managed to deliver a great production for an indie film, sadly it's mixture of genres will make it inaccessible to large audiences but for the ones willing to take the risk and witness one of the few creative options out in the market won't be disappointed with "COLOSSAL" (2017), a mix of drama with dark comedy under the monster genre, with actress Anne Hathaway, getting back to the indie roots that worked well for her last decade before becoming main stream and celebrity. Here she plays a party girl that has no plan or clue to what to do with her life as only thing she cares about is having a good time and drink the last bottle of beer in the house. Obviously this will let her to no good as her British boyfriend will kick her out of his place once he is tired of dealing with her mess and her lack of responsibility. But been homeless in a place like New York City is not a good idea, reason why she takes her stuff and move back upstate to hr parents place that they left for her when passed away. But going back to your hometown as a failure isn't also a good feeling. Specially when start to running into your old friends and classmates that keep wondering how was your life in the city and what did you accomplish  back there when they were trapped in the same place for their whole life.

So definitely they share something in common. They all feel miserable with their lives. Some haven't done anything, others just been trying without any results, so when you had the courage to leave and try out there, everyone wants to hear the stories of the world outside that bubble but for some that reality might be a shock and hard to swallow making them feeling insecure and leftover. Have you ever felt jealous from someone you know that had succeed or  done more or something that you always wanted to do but never tried? Well that's when we realize how our actions impact in others in ways that we sometimes can't imagine. We look ourselves as a failure but for others we are an example of success and some kind of role model. It's not our fault the way others look up at us but definitely we can do something about the influence and image we are giving to them. Like Gloria, our main girl in the story. She's back to her usual: getting drunk every night, can't find a job that will take her and her mess, she can't even had her place set up for a decent living. That's when Oscar, a friend of her shows up as a prince charming trying to save her. He is not trying to change her but to help her. He offers her a job in his bar. He brings her some furniture for her place and had some friends to set it up for her. He gets drunk with her every night just to talk about their shitty lives. Sounds like the perfect companion and friend that anyone can ask right?

Unfortunately, things are not always the way it seem at first.  At the same time that all this is happening in such a small place somewhere in New York State, in Seoul, South Korea, a monster has showed up, with no reason and apparently no motive but destroying what it's on it's way. These events will be on the news spot making Gloria to wonder how this monster has such an impact at the other side of the world. People are dying there. Others losing their homes. Chaos is happening there, while she can't get her shit together. How all this  can be related to her miserable life? How our actions can have such a big impact that become a wave able to reach further and change lives of people that we don't know and why when they say, put your shit together, it's for real. There always will be consequences of our actions. And so she will figure out when this events will start to escalate and his supposedly friend Oscar will show his true colors, and the real intentions he has for her. As they say nobody takes a step with no reason or purpose. All his actions where based in his own agenda. And that agenda has some history, back when they were just kids. And this is the part when the movie justifies this mash up of genres making everything kind of related and making some kind of sense, serving as a purpose to a story about growing up and figure out things in life while serving as a metaphor or the impact of our actions in some higher levels but mostly to prove that when comes to our lives and relationships, we have no clue about them but a work in progress and learn that get to know ourselves will be the only way to get to know others and be prepared for what they might bring.

Even people that will show some interest for us or say they love you, they also have their own agenda, clashing their interests and actions with us might be for good or turn into a disaster. As Gloria will discover when the cute guy in town, hiding behind some shyness only proves that he cares more about his friends no matter how right or wrong they are, he cant stand up against them not even to defend what he likes or believes. His actions will let her self guarded. And then her ex boyfriend will show up again to try to save her after believing she is doing better now, just to try to make her fit again into his world and his own plans of how their relationship would be or not but caring less about what she needs or deserves, and she has let everybody to take control of her life and decisions so might be time for her to stand up for herself and defend her own interest and scare away all this bad influences that are affecting her life and keeping her under control, far from she deserves and mostly from what she really is? Sounds familiar? Do you have to wait until things start to get out of control to start acting properly and get everything together or should it be something that might occur now and then? Are you aware of the people around you and how their actions have an impact in your life and in the same way how yours influence others? Every single move and step counts, what you doing about it? Go and figure out...before might be too late.

GIFTED...everything comes with a price

So many things can been expected when seen a movie like "Gifted" (2017), or just after watching the previews, you can roll your eyes and try to remember how many tie have we seen this kind of story before or imagine how this one might turn. And you might be right but also there's nothing written on stone. Yes, there are still a few gifted people that had proven special skill in different matters and knowing their story is like going back to school where we are able to learn a whole new story and maybe will inspire us to achieve better thing on our own. But as inspiring and motivating as it sounds it is also full of cliches and cheap drama. Their struggle all seem to fit the same profile, miscast trying to be accepted in a world that sees them as different and their struggles to fit in and accept themselves while being challenged for their uniqueness and talent becomes as familiar as any massage at a spa where as pleasant as it is, it becomes a routine well known and desire but still over the time can turn into too much. How can we, the normal people, living our ordinary and not so great life relate to those gifted ones and their struggles and fears? Why should we invest in learning from those stories other than applaud them and recognize their work? Why do we feel inspired but frustrated when comparing my talents with theirs?

Well, this is the story of a young girl, of barely 8 years old. Her mom committed suicide when was a baby so she ended in care o her uncle, her mom's brother. And he, as a young handsome guy, sacrificed a life of party and fun to take in and raise his niece and using his degree in philosophy tries to raise her in a normal american way of life far from his childhood, raised by another wealthy mathematician and scientists,  missing all the things that a kid would experience to focus in studies and improve their potential, which happened to worked out for his sister, becoming one of the greatest  minds in modern history and seems like her child is developing the same talent for numbers a birth gift. But he doesn't want that for her. He wants her to jump and run and play and have friends of her age and even her talent might be missed, after seen how her sister's life ended, he want something better and different for the little girl. Sadly not everyone thinks the same way and as soon as he rejects a scholarship for gifted kids, the grandmothers hows ups with a legal battle under her wing, using her family resources to try to take the kid from his so and raise her like she did with her daughter, under an education that will expand her talent and use it for better, making a name of her to transcend and change human kind. But what is more important in life? To enjoy life at it's fullest and embrace what some might call ordinary, as having friends, a routine, going out for dinner or watch tv at home, playtime or sacrifice all this mundane situations for a better and bigger goal, dedicating your life for a your work using your talent to try to change things making an impact that will change not only your life but the live of others?

This is the real soul of movies like this and the stories of gifted people and how we can relate to them. While we usually complain for what we have and what we are missing, saying that our lives might be boring and uneventful, immerse in a routine and missing having the opportunity to achieve greatness, because who hasn't dreamed about be popular and recognize for a life work that changed human kind and your name will make history, right? but at what price? While we dream and complain about it, these gifted people are struggling to prove us wrong . Yes they might have a unique talent and they might change the world but they are missing one thing. They won't have a life. Everything in life comes at a cost. You can't have everything. It's a basic rule, so while they are using their talent towards science, arts, economics, politics, medic care, they are sacrificing all those moments that we complain about. No movie nights, no social skills, no parties, no wake up hung over, no road trips with friends, no lazy Sundays, and their relationships usually end in the same roof they work at or by some kind of interest involve. Is this a price are you willing to pay for greatness? Are you ok with a life without a life in order to make just a name of it that will go through history known by books but a lack of experiences?

Even the movie lacks a more soulful and human side, focusing on a battle for a kid that happens to be gifted and it's struggling with the realization of that, while trying just to be a kid and loving her life with her uncle, we miss that side of the story where we can get to know the uncle better. He's the arch of the story yet we just know who he was but who is he now? Why is he doing all this and making all these decisions? What are his fears and motivations that are taking him to be fighting for the girls custody and trying to bring a great life to her while he seems to be sacrificing much of his own. He seems a very down to earth and mature person for the way he talks to the girl, the way he is trying to raise her, helping her to go through all this struggle she is going to face but what's about this bond or relationship they have forge together other than just being living together? Why should we care about what is happening to them. Yes, she is a gifted kid and has a lot potential and as humans we feel sorry and can't but wish the best for her but why should all this is important. She hasn't accomplish anything yet. And both of them have a very limited life, boring, living in misery, like hiding from the world. If they were hiding from the grandmother they definitely did a crappy job as she found them in two seconds after being notify from the school about the girls behavior, so what really matters now is to explore the little girl feelings, fears, doubts, what is she going through knowing there is a battle over her between her family while she knows she is special. What does she want? What's  the best for her? Having a normal life, far from special classes and exploring her talent or mixing it with what any kid would like to do and have as part of their age?

So what's the real story behind the story? Why should i pay the ticket to see another story of someone gifted trying to make through life with a talent and a family struggling for their best interest? Is this a story about love and family or a drama about family issues and how to become and accept our flaws and strengths? Let's say that the only reason why these stories deserve to be told and we should keep investing in them is because at the end of things,, we are have a talent and we all are unique but for some reason we need a remind of it. We get trapped in our misery and mundane lives, thinking we are so boring and ordinary that our story doesn't deserve to be told but we all are fighting battles everyday, if not to create or innovate at least to survive and make it through the day, helping our beloved ones or to ourselves to become a better self or just to get our shit together but at the end we all are changing our environment and the people around us with our actions either as an example to follow or avoid. We might not notice it because we also tend to be selfish and it's hard to admit to others the importance they all have in our live but we all are gifted just for having a life, a family and a group of friends that care about you, and if you do your best every day at your job, at home, with friends or for your community, you are changing things and the only way to make it happen is having a life and stop pushing yourself to be someone you are not or to achieve something that will make you miss what life is all about because until then you might be forgotten.

THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE...hidden truths or exposed secrets?

What if? We always wonder what could possible happened if things go in a different direction from what actually is. And that let us play with our imagination as an option to create possibilities and play with new ideas to improve or make it worse. And in times like these where political movements are taking over the news and reality seems as scary as any horror movie where political tensions, terrorism and personal interests are ruling the world and the faith of the rest of the population, it comes as a perfect distraction or something to discuss over the dinner table a fictional possibility of what if things were different from what they are after a global event such as WWII. And that's exactly the fictional world that presents "The man in the High Castle" (2015-current), one of the first main shows from Amazon, in their attempt to become a major binge network bringing quality TV to their members and as far as we can see they are doing a great job so far as the shows has an impressive quality on production, that can compare to any film budget's plus a talented mostly unknown cast and a story loosely based on the popular and acclaimed novel by Philp K. Dick published back in 1962 setting the story in the early 60's just 15 years after the war ended and now the show takes us back to that time with a marvelous production design that will convince you, things turned that way.

The story centers on a dystopian world where after the Nazi's won the war, the world as we know goes in different ways. They've occupied all Europe and East Africa, plus all East and Midwest North America. Then the Japanese took over China and the rest of Asia, Australia, and East South America plus the West Coast of USA, leaving a neutral zone that covers all Canada, Mexico and a fractional line across the United States. So after annihilating all Jews, Roma, Slavs, the rest of the world moves under Hitlers ideology and empire, where things are as closed as any dictator leaving under a regimen that controls everybody's life. So eventually an underground movement starts to arise trying to change curse of things, delivering a series of films that presents and alternate fictional scenario under this already fictional world and are delivered as a series called The Grasshopper Lies Heavy made by someone called The Man in the High Castle. And with the potential threat of this films to come out and bring a new resistance a woman will be involved, thanks to her half sister that is murdered in front of her leaving behind one of those films. Now she's living and trapped in San Francisco area under the Japanese empire and working for them closely.

Her name: Juliana. And she will be contacted by a young double agent, Blake that is working for the Nazis as a cover to reach the resistance and even he has no idea about his own agenda, it's till he meets Juliana that wants to make a difference even his life now is in danger after being exposed by Nazi's. The young couple manage to survive and save the film and get attached to each other but they have to go in different ways in order to make things happen, specially since Juliana has someone, Frank, which is having a hard time with the Japs after they discover their relationship and his Jewish background. Now the three of them have to make it work as they are now very involved in this situation and there is no way back because they've been targeted and after seeing the films, they need to start this movement. With all this setting perfect for any political thriller, where small things start making waves until they become bigger movements in order to change things is the perfect scenario to re imagine how things are moving and how badly they can go if we make the wrong decision. We can't tell if  winning that war was for better until we placed another scenario where things are bad, empires and regimens have been proof in history of slavery and marginalize people under one set of mind, leaving small room for liberty, freedom, free way of expression, art, all sorts of openness would be seen as a threat.

They say that history repeats, so maybe we are at a good timing to make a stop and take a look of  what have we done and what could be a better solution or a wrong turn. We don't appreciate what we have until we don't have it anymore. So why are complaining about being so liberal? What do we want to go back to that point where living under oppression sounds like the right fit? Why do we need to put more labels and hierarchies for some as a need to feel entitled and better than other just because our race or nationality, when it's already proven that we are all the same and race, religion, sexual preferences, nationality, doesn't make us better, but is how we live and our culture and intelligence that will take us further. As intriguing as it sounds this political thriller, living it instead of just watching it as part of fiction is a big difference. United States of America finds itself as a very divided country, and not only by backgrounds anymore, but by ideologies and political believes, the same way some parts of the world are, moved by their own religions, ideologies, cultures, where in everyone's mind someone is better than the other or is worth to fight against how the rest are moving. For some terrorists the western world is a way of oppression for  their ideologies.  For the rest their actions are a threat to anyone's life because is all about your actions what defines you, So how we can find a balance that finally should keep us safe and living in harmony all together.

Well, to say that, will imply living a utopia, because at this point we are so many and everyone has different views and perspectives or what would be right or wrong, but what we need to analyze and put on the table is to find a way to co exist even if we can't agree to each other, leaving and let it be, without harming others, and setting some rules and be able to follow them. Obviously this is not working and specially when we get some political heads  trying to mess up with all the concept due to their personal agenda. And then we get another Hitler and always will be some to follow and some that will resist but our modern world is ready and capable to resist another global war? Are we really looking forward to fall into another civil war? Dividing countries is the best way to break them apart and to get in and transform or destroy them, because they weak and that's how empire's have been teared down and that's what our fictional heroes in this amazingly well done show will bring to your tv room, a possibility that is no longer a fictional reality but an example of what could happen if...so unless you are trying to look at a crystal ball and figure out how to get there you better watch and learn how all what you know and have, can still be taken away from you and how your life will be transformed or destroyed if we don't start to be rational and learn from our mistakes, putting our differences on the side and work together for a better future instead or trying to reach a fictional dystopia that every minute and every episode feels more real.

YOUNGER... is more an attitude than a number

Spring has arrived and with it a new bunch of possibilities, but with it comes a price, timing, clock is ticking and no way to go back so as they say, we are not getting younger, so we better start doing stuff and stop planning, more doing and less talking right? Because when you less realize you will be a middle age and even is not the end of the world things start changing, new perspectives will come and also new regrets or new challenges. But also a clash of generations will arise and it's been a while since last time we felt such a big gap between generations, from the millennials and the generation X. How things have changed in just a decade or two? How one or the other are dealing with the same issues from two very opposite and different points of view? Well if you really want to know and start some actions about it while having a fun time, this is for you: "YOUNGER" (2015-current), a refreshing comedy show, that has launched it's network TVLand  to new horizons thanks to it's increasing popularity where generations have found a place to relate to while having a fun time and some romance but mostly exposing this clash of generation and age crisis that concerns basically to everybody that when young want to feel like grown ups and mature people and middle age ones just want to look and feel young again. Why can't we have it all?

The story follows Liza, a recently divorced woman, looking to take back her career now that her daughter is going to college  and she finds herself in a life that is not what she had for the last two decades. Sadly, once she goes back looking for a new opportunity, she realizes that there are no more option for her after she's being just a mom and no her experience is past due for the current market, one that has suffer a make over from technology and a high demand from young people looking for the same opportunities with more updated information and tools to face the challenges and demands out there. So what's left for those that are not fresh from college or young anymore? Well before giving up she decided to use her looks in advantage. Once she can pass by a 26 year old woman, thanks to some make up and wardrobe update, her confidence gets a boost and finds an opportunity as an assistant or an editor in a well known publishing company. And things can't go better for her. Everyone loves her at the office. Her boss loves how things are done with this old fashion touch and a very professional style, like old school, she feels energized and confident as things are coming back and not feeling rusty anymore is definitely pushing her career forward very fast, which starts to make thing crumble as it's all based on a lie. She is not a young girl but a middle age woman, and she is not acting like her new best friend and co worker, she's more mature and she is not partying anymore.

But living a lie is no fun. But what can you do if have no other option. And basically you are proving you are worthy and capable but just because a number or a paper doesn't say so you have to settle? But usually one lie brings more lies and from the sudden it has become a snow ball coming down hill. And when is fun watching it from the outside definitely not so much when you are the one inside. As she soon realizes when all she wanted is to go back to work and re take a career that she left to become a housewife. But this new image and life is bringing the best out of her. And soon she will find love again. Not that she was looking for it but that's how it always happen, the less you look after it, it will come to you, but for her will come in form of a young artist, that owns a tattoo store and is trying to become a musician playing with his band at any gig possible to get some attention of the industry. And even this young folk is so different from her, that's exactly what makes it work for both. They complement each other at the same time that challenges them to try new things. For her, to embrace an adventurous and energized side that most grown ups forget to settle on a comfort zone and for him, to put his shit together and his feet on the ground but at the end they love each other and make a good couple, until truth may surface. Would you still love someone if there is something not real about that person that won't change anything but still was a lie? Or is it ok to lie if for a good reason or there's a good explanation about it?

So all the fun about this show is to join Liza and her friends in her struggle to find love, be successful, look glamorous and enjoy life while she embraces this new phase of her, mixing her past life with her roommate and best friend, a lesbian business woman of her age that is the only one that knows the truth and what's going on with her, and her new life at work, with her new friend and colleague, a young girl  struggling with that hunger for success and lack of experience but full of knowledge about what to do and not knowing how to do it.Her boss, another woman of her age that actually likes her for her attitude not knowing that might be an age relation to that. And also she'getting some attention from her widowed boss,one of the owners of the company that sees her potential and also feels some sort of attraction to her but not b her looks but her maturity and shared commons. How many times we close doors because feeling too old for trying new things? And why we like to judge by a number, being labeled as a check list that must be follow by order according to the number on our ID? Who says we can't do otherwise?  And why older people can't do stuff that young people like, but they can and are pushed to act like grown ups? How many things we can learn from each other if we get the chance to open our minds and change our attitudes towards age, if comes just to the number. It's all about how you represent that number, right?

Even the light ton of the show makes you feel like watching a funny teenage drama, the current issues that you see very subtle managed by all it's  characters, makes it the perfect excuse to expose how these so called millennial generation faces hings like relationships in an era where a smartphone is more value than a friend or were communication is based in emoji's and things come as easy as they go, these young folks don't know how to deal with stress and commitment as the past generations did and turning the table we can appreciate how close minded was society regarding race, gender, social status when now it all seem and are treated the same opening the market to globalization and new ways for business, and social behavior has evolved the same way any sci fiction movie we grew up with did. So no matter what destiny has awaiting for Liza and her new gang, we can't but relate to any of them and keep rooting to make it through lies when lives are expose through social media in a way that there's few room for secrets but at the end everything is a big fake stage that we created to show the world the best of us and the one we want to become, and at the end that's what youth give us, a full stack of possibilities that we need to take action on instead of just contemplate and become in a new, fresh, reloaded version of us even the number keeps going up.

T2 TRAINSPOTTING... addictive to nostalgia?

Have you ever noted that the older we get, the more we look into the past? While we were young we only care about the future and all that bunch of possibilities awaiting for us, something happens a long the way that the more you live and get far from those young moments full of experiences and risks, excitement and dreams, the more you start looking back at them and a new feeling arises... nostalgia. And nostalgia is a bitch. As much as can get you in a good mood and look at things from a good perspective of what you wanted to do and what you've done, it also can bring you down, wondering what happened with that life and those moments full of live, specially if feeling like your present life sucks. Or missing people that has gone in separate ways, either family that you grew up with, friends that are now part of that past and those moments, or a past lover that made you feel like life is worth of any risk and full of new sensations and emotions, or simply tough you how to love and what love means. What happened with you though all those years from youth to a grown up? What have you turned into? While if you were escaping from a terrible life ad trying to move on and re invent yourself, looking back could be a sign of relieve and proud for all what you'd achieved but if you moving in the opposite direction and now feeling like your life is stock and going nowhere or just lacking those dreams and purpose, nostalgia will hit you as a way to shake up things or just get trapped in memories from all those experiences making you want to go back.

There are moments in life that define us and most of them happened  while we were young, when we were brave and willing to take risks in order to pursue our dreams and ideals. But sometimes the lack of experiences got us in trouble and sometimes we moved on leaving some open resolutions that need to be addressed and get some closure and when growing up and getting more settle and mature, feels like a need in order to fully move on and find some piece and conscious. And for all of you having a moment of Nostalgia and mixed feeling about your first two decades of life, specially thanks to a new invasion of the entertainment industry, willing to make us spend our money as junk addicts craving for that feeling of going back to that place when that moment happened while listening a song or watching a movie, there for we get "T2 Trainspotting" (2017), a long due sequel for all of those fans of the first film and movie goers that mad the original a cult movie, telling the story of a group of friends trapped in their small town, lacking of opportunities and immerse in their boring simple lives, just to find an escape through the new best thing around, heroine, and with that trip and adrenaline that any drug brings, a new idea and opportunity to change their life presents, by stealing some money and running away to London.

But for all of you, already know how did that go. Renton, played the by a young unknown Ewan McGregor, betrayed his friends and business partner, by taking all the money and running away by himself to London to start a new life leaving the rest at mercy of the authorities and stuck in their shitty town with now an even worse life. Yes, we might blame drugs for their decisions and the consequences but still doing something like that to your best friend can't let you sleep at night for long. So after suffering a sort of heart attack, and now in his mid 40's and after being fired from his job and going through a divorce, just seems right to start making amendments and get his life straight back, meaning going back where he ran away 20 years ago. And that won't be a pleasant ride as his old friends are not specially excited to see him back. Prud is trying to commit suicide. His best friend sick boy is scamming public serves with kinky taste, and Begbie is trying to escape prison. So even he is trying to make amendments will all of them, he stole more than just money, but trust, and hope, and all their opportunities for a better life. But nostalgia is a bitch and once he agrees to help them to get more money back so they can start a new business, things start going smoothly between them. Remembering their childhood together and all those things they share in common, and made them friends in the first place.

The movie still movies in the same pace as the original, thanks to it's visionary director Danny Boyle, re taking the story and knowing how to make it move forward twenty years without losing it's essence, and having the original cast back, definitely helps as all of them fit back into their characters as if they were doing it for the last two decades. The humor is still there and having the gang back together can't but trigger that nostalgia addiction of looking back to  the moment where we met them, and now they seem to go back to where they were just looking and feeling not so young, and avoiding hard core drugs but still trapped in some addiction but now as grown ups they need to man up and face their realities with family and relationships. What is missing is that innovating feeling that the original brought to cinema. It's music defined a generation and their performances and their characters were raw in a way that we haven't seen before, but by now feels so familiar that even we are more than happy to welcome this reunion, it just doesn't make memorable anymore. Definitely we get a deeper story with more real issues underneath now as all are having a mid crisis life rather than struggling to fight for a better one when still young but what defined it's predecessor was a new look and take of the drug addiction in young low income kids and the translation of that world and their experiences out of it to the screen. Here we just got what would be just a smoke after trying all other kinds of narcotics.

But that's not a bad thing at all. For all who ever wonder what if, or what happened to those familiar faces when the going to the movies and credits start rolling, specially after having such an enjoyable and thrilling ride, we always crave a hungry for more, and this opportunity is perfectly full fill by bringing some characters with some pending issues back together in a different setting in life. And who couldn't relate to that? We all move from one stage to other through years, from high school to college, from one job to other. from one relationship to other. always meeting new people, making new friendships, sometimes relocating, and at each phase we try to re invent ourselves, learn from the past and make this new opportunity better, but usually at the same time, leaving behind projects, plans, and people that we get close to and we influence and get influenced by, but some other times we just get stuck and seems like no way out, feeling miserable and like wasting our time living another's life but ours. Only blaming other but us for our lack of will to fight and take risks to achieve more, because we deserve more, and we are so entitled to just wait for things to happen and when not, we fall into some addictions that will bring that exit to all those feelings and bring some new, like nostalgia, love, excitement, confidence, but will be just a rush and when starts fading out we fall apart, needing always more, blocking us from reality and living in the past or looking only to a future that will come as fast as will go, but how good does it feel!