Starlight Express Meets the Ice Age

 I love science fiction- from aliens from space to apocalyptic adventures.  One sub-genre is the social science fiction- no aliens, spacecraft, UFOs.  All the drama is based on humankind's humanity or inhumanity towards humankind...uh, did that make sense?  Some films that I'd classify as social sci-fi would be Z.P.G. and the classic Soylent Green.  Snowpiercer falls into this category.  I had read about this film in Entertainment Weekly and a friend told me about it.  The story reminded me of the classic Metropolis.  

Apparently the cure for global warming went awry and global freezing was the result.  The powers that be created a trans-global railroad that would traverse the planet in one year.  As the film begins, we are in the 17th year of the Train.  The name of the train is the Snowpiercer and on board are the remnants of humanity- from the privileged rich to the poorest of the poor.  The tail section of the train is the home of the ones who are poor; the front of the train has the rich.  Between tail section and front are middle class, an aquarium, hydroponic garden, schools, businesses...in essence the entire world has been compacted into this humongously long train.

What happens when the slum section decides they have had enough?  The front section comes daily to take a head count (population control) and for some reason children are taken from their parents to help out (servants?) in the front section.  To get to the front the revolutionaries need the help of a man in the prison section who designed the train's door system.  Chris Evans is the leader, Curtis, totally unrecognizable from his Captain America films.   Accompanying him are John Hurt, the patriarch of the end section; Octavia Spencer as a mother looking for her son who was taken to the front.  The trials and tribulations the group encounters are engrossing and you have to remember it all takes place in the confines of a train!  Oh, and when Curtis discovers the source of their protein blocks (food for the tail section) it's not a pretty picture

Tilda Swinton portrays a wickedly marvelous villainess that oversees crime and is judge and jury when a crime is committed.  Karma does meet her eventually.  

The film is a South Korean produced and directed film.  Song Kang-Ho portrays the prisoner who helps the group enter the doors of each coach.  It is a gripping film and will hold your interest to the very surprising end.  The score by Marco Beltrami is wonderful- Jerry Goldsmith would be proud!

It is one of the best science fiction films of the year.  Check it out and enjoy!

So Long

It is hard to believe that one of the funniest men in the entertainment world has died at the age of 63.  Robin Williams made us laugh and even cry.  His films ranged from hysterical to thought provoking to mysterious.  I will remember him as the alien Mork on the sit-com Mork and Mindy.  His Holocaust dramatic film Jakob the Liar showed how this funny man could handle serious subject matters.  And his wonderful Patch Adams showed a nobleness and humor in the medical profession.

He leaves us a wonderful entertainment legacy.  Thank you Robin Williams for the laughter; our world will miss you!

Eres Mi Tesoro

Soap operas have become an endangered species.  I recall that every day each of the major networks had soaps that had a loyal following.  In the 60s, my two back-to-back favorites were One Life to Live and the cult classic Dark Shadows.  Today there are just a few remaining…but, I digress.  Unless you watch the telenovelas.  Those notorious Spanish language soap operas that are made in Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Mexico.  The titles of the soaps range from character names, such as Esmeralda, Rosalinda or exotic titles such as La Pasion de Gavilanes (The Passion of Hawks) or La Mujer del Vendaval (The Woman of the Vendaval).  I normally do not watch the hardcore nighttime soaps because they conflict with the other networks.  Since January I have been hooked in a particular soap Que Pobres Tan Ricos which has become a wonderful guilty pleasure.  

Pictured above are the Menchaka family and their friends: La Guendi, Tizoc, Don Chuy, Perla Ivette, Carmelita and little Emiliano.  They live in a "colonia" or neighborhood in Mexico City that is not quite for the wealthy, rather a blue collar neighborhood where the Spanish sounds very uneducated yet colorful.  La Guendi, hysterically portrayed by Gloria Zamora, owns a beauty salon.  Don Chuy was a professional wrestler, "El Hijo de Sumatra."  He now runs a restaurant that his daughter Guadalupe and their friend Carmelita cook for.  Guadalupe is portrayed by Zuria Vega- a tough single mom who will do anything to protect her family.

In the above pic you can see the wealthy ones, the Ruizpalacios…Miguelangel, Ana Sofia, daVinci, Frida and Leonardo.  Apparently, Miguelangel has been accused falsely of laundering money from the family's publishing company.  Their home is taken away and they accompany Miguelangel as he flees from the law.  The family claims to move to Italy, but end up in hiding in the Menchaka home.  The stories revolve around the mishaps of the rich vs. the working class.  Miguelangel is trying to find out how to clear his name and the family must adapt to their new social class.  Miguelangel is comically portrayed by Jaime Camil and he seems to have mastered slapstick comedy that works well in this soap.

Mark Tacher portrays Alejo, the villain of the story, who is the one who robbed the money and has accused Miguelangel of the wrongdoing.  His attorney, Vilma Teran, is hopelessly in love with Alejo and will do anything to grab his attention.

The villainesses of the piece are wonderfully portrayed by Ingrid Martz, as Minerva Fontanet, and her deliciously wicked mother Isela, portrayed by Raquel Pankowski.  These two get into hair brained schemes and malaprops worthy of Lucy and Ethel.  Minerva loves Miguelangel, but when he flees, she eventually marries Alejo.  Oh, both mother and daughter are nouveau riche and gold diggers extraordinaire.

The soap is midway through its course.  Spanish soaps usually have 150-200 episodes and come to a big happy ending.  The villains also face their just desserts.  This soap also reflects social problems that the world faces:  dealing with the elderly with dementia; battle of the social classes; homosexuality; alcoholism. These problems are treated with tact and humor as not to offend.  

As stated, watching the Spanish soaps is a guilty pleasure.  Entertaining and fabulous even though join-Spanish speakers label them as vehicles for over-acting.  But that shows the passion of the Latin!  Some Spanish networks have closed captioning in English; worth a viewing even if you do nor speak Spanish.

Zuria Vega (Lupita) and Jaime Camil (Miguelangel)

Thoughts Whilst in Recovery

So much has happened since Thanksgiving 2013.  I got deathly due to diabetic complications and needless to say I had a below the knee amputation.  I am living with this consequence as I did not take care of my health.  It's that damned Latin image that "I'm alright and I will survive."  Wrong!  It's a lesson learned that I will have to live with the rest of my life.  Currently I am in a rehab center working with great therapists.  Essentially I am learning to walk again.  My upper body strength is the pits and I am slowly working on that.  The prognosis is that I will be getting a prosthetic as soon as the leg heals.  This is where time is a factor…and I am learning patience.

This experience has also shown me  the love and warmth my family, school family, and friends had shown me.  I still need to give a  good hearty cathartic tear fest.  It isn't until you are in such a situation that you realize love has surrounded me but I failed to recognize it.  My nieces and nephews: Julie, Christina, Lorenzo, Andy; my brother Sergio and sister-in-law Miriam; my other sister-in-law Gloria.  The Gonzalezes: Aunt Amanda, Rudy, Beta, Rick, Raquel, Lexy and Tori.  Manuel and Pat Mondoy.  Dorita y Enrique; Enriquito and Veronica (the other Perezes) and my wonderful school family: Pat Keeley, Grace Rigor, Danny Ballesteros, Dorothy Vigna, Sheila Guzman.  Their visits have added energy to my healing process.  Not to forget Sister Chris, Sister Lisa, Sister Marianne and Sister Elizabeth.  And all the phone calls from distant friends and family.

Rene Bonilla is taking care of my beloved Papi and the best neighbors, Wolf and Gloria have offered to help.  And Lori Hartwick has been an angel visiting with her roommate Leigh Ann.  I am truly blessed.

Now, this is not a feel sorry for me episode.  I encourage positive thoughts and lots of laughter my way.

I plan to be back at work and life resuming to its full potential.  Please keep me in your prayers and good thoughts.  Until soon.