The Hateful 8

I would like to talk about one film I really enjoyed. It is The Hateful 8. Thi film is a kind of western, and I say a "kind of" because although it is, it also has some elements that are not the usual in the western films. For example, if we think in a western film we should think in a film that it's set up in the desert, or in a film that develops on the outside in open spaces and we also have to think in a film with a lot of duels. Different to this "topics", in The Hateful 8 we can find a snowy landscape and the plot happens practically all in the shelter of a refuge. But even so we find in The Hateful 8 all the characters we like to find in any western: the bounty hunter, the executioner, the confederated, the sheriff, the Mexican, "the little man", the cowboy and the prisoner. So Tarantino presents his latest film, a film that makes us feel the cold as if we were in the refuge and a film that makes us hate the characters as if we were with theme. So this is the second western of the director and it has a unique premise: someone to hate.
 

The story is set few years later after the Civil War in America. The stagecoach passengers move through the snow road to Red Rock town. Is there where the bounty hunter John Ruth will deliver his prisoner Daisy Domergue to the authorities to be pay the bounty for the Daisy's head. By the way to Red Rock John Ruth run into two unknowing: the major Marquins Warren who now is another bounty hunter and with Chris Mannix who says to be the new sheriff of Red Rock. 

Because of a storm, they are forced to take refuge into the Minnie's haberdashery. But there they don't find what they expect but another group of four more unknowns: a Mexican, the executioner, a cowboy and a confederated general. All theme seems not to have any relationship but, after all, as the storm falls on the haberdasher the eight travelers find out that they may not reach Red Rock.

The film has mystery, suspense, action and a great plot. Nobody knows nobody and nobody can trust in nobody. They are eight unknowing (or maybe they are more?) and they haven't met by change. Everybody seems to have a different reason to be in the refuge, but all of them have something in common: all of them have several thing to be hate that nobody could imagine. This is what happened when they all meet in the same refuge for only one night.

Tarantino take us a completely western between four walls. All happens in a little refuge, all they have a reason to be there and all of them have a story that better they don't explain. If we know Tarantino films for something is for their great dialogues. The Hateful 8 doesn't have less and the three hours of film are three hours full of excellent and extraordinary dialogues by amazing characters interpreted in a perfect way. If I like something of Tarantinos films are they dialogues and I can say that this film has a spectacular ones. Each sentence said by each character fits in a perfect way with the personality of the character and with the moment. 

Taking into account that this is a Tarantino film, something that can impress us is that Tarantino keep the action during all the film without make use of the guns, something that is unusual both in Tarantino films and in western films. But all happens in a way that makes not necessary the use of the arms since there aren't any other way. Little by little the secrets have been discovered and the refugees have been "eliminated", but when it seems that all is clear suddenly take place a new success that gives a twist to the above. What at first seems to be only eight unknowing, ends beeing eight enemies and they are in the same place for a reason that we only could know at the end. 

And now I have great news: this is only the second of the three westerns that the director wants to do. If I like the first, Django Unchained and I loved this second, I can't wait for the third!

The Revenant

This is one of the movies for which I was waiting for more to see. Not only because the director always leaves us waiting for more after his films (Birdman was his last film) but also to see the performance of DiCaprio in the film by wich he is again nominated for an Oscar.

The Revenant is set in the decade of 1820 All starts with a group of trappers in the north-American territory taken leathers when they are attacked by a group of Sioux Indians who stole their leathers and massacre the invaders. Nevertheless, some of them can escape in a little boat  on the river. Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is one of the survivors and he is the only man who knows the route to the fortress. He is traveling with his son. While they are returning Hugh Glass is attacked by a bear who let him gravely injured. The captain of the expedition is forced to abandon him in the forest because he has become in a huge load that doesn't let the group advance quickly. But Hugh Glass will have the company of his son Hawk and tow more members of the group, Jim and John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) since the rest could arrive in the fortress and send more help. But the wether is very hard and they know that the Sioux are near. Fitzgerald tries to murder Hugh Glass but Hawk can prevent it and him receives a stab by Fitzgerald that kills him. Hugh Glass, even injured and unable to move, see all. Then Fitzgerald deceives his mate and they leave Glass alone in the forest. It is there when starts a story of revenge. Hugh Glass will only survive to kill the person who unfairly killed the only thing he has, his son. Hugh Glass will go to the search of Fitzgerald overcoming all kind of adversities: his wounds, the forces of nature, the cold, the lack of food and other humans. And he will be alone at all time.

This is an amazing film. The film is about three hours but they are three fantastic hours of hundred of emotions and feelings. One of the thing that I appreciate more in any film are the dialogues. In the Revenant, there are few of them. Even the duration of the film there aren't time to dialogues, we are too busy escaping and leading all he disadvantages that Hugh Glass has to overcome. And between change and change we don't have time to anything than contemplated the amazing landscapes that the film offers to us. The film has spectacular shots of photography of the wild nature. And after all of that, the film is more: it is the story of a man who fights alone against everything for revenge of wich who had taken his son.

Summarizing, you have to see this film! Everybody who appreciates cinema should do it because really worth it. And now that we know that DiCaprio finally has won the Oscar it's another good reason to see The Revenant. 

Can technology make a better world?

Could we have a world without technology? Would progress be possible without it? Until now, the majority of our progress, if not all of it, has been thanks to technology. But, is depending on these advances a negative thing?
It is true that technology has created new problems, such as the addiction to be connected all the time and the loss of privacy. It can be "antisocializin" people, because we prefer technology over face-to-face meetings.  Plus, the planet has suffered because of the massive need of materials.
On the other hand, technology has celarly improved our lives. From medical advances to transports, globalization and education. If we knew how to solve the cons it has, it would also be able to correct theme. We can't imagine our lives without technology, without energy, infromation, comunication... Behind the majority of new discoveries there are technology advances that make is possible to know our world better and be able to help and improve it.
So in the end we can say that technologies give us the opportunity to make a better world, if we know how to use them.

Research paper abstract

Key words: neurocience, neuroenhancement, neuroethics, transhumanism, neuroestimulation. 

What if we could improve our minds, be more intelligent, live longer and improve ourselves farther than our biological limits?

This is what neuroenhacement could provide us. Curently, thanks to the fast advance of the science and technologi we have new ways to modify ourselves especialy our brains. Many of the medicines that at first were destined to the clinical field now can be used to improve the cognitive capacities in healthy people. And it is not only medicines but also new tecniques of trasncraneal magnetic stimulation to influence in the brain functions have already show their efectiveness to improve habilities in maths for example.

All this new technologies make grow up new questions like: to where they lead us? And more important, at what price? We have the responsability to apply at this new applications a critical thought to make shore that their progres guarantee the collective interest and the common good.


This is my oral presentation about my research paper: 

I think I get a little nervus during the presentation, but I don't know why because when I did in front of the court I did it much better. It's something that it's suppose we have to know becase we have been doing during almost a year. 

In any case I'm very pround and satisfy of my work in the research paper and I also very happy that it has finished!

Nip Tuck Dialogue

BOB: Hey mate!

DANIEL: Hey how're you doing? Ummm... What's that?

BOB: What's what?

DANIEL: You have a black line painted under your shirt...It looks like...

BOB: Oh that! I have been designing my new butt.

DANIEL: What do you mean?

BOB: I'm tired of my saggy plain bottom, I want it to look like Nicki Minaj's! I want big soft glutes. Now it look's like my butt ends on my feet...

DANIEL: Oh mu God man, are you serious? You don't need that!

BOB: You are jealous because I can afford a new bottom and you can't, aren't you?

DANIEL: You are paying for a sociable butt. Society loves Nicki Minaj and you want it to love you as well. 

BOB: Just think of all the girls I'll be getting. My surgeon says that I'll look a lot sexier.

DANIEL: Bob, do you really want this?

BOB: You're a killjoy Dan! I could easily end up in a Katy Perry's music video.

DANIEL: A big butt won't make you successful. This is ridiculous, you are perfect!

BOB: You say that because yours is kickass!

DANIEL: Who do you trust most, me or a surgeon that just wants your money?

BOB: I trust someone that can give me a nce body. Bye Daniel, I didn't expect this from you. You're plain jealous!

DANIEL: Hey! You forget something. Wait, what's this?

BOB: Oh mu God, butt designs! What? You want to copy me now?

DANIEL: Whatever. Take care, Bob. See you.

BOB: I don't think so. 

   *Bob leves with a dive movement*

Bridge of Spies

Based on true events, this is a film that take places in the 60s in USA and Rusia in the midst of the Cold War. It was marked by the fear of a nuclear attack and role by spies from the both side. There are a lot of films or books that talks about the manoeuvres and risks that spies have to do to make their job, but there are few films that talks about what happened when Americans discover a Russian spy or  inside out. 

It's during this period when American agents arrested a Russian spy, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance). He has to be tried and the lawyer specialized in insurance James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is conscript by the CIA. The idea was that Abel had a trial, but the sentence was ruled before the trial take place. Even so James Donovan  takes seriously his charge and he defends Abel. This makes that everybody go against James Donovan including his family and the CIA. Donovan strongly believes in his principles as a lawyer and as a human and he got that Abel is not condemned to the electric chair. 

At the same time, Americans also spied Russians. They had built special planes able to fly and take pics from the long distances without been discovered. But the pilot Francis Powers is hit by a missile when he fly over Soviet territory. The pilot Powers is caught as a Russian prisoner. 

The Americans has the fear that the pilot reveal information to the Russians and the same happened with the Russians to Abel. In this point is when the fact that Abel still alive is important to make a swap between countries. For this difficult task, James Donovan is chosen to undertake intensive negotiations between the two parties. What is more, the negotiation takes place in the difficult city of Berlin  while the famous wall that separated the city was being built. The situation can't be more difficult but James Donovan accepts in order to do the right and defends his principles.  

This film doesn't want to tell us who was the good in the war or who made the worst thing, the only thing it wants to tell us is a story that take places and probably nobody knows. This is the reality of an ordinary man who had to fight against unusual, danger and difficult situations to stand up for what he believe and for what he thought was fair. 

After the Second World War born the idea of rights and the idea that every human has to be treated in the same way, no matter where he comes, who is him or what he thinks. These ideas are very present in the way to do of the lawyer James Donovan. When all these principles started to have sense started the Cold War where there was the threat of another war even stronger with nuclear weapons. 

Personally, I think it's a great film with amazing characters. When I saw the main character role in by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg as a director I was glad to see the film and it hasn't let me down. Only one advice, if you think you are going to watch an action movie you are the wrong principally because the Cold War was very different to those we were used to. It doesn't be a war of action, but a diplomatic war were the players were the spies and the information and not the armament.

Star Wars: The Force Awake

Now I'm going to talk about one film that probably the majority have already seen because it's the box-office draw film in cinema history and also because the las day before Christmas we went to see it. I'm talking about Star Wars and his last chapter The Force Awakes. This last chapter is the continuation of the 6th episode (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi), and I say that because one curiosity about Star Wars saga is their order.

The last episode takes place over thirty years after the fall of Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker has disappeared, but there is a map that leads to him. There is still war in the galaxy and has appeared a new Republic but it's weak and there are forces opposed that wants to control the Galaxy too. From the dark side has born a warrior (Kylor Ren) obsessed with ending with the Jedi warriors. Kylor Ren leads the First Order, the continuation of the Darth Vader legacy. With this wake of the force, the last option is the android BB-8 who keeps the key piece to rebuilding the map leading to Luke Skywalker. The mission is to bring this piece of the map to the Resistance, Poe Dameron is the pilot sent by Princess Leia for the mission, but he will need the help of the soldier Fin and Rey, a young scrap merchant from Jakku planet. This adventure takes them to meet with old heroes from the Resistance like Han Solo and Chewbacca. Now, the first objective of the Resistance is destroying the Kylor Ren plans who wants to conquer the Galaxy and find the Jedi Master. 

The Force Awakes is the first part of the new trilogy of Star Wars. I think that everybody can see that film and enjoy it but if you also know all the story you enjoy twice. Wich has made many people is start to see all the films again to "remember" the plot. It's true that in this new film appeared new characters, but one of the things that I really liked is that the ancient legendary characters appear and seems to say: you are never to old to watch Star Wars! Maybe the new ones are created for the new generation of this saga. 

In general the new film has had good reviews from the public, it means that the film is liked by the former followers and for the new ones it is a film with a lot of action, fights and incredible scenes.