The importance of hope

I still remember Brideshead Revisited and not just because of the script (an adaptation of a novel by Evelyn Waugh). Everything seems magical, unreal. And the places, Brideshead, Venice, Tangier... 
The second generation of the family is divided between rigid religious values and the call of real life, for love, friendship, adventure. The eldest daughter returns to her comfort zone of purity and God's forgiveness. The youngest one can never free herself from this influence. And the son ends up in Tangier drinking and smoking his life away. 
The main character finds hope in the end, after all the experiences that life gave him: love, friendship, pain, hope. He is not a believer and has seen how rules can destroy a person devoid of affection. Only love can save and heal. 
Finally he understands the rejection of his lover and her choice for God and peace of mind.

Another tv series that I won't forget is The jewel in the Crown. Again, it's not just the script. The place is also magical... India in the fourties. So much love and so much pain. So much madness and prejudice. There is hope in the end, even with the scars...
More recently, Parade's End and War and Peace.
All these tv series are adaptations of novels.

And then there are tv series designed directly for television: Law & Order, criminal intent, Menphis Beat, Person of Interest, Borgen, Homeland. 

Homeland is becoming better every season. :)
Carrie defends young students caught up in the fine line between a natural revolt of free speech and the intention of violence, the real threat. The challenge is huge: how can we draw the line?
In Homeland we learn to accept human nature, its strengths and its weaknesses, suffering, dependencies, self-destructive behavior. We won't find prejudice or disgust. Humans are fragile. 
Hope is still alive in all of them, above suffering and lonely days. This is the message. Humans mess things up but have the ability to fix them.

"A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous" (President Snow, "The Hunger Games")

Austerity doesn't work in a democracy. It is time for new leaderships, it is time for restoring hope

Austerity destroys quality of life, work conditions, dignity, hope. 
Austerity is not for all, only for those who can't escape: workers and pensioners.
Young people have to fly away. Old people are frightened. 
Austerity doesn't work in a democracy. And yet, leaders insist to enforce this rude program.
It is time for new leaderships, it is time for restoring hope.

Movies that anticipate the future

I've always enjoyed to anticipate the future. I observe carefully what is going on, general tendencies, priorities, cultural clashes, and then I try to picture these changes in the near future.
That's why I like science fiction movies.

I'm not talking about time travel or close encounters with aliens. I'm talking about possible and probable events. 

Almost every science fiction movie shows violence, war and destruction. Some examples:

The Postman (1997):

Children of Men (2006):

War, Inc. (2008): 

If we compare the movies of the nineties with those of the second decade of the new century we see a clear difference. Movies are becoming more pessimistic.
The Postman gives us hope. There's room for survival. Children of Men shows us a world with no future, but still a miracle happens, a new child is born. In War, Inc. everything is marketable, nobody is safe, there's no trust or moral ground (trash culture).

"Understated" (Edwyn Collins)

Edwyn Collins is a gifted artist: he makes music, he plays guitar, he sings and he draws:

But his best gift is his love for life and people. We don't see these qualities in a single person very often: talent, simplicity and good humour.
"Understated" is released today:

And Spring is here to stay. (You didn't expect this sudden expression of good humour from me, did you? But as you can see, good humour is contagious, that's the marvelous thing about it!)