If there’s one thing every movie goer out there enjoys, it’s a good old fashioned inspirational story. That kind of tale where good people find themselves in the midst of a personal struggle, one where they are forced to go through complete and utter hell before buckling down to face their demons and they come out of the other side stronger than before they started their journey. It’s the kind of story we simply eat up time and time again because who doesn’t love a happy ending and there is great joy to be found in seeing our fellow human beings overcome the odds and defeat adversity.
 
But while these movies often times leave our spirits soaring, let’s be honest, they are the finest representation available of the fact that film is in essence, a place to escape to. Because personal strife and crises aren’t always so easy to overcome. Sometimes we see our lives fall to pieces before our very eyes when the going gets tough, or trauma and issues with our mental health contribute to the fact that things aren’t going the way we want to them to as we struggle to put the pieces back together and recently, I had the opportunity to watch a film that addresses the personal battle to see a better tomorrow in frank and realistic light in Fear, Love, and Agoraphobia.
 
In this tale, we are introduced to two a pair of people named Chet and Maggie, who are going through some incredibly tough times at the moment. Chet, suffers from Agoraphobia and his life is turned upside down when his mother and only lifeline to the outside world decides to move away in order to live her life as she sees fit. As for Maggie, well she’s a former Marine who is now homeless after her husband is thrown in a jail for a crime he claims he didn’t commit and the drink is her only solace in a world she struggles to understand. But fate has a funny way of bringing together people in need and when these two become roommates, they start to understand that they’re not alone in this world, nor are they misfits and their unlikely connection to one another, will inspire them in ways they could never imagine. 

So, let’s just get it out there right now, I loved this movie, for so many reasons. The first one being, the fact that it presents mental illness and PTSD in honest and raw fashion. There’s nothing held back when it comes to the two respective ailments these dynamic characters suffer from and that’s wonderful because both of those topics are in fact taboo in this day and age. Movies in this vein often present issues such as this as nothing more than simple obstacles to overcome when in fact, they are not. They are a struggle for those dealing with these particular ailments and it was so refreshing to see this film not have the characters just wake up one day feeling fine. 
 
In fact, that takes us to the second reason why I enjoyed this film so much, the fact that it presents real life struggles for what they are, a daily battle to get to where we want to be. There are setbacks in this film for both Chet and Maggie, just as there are for us when we fight the good fight, and this movie takes the time to remind us that the real secret to getting better is to surround ourselves with people that genuinely care about us and see us for who we are and that sometimes, an active choice to face our demons and work toward defeating them at our own pace can work wonders as well and by presenting all of these elements in such realistic fashion, you’re left with a compelling motion picture that sucks you in from the get go.
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But what I truly enjoyed about this film, is that it actually turns out to be quite the inspiring tale after all. Because despite the hardships and setbacks these characters go through, they never stop fighting for what they want in this life, which is a desire to taste a sense of internal peace for a change and man, seeing them keep fighting for what they want, definitely lifts you up when all is said and done. Either way, this is just a true gem of a motion picture, one filled to the brim with poignant moments and fine performances, especially from Lori Petty, who steals every single scene she’s in, and it’s a film I highly recommend because it is one of those rare tales that gives you a slice of everyday life, and it’s one that stays with you long after its come to an end. 

What I’ve always loved about motion pictures as a whole, is that they can do so much for us. Movies can be filled to the brim with emotional moments that leave us in tears. They can allow for our spirits to soar by way of inspirational stories and they can drop our jaws on a moment’s notice with stunning visuals and effects, or they can just outright scare the living crap out of us. However, what I’ve always enjoyed most about film, is that it is fully capable of teaching us something important about our world and our humanity. 
 
But while it is amazing that film can accomplish such wonders on a consistent basis, sometimes we simply don’t want any of that. We just want to lose ourselves in a story for a couple of hours and outright be entertained, and maybe devour a bowl of popcorn in the process and let’s be honest, there’s nothing wrong with that because at its core, film is designed to be pure entertainment and recently, I had the opportunity to watch a motion picture that does a fine job of accomplishing just that in Cartel 2045.
 
Now in this motion picture we are transported to the year 2045, wherein robotics have seen some incredible advancements in our society, to the point where they have found their way into the art of warfare and unfortunately for the good people of Juarez, Mexico, the Malvado Cartel sees this kind of weapon as the advantage they need to survive and they snatch up as many robots on the black market as possible to solidify their standing as the most powerful cartel south of the border and it is up to a rag tag band of soldiers to put a stop to this menace before the Malvado Cartel becomes too powerful to control…

​So, let me just say this now, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie for several reasons. The first one being, it’s genuine. At no point does Cartel 2045 try to be anything more than an action flick where U.S. Soldiers and Robots shoot at one another and that unambiguous approach to the story is really what makes it work. Because you know exactly what you’re getting into and that allows for you to get lost in the story and the action and just have a good time as the bullets fly, but the film does actually have a lot more to offer than just explosions and gunfights, like the fact that it takes the time to pay homage to the Grindhouse films of yesteryear.
 
In fact, in many ways this is a Grindhouse flick through and through since it features so many staples of the genre and it’s so aware of this fact, that Director and Co-Writer Chris Le went so far as to ‘age the negative’ to give it that 1970’s feel and well, that only added to the popcorn experience of this flick. But truly, while it’s watchable and enjoyable in its own right, what gives this motion picture that extra little push is the fact that it features the always amazing Danny Trejo as Angel Malvado, the boss man of the cartel and well, Danny is in his element here. He plays the bad guy with a zest and zeal that only he can bring to life and he’s simply a joy to watch in this film and he steals every single scene he’s in.
 
In the end, it’s really about having fun when it comes to this movie, and I appreciate the fact that this one knows how to entertain through and through and if by chance you’re looking for a way to just switch off the ol’ brain for an hour and change and just enjoy the sights, then this the movie to do it with. Because you can’t go wrong with robots and soldiers spitting bullets at one another, and of course…you can never go wrong with a movie featuring Danny Trejo and if you’re looking to check this one out, the good news is, it’s available via Video on Demand today and it’s one I definitely recommend because it most certainly put a smile on my face.