One of my greatest fears is isolation and I am not afraid to admit that. The fear of being alone is one that I never thought that I would have growing up, because for the most part I was a loner. Growing into who I am today, I am a little ashamed of who I was in my youth and all of the things that I missed out on. Looking back, my life could have taken a much different direction than it did and while I am the best me that I ever can be and do not have any regrets, seeing where I could have been is the thing that may hurt me the most.
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High in the Arctic hills, Outpost 11 is away from the world at war. Manning his post, mainly just listening for enemy transmissions, Albert is shocked to see that the emergency light is flashing before his eyes. Trying to alert his next in command, Graham, of the situation, Albert is accosted for not living up to what the uniform stands for. But trying to check out what could be causing the light to go off, Graham believes that it is some faulty wiring and has his underling go back to work, even though he knows the boy will have a difficult time in doing so.

Getting back to his post from a long day of hunting, Mason has brought the fruits of his labor, an artic hare that did not explode in his face. Seeing that Graham has been taking advantage of the youth in the post, Mason stays much more down to earth about the duties that they have, and since they are so far away from the fighting, there is really no need for such formality. Having a talk with Graham about his treatment of Albert, the two try to get on the same level, but Graham being an old school military man who has only known war, it will be next to impossible to shut his training off. As a few more days go by and the emergency light continues to flicker, the group is trying to get along, but there is something in the air that is affecting them in the worst way possible.

Finally getting a call from headquarters, Albert gets the code and passes it on to Graham who has the only key to the safe to decipher it. As the message reads ‘All is Lost’, Graham is not willing to accept that and makes up a message of his own to pass on to Mason. Telling the group to hold their positions until further notice, the group has no idea what is happening in their efforts to win the war. Tattling on Graham to his commander, Albert lets it be known that he forged the message to Mason and while the men do not truly understand what is happening in the world, it becomes clear that they need to do something to find out what the actual message means. Cracking open the safe and watching a tape of what to do next, the realization comes across that the war is lost and while Mason wants to get more information, Graham has his own battle plan of what needs to happen next. The struggle for power in the Arctic is underway and only one man can have it, but his mind might not be right as spiders have made their way into the outpost.

Interesting movie to say the least, I thought there was just going to be a ton of spiders running around all over the base, and while there were a few, the movie was more about what was happening in the men’s minds. Having to battle their own fears, Albert really got the worst of it, being tormented by Graham and not having a way to avoid it. I liked how Mason was trying to make the best out of his situation in the outpost and not being a military man before the war started, he just wanted to go home, but after finding out that the war was lost, he wanted more information about what was happening, so he and his men would have the most up to date information as humanly possible. With a massive mustache, fears being brought into the light, a power struggle, a gas changing people, fears being preyed upon and an unseen war that does not end the way they wanted and oh yeah, spiders, this is a clever movie that will keep you guessing what is real and what is only in their minds.  

Let's be honest, we often take our lives for granted. This is by no means an indictment on our way of life, or a judgment or rant in the making, just a simple observation. For the most part, we as a society have it made. There's cutting edge technology at our fingertips, plenty to eat, plenty to do, it's a good life, there's no denying that.  

But there is always a flip side to everything that’s wonderful in this world, and sadly there are folks out there struggling to get by. It's a fact we are all aware of, but we are just that, aware of it. We rarely see first-hand just how hard life can be in a country as great as ours. As always that's where film comes in, to tell a story, regardless of the challenge and I recently stumbled across one that manages to tell a harrowing and beautiful story of those less fortunate, Where God Left His Shoes.

Frank Diaz is in one hell of a bind. His boxing career is in a slump and there's no money to pay the rent or keep the lights on for his family. With no income, Frank and his family are evicted on Halloween. After spending months in a homeless shelter, a shred of hope arrives. A Government housing project has an open apartment and all they need to get Frank and his family a home for the holidays is a pay stub. Now it is a race of against time on Christmas Eve for Frank to find a job and get his family out of a shelter and back into a home.  

​So, I have to say flat out, this movie left me in tears. It's a powerful and moving piece simply because of how well the talented cast portray these troubled characters, but out of everyone in the cast, we need to single out John Leguizamo, who plays Frank, because, this is by far John's finest performance to date on screen. Because he brings the tortured soul of Frank Diaz, a Gulf War Veteran, to life. Frank is a man who knows exactly what he does wrong in life. He quits too easy, he lets his temper get the better of him, but he does his best for a family that loves him and he tries so incredibly hard to be something more for all of them. 

His performance is beautifully complimented by an incredible screenplay that completely draws you in. You are there every step of the way with the Diaz family and you want nothing more than to see them succeed. But, and one could consider this a spoiler I suppose, be ready for a rough ride when it comes to this motion picture. It holds nothing back. It will show you a family desperate for a little security in this life and if you're not prepared for that...this film will shock you in ways you would not expect.

Yet, you need to see this one. This is one of those important films that needs to go into your collection. It is a fine reminder that many of us out there have it pretty damn good, and that for some out there, just making it through the day is one hell of a challenge. There are no easy answers in this film, no spoon-fed solutions, just a tough tale about a family fighting for survival in the middle of the season of giving.

The bond between siblings is something that can never be taken away, even if the situation asks for it. Being family since the first day they meet each other, the sacrifice that they are willing to give for each other is something that amazes me. Not having any brothers or sisters myself, I like to think that I understand this love with my friends, and while I am willing to do anything for them, it is not the same. Keeping your family close to you no matter the situation is key, because no matter what happens, they will be the only ones you can truly count on.
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After a pandemic has claimed the lives of millions on the planet, there are still small pockets of survivors that are just trying to live. Three sisters, Jenny, Sarah and Danika have their own refuge set up by their father who was not willing to see the world come to an end. Being told to protect themselves at all costs, there is nothing that these sisters will not do for each other and while the future looks bleak, they are trying to make the best of things. Jenny being the oldest keeps her other two sisters in line, or tries to at least by taking on her mother’s role and she also tries to teach her youngest sister Danika how to have fun and survive in the event things go from bad to worse.

Danika, however is starting to show the signs of the sickness as her hair is starting to fall out and Jenny does not have any ideas of what to do. Trying to find her sister while collecting firewood, Jenny is shocked to see that she is being talked to by a stranger. Warning the young man to stay away from her home and family, Jenny spews warnings that go unheard, but Sarah takes matters into her own hands and shoots the man in the leg. Feeling bad because the man only wanted some food and would move on, Jenny invites him to stay until he is recovered, something that doesn’t sit well with Sarah.

Jenny and Danika seem fine with having Ryan join their home. Jenny is pleased because she has someone else to talk to and Danika is happy because she sees something in the young man that she trusts. As the days go by, everything seems fine in the household and Ryan is even offering advice on what the girls should do next, as he has heard that there are outposts in the cities that could offer help for Danika who is showing the signs of infection. While Jenny wants to believe the stories, she has to keep her family’s best intentions in mind since being around people with the way things are is not a good idea for anyone. Sarah on the other hand is intrigued and asks Ryan to take her with him when he leaves, as the water supply in the house is drying up and there might not be any other choice. 
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Waking up and seeing that Sarah and Ryan are gone, Jenny starts to worry what is happening around her. While looking for her sister, Jenny is greeted by another stranger that is looking for Ryan and while he does not seem to have bad intentions, Jenny will not allow him near her home. But she has little choice as Ryan returns with a tied-up Sarah and other members of his family that have been able to survive on their own. Wanting to rebuild civilization, the girl’s refuge is the perfect place since it has survived this long and Charlie has an offer for them all. While Jenny listens to what Charlie has to say and seeing that he is infected and still alive, he might know what is really happening, but before she is able to come to a decision about what will happen to her home, a scream comes from her sister who has other plans for the group in mind.

I did not think that a post-apocalyptic type movie would impress me that much, but I will admit that this one did. Seeing what the sisters would do to defend themselves in the opening seconds, I was surprised that anyone that entered their home would walk away in one piece. The fear of the living during this trying time is understandable, especially when there are people looking for more than they are entitled to. I liked how the introduction of Charlie and his group was shown and even when he says he means no harm, you still have the worry that he will take advantage of the girls in an unsavory way. But you never know what the true intentions are of someone until they put all of their cards on the table and even when it is done, things still get out of hand. With three girls living on their own, an impending sickness, a stranger with promises of a better life, a sister who trusts no one and a sister who is chosen, it really gives you great insight as to how other people really see the world. This is a movie that does not pull any punches as they start to be thrown and it features an ending that cannot be beat.