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Recommended "Wonder-filled new binge-watch series for movie lovers" Those who love movies in wide range of genres should try NBC.com series **Parientes a La Fuerza (Family By Force)**. Set mostly in Los Angeles--"_mi_ _tierra_"--this new series could be called "a Hollywood love story" (that is to say, appealing to movie lovers) enjoyable on so many levels. One fun game for perceptive viewers is spotting allusions to films "quoted" sometimes visually, thematically, or in dialogue translation of movie title or catch phrase--very fitting in story about a Hollywood screenwriter to show how entertainment permeates our thoughts, world views & beliefs. Cleverly referenced classics are wide ranging; so far include **Midnight Cowboy, Love Story, A Star is Born, Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest, Road to Perdition, Ocean's 11, Cantinflas, Amores Perros, Shampoo, Ghost, Edward Scissorhands, 101 Dalmations, Proof of Life, Singin' in the Rain, Star Wars, Toy Story, Babe the Gallant Pig, Pretty Woman, Ugly Bety, Reina Del Sur, Dona Flor & Her Two Husbands, Black Orpheus, perhaps Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon**, and of course, **King Kong**. PALF explores in many ways the overall theme of Appearances and Authenticity. Main characters are deliberately not typical telenovela "young & impossibly glamourous", but feature more mature, realistic cast and a bit gawky & unpolished leading lady (who does however actually have a marvelous singing voice). Part of what attracted male leading actor to project might be emphasis on important theme in today's world. Fluent in three languages, not fitting common stereotypes of what is a Latin American, he starred in earlier work by the late Fernando Gaitan (whom he calls "a genius"), the creator of story about ugly duckling **BETY LA FEA**. Dialogue in English is also used by characters in Beverly Hills and Hollywood. While English subtitles are included for PALF (at least in portion shown on Youtube), I'm finding symbolic language of original is at times ignored (English "buzz kill" lacks recurring water symbolism of "_aguafiestas_"--"wet blanket" might be closer to writers' intention). Mexican director** **Guillermo del Toro ****provided his own subtitles for **PAN'S LABYRINTH** after previous film "translation" resulted in what he described "for the thinking impaired--incredibly bad". So I suggest viewers use **PARENTES A LA FUERZA** as re-watchable study tool. Series is guilt-free way to watch a very entertaining TV show! Helpful and amusing book **BREAKING OUT OF BEGINNER'S SPANISH** preface to 20th anniversary edition cites many good reasons to learn Spanish (may help prevent/slow down Alzheimer's, as well as boosting bankable job skills in multicultural world in which 2nd most spoken language may soon be Spanish). If many people can expect others to learn English as a second language, I feel they should try learning another themselves (I had relative from multi-lingual Switzerland). Going into second year of pandemic quarantine, studying language new to you is productive use of time spent staying home. Official Telemundo Youtube channel for PALF has English subtitles for first part of episodes; all episodes (so far) On Demand on NBC App with subtitles en Espanol; see https://pensandoenparientes.blogspot.com/ for more information.
