Ci sono sorrisi che cambiano il mondo: sono quelli delle donne, capaci di illuminare anche i giorni più difficili.
In occasione della Giornata Internazionale della Donna, condivido una poesia della grande poetessa italiana Alda Merini:
Sorridi donna
Sorridi donna,sorridi sempre alla vitaanche se lei non ti sorride.
Sorridi agli amori finiti,sorridi ai tuoi dolori,sorridi comunque.
Il tuo…
Contact Name: Ray-Ban Salesman
Ringtone: Bad Guy - Billie Eilish
Last text message sent: [ TXT ➜ Ray-Ban Salesman]: Is 7 minutes all you can spare because you’re out of Viagra?
Contact photo: his contact photo would be the middle finger emoji.
Fortitude’s IMDb page has been updated with a potential release date. For now, this is just a rumor, not confirmed.
Update: The US limited theatrical release date has been removed from IMDb.
❝ you might also want to be concerned over the fact I pickpocketed someone the other day out of boredom…
Hello, fellow collapsitarians. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time than making art—whether in the garden, at the easel, or at the desk—as we prepare to dance on the graves of our oppressors. I’ve been revisiting my earlier poems and rewriting them, now that I’ve learned to abide by these primary rules:
Rhyme must feel inevitable, not forced.
Every line must earn its place.
Verbs do…
In an effort to watch as much media as I can that includes Luke and Harry Treadaway, I have found myself engaging with things I never, ever would have if these very talented actors weren’t part of the production. One such item would be Fortitude (2015-2018), a show set in Iceland. Fortitude is about a small town near the arctic which is one of the safest places on Earth. Until The Horrors. There are a series of violent, gruesome deaths.
[[MORE]]The show is an interesting mix of detective mystery, folklore-fantasy and science fiction. In the first season it’s always sort of teetering on the edge of you wondering if it is indeed science fiction and in the second and third, it leans into that aspect.
I very much viewed the series from a lens of ‘what is happening to Luke’s character now?’, which definitely gives me a bias. He plays a scientist called Vincent, who is in Fortitude studying apex predators, and he’s one of the main supporting characters, but not the main character. In some ways, especially early on, Vincent presents as an outsider ‘everyman’ point of view of Fortitude. We see Vincent go from wide-eyed ingenue to wide-eyed cynic, who stays in Fortitude despite knowing it’s against his better interests. Like all characters in the series, he’s corrupted; by fear, by power, by isolation.
I enjoyed the series, but I have thoughts, caveats. I thought the first season was much more effective and engaging than the second and third. Part of that might be the fact you spend practically the whole season wondering what’s going on. Why have these violent deaths occurred? What forces are at play? The suspense is very well done and the unfolding of answers is masterfully handled.
I think, ultimately, I was let down by the overarching messaging of what Fortitude says about humans and humanity. No living character comes away having done the right thing or maintained a kind core and I find that personally discomforting. Even Vincent, who we are shown from his introduction is pure and untouched - we get a scene of him being awkward in a sauna, literally naked and vulnerable, becoming embarrassed when a woman joins him – turns into a nastier, grottier, more self-serving version of himself. He’s not evil, but he’s no longer so sweet. It’s interesting, don’t get me wrong. I appreciate it from a story-telling point of view. I just don’t like it. I could have liked it had that been the arc for only his character, but as stated, it’s what happens with everyone. By the end, all of the characters are either dead or effigies of their former selves, broken by The Horrors.
I also find the show has a very Victorian gothic approach to sex and violence. In that if you have sex, there will be violence as punishment, especially if you’re a woman. I have complicated thoughts on the gender dynamics in the show, but I think I concluded it felt balanced in how it presented its male and female characters and the journeys they embarked on.
I found the ending very unsatisfying. There are far too many loose ends, not just what happens to Vincent (but also: what happens to Vincent?!) The third season was a mini-series of 4 episodes, as opposed to 10, so I think the team were given the budget to finish the story, but probably not how they wanted.
Do I recommend Fortitude? If you like relatively slow moving thrillers that lean into gore horror, but also absolutely stunning vistas of Iceland, I say give it a go. I think I would have been happy stopping at season one. It’s worth a watch, I’m glad I saw it.
🎬 Title: Fortitude / La fortaleza
Story: In a bid to escape the turmoil of Venezuela and his struggles with alcoholism, Roque retreats to the Amazon rainforest to renovate a cabin he constructed during better days. As he grapples with feverish hallucinations stemming from withdrawal, his quest for redemption takes a darker turn when he reconnects with old friends to toil in an illegal gold mine…
As a Coach, while I speak to people from all walks of Life, one thought that constantly linger on my mind is about adding value to anyone who I end up speaking with, this is something I consciously practice and also to hone my craft, read extensively, look for insights from various aspects of life, including nature, and thus today I come to you sharing an anecdote from my life which inspired me…
London — In a year overflowing with blockbuster biopics and high-octane superhero franchises, Hollywood has finally returned to one of its richest narrative goldmines: World War II espionage. And with Fortitude, a sprawling new spy thriller currently filming in London, audiences are about to witness a tale of deception, danger, and mind-bending double-crosses unlike anything seen on screen in years.
Starring Nicolas Cage, Matthew Goode, Michael Sheen, and Ben Kingsley, the film has already ignited a firestorm of industry buzz — and insiders are calling it “unmissable,” “explosive,” and “the kind of prestige thriller that awards seasons are built around.”
Directed by Simon West (Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) and written by Simon Afram, Fortitude plunges viewers into the covert world of British intelligence during the darkest days of the war, where lies could win battles, truth could kill, and one wrong whisper could rewrite history.
Set in 1943 and 1944, Fortitude dramatizes the real-life operation that helped turn the tide of World War II — a breathtaking campaign of disinformation designed to fool the Nazis into believing the D-Day invasion would strike Calais, not Normandy. Its masterminds: brilliant but morally conflicted British intelligence officers Dudley Clarke and Thomas Argyll Robertson.
While soldiers on the front lines fought with guns, Clarke and Robertson fought with lies — fabricating armies, inventing fake divisions, planting false documents, and manipulating an army of double agents.
But the beating heart of their campaign was a man like no other: Dusko Popov, the Yugoslavian double agent whose swagger and charisma later inspired Ian Fleming’s creation of James Bond.
Popov’s life was a dizzying blend of casinos, fine suits, romance, deception, and constant danger. And Fortitude doesn’t shy away from the chaos. From smoky back rooms in Lisbon to dimly lit safehouses in London, the film follows Popov as he walks a razor’s edge between loyalty and survival — deceiving the Germans with one hand and charming the Allies with the other.
Hollywood hasn’t assembled a spy ensemble this impressive in years.
Fresh off his critically acclaimed role in Dream Scenario, Cage is stepping into one of the most complex characters of his career — a British intelligence officer torn between patriotism and the horrors his own deceptions unleash. Insiders say Cage delivers “a performance with quiet fury,” channeling restraint and intensity that rivals his best dramatic work.
Sharp, elegant, and naturally enigmatic, Goode is perfectly cast as the strategic mastermind behind Operation Fortitude. His character’s icy intellect hides deep personal stakes, and early reviews from closed test screenings describe his performance as “masterful.”
A chameleon on screen, Sheen is rumored to be playing Popov, bringing both theatrical flair and emotional depth to the role of the world’s most glamorous spy. His Popov is described as “a man who lies beautifully — and breaks inside silently.”
The Oscar-winning legend adds gravitas as a high-ranking spymaster, the kind of man who can order an agent’s death with a whisper. His presence gives the film an operatic weight, grounding its most intense political moments.
These four titans are joined by Alice Eve, Ed Skrein, Art Malik, Lukas Haas, Emilio Sakraya, and Paul Anderson — a supporting cast designed to flesh out the dangerous web of German handlers, Allied collaborators, and double agents who made WWII espionage so treacherous.
Director Simon West is no stranger to adrenaline-fueled cinema. But with Fortitude, he shifts from explosions to psychological warfare, blending sweeping historical detail with tight, character-driven tension.
Leaked behind-the-scenes reports describe:
West is said to be pushing for a cinematic feel that fuses Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with Skyfall, but with the grit and unpredictability of real wartime espionage.
Historical advisor Joshua Levine (Dunkirk, Blitz) ensures period accuracy down to cigarette brands, coded radio transmissions, and authentic spycraft.
If Fortitude has a breakout character, it will be Popov.
A lawyer. A gambler. A seductive chameleon. A double agent who drank champagne with German officers while quietly destroying their plans.
Popov infiltrated Nazi networks, lived lavishly on MI6 funds, seduced European socialites, and once delivered warnings so accurate they might have prevented Pearl Harbor had they been acted upon.
Ian Fleming sat in the same casino as Popov in Portugal — watching him gamble tens of thousands of dollars and charm women with ease. That night, James Bond was born.
Fortitude promises to portray the true Popov: glamorous, reckless, courageous, and deeply conflicted. His life was fun — until it became lethal.
ilmed across historic London neighborhoods, Fortitude recreates wartime Britain with meticulous realism:
Even the typography on wartime documents was matched to archival records.
Uniforms and props were crafted with obsessive detail, down to Popov’s iconic tailored suits and the exact make of the cigarettes he used for coded signals.
Hollywood insiders are whispering that Fortitude is:
Multiple outlets predict it will dominate the following categories:
The comparison most often heard:
“If Dunkirk and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy had a love child — this would be it.”
Though set 80 years ago, Fortitude resonates now more than ever.
It’s a film about:
In a world where digital lies spread faster than bullets, Operation Fortitude feels eerily modern.
One of the film’s major themes is the psychological toll of deception.
The agents in Fortitude aren’t superheroes — they are men with:
Clarke and Robertson struggle with the ethics of using double agents who might die for the lies they tell. Popov hides trauma beneath champagne bubbles. Even senior officials weigh the value of human lives like chess pieces.
This emotional depth is what sets Fortitude apart from typical war films.
A trailer is expected in early 2026, but set photos and leaked footage have already set social media ablaze.
The #FortitudeFilm hashtag surged after fans spotted Cage filming a dramatic night sequence in London’s Soho district.
Producers hint at a late 2026 release, likely aligning with awards season — which suggests they believe they have something powerful.
While waiting, audiences can explore:
Fortitude is shaping up to be a landmark in espionage cinema — a film that combines jaw-dropping true history with powerhouse performances and gripping tension.
With its stunning cast, meticulous direction, and the irresistible allure of real-life spycraft, it promises to deliver:
Whether you’re a history buff, a thriller lover, or simply a Nicolas Cage fan waiting for his next big moment, Fortitude is the movie event you won’t want to miss.
A war decided by lies.
Spies who became legends.
A deception that saved the world.
This is Fortitude.
