BOOK CLUB...time to write the next chapter in your life

They say that the 30's are the new 20's, and the 40's the new 30's, but what happened when you reach the 60's and only seems like you are getting to the end of your life? Well seems like it's time to break up bad habits and stop labeling life by numbers but by experiences.  Let's open our minds and realize that no one is too old until it is, meaning they actually seem forced to stop their usual because their bodies and mind are just not responding. But in the mean time, life is still full of possibilities for everybody. Every time will be different as we are supposed to evolve, but that doesn't mean we are no longer able to be excited or  feel excitement about something, or fall in love, or try new things. Of course by then we'll belong to the old school side of  the spectrum but so will be an entire generation that is willing to laugh and feel alive just like they did back when they were young and full of dreams and energy. Being old is more a state of mind than a number and no matter what is your current age you can be already an old soul or still keeping your inner child alive to embrace life with it's twists and opportunities, because life doesn't discriminate by age or any other label. It works just the same way for everybody and you can still look at the mirror and find a new way to feel sexy and pretty, or you can have fun with your friends just like teenagers do because is all about what you doing rather than the timing to do it. Never is too late to start a new relationship or end a bad one. To go back to the things you used to like and feel passionate about or revise the dreams and goals that were left somewhere to pursue obligations and responsibilities.

If all this sounds appealing or familiar to you, is time to get yourself to the movies for a nice treat of old fashion comedy with a touch of millennial tone in the company o four fine ladies that will show us that life has multiple layers and never is too late to explore them. "BooK Club" (2018) is a new comedy targeting anyone around senior age, that for some reason feels trapped in this sense of getting old and close to the end. But not for our lovely four leading ladies, a group of friends that gets together once a month to comment regarding the book they choose to read over the past month and catch up on gossips and life. They have been friends for a while already and they know each other pretty well to a point where they accept all of them the way they are, specially after some have been through a lot. The story centers in Diane, played by Diane Keaton, using her charisma and charm that has made her so unique and eccentric, playing a widow that lives happy taking care of her house but her two daughters don't think is safe for her anymore so want her to move with them, so they can take care of her, specially over protecting her after losing her dad, even she is so capable to be by herself, is willing to give it a thought as feels responsible to her family. But life might have a turn for her when traveling, she will cross paths with a pilot that might be her charming prince that she wasn't looking for but that is willing to make her feel loved again and desired, and she will realize that her marriage was dead way before her husband passed away, so now she's realizing there are some feeling she wasn't aware of and excitement that was missing her entire life and never is too late if she can make this work with her family.

All is comes in the perfect timing for all these women as the new book selection of the month happens to be no other than the popular erotic novel 50 Shades of Grey, that at the beginning sounds too much for  group of senior ladies but once they get caught up into this misadventures of bondage and seduction, they will realize how much are they missing in their lives. All this orchestrate by Vivian, the alpha of the group, a successful woman, that has built a fortune by owning a prestigious Hotel but sacrificing a life shared with someone at her side. Mostly  because she's afraid of commitment and being hurt, reason why long time ago she declined her long time fiancee proposal and since then been just fooling around with men, hooking up with no strings that satisfied her needs and let her keep that status of power and control but is it worth it to spend a whole life of achievements and getting away with what you want and not being able to share it with someone that cares about you? Would that change the whole meaning of success? Or why are we so scared to fall in love and put our hearts out the there, specially when there is someone willing to take a leap of faith with you, accepting and loving every inch of yourself? Well, soon this woman will have to face a life changing decision once she runs into her ex fiancee at her own hotel, and sparks will be there still, rekindling something that was supposed to be over but one someone is meant to be your person, no matter how hard you try to move away from it, it'll always come back to you, so you better give yourself a second chance and try to understand what is hurting yourself because we all deserve happiness and success is not against it just need to be moderated.

As for example, Carol, a woman that seemed as she achieved everything she want it, owning her own restaurant and marrying the man of her dreams, but after getting caught in this erotic novel, she will soon realize how lost her marriage is after 35 years together. She loves her husband and he loves her back but there is something that is dead, no more sparks, no more sex, and she looks great for a woman of her age, so she can't but wonder what is missing, why her husband seems to  be so far when is right there. But as she navigates the dark waters of Christian Grey, she will try to turn her sex life on but relationships are a two way street and not always everything is about you and what is missing comes from the other side and we need to learn how to deal with our partners problems instead of trying to make them ours or solve things our way when is more about letting them be and take control but communication is key and that is the sexiest part of any relationship, when you are able to connect and communicate with someone in deeper levels that will turn anyone on and sparks and fireworks will happen but obviously after a long time with the same person things will cool down and a re connection will be needed if both sides are willing to so it's just matter of going back to the basics and start all over again, finding who they are now and why they still love each other because never is too late to go back to what you used to like the most of you and others and no matter where in life you are at now never is too late to feel young and alive again by going back to what makes you happy the most.

And talking about success, our last member of the club happens to be another successful woman, a federal judge, the only one of her class, Sharon, an old fashion woman that after a not successful marriage mostly because choosing the wrong man, now navigates the waters of loneliness with her old cat at her side but also missing something, her ex is now dating someone, a beautiful young blonde that might remind him of her in her early years, and her son is also engaged now, leaving her on the side. So after seen her friends embracing the romance of  the book and trying to take a risk in her lives by spicing things she decides to explore online dating, and meet a few decent men that will no bring surprises to online dating but will give her hope about finding someone right for her because she is conservative and a pill hard to swallow but once they are able to make her laugh, it is the way to  her heart. So it's always fun to let yourself try something new even seems scary and we might not know everything about it but if you are surrounded by the right people they might inspire to be brave and be surprised by life, because never is too late and after watching all the situations this women will get into, a better sense of time will hit you and as any wake up call, you might want to pick a new book, or make that trip that you always wanted or start a new business or learn something new just to re discover what makes you feel alive and happy because while you are still here, it matters and every minute still counts, it's just matter of why rather than when so, give it a try for a good time at the movies and explore that live is no over until is over.

TULLY...being a mom is a 24/7 job

No matter what, everybody keeps saying being a mom is a blessing. One of the most rewarding things can happen to a woman in her life. Because they carry their babies in her belly for 9 months create a bond that dads won't understand.  Moms can feel and sense what is going on with her kids, because of  that bond. She fed you when you were a baby and took care of you, cleaned you up, raised you the best possible way for her, but who takes care of her while she does all the above? Dad is usually working and sometimes helping with the chores but that is not the only help we need. Emotional and physical support is needed for everyone to keep fighting their battles and been up to a challenge without failing. Children have their parents to rely on, that's supposedly their job right? But who has them? When things get tough and complicated who has their back? Because they are humans as well and parenting is  a task that no one is prepared for, just need to be ready for the challenge and embrace it. But do you remember those days when your mom had to take care of you and your siblings while cooking lunch and cleaning the house, shopping groceries, help you with your homework from school, all while giving to each one of her kids the proper attention. This is an exhaustive job and poorly recognize as is mostly seen as a responsibility and a duty. If you become a mom, you must do that, is your obligation, but how can you raise and care for others if no one, even yourself, is taken care of you? They don't stop being humans just because now they are parents. They still have needs and dreams even when putting their kids before theirs, but should be a two way street that hardly happens and as soon the kids arrive everything moves around them and we are seating in the back seat until they grow up and leave the nest.

But why should be that pressure of become a parent? If it is such a challenging quest, should be a preparation for it, right? The same way you need to be prepared to become a lawyer or a doctor and learn how to help others, anyone should be prepared to become a parent before hand. But world wide, this is mostly seen as a survival instinct where as soon as you reach certain age you should start considering find someone to be pair with and become a family that will bring kids and keep  the heritage going for prosperity. And that is in the best cases, because others don't have the opportunity or chance to wait or choose, they are arranged as any merchandise to belong to someone else or they are forced to be involved with someone after a natural mistake where a kid will be coming to this world, just to face the reality of a dysfunctional home and be the reminder of crushed dreams and a freedom taken away. So is it really the best option? How come in 21st century we can still be behaving like old school medieval times where blood needs to be preserve for the sake of properties and land and where  psychology and sociology wasn't even a topic to discuss? We learn to be parents in the same way we learn to walk and talk, we imitate patterns. We learn what our parents tough us and avoid what we didn't like from them but at the end we have no guidance other than friends,  family, books, media to make it through the process of becoming a good parent or at least raise good people.

Some of this discussion can be seen in the new comedy "Tully" (2018), a dramedy about parenting and motherhood with actress Charlize Theron at the center playing a suburban mom that has left her best years behind to rise two kids and one more on it's way, and she can't be more lost about it. Her husband works like crazy trying to provide what is needed for a middle class family, so when gets home only thing he wants to do is play a bit with his kids, then play some video games until he falls asleep. But not really digging into his relationship with hi wife, leaving her with all the stress of taking care of this family. So she is just going down and digging, because one of her kids seems to need special attention, one that she can not provide because she needs to  take care of herself first to be able to, and with the new baby coming soon, she is just a mess right now, and she can't hide it. Reason why her brother, as a birthday present gives her a night nanny, a new kind of nannies that seems to be the new trend, where they come by night and take care of the baby and the house so mom can have a relaxing sleep. At first, she seems skeptical about letting a stranger in to her life and family but soon she realizes how much she needs help and once Tully, the night nanny, shows up, things start to change for good.  She is able to sleep and not worried about waking up in the middle of the night to feed her baby, or clean the house, or make breakfast. Everything seems to be taken care of. And just the fact of seeing this changes plus the opportunity of relax at night gives her a new perspective and a breath that will be reflected in her whole family, husband included.

Soon she'll realize all That she has been missing as a person, for being a mom and she loves her children and her family but there is just too much to handle that she wasn't able and when she starts becoming friends of her new nanny, that will question her life in a good way. Why did she marry? And did she choose that guy as her partner for life? What about her sex life? And romance? Too many thing that she has forgotten by putting her children as a priority as should be but leaving behind herself which is not ok, because sooner or later time will catch up with her and that bill will be to high for the price. She used to be a hipster in Brooklyn before moving to suburbia. She used to go out and party all night, flirting with bartenders and artists. Letting her soul fly free over the metropolis of NYC, until life changed and she become a wife and then a mom. But to be able to listen to her kids needs, she has to pay attention to her own, because she is dancing in the limit of sanity and exhaustion. But no one is paying attention. Everyone in her life demands her attention but are incapable of giving her some, that is why this  new nanny is changing her life and her role as a mom, showing her how to take care of herself while still be a mom, feeling pretty and desire while struggling with the effects of childbirth and raising two other kids so her time is ticking and she needs to find herself in able to keep this family going on, but it's hard and lonely sometimes. Everybody seems to be aware of the kids needs but what about the parents, who is helping them to raise the future generation of this world?

So, the movie definitely feels fresh and goes deep into serious topics about motherhood that will resonate to anyone, either you are a mom or have one. With a serious tone mixed with a comedic relief, usual signature from it's director Jason Reitman, and convincing performance from Theron that keeps trying to break her beautiful appearance in order to deliver a more average looking type of woman where we as an audience can focus in her talent rather than been distracted by her beauty, and works well in here, but the biggest flow is the rushed unexpected ending that leaves a lot of questions unsolved and gets lost between the characters self and her role in this family. But in general a movie that will entertain as bring some interesting topics to discuss one the lights turn on, specially for anyone who is a parent or trying to become one, because as we were saying earlier, this step in life should be a well thought decision rather than a must-be step in life, specially in an overpopulated planet, we don't need more people that will struggle with the consequences of bad parenting or dysfunctional families. We should focus on bring the best for the next generations so they ca have a healthy, caring, solid upbringing from those who are really ready for it and the rest of us, give them all the support as society to help them keep themselves in track as persons because life doesn't end when a new one comes in, just evolves, and should be a work in progress journey that will bring joy and struggle but rewarding at the end for both parties. So why not getting some help fist and learn more of ourselves in order to become the best for others? Now you know whom to call...

SEBASTIAN STAN....a lucky soldier

Algunas veces la vida da vueltas inesperadas que nos llevan por caminos que jamas hubiéramos imaginado pero a final de cuentas en cierto punto las piezas empiezan a acomodarse y hacer sentido. Muchas veces tardan décadas, otras veces pasa de inmediato, pero el punto es ser persistente y pacientes. Tal es el caso del actor Sebastian Stan, quien nació en Rumania en Agosto de 1982, tan solo para que poco después sus padres se divorciaran, lo que llevaría a su madre a mudarse a Austria debido a la revolución en su país, y donde ella trabajaría como pianista para que terminaran mudándose a Rockland County, NY donde se casaría con el director de la escuela del condado. Permitiéndole al joven ser educado y de paso formar parte de las obras escolares lo que despertaría su interés por la actuación, llevándolo a atender varios campamentos de verano que sirvieron para darse cuenta que esto era algo que quería perseguir profesionalmente, buscando varias universidades con programas que le permitieran continuar su educación en las artes. Su carrera despega con la cinta "The Covenant" (2006) un thriller sobrenatural sobre un grupo de jóvenes descendientes de antiguas familias de brujas lo cual por legado les hará formar parte de rituales que los haga ascender y tener ciertas habilidades mágicas. La cinta obviamente solo es un vehículo de entretenimiento para la audiencia buscando este tipo de historias aunado a un elenco que sirve de aperitivo para el ojo. Mas la formulo funciono pues la cinta fue un exito en su epoca y lanzaria la carrera de jovenes actores como Taylor Kitsch y Chase Crawford.

Después lo veríamos en el drama "The Education of Charlie Banks" (2007), protagonizada por Jessie Eisenberg, en una historia sobre dos amigos de secundaria que tras un incidente donde uno es testigo de un acto de violencia perpetuado por el otro se ve obligado a reportarlo a la policía poniendo a su amigo tras las rejas, y deliberando un debate moral sobre el poder de la amistad versus la moralidad y complicidad dentro de una relación cercana. La cinta detuvo en el festival de Tribeca pero gozo de una corrida limitada lo que no le ayudo mucho y Stan solo tiene un papel secundario en ella como un amigo del protagonista. Por fortuna el actor decide mezclar su reciente carrera cinematograficca con la television, donde tiene breves apariciones en la serie "Goosip Girl" (2007-2010), la cual fue un hit popular entre los adolescentes de esa generación contando la vida de un grupo de jóvenes de la soledad elite de NYC. y que le permitiría incrementar su base de fans. Pero sin dejar a lado la pantalla grande, lo vemos en otro drama "Rachel Getting Married" (2008), el cual tuvo vario reconocimiento por la critica, principalmente para su protagonista, Anne Hathaway, quien interpreta a una joven alcohólica y depresiva que saboteara la boda de su hermana robando la atención y donde el actor interpreta al también problemático novio de esta joven. La cinta fue un exito pero desafortunadamente su rol es muy pequeño pero logro mostrar una promisoria carrera por venir.

Después lo veríamos en la comedia sexual "Spread" (2009), protagonizada por Ashton Kutcher interpretando a un joven gigolo en LA que enamora y seduce a exitosa mujer de edad media para su beneficio pero tan pronto esta sale de viaje el empezara a engañarla con sus propias amistades hasta que conoce a una mesera que no caerá ante sus encantos despertando en el una frustración y obsesión por conquistarla, pidiendo ayuda de su mejor amigo, interpretado por Stan, aunque todo se saldrá de control. La cinta tuvo un moderado éxito pero al no presentar nada nuevo bajo el sol, se apago muy pronto y la critica no la ayudo en nada. Probando la comedia aparece con un rol pequeño en "Hot Tub Time Machine" (2010), protagonizada por John Cusack, Craig Robinson y Lizzy Caplan sobre un grupo de amigos que tras rentar una cabana en el bosque termina en un jacuzzi que los llevara a viajar en el tiempo con divertidas consecuencias y una que otra lección de vida. Sorpresivamente la cinta fue un exito de taquilla con criticas mezcladas. Also later that year we see him in "Black Swan" (2010), un drama psicológico protagonizado por Natalie Portman, en el rol que le valió un Oscar, sobre una bailarina muy competitiva y obsesiva con ser la major llevándola a lugares muy obscuros y otros muy reconocidos como la mayoría de los mas reconocidos premios de la industria, lo cual no afecta en el curriculum de actor quien interpreta nuevamente el interés amoroso.

Todo esto le abriría las puertas de una de las mayores franquicias cinematograficas al momento, el universo Marvel, donde lo vemos en "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011), donde interpreta a Bucky Barnes, el mejor amigo del popular super héroe y quien fallece en una misión por salvar el día en plena segunda guerra mundial. Obviamente la historia y pantalla se la roba el popular super héroe, el actor logro ganarse el corazón de los fans que lamentaron su partida en la cinta que obviamente fue un éxito y solo era el parteaguas para el universo cinematico que estaba por desarrollarse. Gozando del éxito de su primer blockbuster, lo vemos en un thriller otra vez, en esta ocasión  es "Gone" (2012), protagonizado por la joven Amanda Seyfried, interpretando a una joven sobreviviente de un psicopata, para ahora enfrentarse con la repentina desaparición de su hermana por lo que a lado del novio de esta empezara una búsqueda ya que sospecha su caso esta relacionado con la desaparición de su hermana. La cinta no logro cautivar a la critica y al parecer ni a la audiencia quien le dio un buen fin de semana de estreno para desvanecerse tal como su titulo. Pero el actor pareció gustar del genero pues poco después lo vimos en "The Apparition" (2012), un thriller sobrenatural sobre un grupo de jóvenes que tratan de recrear el experimento de Phillip donde mediante tecnología y una obra de arte buscan invocar el espíritu de su creador, obviamente esto traerá malas consecuencias como era de esperarse y de igual manera las malas criticas quienes la bombearon como una de las peores cintas del genero, lo cual se reflejo en la taquilla.

Por fortuna, el universo Marvel tenia un as bajo la manga y regresa en la secuela "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014), la cual es una especia de thriller politico que cautivo a la critica y los fans conviertiendola en un éxito de la franquicia y donde el actor interpreta a the Winter Soldier, un experimento que transformo al bonachón Bucky en un asesino a sueldo y ahora trabaja para una organización que quiere derrocar al gobierno. Con un cambio de look y una guion bien planteado la cinta fue todo un exito. En 2015 lo vemos en  "The Bronze" una comedia de deportes producida por los hermanos Duplass contando la historia de una joven olímpica que esta viviendo del éxito de sus logros ganando el bronce en los olímpicos por lo cual solo cobra el cheque y vide de ello hasta que una situación inesperada la sacara del comfort para enfrentar la vida real. La cinta se estreno en el festival de Sundance pero su corrida comercial no dio para mucho  a pesar del aplauso de la critica. Mas tarde lo vemos con otra pequeña pero solida interpretación en "Ricky and the Flash" (2015), nada menos que al lado de Meryl Streep interpretando a uno de sus hijos, en una historia sobre una mujer rockera que regresa a casa tras haber abandonado a su familia por perseguir su carrera artística y ante la futura boda de una de sus hijas, pareciera el momento oportuno para re aparecer en la vida de sus hijos y ex esposo lo cual causara algunos ajustes emocionales en la vida de todos. La cinta fue una refrescante propuesta para el verano y la taquilla y critica fueron aceptables.

Una vez que ya empezó a codearse en las grandes ligas lo vemos en otro éxito de taquilla, "The Martian" (2015), basada en la popular novela de Andy Weir sobre un hombre abandonado en Marte tras la misión en que trabajaba sufre un percance obligándolo a buscar la manera de sobrevivir mientras se elabora una misión de rescate. Protagonizada por Matt Demon, Stan interpreta a otro de los científicos de dicha misión que buscaran la manera de corregir el error cometido al abandonar a su amigo y colega. a cinta fue todo en éxito en su temporada. No mucho después regresa a su rol como The Winter Soldier en "Captain America: Civil War" (2016), la nueva entrega en la popular franquicia y continuando los eventos del universo cinemática de Marvel, donde ahora los super heroes Capitan America y IronMan, se enfrentaran uno al otro tras buscar direcciones opuestas para su equipo dadas las circunstancias globales que enfrentan al tratar de salvar al mundo y donde el personae de Stan juega un rol decisivo para poner a esos dos frente a frente. Obviamente la cinta fue otro exito para la distribuidora y la critica sigue aplaudiendo estas entregas a la par que la taquilla sigue rompiendo records. Tomando un descanso de los blockbusters y super heroes, aparece en una cinta mas modesta, dirigida por Steven Soderbergh, "Logan Lucky" (2017), con otro papel que se siente mas como un cameo, en una historía protagonizada por Channing Tatum y Adam Driver como dos hermanos quienes a lado de Daniel Craig buscaran cometer un asalto a una de las carreras de NASCAR para mejorar sus vidas y la de sus familias que sufren los pormenores de la clase baja norteamericana. El actor aparece como un prepotente corredor de NASCAR quien podria ser clave para derrumbar el plan de este trio. La cinta apesar de pertenecer a un genero ya desgastado, se siente fresca y bien elaborada por lo quela critica la aplaudio mientras la taquilla la ignoro por completo a pesar del talento involucrado.

Esto no detendría al actor quien regresaría con "I, Tonya" (2017), un seudo documental que oscila entre la comedia y el drama narrando la vida de la popular patinadora de hielo olímpica, Tonya Harding, y los eventos que llevaron su carrera al jurado alejandola de su pasión. La cinta gano mucho reconocieminto y se movio en las mayores entregas de premios de la temporada pasada, quienes reconocieron principalmente a la cinta y su dos actrices principales, ignorando el trabajo del actor quien demuestra su talento al interpretar al volatil esposo de la joven Tonya y quien planearia todos los hechos saliendosele de las manos. Afortunadamente el actor se ha hecho notar y esto solo sea el parte aguas de una creciente y fructífera carrera, la cual continua este mes con el estreno de "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018), el cierre de una década del universo Marvel donde nuestros heroes favoritos se reúnen todos en la pantalla grande para enfrentar su mayor amenaza a la fecha con trágicas consecuencias. Pero solo en pantalla pues fuera de ella esta rompiendo todos los records de taquilla a la fecha. Mas bajo el brazo tiene otros proyectos a estrenarse mas tarde este 2018, primero lo veremos en "Destroyer" co protagonizando a lado de Nicole Kidman en un thriller sobre una policía que tendrá que enfrentar los demonios de su pasado cuando trabajo undercover para una pandilla y ahora esta a vuelto a las andadas y en busca de ella. Y posteriormente "The Last Full Measure", interpretando a un hombre que es reconocido después de fallecido con los honores mas altos en la milicia por su servicio en batalla, a lad de talentos de la talla de Christopher Plummer, Ed Harris y William Hurt. Ambas opciones se escuchan promisorias mas habra que esperar para ver el resultado final y ojala alguna de estas le de el reconocimiento y proyeccion necesaria para consolidarse en la industria y en el gusto del publico.

It's all about confidence...I FEEL PRETTY

What if , and only if in an ideal world, people were not judge by the cover? Would you imagine how it could be for everybody to be just you not matter how you look but what you as a person represent? Unfortunately we are living in a time where we've become more self aware of our looks. New ways to exercise and be more fit so  basically we all can look like those models in the magazines that for many years we always wanted to be or look like. Now it is a possibility but to get there will be pain and sacrifice. And because of that our expectation have become higher. If i work out five days a week and i'm worried about having a good diet, and a healthy life style, i can't settle with someone that doesn't have the same perspective, right? This blindfold us into a tramp of physical connection placing a spiritual or emotional one in second terms. What if someone doesn't fir our standards of how they should look but they are attractive enough to us to give them a try, specially if we share the same goals, ideas, enjoy spending time together, makes you laugh, or think, or feel good about yourself? Isn't that what really matters at the end? If so, why have we become so focus in how we look pretending to be perfect, hiding became the fact that we embrace the challenge of pushing ourselves to be better and look better? And not because looking good or be in perfect shape is a bad thing but shouldn't that be a personal choice where it will make us feel better when looking ourselves at the mirror rather than selling ourselves through social media in order to get validation and attention, and expecting to find someone that will make us feel like winning the major price for being out of their league?

Well, this and more might come to a resolution and will be put on a test in a new comedy delivered by Comedy Central actress Amy Schumer, in her third movie, where she explores and exposes society and it's devotion for the perfect look. "I Feel Pretty" (2018) follows the story of Renee, another New Yorker that struggles with the insecurity of her looks. She might be pretty but her body doesn't fit the standards of a size zero. And because of that she can't but feel insecure and shy, which is a reflection in her life. Working in a basement for a major cosmetic company in the IT department, while her dreams of become a receptionist for her company are crushed by the idea of never looking like those girls that seem out of any magazine. And she is trying. She follows every step to push herself into a better look, fashion, fitness, you name it, but it's just hard when you don't feel confident about it. So she navigates the scenes of soul cycling, diets, trendy products to make you look prettier, all while she hangs with her friends, a trio of feminist women that want to feel free of expectations and labels but Renee is not like that, she loves them, but she wants to be part of the cosmopolitan world where she could  feel pretty and desired and look just like all these girls that she runs into at the gym and the street. But while she is so worried about getting to that point and dreaming about a life that doesn't belong to her just trying to fit in when she already has an amazing life that has been just underated by herself, unable to live it and explore it with more determination and fierce as it's deserved, wasting time in all these distractions.

The movie moves in a good pace between it's comic relief and it's morality about the story of an insecure woman, just like many others, struggling to fit in a world that demands her to be someone that she is not . But the problem with it is that falls victim of it's own predicament. Trying to not be too preachy, becomes too predictable, and if you have seen the previews, you have seen everything. There are some fresh jokes and the journey of this woman is reliable to any woman in the modern era but there's always that feeling of we've seen this before and this time around it's not as fun as it should be, but the message comes with a good timing in hands of one of the most popular comedians of this generation, but even tho it fails to deliver, becoming just another project where the idea surpasses the result, and that has been reflected in the box office. But if you in the mood for a fun time at the movies this should accomplish that. The Journey of Renee navigating the scene of any single woman in NYC is just entertaining enough to escape from your own life and root for her. Why? well because happens that this woman hits her head just to wake up looking at herself in ways that any model would die for. She sees her as gorgeous woman willing to take over the world at any opportunity because the fact that she can see herself as always wanted gives her confidence enough to feel strong and fight for all what she wanted. And while everybody else sees her as the ordinary same Renee, her confidence and new energy will make a difference among everybody making them change their mind regarding how they look at her.

Now this new Renee is a confident woman that truly believes she is so beautiful in the outside that can hit on guys in the line for laundry, or participate in a wet t shirts competition, and fight for that job that she thinks she deserves and she's capable enough to get it, and now with this new attitude she might get it. Too good to be true? well not really, the point is that while we are to invested in our own insecurities, we miss looking at others, and we just idealize them by their looks. We assume that just because someone looks great and stays in perfect shape and health, will own confidence and strength to face the world, but truth is that everybody has insecurities of their own and everybody is fighting their own battles, so if we can just take a break and empathize with each other we might realize how much do we have in common rather than how different we might look. We all struggle with the same issues. Love doesn't happen just because you are prettier or more successful. Is you personality that will take  you there and will connect with others, so it's all about how you will approach it. How do we face meeting someone and opening to get to know them. Because no matter how you look if someone sees the real you, they will look at you just the way you want to be seen. It is true that unfortunately we are treated the way we look, but also you can be a very attractive person with no sense of fashion and at the end of the day you'll still look undesirable for some, or you can have a perfect body that will make turn heads in the street but if you are boring and lack of culture that is no going to take you anyway but being objectified.

This woman, Renee, will find love and success in a life that it was already very successful in it's own but she was unable to see it. Her new rebooted confidence will only make that life to tumble as soon she will move herself from that humble place to one that belongs to those superficial people that usually put more weight in the way someone looks rather that how good and quality is a person, because confidence hasn't to go against being a good human and work on yourself. No matter how great you are, and how many doors will that open for you, is the real you, what ill keep  that place and achieve bigger goals. People who ca also see you by the cover will only prove to be as empty and shallow as the clothes they wear because there's more of everybody than just the way they look. Looking like any magazine model doesn't give you the right to feel empowered and treat others wrong. Sadly is us that aloud this to happen, giving them that power to feel superior than others when should be the opposite. It is time to stop this culture before goes out balance, and give looks the place deserves. So while you wonder what are you doing with your life, and worrying too much about how you look you better take a break, chill and enjoy this comedy with a charm, that will entertain you enough while give you a life lesson that we are well aware of just not following it, and afterwards you might want to focus in you as much as the time you spend at the gym and looking for new food options that will make you lose weight faster and with no effort. Love might be around the corner for you and all you need to be worried about is to be prepare enough to catch it before you miss the opportunity of meeting someone that really sees you behind your cover.

BLOCKERS...are you ready to let it go?

Prom night? Losing your virginity? Getting drunk and party? Sounds like the prefect setting for a raunchy teenage comedy where young kids with all these hormones going them crazy, are just trying to have sex for the first time using, of course prom night, as an excuse to close one chapter in their lives and move on as grown ups, sexually experienced. But what about their parents? Maybe it's not all about the kids but the place they come from and the situations they are living with the people raising them, because at the end is like everybody says right? blame the parents, or we are the person they shaped through all these years. We've seen so many stories about coming to age, and exploring sexuality while trying to become a grown up. Dealing with family issues while trying to find your own identity is a business that we all have been through. Trying to find the person that we want to become and shape it while we try to keep up with friends and school and all these new responsibilities and changes it's not an easy journey, reason why there have been so many stories about it that we are at a point where we don't know what else we could possibly been missing. Oh no wait? What about the parents? Those humans that happen to  be living with us as teenagers, and are the ones staying up while we to parties, and keep track of our grades and feed us and tolerate us when we for no reason wake up in a weird mood or simply feel frustrated for no reason? Yes, those grown up that we don't understand because everything seems like a no go for them while we want to explore everything. Those individuals that we seek for protection and advise when we feel like lost but we try to avoid them when we feel like we can rule the world. What's happening through their minds in those moments and how do the deal with all the mess we cause? Because they seem like having no option but to love us and keep up with it.

Well, for all of you wondering that, here's finally an answer, deliver through a new raunchy comedy about teenagers that is not only about teenagers but the parents of a trio of teenagers that are looking to lose their virginity at prom night. "Blockers" (2018), is the new comedy from Universal Studios that after being successful bringing all time raunchy comedies that now are classics fir their genre, now deliveries a new story that not only focuses in their young cast, but their parents that will go to a similar journey exploring a bit of their own issues in life such as their young cubs will. Julie, Kayla and Sam are three young girls that have been friends since elementary school and now that are about to finish high school they make a pact to lose their virginity because they want to share a moment together so when time passes they all can talk about but there is more into it that they think. Having sex for the first time is not just a business of being horny and get off. Sam is the only one in a relationship. She's been dating a guy during high school and even they know it's nothing serious once they start college, she wants to share that moment to him because of her feelings to him and want a special for her. So she is committed to the idea of using prom night to move forward in her relationship, but her plans won't come well for her mom, Lisa, an overprotective single mom, that is afraid to accept that her whole life has been hanging around her daughter so now that she is about to move away for college, she is afraid of being left behind finding herself alone the for first time after years when she got pregnant and dropped college to follow a guy that want nothing with her, so now that she knows the real intentions of her daughter for that special night she'll do whatever is in her power to stop her.

Kayla is a peculiar girl, she is a very confident and self aware young woman that has no problem having fun and enjoying herself as part of embracing her as a young lady but also owning it without labels, All this thanks to being raised by her mom, an Indian descent psychologist, and her dad, Mitchel, an all american man, that could look like any strong muscular guy just to be a very emotional one. So when Sam shares her intentions for prom night, Kayla signs up with her date, her chemistry class partner. She sees the opportunity more as a challenge for her to become a woman and a grown up than as a sexual act. Reason why she has no problem committing to it, so they can all talk about this in the years to come and feel closer to her all time friends. But her overprotective dad, won't be ok with this idea of her beloved daughter as he feels like she still needs to be protected and he won't let anyone to touch her even less to hurt her. Reason why he will join this mission to stop the kids of making a bad decision, just to realize that her daughter is strong enough to make her own decisions all thanks to be raised by him, with strong values and ideals that make her such a unique woman. But for him to realize that, he will have to deal with new tricks for the old and young generations  that like to have fun in very different ways from the ones he used to, pushing his own limits to learn how far can he go for the things he matter the most.

And lastly, we have Sam, the shy and nerdy one that might be hiding something, reason of why that behavior. But she is trying, so decides to join this pact with a nerdy guy she is seeing to pretend. She actually doesn't feel prepared for that but she needs to try and prove herself that all what she thinks is true and there's no way back. So she will try using the excuse of having someone to go to prom already. But her family situation is complicated. Her father, Hunter, is not an easy guy, he wants to steal the show, and now more than never, since it's now a divorced man, because his wife left him for a nicer man. So the only thing he feels has left is his daughter but even she loves him, she can get closer to any of her parents, afraid of her rejection. Hunter knows her and believes she is lesbian, so he is not worries about her doing anything crazy at prom night until after reading her text messages with the other two parents and seeing her with a guy, he might be wrong and need to stop her to make the biggest mistake of her life, for she needs to do this to prove herself what she really is and once she does, she will embrace her true identity, and lucky her, her father will be there for her, but not without having to go through a tough journey for himself to realize that he can be more than this joke that he pretend to be and while dealing with a mission along the other two parents to stop their kids, figuring out where they will be before is too late, he'll understand that might not be late for him to start fresh a new life and accepting his own mistakes, but her daughter is someone that he did right and that is always a good start.

So this time, prom night won't be the big issue but the setting for a journey where teenagers and grown ups, will realize that there is more in life than just a moment of passion, but every moment should be full of passion, and children are more connected that we can imagine with their parents, that is why sometimes we clash so often with them as we can see more of ourselves with them and same for them, that can see all her dreams and frustrations all together in this new generation, without realizing that the second time might go different and they need to give them a chance to prove it and push them to succeed. And yes, sex it's a journey of it's own and we all make a bigger deal of it than what it is, reason why communication should always be open without shame of it, so we can learn and feel confident of what might come. And definitely if want to spend a good time at the movies while remembering those days of youth when your hormones where dominating your thoughts or you already parent of one of some kids that might being going through that phase, never is to late to remember that growing up is fun but mostly is a pain and a challenge everyday, and this diverse cast will make you remember that while learning one thing or two about life, sex and love and mostly about yourself because nothing is as raunchy as you trying to have sex for the first time or re kindle the spark with your long time partner, but the heart behind that is what matters the most and you'll definitely find that in this comedy, delivered by a talented team with memorable moments that shine more in their deepest than when try to be fun, if you know what i mean....

A QUIET PLACE....if they hear you, they'll hunt you.

Sometimes the same formula can still feels new and fresh depending on the way you use it. And to prove that we don't need big budgets or noise to make something bigger, better, louder, we get this month an interesting movie called "A quiet Place" (2018), a project about monsters, aliens, invading and taking over the world. Something that we have seen before. There is no novelty about it, but under the hand of the actor and director John Krasinski, the story takes different levels delivery one of the most nerve breaking movies we've seen recently. The setting is pretty much another post apocalyptic world, where after a few months after being attacked by some sort of species, that might be another experiment that went wrong or an alien species that came to invade, truth is we really don't know and that is no what the movies tries to focus in, but instead let us keep guessing and come up with bunch of theories. The fact is this monsters are hunting us because even they are blind, have a very sensitive and develop sense of hearing, so they can hear every single move from miles away and will come from you in a matter of seconds, plus seems like they have a skin that works like a shield protecting them from being attacked or shot. leaving us an easy prey and without any way to fight back. So all the survivor had to adapt and being trying to figure out a way to hurt them back, their weakness, but no success so far,  so they have to leave in a very quite, almost silent place, avoiding make any possible noise by moving or talking, Adaptation for survival or die, and be prepared for the worst it's the only way to make it through.

And that's when we follow a particular family of five. They are looking for supplies at an abandon supermarket while we get to learn how they live these days. Mom is the one in charge of the house chores and she's pregnant. The oldest, she's deaf, so she has to be more careful with her moves as she can not notice any possible noise, reason why her parents had lined the way for her to follow. The Son is trying to help and learn but he's to scared after all what they've been through to find the strength to fight but his parents are trying to show him how to because they need him to survive when they won't be around.  And Dad is just trying to protect them and provide them to survive, hunting and building tramps so they can be prepared in case of an attack. But life has become a struggle for all of them. There's no sound, no fun, every single move has to be done carefully and well planned and no room to improvise or mistakes because that will cost them a lot. In top of all this stressful and hopeless situation, this particular family just went through a very hard loss, so they are just getting back together in track, but after this kind of experiences, there are always wounds left that need to be heal and sometimes we don't know how, specially when our minds and actions are focused in surviving physically leaving the emotions on the side but emotions are the ones that tend to control or lead us, so how could you face the world that keeps moving and won't wait for you, if feeling broken or something is missing?

The parents are still humans and a man and a woman that love each other but they have needs and expectations as any one else. But now everything has to be put on the side and just live day by day trying to survive. Their loved has evolved to a point of becoming a team, where the main goal is to protect their family and teach them how to survive when they will be by their own. Their love has a big wound from a loss that stays around as guilt and they can't let them fail again, specially now that a new baby is coming soon and the have to make this work, but how would you make a baby to stay quite and avoid making any noise? There is no romance or excitement in their lives anymore. Their relationship holds on to any possible moment they can find to enjoy be with each other and keep building that love without proper communication and just basing it on their love for their family. How can you live with love without the opportunity of sharing moments of romance or passion while everything is meant for survival and the minimum wrong move might cost your life or your beloved ones. So what is the point of survive if there is nothing to look forward to. Your life is just meant to be lined up by a predator that is chasing you every second. And in top of that you get to sacrifice one of the things that makes us more humans, language. Using sign language to communicate, you have to shut down your voice and omit any sound, music or singing. There is no room for those moments that fulfill your life, but the love to others will keep you going to protect them and hold on there until the very end.

Same thing happens to the kids. They have been private from games, and fun, the idea of a future where they can plan and choose the kind of life they want. Instead they are learning survival skills and unable to socialize as everyone is hiding. But growing up in such a hostile environment can bring secondary effects. The oldest is struggling with the fact of her condition as a deaf person. Frustrating for not being able to find any cure or way to listen so she can do more and help her family, and also living the guilt of feeling responsible for what happened to her family, just because of the fact that her parents are more worried and occupied trying to protect them that have forgotten to tell her how much they love her  and that is the only fuel you need in situations as extreme like these. A force and a reason to keep fighting but she feels lost and hopeless. But she has her brother. He likes her and tries to help her to deal with all the stress while she brings him some safety when he feels more scared. She is stronger than him because she feels like has nothing to lose while he is the opposite, just the idea of losing his family or putting them in danger again will kill him. How would you face your life if every opportunity is taken away from you leaving you just the fact of live to survive with all the basics but no pleasures but the one of being alive? Is it family the fuel that you need to keep going or we need more than that?

This is just a very quiet perspective of life without a proper life. We wake up every morning so confident that life is waiting for us that we forget that we are just entitled of what we believe and deserve for being humans but when we are pushed down in the food chain we have no option other than being grateful for what we have and all the opportunities we might have. The fact that we can enjoy these moments like going to the movies should be something to think about rather than take it for granted because we never know what will happen tomorrow, and what life has in storage for us. We forget that family makes us stronger and we need those relationships like friends to motivate us as enjoy the pleasures of life that we don't take our friends as serious as they should be, for being people that motivate us and help us through the hard and fun times in life, and the possibility of finding love, a partner in crime that will have your back, and stay with you in good and bad times is now replaced by the search of someone to whom have fun times, and lots of sex and pleasures, no real connections or safety. It is all matter of perspective and once that those options are taken away from you, the reality of what matters will take a different perspective so why wait to that to happen? Instead of enjoy life while we can and be grateful enough for it to have our beloved ones around and alive and cherish them and focus on what matters will definitely prepare of us for any imminent end of the world, at least as the one we know now. Let your actions speak louder for you.

iZOMBIE...following SANTA CLARITA'S DIET

And seems like the walking death are back! And not just as a movie or trend, but everywhere. More than never we get bombed by series, movies, comics, they are everywhere. What started as a scary metaphor of human basic fears of being taken away from your conscious behavior  just to follow our basic instincts  bringing up the animals and predators that we are without it. But now that setting has evolve bringing other possibilities to explore other sides of the human condition and, or expose society and it's conventional ism where we can give things more perspective from a non human or half human sight just as what we do using other monsters like vampires or were wolves, or aliens, or mythical or fantasy creatures. They all serve to tell a story about human nature and the human condition. But zombies have evolves from the last two decades making them more humans and more aggressive than what we knew decades ago. Trying to reach new audiences and updating them to make them more reliable to this era, where things more faster, so they needed to. What is surprising is the popularity they have won among viewers and how they had move to any possible media getting to a point where the market feels crowded by their stories. But before we reach the climax and we'll start moving away from them, let's explore two of the most popular and interesting proposals from this zombies, served as a comedy and mystery/comedy both under female characters which makes them even more interesting to analyze in times where finally girl power has taken over.

And so, the first one is currently showing on the CW network, "iZombie"  (2015-current) is based and loose adapted from the comic series of the same name that follows a young over achieving medical resident that when attending a boat party, it turns into a zombie feeding frenzy, ending in her, turning into one. But in difference from what we know about them, she hasn't died or lose consciousness, she is very alive, just some things have changed, she looks very pale, her pulse is very slow, and has this need to eat brains or she will turn into the beast we all know zombies do. Adding this twist to our classic zombie flick, we get the first zombie woman that instead of trying to devore humans and feed herself is fighting to do the opposite and stay as alive as possible and be able to help others. But because of what just happened to herself and the changes she is going through she alienate herself from everyone including breaking up her engagement and avoiding her family and friends, quitting her job and joining to coroner's office where she can secretly feed from dead people's brains. But soon she will discover that by doing so, she will be able to connect with the victim and have some flashbacks that might help to solve the cause of her death. With this new ability she finds a new way to serve and find a purpose in a new kind of life that will make her feel alive again. But soon we'll learn that life is all about adjustments and learning from our mistakes as she will have to start fresh and find her way back to a life that she left on pause.

While she tries to find a meaning in her life as this new person, trying to understand her feelings and re connect with everyone that cares about her, she will have to face and solve the mystery behind her own situation as that party wasn't an accident but a plan organized but another zombie with no so good intentions, and with the fact that there are others like her either will motivate her to try to understand what that implies as much as hat is happening behind curtains that she is not looking at and might put others in danger including her ex fiancé. Along four seasons will follow her journey, as a zombie trying to save the day from other not so nice zombies that have an agenda for their own and solving cases of people that has passed and there's no one to tell their story, but mostly as a young woman trying to find her place in a world that she need to fit in, giving her a new perspective about what family, friends, love means and pushing her to find answers about all that while leaving some questions over the table. And by a charming performance that will hook us with this non human situation that will focus in humanity, will touch us while falling in love and made us follow case by case her journey rooting for her not to just solve all the clues of each murder but the ones that each one is leaving on her just as any day for us in the office. Never something that is supposed to be non human anymore has explored the deeps of what being humans means and that we all share and connect with others no matter gender, race, age, background, etc.

And if all that wouldn't be enough, we also get another dosis of blood and human parts that serve as a happy meal from McDonald's, explore "Santa Clarita Diet" (2017-current), another comedy set up in the suburban town in California that serves as a title for the show. This one under the wing of NETFLIX, and with big names as Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant in the main roles as a couple and parents living the suburban life of two realtors that only deal with mundane situations at home such as her teenager daughter and their annoying neighbors to the regular stress of their job until one day, she gets really sick and dies for a few minutes just to come back to life just as if nothing happened. But it did. She seems the same but she is not, she has no pulse, no blood, and it's really hungry, and her cravings includes human meat. But when she realizes how much she need to eat human parts will be too late to prevent her to kill someone that was at the wrong time in the wrong place. Covering this accident will put the entire family in danger and in peril to cover her tracks while trying to figure what is happening to her and how to move from here. Why is she like this? How that happened? Will she lose herself at some point or will she get rotten as the zombies in the movies with the lack of a heart, pulse and blood in her veins ?

All this are the hang cliffs for us to follow her journey while exposing our society values. How far would you be able to go for the love of your life? Would that include murder? So if you kill someone that is a bad person or has done bad things or bad decisions in life in order to save someone you care, would you? Or is that as bad as killing an innocent? When you have nothing to lose because you are already dead things get another perspective. Food becomes just an instrument of survival rather than a pleasure. Sex becomes an instinct rather than a passionate feeling. Your career is basically trying to get all your shit together and make it day by day without losing it. Family proves to be the one that sticks with you for better or worse and that at the end supposedly will have your back and accept you for what you are or what you've become. Going from one crazy situation to another, things just get more complicated one minute at the time, and with only two seasons we are still intrigued by the fact of not having clear answers of what is causing this people to suffer this condition but one thing is for sure, a new diet has arrived and while some deserve to die others might deserve a second chance to find a new meaning in live and figure out what real means to stay alive and embrace life with all what it brings to anyone...joy, fear, sadness, experiences, lessons, tragedies, ideas, adventures, all get mixed and we get anyone's family journey to figure out who they are as a whole and individually and mostly why should they stick together. If want a real answer you better start bing watching this funny series that will be a bloody but funny mess.