May not have mentioned this before, but I’m a huge fan of sport-themed films. Movies that show the struggles of athletes, their wins, and losses, too. And generally, since I’m a huge sports enthusiast, I look forward to these films for the few glorious hours afterwards where I imagine myself going into that field. But I think more than any sport, I’m a huge fan of track events, especially sprint races. Anyway, I remembered a sports film I heavily enjoyed, so let’s see if we’ve seen this one as well.

Race (2016)

It’s 1933 and Jesse Owens is the first in his family to go to college. He attends Ohio State University and faces intense racial discrimination, as to be expected from that era. But then, Snyder, a coach who was formerly an Olympic-level athlete, takes an interest in him and realizes how much potential he has. He also notices a lack in his form and technique and offers to train him.

Then, the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games are starting, and while Jesse is interested, the racial propaganda in Germany leaves him skeptical about his chances of excelling there. This film tells the story of all the struggles this athlete faces on his way to putting his name on the map and making history.

There’s an issue I usually have with sports films that are true stories or allude to some event in history. As is with a good deal of historical movies, there may be elements of bias and discrepancies as to the true historical event. I’d already heard of the name Jesse Owens, but it was a thrill learning and understanding his life from the up-close and personal point of view.

When it comes to celebrities and historians alike, there is a tendency for people to know and acknowledge them mainly from their achievements and possibly forget their humanity. So, there is a quickness to judge without remembering that these are just regular people like us trying to get through life.

I loved how this film was symbolic of the pain and grit involved in true athleticism and how hard it is to prove yourself as an athlete, let alone a black athlete. You just know that you have to work doubly hard for the most minimal benefits. Seeing this film, I wondered what ran through the minds of White people who also watched it. Did they see better how much of a role white privilege plays in things?

Also, I loved the acting and the casting Stephan embodied his role as Jesse Owens, and it was nice to see Jason Sudeikis away from a role that wasn't comedic in nature. A bit weird, but he made it work beautifully.

Either way, it’s a huge shame how underrated this film is. It is certainly one that has a ton of values, and as a Black person, you may feel the emotions in this film a lot deeper. It doesn’t take away the fact that it’s an incredibly enjoyable film. Maybe not exactly historically correct, but it still makes its mark. Hope you enjoy!

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Hello movie lovers!

Happy new month! I trust you’re having a great day and week. Today, I bring you updates on this series I’ve been binging for a week now.

For someone who claims to not have enough time on my hands, it’s surprising how I have time to watch a full series in just a short time. I guess all work a no play makes me dull. If you’re a fan of drama movies then this is for you.

Actually,this series was released a long time ago but it’s funny how I’m just discovering it. Regardless, I’m glad I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and see it. So, let’s dive right into it.

Marty Bryde, a financial adviser in Chicago find himself in situation where he had to save his life and that of his family and the only way he could do that was to promise a drug lord he could launder his money for him.

This all got to this stage when his partner managed to make them start working for the Navarro Cartel as their money launders. But all their business came to a standstill when Navarro finds out that Marty’s partner was stealing from him and decided to take out everyone involved, including Marty who knew nothing about all of this.

Marty managed to save his life and that of his family by promising Omar Navarro that he will move down to the Ozarks with his family and he will start laundering his money over there. The Byrde family had to leave everything and everyone they knew behind to the Ozarks where they had to start a new family.

But, they didn’t move from Chicago without some things happening. Apparently, Marty’s wife, Wendy was cheating on him and he only find out when Wendy emptied their account. Before he could handle that, Del who was Navarro’s right hand man already handled the situation.

With their marriage a mess and their minds against this decision, the Byrde family arrive in the Ozarks and start a new life. All was going well for a start until the other dealers there started coming after them because they were disrupting their business. Soon enough, the FBI is all over the county and Marty has to find a way to stay off the FBI, launder money to protect his family while also building a life there.

Would the Byrde family make it out of this drug Carter situation or will it burns them down to the ground? You’d have to find out.

I’d rate this series a 9/10 because why not? This show actually had me hooked from the very first episode to the last.

I was getting like take to no sleep because I was kept in so much suspense. Oh my, the characters just knew what they were doing. This move thought me the importance of family and loyalty.

Sometimes we find ourselves in weird situations and the only way out is to risk it all. But I guess that’s just the whole concept of life. Everything is a risk.

If you’re looking for a series that would be worth your time, this is the one for you.

For my power up today, I was able to power up 13 hive which summed up my HP from 3698 to 3711HP. During the month, was able to accumulate 137HP through curation rewards and constant posts.

Happy #HPUD to you and make sure to power up if you haven't.

After a week of "rest", so to speak, the regular episodes of the One Piece anime are back, episode 1134 adapts in its entirety the entire 1100th chapter of the manga, continuing with the custom that Toei has of adapting 1 episode of the anime for 1 chapter of manga. So, if things continue like this, this flashback and Kuma's origin story would end exactly in two weeks, with 1136 of the anime and 1103 of the manga, where we would return to the present day in Egghead. Undoubtedly, this flashback in the manga was one of the best of the Egghead arc and by far one of the best flashbacks in One Piece and the anime is enhancing it even more, thanks to the pauses taken to tell the story, especially from Kuma's perspective, although we can also see it from the perspective of Bonney and Vegapunk, which after Kuma, would be the most affected of all that happened and will happen. This episode continues to delve into Kuma's life, especially from his past and his conflict with having to be part of experiments by the World Government, which these experiments are commanded by Vegapunk. Kuma's sacrifice is what kicks off many of the things that will happen throughout the world of One Piece and in this flashback we learn about that.

The episode starts exactly as in the manga, although it has several extra scenes where we see Kizaru arriving to Egghead, since in the manga we are shown directly to this character being on the island, but this scene of Kizaru being on the boat and with the island in sight, is quite good and with the silences that shows this character, from that moment we can sense that it has certain conflicts to go to that place. Kuma, Vegapunk and Kizaru are discussing Kuma's situation, while Saturn is listening from Marijoise and giving orders on how to proceed with what they will do to Kuma. The conflict between Kuma, the Navy and the World Government, is that Kuma is considered a "tyrant"; so any association with this individual would be a stain for them, so they must show a certain level of "control" over Kuma and in order for Vegapunk to start the experiments and cure Bonney, Kuma needs to be a new "Shichibukai". But those would not be the only demands on Saturn's part, since the most important and at the same time, the most inhuman, is that Kuma becomes a weapon for the Navy, a weapon without a soul and without a conscience.

And although this is something that totally infuriates Vegapunk, in the end Kuma decides that this is the best thing for Bonney and chooses the sacrifice for the love of his daughter. The manga does an excellent job in showing us all those moments previous to the total change that Kuma will make, a kind of small moments that Kuma will live together with the others. This is an aspect that in the manga is represented by small vignettes over several pages, but still enjoy enough feeling, we see that among all participants there is a brotherhood and affection that has been strengthened in those moments before the change. And this is something that in the anime deepens even more thanks to the pauses taken to show us the scenes, thanks to the music those moments feel even more intimate and sad for what is coming not long from now. The truth is that the anime has been doing an excellent job in the whole adaptation of Kuma's flashback, you can feel more tension, sadness and despair on the part of Kuma and Vegapunk characters, innocence on the part of Bonney and doubts through the silences and looks on the part of Kizaru, which the latter is very important because of something that will happen in Egghead's present.

Overall this episode delves a lot into Kuma's life and his feelings, which there is nothing purer than sacrificing oneself for love. During part of this flashback we see several characters such as Ace, Whitebeard, Mihawk, Doflamingo and several other characters who are surprised to see a character like Kuma become a "navy worker", that is, a Shichibukai, this part in the manga is quite good as we see that in One Piece not everything revolves around the main protagonists like Luffy, Zoro and others, but many of the characters in this manga/anime live their lives alongside them and their actions also have importance in this universe, even affecting the course of the story of the Straw Man. Something that at the end of this episode we see, as Kuma is sent on a mission to near the place where Luffy grew up. Indirectly having at that moment his "first link" with Nikka. The episode is beautiful, delving into Kuma's life is certainly one of the aspects I least expected to happen in the manga and how important this character was in the lives of several other One Piece characters was quite revealing.

Luego de una semana de “descanso”, por decirlo de algún modo, vuelven los episodios regulares del anime de One Piece, el episodio 1134 adapta en su totalidad todo el capítulo 1100 del manga, continuando con la costumbre que tiene Toei de adaptar 1 episodio del anime por 1 capítulo de manga. Por lo que, si las cosas continúan así, este flashback y la historia de origen de Kuma terminaría exactamente en dos semanas, con el 1136 del anime y el 1103 del manga, donde volveríamos a la actualidad en Egghead. Sin dudas, este flashback en el manga fue de lo mejor del arco de Egghead y con gran diferencia uno de los mejores flashback de todo One Piece y el anime lo está realzando aún más, gracias a las pausas que se toma para poder contar las cosas, especialmente desde la perspectiva de Kuma, aunque también podremos verlo desde la perspectiva de Bonney y Vegapunk, los cuales luego de Kuma, serían los más afectados de todo lo que pasó y pasará. Este episodio continua profundizando en la vida de Kuma, especialmente desde su pasado y su conflicto con tener que ser parte de experimentos por partes del Gobierno Mundial, los cuales dichos experimentos están comandados por Vegapunk. El sacrificio de Kuma es lo que da inicio a muchas de las cosas que sucederán en todo el mundo de One Piece y en este flashback nos enteramos de eso.

El episodio empieza exactamente como en el manga, aunque cuenta con varias escenas extras donde vemos a Kizaru llegando a Egghead, ya que en el manga se nos muestra directamente a este personaje estando en la isla, pero esta escena de Kizaru estando en el barco y con la isla a su vista, es bastante buena y con los silencios que muestra este personaje, desde ese momento podemos intuir que cuenta con ciertos conflictos por ir a ese lugar. Kuma, Vegapunk y Kizaru se encuentran discutiendo sobre la situación de Kuma, mientras que Saturn se encuentra escuchando desde Marijoise a la vez que da órdenes de cómo proceder ante lo que le harán a Kuma. El conflicto que hay entre Kuma, La Marina y el Gobierno Mundial, es que Kuma es considerado como un “tirano”; por lo que cualquier asociación con este individuo sería una mancha para ellos, por lo que deben de mostrar cierto nivel de “control” sobre Kuma y para poder acceder a que Vegapunk empiece los experimentos y poder curar a Bonney se necesita que Kuma sea un nuevo “Shichibukai”. Pero esas no serían las únicas exigencias por parte de Saturn, ya que la más importante y a la vez, la más inhumana, es que Kuma se convierta en un arma para la Marina, un arma sin alma y sin conciencia.

Y aunque esto es algo que enfurece totalmente a Vegapunk, al final Kuma decide que esto es lo mejor para Bonney y elije el sacrificio por el amor hacia a su hija. El manga hace un excelente trabajo en mostrarnos todos esos momentos previos al cambio total que hara Kuma, una especie de pequeños momentos que ira viviendo Kuma junto a los demás. Esto es un aspecto que en el manga está representado por pequeñas viñetas a lo largo de varias páginas, pero que aun así gozan de bastante sentimiento, vemos que entre todos los participantes hay una hermandad y cariño que se ha ido fortaleciendo en esos momentos previos al cambio. Y esto es algo que en el anime profundiza aún más gracias a las pausas que se toma al mostrarnos las escenas, gracias a la música esos momentos se sienten aún más íntimos y tristes por lo que se viene dentro de no mucho tiempo. La verdad es que el anime ha estado haciendo un excelente trabajo en toda la adaptación del flashback de Kuma, se puede sentir más la tensión, la tristeza y desesperación por parte de personajes de Kuma y Vegapunk, la inocencia por parte de Bonney y las dudas a través de los silencios y las miradas por parte de Kizaru, el cual este último es muy importante por cierta cosa que sucederá en el presente de Egghead.

En términos generales este episodio profundiza mucho en la vida de Kuma y en sus sentimientos, los cuales no hay nada más puro que sacrificarse por amor. Durante parte de este flashback vemos a varios personajes como Ace, Barbablanca, Mihawk, Doflamingo y varios personajes más que están sorprendidos al ver a un personaje como Kuma convertirse en un “trabajador de la marina”, es decir, un Shichibukai, esta parte en el manga es bastante buena ya que vemos de que en One Piece no todo gira alrededor de los protagonistas principales como Luffy, Zoro y los demás, sino que muchos de los personajes de este manga/anime viven su vida a la par que ellos y sus acciones también tienen importancia en este universo, afectando incluso el transcurso de la historia de los Sombre de Paja. Algo que al final de este episodio vemos, ya que Kuma es enviado a una misión a cerca del lugar donde Luffy creció. Indirectamente teniendo en ese momento su “primer vinculo “con Nikka. El episodio es hermoso, profundizar la vida de Kuma es sin duda uno de los aspectos que menos me esperé que podría suceder en el manga y como fue de gran importancia este personaje en la vida de varios otros personajes de One Piece fue bastante revelador.

Greetings, and welcome to all, anime lovers! 💗

Saludos, y bienvenidos a todos, amantes del anime! 💗

Hello everyone! Otaku friends of Hive, dear community of The Anime Realm, I hope you're doing great! This time I want to talk about a well-known anime, or at least at the time of its release haha, I'll give you my opinion of the anime: Himouto! Umaru-chan... And well, for those who don't know it, it's totally crazy, super funny, sometimes a bit clumsy but with moments that, I swear, you'll find funny, at first, I thought "ah, it's going to be the typical comedy of the perfect girl or the beautiful NEET", but no, what hooked me was that double vibe that Umaru Doma has... I mean, on the one hand, she's the model student, perfect grades, incredibly athletic, elegant enough to make the whole school envious, but as soon as she crosses the door of her house... there's a total change. She transforms into her true self, she's lazy, addicted to video games, anime, manga, junk food, and always wearing her hamster sweatshirt! Which has become a total icon! And that contrast isn't just brilliant, it's SUPER relatable.

Who hasn't felt pressured to be "perfect" on the street, only to want to just lie on the couch doing what they love at home? For me, every time Umaru lets go of her public image, it's like a breath of fresh air... it reminds you that behind every "perfect person," there's a real person with their problems, weaknesses, and passions, even if that means spending the afternoon playing games instead of studying. I died laughing at her madness, especially when she transforms into UMR, her professional gamer alter ego who destroys the arcades... it's like she's saying: "Yes, I'm the best student, but can I compete in high-level video game tournaments?"... believe me, the scenes in the arcade are a gem, a perfect mix of real skill and total laziness...

the anime is not exempt from controversy, there are fans who are divided: some love Umaru's double life and find it super relatable, others find it unbearable, selfish and useless... I saw this debate on forums and even with my friends... Personally, I love her Himoto side because it feels genuine; we all wanted to send everything to hell and dedicate ourselves to what we like, but I understand those who hate her: sometimes she gets too spoiled and demanding... that's what makes her so unique as a character: she generates debate.

Hola a todos! Amigos otakus de Hive, querida comunidad de The Anime Realm, espero que estén genial! En esta ocasión les quiero hablar de un anime bastante conocido, o al menos al momento de estrenarse jaja, les daré mi opinión de del anime: Himouto! Umaru-chan... Y bueno, para aquel no lo conozca, es una locura total, súper graciosa, a veces medio torpe pero con momentos que, te juro, te divierten, al principio, pensé "ah, va a ser la típica comedia de la chica perfecta o la nini hermosa", pero no, lo que me enganchó fue esa onda doble que tiene Umaru Doma.. o sea, por un lado, es la estudiante modelo, notas perfectas, deportista increíble, elegante que da envidia en toda la escuela, pero basta que cruce la puerta de su casa.. hay un cambio total. Se transforma en su verdadero ser, ella es floja, viciosa a los videojuegos, anime, manga, comida chatarra, y siempre con su sudadera de hámster! Que se ha vuelto un icono total! Y ese contraste no solo es genial, sino que es SÚPER identificable
¿Quién no se sintió alguna vez presionado a ser "perfecto" en la calle y en casa solo quiere tirarse en el sillón a hacer lo que le gusta? Para mí, cada vez que Umaru deja de lado su imagen pública es como un respiro.. te recuerda que detrás de cada " ser perfecto" hay una persona real con sus problemas, sus debilidades y sus pasiones, aunque eso signifique pasar la tarde jugando en vez de estudiar. Me maté de risa con sus locuras, sobre todo cuando se transforma en UMR, su alter ego gamer profesional que revienta los arcades.. es como que te dice: "Sí, soy la mejor alumna, ¿pero puedo competir en torneos de videojuegos de alto nivel?".. créanme, las escenas en el arcade son una joyita, una mezcla perfecta de habilidad posta y vagancia total..
Pero el anime no se salva de la polémica, hay fanáticos que están divididos: algunos aman la doble vida de Umaru y la ven súper relatable, otros la encuentran insoportable, egoísta e inútil.. vi este debate en foros y hasta con mis amigos.. a mí, personalmente, me encanta su lado Himoto porque se siente genuino; todos alguna vez quisimos mandar todo al demonio y dedicarnos a lo que nos gusta, pero entiendo a los que la odian: a veces se pasa de mimada y exigente.. eso es lo que la hace tan única como personaje: genera debate.

And since we're talking about chaos, how can we not mention Umaru's relationship with her brother Taihei? It's super fun, Taihei is like the hero without a cape, the one who always pleases her in whatever she wants, a hard-working, responsible guy, who takes care of Umaru even if she drives him crazy with her whims... the patience he has is out of this world! Because Umaru gets him into so much trouble, but he's always there to take care of her... their relationship is the heart of the series, it gives you tender, family moments, that take the edge off all the delirium of Umaru's double life... I happened to end up smiling several times (or feeling sorry for Taihei, poor thing) seeing how he tries to deal with everything, so calmly.

And obviously, a good anime is nothing without good supporting characters, and this series here also does it well... we have Nana Ebina, who is a sweetheart, super sweet and kind of clumsy, who gives a touch of tenderness and sincerity to the group... then there's Sylphynford Tachibana, who at first seems to be Umaru's rival, but in reality what she wants is to improve herself... and to close the group, Kirie Motoba, whose vibe with Umaru is great because she thinks that Umaru Himoto is actually her younger sister, each of these characters adds a lot to the anime, showing different sides of school life and friendship that, I assure you, will reach any otaku or gamer who watches the series, and a detail that makes Himouto! Umaru-chan different are the thousands of references to other anime and video games...

For us otakus, those winks are wonderful... the series never gets too serious, and that's what makes it so great. There are no major romantic dramas here, but rather it focuses on the humor and Umaru's daily life, every time the music jumps from 8-bit video games to classical music, it's as if the soundtrack itself was showing you Umaru's dual personality... but, let's see, to be honest, some transitions in the transformation scenes seemed a little forced to me, like the music doesn't flow as naturally as the rest... it's not serious, obviously, but at times it threw me off a bit.

Y ya que estamos hablando de descontrol, ¿cómo no mencionar la relación de Umaru con su hermano Taihei? Es súper divertido, Taihei es como el héroe sin capa, el que siempre la complace en lo que quiere, un tipo trabajador, responsable, que se hace cargo de Umaru aunque ella lo vuelva loco con sus caprichos.. la paciencia que tiene es de otro mundo! Porque Umaru lo mete en cada lío, pero él siempre está ahí para cuidarla.. su relación es el corazón de la serie, te da momentos tiernos, familiares, que le bajan un poco a todo el delirio de la doble vida de Umaru.. a mí me pasó varias veces de terminar sonriendo (o sintiendo lástima por Taihei, pobrecito) de ver cómo intenta lidiar con todo, con tanta tranquilidad.
Y obvio, un buen anime no es nada sin buenos personajes secundarios, y esta serie acá también lo hace bien.. tenemos a Nana Ebina, que es un amor, súper dulce y medio torpe, que le da un toque de ternura y sinceridad al grupo.. después está Sylphynford Tachibana, que al principio parece ser la rival de Umaru, pero en realidad lo que quiere es superarse a sí misma.. y para cerrar el grupo, Kirie Motoba, que su onda con Umaru es genial porque ella piensa que la Umaru Himoto es en realidad su hermana menor, cada uno de estos personajes le suma un montón al anime, mostrando diferentes lados de la vida escolar y la amistad que, te aseguro, le van a llegar a cualquier otaku o gamer que vea la serie, y un detalle que hace diferente a Himouto! Umaru-chan son los miles de referencias a otros animes y videojuegos..
Para nosotros los otakus, esos guiños son una maravilla.. la serie nunca se pone seria de más, y eso es lo que la hace tan genial. Acá no hay dramas románticos importantes, sino que se centra en el humor y en el día a día de Umaru, cada vez que la música salta de 8 bits de videojuegos a música clásica, es como si la banda sonora misma te mostrara la doble personalidad de Umaru.. pero, a ver, siendo sincero, algunas transiciones en las escenas de transformación me parecieron un poco forzadas, como que la música no fluye tan natural como en el resto.. no es grave, obvio, pero en algunos momentos me sacó un poco de onda.

Speaking of something else that’s cool, Umaru’s evolution, especially from the first to the second season… at first, I have to be honest, it drove me a little crazy… that constant change between the perfect girl and the lazy otaku sometimes felt like “okay, calm down a bit”… but in the second season, things changed for the better. It’s not like Umaru transformed overnight, but she started to care more about others and try to be a better person, her relationships with her friends became more real, and watching her grow made me appreciate her a lot more… it’s not a sudden or forced change, but a gentle improvement that feels natural… and for me, that kind of character development is something I always love in an anime.

And if we’re talking about merchandising, that’s a sign that the anime was a hit… there are plushies, figures, Blu-rays… it was a huge commercial success! Both seasons are there to watch, though don’t get your hopes up for a third… the series has already lost some popularity over the years, and it seems unlikely that they’ll pick up the story in an anime… but still, that doesn’t take away from what already exists. But hey, what hooked me most about Himouto! Umaru-chan? Her courage to celebrate contradictions, Umaru is duality turned into a character: a star in public and an adorable disaster at home… that combination, plus an entertaining cast and super funny situations, make this anime a gem within the slice-of-life comedy genre, it reminds us that it’s okay to have different faces, that our imperfections make us unique, and that sometimes, just lazing around for a while and enjoying our hobbies is exactly what we need.

Hablando de otra cosa que está buena, la evolución de Umaru, sobre todo de la primera a la segunda temporada.. al principio, tengo que ser sincero, me sacaba un poco de quicio.. ese cambio constante entre la chica perfecta y la otaku vaga a veces era como "ya, cálmate un poco".. pero en la segunda temporada, la cosa cambió para bien. No es que Umaru se haya transformado de la noche a la mañana, pero empezó a preocuparse más por los demás y a tratar de ser mejor persona, su relación con sus amigos se hizo más real, y verla crecer me hizo apreciarla un montón más.. no es un cambio así de golpe, ni forzado, sino una mejora suave que se siente natural.. y a mí ese tipo de desarrollo de personaje es algo que siempre me encanta en un anime.
Y si hablamos de merchandising, eso es señal de que el anime pegó fuerte.. hay peluches, figuras, Blu-rays.. fue un éxito comercial impresionante! Las dos temporadas están ahí para verlas, aunque no se hagan ilusiones con una tercera.. la serie ya bajó un poco su popularidad con los años, y suena difícil que retomen la historia en el anime.. pero igual, eso no le quita mérito a lo que ya existe. Pero bueno, ¿qué es lo que más me enganchó de Himouto! Umaru-chan? Su valentía para celebrar las contradicciones, Umaru es la dualidad hecha personaje: una estrella en público y un desastre adorable en casa.. esa combinación, más un elenco que entretiene y situaciones re cómicas, hacen que este anime sea una joya dentro del género de comedia slice of life, nos recuerda que está bien tener diferentes caras, que nuestras imperfecciones nos hacen únicos y que, a veces, hacerse el vago un rato y disfrutar de nuestros hobbies es exactamente lo que necesitamos.

This anime is not for everyone, if you are one of those who hate laziness or can't stand spoiled and somewhat irritating characters, it will surely drive you crazy... but if you ever felt pressured to live up to other people's expectations and wanted a place to just be yourself (even if that "you" is a bit of a mess), give it a chance, seriously... it's a series that refreshes you, entertains you and, deep down, has more depth than it seems... from crazy and funny scenes, to more emotional ones with her brother... my final rating for Himouto! Umaru-chan is a solid 8/10... yes, it has its flaws and sometimes Umaru goes to the extreme, but the evolution of the story and how it shows the daily life of an otaku make it special. So if you're looking for an anime where perfection and total relaxation collide in the funniest way possible, grab some chips, get comfortable, and delve into this chaotic and adorable journey... tell me, are you old school and have you heard of this anime? See you in the next reviews. I'll leave the opening below, see you later! Bye!

Este anime no es para todo el mundo, si eres de los que odian la flojera o no aguantan a los personajes mimados y algo irritantes, seguro te va a sacar de quicio.. pero si alguna vez te sentiste presionado a cumplir con las expectativas de los demás y quisiste un lugar para ser simplemente tú mismo (aunque ese "tú" sea un poco desastre), dale una oportunidad, en serio.. es una serie que te refresca, te divierte y, en el fondo, tiene más profundidad de la que parece.. desde escenas locas y divertidas, hasta más emotivas con su hermano.. mi nota final para Himouto! Umaru-chan es un 8/10 sólido.. sí, tiene sus fallas y a veces Umaru se va al extremo, pero la evolución de la historia y cómo muestra la vida diaria de un otaku la hacen especial. Así que si buscas un anime donde la perfección y el relajo total choquen de la manera más divertida posible, agárrate unas papas, ponte cómodo y adéntrate en este viaje caótico y adorable.. cuéntenme, son de la vieja escuela y conocían este anime? Nos veremos en las próximas reseñas, les dejare el opening acá abajo, hasta luego! Byebye!

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Greetings @theanimerealm community…

Hello, film buff community. I am pleased to share my enthusiasm for a Netflix film production, "The Black Widow". Its director has kept me glued to my couch, immersed in thrilling suspense. It is a luxury that this film is available on various platforms, as its content is truly fabulous.

Hola, comunidad de cinéfilos. Me complace compartir mi entusiasmo por una producción cinematográfica de Netflix, "La viuda negra". Su director me ha mantenido pegado a mi sillón, inmerso en un emocionante suspenso. Es un lujo que esta película esté disponible en diversas plataformas, pues su contenido es verdaderamente fabuloso.

The film immerses us in the raw humour of Spanish culture, with its Cervantine language, active and intelligent. The atmosphere of "The Black Widow" is meticulously constructed to be dark, tense and psychologically involving. Based on a real crime that shocked Spain, the film recreates the decadent human manifestation and mystery of the case, known as the "Crime of Patraix". This "true crime" approach adds a layer of realism and a morbid fascination that invites you to devour whatever is in your fridge. The film not only narrates the facts, but delves into the ‘why’ of this ‘caveman’ crime, exploring the psychological profiles of those involved. And yes, I want to be specific about one character dramatically exposed on screen: Maje, played extraordinarily by the actress Ivana Baquero. She perfectly embodies this decadent character of our social system. Although the events took place in Spain, this phenomenon of human behaviour can be repeated anywhere in the world: Moscow, Washington, Beijing, Medellin or Rio de Janeiro.

La película nos sumerge en el crudo humor de la cultura española, con su lenguaje cervantino, activo e inteligente. La atmósfera de "La viuda negra" se construye meticulosamente para ser oscura, tensa y psicológicamente envolvente. Basada en un crimen real que conmocionó a España, la película recrea la decadente manifestación humana y el misterio del caso, conocido como el "Crimen de Patraix". Este enfoque de "true crime" añade una capa de realismo y una morbosa fascinación que me invita a devorar lo que tenga en la nevera. La cinta no solo narra los hechos, sino que profundiza en el "porqué" de este crimen tan "cavernícola", explorando los perfiles psicológicos de los implicados. Y sí, quiero ser específico sobre un personaje dramáticamente expuesto en la pantalla: Maje, interpretada extraordinariamente por la actriz Ivana Baquero. Ella encarna a la perfección este personaje decadente de nuestro sistema social. Aunque los hechos ocurrieron en España, este fenómeno de la conducta humana puede repetirse en cualquier lugar del mundo: Moscú, Washington, Beijing, Medellín o Río de Janeiro.

My attention is focused on Maje, the young widow of the victim. In her community, she presents herself as a fragile, naïve, quiet, sweet and serene woman. However, as the investigation progresses, led by the veteran inspector of the Homicide Group, Maje's flawless facade crumbles, revealing a complex double life and the possibility of her involvement in the murder of her own husband. Maje seems poised to reap every possible financial benefit from her husband's death, a spectre unfortunately present in many families who seek to claim assets and fortunes even before the body is buried. The status quo is not easy to break.

Mi atención se centra en Maje, la joven viuda de la víctima. En su comunidad, se presenta como una mujer frágil, ingenua, tranquila, dulce y serena. Sin embargo, a medida que la investigación avanza, liderada por la veterana inspectora del Grupo de Homicidios, la fachada impecable de Maje se desmorona, revelando una compleja doble vida y la posibilidad de su implicación en el asesinato de su propio esposo. Maje parece estar preparada para obtener todos los beneficios económicos posibles tras la muerte de su marido, un espectro lamentablemente presente en muchas familias que buscan reclamar bienes y fortunas incluso antes de sepultar el cuerpo. El statu quo no es fácil de romper.

This intrigue keeps me on tenterhooks, inviting me to reflect on the kind of psychological problem that manifests itself in Maje. From the image she projects, it is likely that she presents a personality instability with psychopathic or narcissistic traits. Maje is in permanent contact with her reality, but operates within it in a distorted way in her relationships, lacking empathy and manipulating others to satisfy her selfish interests and needs.

Esta intriga me mantiene en vilo, invitándome a reflexionar sobre el tipo de problema psicológico que se manifiesta en Maje. Por la imagen que proyecta, es probable que presente una inestabilidad de la personalidad con rasgos psicopáticos o narcisistas. Maje está en contacto permanente con su realidad, pero opera dentro de ella de manera distorsionada en sus relaciones, careciendo de empatía y manipulando a otros para satisfacer sus intereses y necesidades egoístas.

This is a film that has left me thinking about the diversity of Spanish cinema. The depiction of the bureaucratic police structure of the Spanish state, as an expression of a complex and modern European society, is magnificent. However, I must admit that my main focus remains on the psychological framing of Maje and Salva.

Esta es una obra cinematográfica que me ha dejado pensando en la diversidad del cine español. La representación de la estructura burocrática policial del Estado español, como expresión de una compleja y moderna sociedad europea, es magnífica. No obstante, debo admitir que mi enfoque principal se mantiene en el encuadre psicológico de Maje y Salva.

The film illustrates how a person can project an image of naivety, sweetness and feminine normality - Maje, the ‘serene widow’ - while hiding a manipulative and cold personality, capable of planning and executing a crime. This is a central element in the narrative of personality disorders. The plot shows us a protagonist who lacks remorse or empathy for her victims. Her motivation seems purely selfish, seeking personal gain or release from a situation, with no regard for the suffering of others.

La película ilustra cómo una persona puede proyectar una imagen de ingenuidad, dulzura y normalidad femenina —Maje, la "viuda serena"— mientras oculta una personalidad manipuladora y fría, capaz de planificar y ejecutar un crimen. Esto es un elemento central en la narrativa de los trastornos de la personalidad. La trama nos muestra a una protagonista que carece de remordimiento o empatía por sus víctimas. Su motivación parece puramente egoísta, buscando beneficios personales o liberación de una situación, sin considerar el sufrimiento ajeno.

The play also exposes how emotional and social manipulation can be used as a weapon. Maje not only manipulates her lover to commit the crime, but also tries to deceive the police and public opinion with her ‘inconsolable widow’ behaviour. A recurring theme is her ability to maintain two parallel realities simultaneously: a ‘normal’ public life and a hidden life full of dark desires and actions. Maje exhibits traits of antisocial personality disorder (psychopathy) or severe narcissistic personality disorder, or a combination of both. She manages to generate sympathy and go unnoticed as an initial suspect, a common characteristic of psychopaths, who are often portrayed as charming and charismatic in order to manipulate others.

La obra también expone cómo la manipulación emocional y social puede ser utilizada como arma. Maje no solo manipula a su amante para cometer el crimen, sino que también intenta engañar a la policía y a la opinión pública con su comportamiento de "viuda inconsolable". Un tema recurrente es su capacidad para mantener dos realidades paralelas de forma simultánea: una vida pública "normal" y una vida soterrada llena de oscuros deseos y acciones. Maje exhibe rasgos propios de un trastorno de personalidad antisocial (psicopatía) o un trastorno de personalidad narcisista severo, o una combinación de ambos. Logra generar simpatía y pasar desapercibida como sospechosa inicial, una característica común en psicópatas, quienes a menudo son descritos como encantadores y carismáticos para manipular a otros.

I cannot ignore the theme of sexuality in my analysis. In a broad sense that goes beyond the physical act, including identity, desire, intimate relationships and personal power, sexuality is a fundamental component of the human personality. In Maje's case, her sexuality is not simply an aspect of her life, but a central tool for manipulation and an engine for destabilising her character, leading to the play's dire consequences. For her, her sexuality is an object, a thing she uses to execute any enterprise without measuring the consequences; sex has an end to be fulfilled, full stop.

No puedo ignorar la temática de la sexualidad en mi análisis. En un sentido amplio que va más allá del acto físico, incluyendo la identidad, el deseo, las relaciones íntimas y el poder personal, la sexualidad es un componente fundamental de la personalidad humana. En el caso de Maje, su sexualidad no es un simple aspecto de su vida, sino una herramienta central para la manipulación y un motor de desestabilización de su personaje, lo que la lleva a las aciagas consecuencias de la obra. Para ella, su sexualidad es un objeto, una cosa que utiliza para ejecutar cualquier empresa sin medir las consecuencias; el sexo tiene un fin que cumplir y punto.

Maje uses her sexuality in a calculated way to establish and control multiple simultaneous relationships. Her impressive ability to seduce and maintain multiple lovers is not an expression of genuine affection, but a strategy to gain benefits (financial, emotional, attention) or to feel like a ‘super female’. Each relationship can be seen as a battle on a war field where she is successful, thus revealing her covertly selfish personality.

Maje utiliza su sexualidad de manera calculada para establecer y controlar múltiples relaciones simultáneas. Su impresionante capacidad para seducir y mantener a varios amantes no es una expresión de afecto genuino, sino una estrategia para obtener beneficios (económicos, emocionales, de atención) o para sentirse una "super hembra". Cada relación puede ser vista como una batalla en un campo de guerra donde ella sale exitosa, revelando así su encubierta personalidad egoísta.

Crucially, in ‘The Black Widow’, Maje's sexuality is not a healthy manifestation of her personality, but an internal feature of her personality disorder that drives her to manipulation and control. It is through how she exercises her sexuality that Maje destabilises her own life, that of her victims and her environment, leading her inevitably to the revelation of her true, dark nature.

Es crucial, destacar que en "La viuda negra", la sexualidad de Maje no es una manifestación sana de su personalidad, sino una característica interna de su trastorno de personalidad que la impulsa a la manipulación y el control. Es a través de cómo ejerce su sexualidad que Maje desestabiliza su propia vida, la de sus víctimas y su entorno, conduciéndola inevitablemente a la revelación de su verdadera y oscura naturaleza.

Director Carlos Sedes, in bringing such a complex and disturbing characterisation as that of Maje to the cinema, pursues several objectives. Beyond the social message, the primary objective of this Spanish cinematic gem is to entertain and captivate. By focusing on the complex psychology of the protagonist and the intrigue of the investigation, the director builds a tense and absorbing thriller. The gradual revelation of Maje's double life and her true intentions keep me on the edge of my seat, flowing in this intense and unforgettable cinematic experience. The film also shows us how people can be teased and controlled, even in sexual relationships.

El director Carlos Sedes, al llevar una caracterización tan compleja y perturbadora como la de Maje al cine, persigue varios objetivos. Más allá del mensaje social, el objetivo primario de esta joya cinematográfica española es entretener y cautivar. Al centrarse en la compleja psicología de la protagonista y en la intriga de la investigación, el director construye un thriller tenso y absorbente. La gradual revelación de la doble vida de Maje y sus verdaderas intenciones me mantienen al borde de mi sillón, fluyendo en esta experiencia cinematográfica intensa e inolvidable. La película también nos muestra cómo las personas pueden ser burladas y controladas, incluso en las relaciones sexuales.

The film does aim to humanise the complexity of the character in the sense of exploring it in depth. By showing her motivations (albeit twisted) and her modus operandi, Carlos Sedes invites us into a deeper (but not empathetic) understanding of how such a mind works, beyond simply presenting a villain. This enriches the narrative and sets it apart from a simple documentary of police events.

La película sí pretende humanizar la complejidad del personaje en el sentido de explorarla a fondo. Al mostrar sus motivaciones y su modus operandi, Carlos Sedes nos invita a una comprensión más profunda (pero no empática) de cómo funciona una mente así, más allá de simplemente presentar a una villana. Esto enriquece la narrativa y la diferencia de un simple documental de hechos y sucesos policiales.

Overall, Carlos Sedes uses the characterisation of Maje in ‘The Black Widow’ to offer not only a true crime story, but also a deep psychological and social analysis of the darkness that can inhabit human nature, all wrapped up in a thriller format that kept me electromagnetically connected to the screen.

En general, Carlos Sedes utiliza la caracterización de Maje en "La viuda negra" para ofrecer no solo un relato de un crimen real, sino también un profundo análisis psicológico y social sobre la oscuridad que puede habitar en la naturaleza humana, todo ello envuelto en un formato de thriller que me mantiene conectado electromagnéticamente a la pantalla.

Thank you for reading my content about the exciting Spanish cinema.

Gracias por leer mi contenido sobre el excitante cine español.

Hey there #Movies&tvShows people, how are you? I finally finished watching the Netflix series of Merlina and I'm certainly looking forward to the next season, so I'm very excited 😃. Today, as always I will give you my honest opinion regarding several aspects that are part of this series.

¡Hola Hola gente de #Movies&tvShows! ¿Cómo están? Al fin terminé de ver la serie de Merlina de Netflix y desde luego estoy a la espera de la próxima temporada, así que estoy muy emocionada 😃. Hoy, como siempre les daré mi opinión sincera con respecto a varios aspectos que forman parte de esta serie.

I feel it was a pretty accurate premise and plot, although it strays from what we would normally believe for the Adams family and their original context but I feel they molded it quite well, in fact in the first film starring Cristina Ricci, at the Adams house party we see that many of their family and friends are somewhat "peculiar" which hints that the idea of a society of "freaks" is plausible within their universe.

Siento que fue una premisa y argumento bastante acertado, aunque se aleja de lo que normalmente creeríamos para la familia Adams y su contexto original pero siento que lo amoldaron bastante bien, de hecho en la primera película protagonizada por Cristina Ricci, en la fiesta en casa de los Adams vemos que muchos de sus familiares y amigos son algo "peculiares" lo que da a entender que la idea de una sociedad de "fenómenos" es plausible dentro de su universo.

On the other hand I think the fact that Wednesday has visions is a power that suits her personality and aesthetics very well 🤗.

A mystery is presented from the beginning that keeps the viewer interested, making guesses along with Wednesday and although near the end it is a bit predictable, most of the season maintains the mystery well.

The cinematography is exceptional, a 100% gothic color palette (except for the one that defines Enid), a range of grays in the sky for that sense of mystery.

They work very well with light and shadow although it is not the highlight of the series.

It has several interesting shots, especially in the scene of Wednesday's cello playing, quite good editing overall.

The performances were 10/10 everyone embraced their character and made it their own, they worked in the footsteps of the actors of the movies starring Cristina Ricci and company, they are exactly the same as we remember them but with a little more depth that helps to empathize even more with the family, plus the series has a pretty important character development, especially between and Wednesday and Morticia.

Las actuaciones fueron 10/10 cada quien abrazó a su personaje y lo hizo suyo, trabajaron sobre los pasos de los actores de las películas protagonizadas por Cristina Ricci y compañía, son exactamente igual a como los recordamos Pero con un poco más de profundidad que ayuda a empatizar aún más con la familia, además de que la serie tiene un desarrollo de personajes bastante importante, sobre todo entre Merlina y Morticia.

The soundtrack was quite good and at the risk of sounding cliché I will highlight Wednesday's cello performance and the dance song.

This second season seems to be quite interesting, as much as the first one so I'm quite excited for its premiere 😃, especially the scene where she is kidnapped by a supposed murderer catches my attention, but the situation is reversed

And well, people, that's all for today's post, I hope you liked it. Thank you very much as always for supporting my work, I welcome new readers, I love you all very much, I send you a hug and I'll see you in another post.

I made the cover and farewell image in Canva