Renata Carmen Writes

Women experience three general stages in life: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The Crone represents wisdom, experience, and the final phase of life for women. In other words, The Crone represents life after menopause. Menopause is an inevitable part of every natural born woman’s life. It takes about ten years to complete from the onset of initial symptoms, known as “perimenopause.” When a woman hasn’t menstruated in more than a year, that is known as menopause. Menopause is actually the easy part, it’s getting through the ten years or so of perimenopause leading up to that point that’s difficult. Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, changes in body fat composition, changes in sleeping patterns, increases in anxiety and depression, digestive changes -- all those things you hear about and read about and we make light of like on That 70’s Show and Fried Green Tomatoes. It’s always funny when it’s happening to someone else, but when it starts happening to you, things you once laughed at you ...

Birds of Prey is a refreshing breath of fresh air that’s inspired me to fall in love with DC’s theater releases again. After years of heart-wrenching disappointments from DC Films, fans are finally in for a real treat. One that gets down to the nitty gritty, frivolity, and shenanigans of reading comics -- especially those featuring anti-heros, grey characters, and misfits. Like Into the Spider-Verse , Birds of Prey perfectly replicates the medium of reading comic books into an on-screen experience. It’s the exact opposite of the Joker movie - it’s fun, funny, and obviously made by hard comic book nerds who care deeply for the source materials. The casting is sublime, the acting is on point, and everyone kills it in their roles. Especially Ewan McGregor, who brings a fresh perspective to the Black Mask character. Avid readers of Birds of Prey comics, 2011 Suicide Squad comics, New 52 , and Rebirth will recognize multiple layers of comics derived Easter eggs and references in this g...