Monday, December 28, 2020

Tagpuan

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MANILA. Allan (Alfred Vargas) and Agnes (Iza Calzado) are living the happily married life with their only son. Or so he thought. Being a successful businessman, he deals with things with facts and numbers. A frustrated artist, she values emotion over logic. HONG KONG. While on a business trip, he crosses paths with a Filipino-Chinese woman who claims her name to be Tanya (Shaina Magdayao). She admits that she fancies him and begins to bombard him with anecdotes about her life in exchange for sex and connections for getting a visa for the US. After she gets what she needs from him, she disappears. NEW YORK. Agnes is now living her American dream as a promising playwright. Husband and wife reconnect as he searches for Tanya in Chinatown, but Agnes still wants an annulment. As Tanya resurfaces in his life, he tries to decide which woman would make him complete again.

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Fan Girl

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Obsessed teenager Jane (Charlie Dizon) considers herself as the biggest fan of matinee idol Paulo Avelino (Paulo Avelino). She buys all of his posters and magazine covers, knows every useless trivia about his life, and watches all of his films on the first day of screening. But perhaps what can be considered as her most daring adventure as a fan girl to date is attending his mall show and locating his pick-up truck afterwards, hopping on to and hiding at the back until he unwittingly drives both of them away to a far-flung province. Falling asleep due to the long trip, she wakes up in the dark with the vehicle parked right outside the locked gate of a big decrepit mansion. Sneaking in, she will soon discover that the guy she has been idolizing all this time is not really who she imagined him to be.

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Soul

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Jazz pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) bounces from gig to gig, finding it hard to land his dream job. When his temporary stint as a music teacher becomes an employment contract offer, his mother Libba (Phylicia Rashad) is relieved. And then Joe gets a last-minute invitation to join the Jazz quartet of saxophone legend Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett). Unable to contain his joy, his clumsiness leads to his untimely death by falling in a manhole. Soon, his soul is transported to a queue for the Great Beyond. Hesitant to succumb to death, he manages to escape to a garden called the Great Before, where new souls are being prepped for their debut on Earth. There, he fakes his way to becoming the mentor of 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has been trapped there for thousands of years, reluctant to partake in life on Earth. The two reach an agreement. He helps her get her Earth card so she can give it to him, and then he can go back to his body and she can live forever in pre-life.

Friday, December 25, 2020

Wonder Woman 1984

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A young Diana joins an athletic competition in Themyscira and almost bests her older and more experienced contenders, had she not decided to take a shortcut that would jeopardize her victory. Aunt Antiope (Robin Wright) reiterates the importance of fairness and truth, while mother Hyppolyta (Connie Nielsen) reassures her that one day she will be worthy to don the golden winged armor of legendary Amazon warrior Asteria. Flash forward to 1984, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) works at the Smithsonian, her Wonder Woman alter ego surfacing incognito once in a while as your friendly neighborhood superhero, preventing road accidents and stopping small-time mall heists. One of her adventures leads to the discovery of a seemingly fake citrine crystal with a Latin inscription that suggests wish-fulfillment capabilities. Unconvinced, Diana does not openly voice out her wish, yet does so anyway, while insecure colleague Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) secretly desires to be like her new co-worker. Soon enough, they find out that TV personality and Ponzi scheme scammer Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) is also after the artifact, leading the duo to dig deeper into the relic’s origins as what they wish for start to come true.

Friday, December 18, 2020

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

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Obliged to hold a recording session of some of her greatest hits in Chicago, Mother of the Blues Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) takes a break from her packed touring schedule and heads north along with her band. Her mere presence stirs the dynamics between the African American communities of the north and the south, while her demands also result in tensions running high at the recording studio. It does not help that upstart trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) keeps fanning the flames by asserting his dominance and trying to outmaneuver not just his bandmates, but even Ma Rainey herself. As day turns into night and songs eventually get immortalized on vinyl, the group reflects on their individual experiences in the music scene of 1920’s America, from racially charged issues all the way to high ambitions and making it big in an industry that only cares about the money their talent can rake in.

Sunday, December 13, 2020

The Midnight Sky

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2049. Earth has been ravaged by an unnamed apocalyptic event and leaves it contaminated with ionizing radiation. What is left of the human population seek refuge underground, which scientist Augustine Lofthouse (George Clooney) deems to be just a delay of the inevitable. Suffering from a terminal illness that requires regular hemodialysis, he chooses to stay behind as the rest of the survivors evacuate their Arctic base. His objective is to contact Aether, the last surviving spaceship on the way back home from a mission to K-23, one of Jupiter’s moons he has studied for a long time and determined to be suitable for human life. The crew, which includes Dr. Iris Sullivan (Felicity Jones) and Commander Adewole (David Oyelowo) are clueless about the planet’s current state and are unknowingly heading back to eventual death. In search of another Arctic base with a stronger signal to contact the spacecraft, Lofthouse stumbles upon a young girl left behind at the base and the two form a bond.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Songbird

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The year is 2024 and COVID-23 has mutated to a powerful variant that Quarantine Zones are now required to isolate the infected. Considered as modern-day concentration camps, a trip to the Q-Zone means there is no coming back. The Department of Sanitation has Los Angeles in a tight grip, with daily temperature checks mandated by law via a mobile app, failure of which means game over. Much of the population are under strict lockdown and only the “Munies”, individuals with immunity to the virus, can roam around the city freely by virtue of their yellow immunity bracelets. Nico (KJ Apa) is one of them and makes good use of his status to earn money via courier deliveries. His girlfriend Sara (Sofia Carson) is living with her grandmother in an apartment complex. When the old lady suddenly develops a fatal fever, Nico must race against time to secure an immunity pass for Sara via the black market, which leads him to wealthy illegal immunity pass dealer Piper Griffin (Demi Moore).

Friday, December 11, 2020

The Prom

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Somewhere in Broadway, a new play about Eleanor Roosevelt’s life gets lambasted by critics; its lead stars dismissed as aging narcissists. Two-time Tony Award winner Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep) turns to alcohol, while her openly gay leading man Barry Glickman (James Corden) thinks taking up a cause could bring them their much-needed PR. Meanwhile, forever chorus girl Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman) stumbles upon a local scandal in Edgewater on Twitter. Next thing they know, they are all on their way to Indiana on a school bus full of theater kids in a tour organized by Juilliard graduate and co-worker Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells). There they get embroiled in an ongoing high school drama involving young lesbian Emma Nolan (Jo Ellen Pellman), whose school’s PTA led by conservative Mrs. Greene (Kerry Washington) decides to cancel prom to prevent her from attending with her yet unknown girlfriend. What follows is a battle of belief systems regarding the ever-relevant theme of inclusivity peppered with glitter, impromptu song-and-dance numbers, and all that Broadway sass.

Friday, December 4, 2020

Mank

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1940’s Hollywood. Orson Welles (Tom Burke) preps for his big screen debut with Citizen Kane and enlists the help of screenwriter Herman J. Maniewics (Gary Oldman) to revise the screenplay. Recovering from an injury, “Mank” is provided with the assistance that he needs, one of them being his secretary Rita Alexander (Lily Colins), who quickly notices some similarities shared by the characters with some real-life personalities. A series of flashbacks shines light on Mank’s inspiration for the material, mainly influenced by his rubbing elbows with Classic Hollywood bigwigs such as film producer Irving Thalberg (Ferdinand Kingsley), MGM co-founder LB Mayer (Arliss Howard), media mogul William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance) as well as his mistress, actress Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried). Given the provocative nature of his script, Mank will have to carefully navigate the upper echelons of the industry’s powers-that-be while dealing with deadlines, writer’s block, and his growing problem with alcoholism.

Monday, November 30, 2020

Finding Agnes

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A young Agnes Rivero (Roxanne Guinoo) abandons her family, promising her son that she will come back for him once he is done solving his Rubik’s Cube. She doesn’t. 25 years later, Brix (Jelson Bay) is now a successful businessman jetting off just about everywhere for his business empire. One busy afternoon during a client meeting he gets a visit from an unexpected guest. An older Agnes (Sandy Andolong) begs for her son’s forgiveness, which she easily gets, but their reunion more than two decades in the making is cut short when she suffers a stroke. Leaving behind a box of letters hidden by the boy’s father, Brix discovers the life his mother has lived in Morocco and decides to take a flight to fix the legal documents for the bed and breakfast she left behind. There he meets Cathy (Sue Ramirez), a young woman his mom considers to be her own daughter. Together, they go on a journey around the country to find the late Agnes.

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Hillbilly Elegy

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Yale law student JD Vance (Gabriel Basso) is juggling his studies at an Ivy League and several jobs to make ends meet. In the hopes of getting an internship that will bring him closer to girlfriend Usha (Freida Pinto) and alleviate his financial issues, he attends a networking dinner where he gets to meet the top bosses of big firms across the country. Just when he is about to secure a final interview slot, he receives a call from his sister Lindsay (Haley Bennett) who breaks the news that their mother Beverly (Amy Adams) has just been admitted to a hospital due to heroin overdose. Forced to go on a long drive to help his family, he takes a trip down memory lane, from his humble beginnings in Ohio to his growth as a human being heavily influenced by his hillbilly history mainly through the guidance of his late Mamaw (Glenn Close).

Friday, November 20, 2020

Sound of Metal

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Living the indie rock star life, metal duo Blackgammon tours the country in their RV to perform at various gigs. Lou Berger (Olivia Cooke) serves as the lead vocalist while boyfriend Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) is her drummer. Constantly exposed to a loud environment while performing, Ruben realizes that he is quickly losing his hearing. Consulting a doctor, he is faced with a life-changing reality as he is diagnosed to now be able to hear just between 20 and 30 percent of all the sound he is exposed to. The doctor suggests cochlear implants to salvage what they could, but the operation is not covered by medical insurance and will cost them thousands of dollars. Left without much of a choice, Lou moves on as a solo act in Europe while Ruben is welcomed in a rural shelter for the deaf. There, he is introduced to a community helmed by Vietnam veteran Joe (Paul Raci), a recovering alcoholic who lost his hearing during the war. Ruben must decide whether to embrace his new group or go for broke and take a chance on the surgery that could bring back the life he knew.

Friday, November 13, 2020

La vita davanti a sé

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Young Senegalese immigrant Momo (Ibrahima Gueye) snatches two antique candelabras from an unsuspecting passerby at a flea market so he can get good money selling them at the black market. Unfortunately, his attempt to hide the goods is foiled by Dr. Cohen (Renato Carpentieri), his guardian. It so happens that the good doctor knows the owner of the stolen candle holders who is none other than his patient, aging Holocaust survivor and ex-prostitute Madame Rosa (Sophia Loren). He asks her a favor in exchange for giving her stuff back: Take Momo in so he can live with a mother figure who could put his life back on track. Hesitant, she agrees and introduces him to two other children whom she is taking care of and also residing in her humble abode while their mothers are busy making a living. Personalities clash, but the two eventually form an unlikely bond which will change his life for the better.

Friday, October 23, 2020

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

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After spending more than a decade in a gulag as punishment for bringing unprecedented shame to his country, Borat Margaret Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen) is back with an offer from the national government to redeem himself as well as the nation. The plan is to offer the country’s Minister of Culture and most famous porn actor Johnny the Monkey (a literal monkey) to Donald Trump, a ploy to regain the trust of the United States. Before leaving for America, he discovers that he has sired a daughter named Tutar (Maria Bakalova) who is now a teenager and kept at the family’s pigsty. Their father-and-daughter meeting is cut short as he ventures to the west, despite her pleas to take her along with him. His plans are sabotaged as Johnny the Monkey’s crate arrives with the remains of the dead primate inside, along with Tutar who has eaten him during the long journey. Out of ideas, Borat gets a eureka moment realizing that he could offer his daughter to the American president instead.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

The Witches

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A Young Boy (Jahzir Kadeem Bruno) is orphaned in a car accident during the snowy winter of 1968. He relocates from Illinois to Alabama to live with his Grandma (Octavia Spencer) who does her best to give him a semblance of normalcy given their circumstances. Just as the kid is about to recover from his trauma, a witch starts stalking him. As he narrates the encounter to his grandmother, he is surprised to find out that she believes him, and even recalls how her childhood best friend was victimized by a witch by turning her into a chicken. Both of them flee and check-in to a high-class hotel, banking on the belief that the witches only prey on poor children who won’t be missed by their families. Unbeknownst to them, the very same resort is currently hosting a convention for a coven disguised as a child-support group, led by the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway) herself.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Rebecca

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A young and naïve lady-in-waiting (Lily James) works for a wealthy old woman vacationing in Monte Carlo. There she gets to brush elbows with the rich, one of them being affluent widower Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer). Aloof at first due to the recent death of his wife Rebecca, the two get along quickly and develop feelings for each other, so fast that when her boss plans a sudden relocation to New York, he intervenes and asks for her hand in marriage. Soon enough, Mr. and Mrs. de Winter 2.0 are on their way to his sprawling estate in England. Manderley, they call it, managed by a village of staff overseen by Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas), an old lady who has devoted her life to the first Mrs. de Winter and just would not shut up about her. It doesn’t take long before the new Mrs. de Winter feels sorely out of place and constantly living in the shadow of the wife who came before her.

Friday, September 4, 2020

Mulan

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Mulan (Yifei Liu) has always been the tomboyish type, with her qi akin to that of a warrior, always causing concern in her household. But now that she is finally a young woman, she needs to conform to what society expects of her, meaning finding a match for marriage. She is reluctant to do so despite the prodding of her parents Hua Zhou (Tzi Ma) and Hua Li (Rosalind Chao) for her to bring honor to the family by marrying a reputable guy. Meanwhile, the Rouran warriors north of the border led by Böri Khan (Jason Scott Lee) are gaining ground in their revenge plot against the Chinese Emperor (Jet Li). With the help of shapeshifting witch Xianniang (Gong Li), they ransack and massacre one garrison right after the other, prompting a kingdom-wide decree for each family to enlist at least one son in the army. Knowing her father wouldn’t make it back alive given his ailing health, Mulan steals his sword and armor and takes off in the middle of the night, taking his place.

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

The New Mutants

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Cheyenne Native American Danielle “Mirage” Moonstar (Blu Hunt) ends up in a facility for gifted individuals after becoming the lone survivor of a tornado that devastates her reservation and kills her father. She meets Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga), a doctor who introduces herself as their mentor, a mutant who has the ability to create force fields. There she is also introduced to: devout Scottish Catholic Rahne “Wolfsbane” Sinclair (Maisie Williams), who can turn into a wolf; American Samuel “Cannonball” Guthrie (Charlie Heaton), who has the ability of air propulsion; Brazilian Roberto “Sunspot” da Costa (Henry Zaga), who can control solar energy; and Russian sorceress Ilyana “Magik” Rasputin (Anya Taylor-Joy), who can teleport and has access to the Soulworld. Her powers unknown, Dani’s arrival coincides with the tangible manifestation of everyone’s greatest fears, prompting them to believe that she is causing all of their hallucinations that have come to life to haunt them.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Tenet

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A CIA Agent known only by the moniker “Protagonist” (John David Washington) seizes an unknown artifact during a Kiev opera house bombing. He is saved from being shot by an unknown soldier who “unfires” a bullet. After the event, the Protagonist is captured by a pair of mercenaries, later realizing that the whole ploy is a test of loyalty for his recruitment by an organization called TENET. A scientist explains how they are trying to prevent World War III, which will be very different from the imagined nuclear showdown from world wars past. A mechanism has been invented in the future to reverse the entropy of matter, meaning objects and people can now move backwards in time. Their mission is to figure out how Russian oligarch Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) factors in the equation. With the help of his handler Neil (Robert Pattinson), the duo decides to use Sator’s wife Kat (Elizabeth Debicki) to get closer to him and find out what role he plays in this high-tech war between present and future.

Friday, July 31, 2020

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 20



20. The End of Something
Vanya’s psychic link to Harlan prompts her to drive back to the farm to help him. Initially hesitant, her siblings join her. Lila and The Handler arrive with The Commission’s entire army of assassins. Vanya eventually takes them all out with her powers, but Lila and The Handler are saved by a force field similar to hers protecting them. And then Lila attacks and reveals her ability to mimic everybody’s powers, one at a time. After a free-for-all melee, the truth about The Handler, who is now trying to kidnap Harlan, comes to light. Before anyone can react, she open fires on all of them before the last remaining Swede shows up to gun her down himself. Five is left barely breathing and remembers Reginald’s advice. He time travels a few minutes back to disarm The Handler before the Swede shoots her and leaves the siblings alone. Now the acting head of the Commission, Herb surveys the scene and gives them a briefcase to bring them back to 2019. They end up on the second of April, a day after the apocalypse, only to find Reginald there alive as well as Ben who is introduced as a member of the Sparrow Academy.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 19



19. 743
With the efforts of Diego, Allison, and Klaus in vain to stop Vanya, Ben steps in to pacify his sister. He is successful but her power incinerates him. For good. On the farm, Harlan also suffers a seizure along with Vanya and later exhibits her power involuntarily, killing Karl in the process. Luther plays referee between the two Fives and the events proceed as they should, with Old Man Five ending up in 2019 in his younger body. With the nuclear holocaust averted, JFK is assassinated as Diego tackles a decoy of their dad at the Grassy Knoll. AJ sends a clue to Herb to find the record for Kill Order 743 and give it to Lila. It is revealed that The Handler greenlit the murder of her parents but using AJ’s stamp and with Old Man Five as the hitman. She manipulates her into believing Five is the enemy, and she prepares for the kill. The Handler gets rid of AJ by swallowing him alive. An angry Reginald confronts the Majestic 12 for JFK’s murder. As they blackmail him, he takes his face off and attacks everyone offcam.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 18



18. The Seven Stages
Five realizes that Older Five (Jim Watson) is also in Dallas in 1963 to make sure that Kennedy gets assassinated before breaking his contract and miscalculating his jump to 2019, where he ends up in his younger body. With Luther’s help, Five meets Older Five and tries to convince him to help them, in the midst of both suffering from the Seven Stages of Paradox Psychosis. The Handler approves training Diego as a new recruit of The Commission, but he immediately betrays them by sneaking into the Infinite Switchboard room where he witnesses JFK’s non-assassination which is replaced by the explosion of the FBI building blamed on the Russians, which in turn triggers the nuclear holocaust. Rebellious analyst Herb (Ken Hall) and a group of The Handler’s non-fans help him get back to 1963 Dallas where he finds Allison and Klaus disposing one of the Swedes’ corpse, tells them about Vanya, and head to the FBI building. Vanya is tortured as a suspected KGB agent and regains all her memories, triggering her powers to go haywire.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 17



17. Öga for Öga
Five time travels to 1982 and singlehandedly assassinates all board members of The Commission except for AJ, whom he hands over to The Handler. She gives him a time travel briefcase, but with a catch: They only have 90 minutes to use it, and not everyone is ready to go. Allison is attacked by the Swedish duo while bidding her husband goodbye. She manages to rumor one to kill the other. Klaus allows Ben to possess his body but under strict conditions. While digging a grave for Elliott, Diego is drugged by Lila -- now the Head of Security at The Commission after The Handler usurps the top position -- and is taken to her office and introduced to her mom as her boyfriend. Vanya is threatened by Karl via emotional blackmail involving Harlan. She hastily convinces Sissy to run away with her after a staredown with Five, but the two women are intercepted by Karl’s brother from the Texas police force. She initially bests the three men with her powers but one catches her unaware and knocks her out cold. The siblings miss their time window and are left stuck in the 60’s.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 16



16. A Light Supper
Allison admits the truth to Ray and they have a field day using her powers for personal benefit and revenge. The plan backfires, though, as he becomes suspicious whether she ever used her powers on him. Klaus tries to do away with his cult, but they latch onto him even stronger than before. Young Dave (Calem MacDonald) pays him a visit informing him about his enlistment to the military earlier than he should’ve, meaning their actions are changing the timeline. The Handler offers Five and his siblings a way back to 2019 if he kills The Commission’s board members for her as a plan for a coup. The siblings meet their father for a light supper, but he is still dismissive despite seeing their powers in action. He advises Five to take baby steps: time travel in seconds or minutes instead of decades. Hopeless, Five accepts The Handler’s offer. She gives the two remaining Swedes the location of Five’s residence. They find Elliott there, torture and murder him, then leave a message in his blood saying “An eye for an eye” in Swedish.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 15



15. Valhalla
A young Pogo is shipped from the Congo and is trained by Grace, after which he is sent to space and suffers from a crash-landing accident. Reginald injects him with a serum to save his life. Lila and The Handler set up at a trap for The Swedes using one of Diego’s knives. One of the three blondes dies as a result and is given a Nordic burial by the other two. The siblings finally reunite at Elliott’s house to discuss the apocalypse. Vanya, Allison, and Klaus get drunk and decide to be truthful to their relationships before the world ends: Vanya with Sissy; Allison with Ray; and Klaus with his cult. Sissy reconciles with Karl, rejecting Vanya’s offer for the two of them to run away after sleeping together that morning. Luther narrates how he took a Greyhound all the way to NYC when he first arrived in Dallas in 1962, only to be humiliated by their father. Lila leads Five into an empty warehouse where the two duke it out, the latter besting the former. The Handler shows up, as he always expected she would.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 14



14. The Majestic 12
London, 1993. A young Lila witnesses the murder of her parents in the hands of The Handler and an unidentified assassin. She takes her in and trains her hard. In 1960, she is told about the Swedes as well as her primary mission of protecting Five at all costs. Vanya returns to the farm after finding out from Luther that she is the reason for the apocalypse. She tries to abandon Sissy and Harlan for their safety, but the latter runs away and almost drowns. Vanya saves him with her powers and later locks lips with his mom. Luther loses his job and, looking for Five, goes to the house of Elliott (Kevin Rankin) who has been helping Five since he arrived. Ray shuns Allison believing she is in cahoots with the police. Klaus returns to his drinking habit after his mission with Dave goes awry. Five, Diego, and Lila attend a party at the Mexican consulate where the Majestic 12, a group their father belongs to, will meet. There Diego meets a human Grace, their father’s date that night, before they are attacked by the three blondes.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 13



13. The Swedish Job
The three blondes that The Commission collectively calls The Swedes (Kris Holden-Ried, Jason Bryden, Tom Sinclair) go after Vanya next but are repelled by the involuntary manifestation of her powers. Five finds her and fills in the gaps in her memory. Allison locates Klaus’ residence, and the siblings catch up. He later uses Ben to get Ray out of prison. Klaus pays his Vietnam War lover’s younger self a visit. Luther tracks Allison through his boss but finds Ray at their house instead and discovers that she is now married. Heartbroken, he lets his opponent beat him up, much to Jack Ruby’s chagrin. Allison and Ray go ahead with their sit-in and stir the pot of racism in Southern Dallas. As things start to escalate and the police gets involved, she is forced to use her powers in front of him, now confused and terrified. Lila nurses Diego back to health, sleeps with him, then sneaks out to go to a hotel room where she meets The Handler, asks if she can order room service, then refers to her as MOM.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 12



12. The Frankel Footage
Waking up from a coma, The Handler returns to work only to find out that she’s been replaced by AJ (Robin Atkin Downes), a talking goldfish. She is demoted to Five’s previous position before his betrayal. Luther is hesitant to help Five, having fully adjusted to his new life as the bodyguard of the gangster who will assassinate Lee Harvey Oswald. He later finds Vanya through Carl (Stephan Bogaert), the husband of Sissy (Marin Ireland) and father of Harlan (Justin Paul Kelly) who take her in. He apologizes to her but refuses to fill in the gaps in her memory. Allison’s husband Ray is arrested and ends up in jail with Klaus who was arrested for stealing a pick-up truck. Five finds Diego and Lila who escape from the asylum. He also discovers the Frankel Footage, a tape that Hazel slipped into his pocket which shows their father at the Grassy Knoll during JFK’s assassination. The two brothers track Reginald and find him along with a younger Pogo who attacks Five. Diego engages in a duel with their father and is stabbed, left bleeding on the floor.

The Umbrella Academy: Episode 11



11. Right Back Where We Started
Five’s plan works, but not without hiccups. The siblings all end up in Dallas but arrive at different times: Klaus and Ben on 02/11/1960, where the former starts his own cult; Allison in 1961, where she gets her voice back and marries civil rights activist Ray (Yusuf Gatewood); Luther in 1962, where he makes a living by being the bodyguard of Jack Ruby (John Kapelos); Diego on 09/01/1963, where he ends up in an asylum with fellow patient Lila (Ritu Arya) after trying to murder Lee Harvey Oswald; an amnesiac Vanya on 10/12/1963, where she is taken in by a family of three; and Five on 11/25/1963; at the exact time of yet another apocalyptic event that follows them there. Witnessing his siblings try in vain to repel Soviet invaders before nukes hit the ground, Five is whisked away by an older time-traveling Hazel who is immediately gunned down by three blonde guys as they teleport 10 days prior. Five begins his mission of finding his siblings in an effort to prevent the new apocalypse they have to face.

Friday, July 10, 2020

The Old Guard

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A quartet of mercenaries are lured to an ambush in South Sudan where their bodies fall on the ground after getting showered with bullets. A few minutes later, the four of them get up as if nothing happened and slay the strike force that just slaughtered them. The bloodbath is recorded on camera and sent to Steven Merrick (Harry Melling), a big pharma CEO who is keen to cash in on the group’s immortality. Escaping on a train, Andy (Charlize Theron), Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) dream of a young marine’s death and rebirth in Afghanistan. Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne) is confused as to what has just happened to her and is about to be flown to Germany to be tested and probably experimented on. Realizing that another immortal has just awakened, Andy comes to the rescue to introduce the newbie to the gang, but the pharmaceutical empire hunting them with the help of former CIA James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) will not stop until they get their bounty.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Through Night and Day

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Neighbors Jen (Alessandra de Rossi) and Ben (Paolo Contis) have been a couple for 13 years, knowing each other and growing up together in the same neighborhood for more than two decades. The time has come for him to finally propose. It has been a long time coming, and he plans to take her with him to New York after the wedding so they can start their married life there. She has her reservations, wanting to pass the bar and become a lawyer as well as the reluctance to leave her father behind. The two plan an intimate wedding and he surprises her with a trip to Iceland instead, her bucket list destination where they plan to make their prenup video. As they go on a roadtrip around the country, they begin to realize that despite being together for more than a decade, they still don’t know each other that well. Three years later, he comes back to Manila already engaged to someone else. This is probably the last time he will ever see her again.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Dark: Folge/Episode 26


Folge 26: Das Paradies
Oma Claudia erklärt Adam die wahre Natur des Shlupfloches. Es gibt eine dritte Welt, die Ursprungswelt, wo H.G. Tannhaus seinen Sohn, Schwiegertochter und Enkelin wegen eines Autounfalls verliert. Deswegen entwickelt er eine Zeitmaschine, um sie vom Tod zurückzuholen. Was stattdessen passiert ist die Spaltung seiner Welt, die den unendlichen Kreis von Jonas’ und Marthas Welten verursacht. So müssen Jonas und Martha in jenen Moment zusammenreisen, um den wirklichen Ursprung zu verhindern: Tannhaus’ Entwicklung seiner Zeitmaschine. Das bedeutet allerdings, dass ihre Welten danach nicht mehr existieren dürfen. Sie verhindern den Tod von Tannhaus’ Familie, und alle in Adams und Evas Welten, in allen Zeitlinien, bestehen nicht mehr. In der Ursprungswelt findet ein Abendessen statt. Dort trinken auf das Wohl ein Freundeskreis: Die schwangere Hannah mit ihrem Mann Torben Wöller (Leopold Hornung); Peter mit seiner Freundin Benni (Anton Rubstov); und die ledigen Regina und Katharina.

Dark: Folge/Episode 25


Folge 25: Zwischen der Zeit
1974-1986. H.G. Tannhaus entwickelt eine funktionierende Zeitmaschine. 2021. Jonas und Claudia versuchen vergeblich das Gottesteilchen zu stabilisieren. Er versucht sich umzubringen, wird aber von dem jüngeren Noah gerettet. 1890. Die Allround-Sekretärin der alten Elisabeth wird von Adam aus der Zukunft verschickt und wird Bartoszs Frau Silja. 1904. Bartoszs und Siljas Sohn Hanno wird geboren. 2040. 1987-Claudia erschießt 1987-Claudia der anderen Welt. 1910. Silja stirbt bei Agnes’ Geburt. 2041. Elisabeth bringt Charlotte zur Welt. Das Baby wird von den alten Charlotte und Elisabeth entführt. 1911. Hannah und ihre Tochter Silja finden Adam. Er erstickt seine Mutter und schickt seine Schwester in die Zukunft. 1920. Noah schafft es endlich aus der Zukunft zu reisen. Er lernt sein jüngeres Ich Hanno kennen. 2053. Adam tötet Martha der anderen Welt mithilfe des Gottesteilchens, aber seine Existenz wird nicht ausgelöscht. Oma Claudia kommt an und sagt ihm, sie weiß, wie den Knoten zerschnitten werden können.

Dark: Folge/Episode 24


Folge 24: Licht und Schatten
2020. Heute ist der Tag der Apokalypse in Evas Welt. Sie bereitet ihre Truppen für Krieg vor. Durch das Gottesteilchen schickt sie zur Rettung: Der von Bartoszs den älteren Bartosz (Roman Knižka); der von Elisabeth den alten und den jungen Noah; der der schwangeren Hannahs Opa Egon. Gleichzeitig schickt sie auch 1987-Claudia an Adams Welt, um die Entscheidungen der 1987-Claudia dort zu beeinflussen. Die 3 Creepies werden in beide Welten geschickt, um die jeweiligen Apokalypsen auszulösen. Ulrich folgt Opa Helge in die Höhle, entdeckt die Türen von Erit Lux. Adam hat seinen eigenen Plan. Er schickt den alten Magnus (Wolfram Kocht) und die alte Franziska seiner Welt in Evas, um die aktuelle Martha von dort in seine Welt zu bringen. Sein Plan ist, Marthas Baby mithilfe der Energie der Apokalypsen von beiden Welten zu töten und die Knoten der beiden Welten endlich zu zerschneiden. Jonas lebt dank Quantumverschränkung aufgrund von dem Zusammenstoß der zwei Welten zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt, in der zwei sich unendlich schlingende Wege geschafft werden.

Dark: Folge/Episode 23


Folge 23: Leben und Tod
1987. Der junge Peter (Pablo Striebeck) kommt in Winden an, um seinen entfremdeten Vater zu suchen. Charlotte ist die erste Person, die er kennenlernt. Tannhaus erzählt ihr, wie er sie als Baby gefunden hat. 2020-Katharina plant ihre Rettung von Ulrich und Mikkel, wird aber leider von ihrer eigenen Mutter getötet. 2020. Elisabeth gibt die Suche nach Charlotte und Franziska auf, wird von einem Obdachlosen fast vergewaltigt und muss den Mord an ihrem Vaters miterleben, bevor sie den Obdachlosen selbst umbringt. Nun alleine, sie geht zur Höhle, um Noah zu finden. Nachdem sie selbst Regina begrabt hat, wird 1987-Claudia von 1987-Claudia aus der anderen Welt besucht und bekommt sowohl ein Heft als auch eine Warnung. 2053. 2020-Charlotte, 2053-Elisabeth und die alte Franziska (Carina Wiese) genießen ein kurzes Wiedersehen, bevor sie von Adam auf eine Mission in der Zeit geschickt werden. Jonas und die aktuelle Martha der anderen Welt konfrontieren Eva. Die Fremde und die zeitreisende Martha kommen an. Jonas wird erschossen.

Dark: Folge/Episode 22


Folge 22: Der Ursprung
Die 3 Creepies bringen Chaos und Verwüstung im Jahr 1954. Sie bedrohen den damaligen Kohle-Boss, um sicherzustellen, dass das AKW sich gebaut wird. Sie geben dem jüngeren Tronte Agnes’ Armband, nachdem sie und Noah spurlos verschwunden sind. Die Wahrheit ist, sie befindet sich in der postapokalyptischen Zukunft mit Adam und Martha der anderen Welt. Egon und Hannah haben eine Affäre und er sagt ihr, er liebt sie. Die Romanze wird jäh abgebrochen, als sie ihm sagt, dass sie schwanger ist. Er will nicht dafür zur Verantwortung werden. Hannah sieht ein, dass sie niemanden braucht. Sie entscheidet sich dazu, abzutreiben, zögert aber und geht mithilfe ihrer Zeitmaschine weg. Doris möchte eine Scheidung und Egon wird Alkoholiker. In der anderen Welt erzählt die Fremde Jonas und Martha, dass nur eine von ihren Welten gerettet werden kann. Jonas soll wählen. Er und Martha haben Sex und dorther kommt der Ursprung: ihr Sohn, der die zwei Welten verbindet. Die 3 Creepies.

Dark: Folge/Episode 21


Folge 21: Adam und Eva
1888. Die 3 Creepies töten den alten Tannhaus. Nachdem Martha Bartosz enthüllt, dass Jonas Adam ist und Adam ihre Martha ershossen hat, findet der Fremde schwer, dieser Martha zu vertrauen. Sie gibt ihm eine von den Perlen, die ihre Zeitmaschine antreiben, um das Gottesteilchen zu stabilisieren. Danach flieht sie ins Jahr 2053, um dort Adam zu treffen. Im Paralleluniversum ermittelt Ulrich das eigenartige Auftauchen der Leiche seines Bruders Mads 33 Jahre nach dessen Verschwinden. Opa Helge stellt sich und legt ein Geständnis ab. Hannah findet über Charlottes Affäre mit Ulrich heraus und erpresst Aleksander, um Charlotte fertigzumachen. Eva überzeugt Jonas, ihre jüngeres Ich zu führen. Durch die Tunnels, auf denen ,,Erit Lux” anstatt ,,Sic Mundus Creatus Est” eingraben wird, reisen beide in die parallele postapokalyptische Zukunft, wo auf ihn eine Fremde (Nina Kornjäger) wartet. Die 3 Creepies kommen in Evas Zimmer, um ihr das Buch, ein Heft und Charlottes goldenen Anhänger von dem toten Tannhaus zu geben.

Dark: Folge/Episode 20


Folge 20: Die Überlebenden
2020. Drei Monate nach der Apokalypse suchen Windens Überlebenden ihre verlorenen Familien. Peter und Elisabeth werden von 1920-Noah verfolgt. Regina wird von Tronte mit einem Kissen erstickt, während 1986-Claudia nicht da ist. Aleksander und Clausen sind tot. Der Fremde, Bartosz, Magnus und Franziska landen in 1888, wo sie von Martha der anderen Welt besucht werden. Katharina landet in 1987, findet Mikkel aber nicht, sondern den älteren Ulrich in der Psychiatrie, wo ihre Mutter arbeitet. 1987-Tronte sucht Claudia; Regina lebt schließlich allein wegen des gleichzeitigen Verschwindens von ihrer Mutter und ihrem Großvater. Die 3 Creepies töten Claudias Sekretärin im AKW. Charlotte landet in 2053 dank des Portals, jenseits dessen die postapokalyptische Elisabeth sich befindet. In der anderen Welt hört Jonas die Theorie von Eva, der alten Martha (Barbara Nüsse), über die Knoten, die ihre zwei Welten verbinden. In einigen Tagen wird die Apokalypse auch in diesem Paralleluniversum geschehen.

Dark: Folge/Episode 19


Folge 19: Déjà-vu
Ein gruseliger Mann und sein jüngeres und älteres Ich, alle drei mit einer Lippenspalte, brennen Adams Haus nieder. Später im Jahr 1987 töten sie Bernd Doppler. Jonas landet im Winden eines Paralleluniversums, wo er nie geboren wurde. Diese Version der Kleinstadt weist einige Ähnlichkeiten auf, wie das spurlose Verschwinden von Erik und Mads Leiche aus 1986. Es gibt allerdings viele kleine Unterschiede: Peter ist ein Pfarrer; Charlotte ist Ulrichs Geliebte; Hannah ist seine Frau, sie leben zusammen in seinem Haus, und haben keine Kinder aber Hannah ist schwanger; Ulrichs Ex-Familie wohnt im ehemaligen Haus der Kahnwalds; Mikkel ist nie in die Vergangenheit zurückgereist und es gibt deshalb keinen Michael Kahnwald; Martha hat Jonas’ gelbe Jacke und ist die Freundin von Eriks Bruder Kilian (Sammy Scheuritzel), nicht Bartosz; Franziska und Magnus sind zusammen und sie ist die Taube, nicht Elisabeth; Regina ist schon tot. 1888. Die reisende Martha trifft den Fremden in Jonas’ Welt, um den Ursprung von beiden Welten herauszufinden.

Friday, June 26, 2020

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

♣♣♣♣/♣♣♣♣♣

1970’s. A seemingly anti-social boy suddenly gets up and dances to his heart’s content when he sees ABBA performing Waterloo on a televised broadcast of Eurovision. A young girl joins him in his improvised choreography. As the adults dismiss their infantile fantasies away with laughter, he pledges that one day he will win Eurovision, and they won’t be laughing at him when the time comes. Decades later, Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) are all grown up and form the Icelandic duo called Fire Saga, spending much of their adult lives chasing their dream of musical stardom which proves to be too elusive for small-town folks like them. Little do they know that a mischievous twist of fate, brought about by a series of odd coincidences, is bound to bring them to the very stage they could only dream of when they were young.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 34


Episodio 34: Laurel (Gloria)
1980. Ernesto y Virginia se casan y él le dice a Carmela que el bebé es suyo aunque de verdad no lo sea. Victoria les deja la mansión a los recién casados y ordena a Delia que le avise por si acaso esté en peligro la florería y ella regresaría. En el presente, la muerte de la vieja resulta en la venta de la mansión y nada de herencia para sus nietos. Diego, Julián, Elena y su novio repartidor viven como vecinos en el mismo piso en el mismo edificio. Juntos crian a su recién nacido. Delia abre su propia florería que se llama “Dalias de Delia”. La Chiva es absuelta después de 40 años y el viejo Agustín Corcuera va a la cárcel por el asesino de Pato. Los Chiquis devuelven la florería a la familia de la Mora y allí se celebra la boda de Paulina y María José. Purificación escapa del instituto mental, compra una pistola y llega sin invitación. Casi dispara para matar a Paulina pero una silueta media escondida de la forma de Virginia le golpea la cabeza. Por última vez, se celebra una fiesta en la Casa de las Flores.

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 33


Episodio 33: Helenio (Lagrimas)
1979. La Chiva obedece las ordenes de Victoria que suba la dosis de los sedantes del Sr. Aguirre. Un día deja de respirar el viejo y Victoria le echa la culpa a la pobrecita enfermera. Chantajeándola, entierran su marido en el jardín. La única persona que sabe la verdad es Pato pero es matado a golpes en la víspera de Año nuevo, la noche en que La Chiva es detenida por la policía. En su lugar, Victoria contrata a Delia. Esto se lo cuenta La Chiva misma a Paulina y a María José quienes la visitan en la cárcel. Después de enterarse de la verdad, Paulina y María José van directamente a la mansión para confrontar a su abuela la cual ya está por hacer lo mismo a Delia. Debido a un apagón, la vieja se cae por las escaleras y encuentra su muerte. Diego les declara a sus padres de una vez por todas que es gay. En el cabaret mientras que luchan Ernesto y Poncho por la afección de Carmelita, Elena entra en trabajo de parto. Rodeada por casi toda la familia, amigos y las drag queens, parece que ella va a dar a luz a su hijo en la Casa de las Flores.

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 32


Episodio 32: Jacinto (Celos)
1979. Virginia y Ernesto vienen a la fiesta de fin de año. Allí ella habla con Pato el cual le dice lo que descubrió sobre el asesinato de su papá. Ella no se puede creer que sea capaz de tal barbaridad su mamá. En la mente las abandonó su padre. Enfadada, se va de la fiesta con Ernesto. Borracho, Pato declara su amor por Agustín. Como él está en el closet reacciona con violencia. Con sus amigos golpean a Pato y lo dejan ensangrentado en la acera. En el presente, María José termina con Kim por no estar de acuerdo con su tratamiento del asunto de los derechos de transgéneros. Ayuda a Paulina para averigüar lo que ha pasado a Pato. El viejo Agustín Corcuera (Jorge Levy) está desdeñoso y no quiere ayudarles. Al final, Paulina encuentra la respuesta de Ernesto mismo el cual le cuenta todo incluso la posibilidad de que Pato sea su verdadero padre. Elena y Julián se juntan para convencer a los padres de Diego que lo saquen de la terapia de conversión gay. Delia literalmente le da a Victoria una dosis de su propia medicina.

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 31


Episodio 31: Eleoboro (Escándalo)
1979. La confesión de Salo que ya está comprometido con una chica judía significa que a Virginia ya no le queda otra opción. Acepta la propuesta de su mamá y tiene lugar una fiesta de compromiso para ella y Agustín. Lo que no sabe ella es que Agustín es homosexual y tiene una relación con Pato. Los dos ya están por escaparse a Mérida pero Agustín cambia de idea y ya quiere casarse con Virginia para tener una vida convencional y aceptada por la sociedad. Pato viene a la fiesta y descubre el collar de La Chiva casi enterrado en el jardín. Los dos hablan y él se entera de un terrible secreto sobre el patriarca de la Casa de las Flores. En el presente, Ernesto lleva a Carmelita a la clase de Zumba de Poncho. Micaela sabotea Rosita. Paulina y María José cenan juntas con Alejo y Kim aunque no lleguen a ocultar los sentimientos que aún se tienen una al otra. Elena se evade de su abuela con la ayuda de Delia y un amigo. Julián obtiene una copia de la televigilancia del hotel de amor donde tuvieron sexo Elena y Diego y se la muestra a sus hermanas.

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 30


Episodio 30: Trébol (Venganza)
1979. Con una llamada Victoria se entera del embarazo de Virginia. Hace un arreglo con la madre de Agustín Corcuera (Emilio Cuaik) para que se case él con su hija. Virginia y su grupo vienen al club de Pato donde los hombres tienen una experiencia de primera mano sobre la vida de las reinas. Ya quiere decirle a Salo lo de su embarazo pero no llega a confesárselo porque eso puede resultar en que lo repudie su familia. Ernesto la consuela. En el presente, Diego sigue asistiendo a su terapia de conversión para homosexuales pero a causa de su persistente obstinación lo administran la terapia de electrochoque. Victoria hace un arreglo con los Chiquis para que se case Elena con Paco pero Elena rechaza la idea. Paulina visita a Salo y a Carmelita para buscar respuestas sobre la venganza de La Chiva. Julián acepta seguir la sugerencia de Valentina (Valentina), la nueva gerente de la Casa de las Flores. Él presenta como una drag queen por una noche en el cabaret. María José y la abogada Kim (Cristina Umaña) se vuelven más íntimas.

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 29


Episodio 29: Betonica (Sorpresa)
1979. Virginia sigue teniendo sexo con Salo para condicionar la mente que el bebé sea de él aunque determina con la ayuda de La Chiva que es en realidad de Pato. Ernesto y Carmelita también mantienen relaciones sexuales pero de tipo no convencional porque ella quiere conservar su virginidad. En el presente, Ernesto y Carmela se encuentran en el hospital y él no sabe cómo decirle a ella lo de Poncho el cual sigue fingiendo ser paralítico aunque ya lo vio Ernesto bailando en una clase de Zumba pocos días antes. Elena ya está fuera de peligro pero no recuerda casi nada de lo que ha pasado. Su abuela le da de alta del hospital y la lleva a la mansión sin conocimiento de sus hermanos. Bruno, Rosita y Micaela lanzan una carrera como un grupo de pop y graban un videoclip. No siguiendo su tratamiento, Purificación se anda con bobadas, con gran disgusto por la parte de su hermana. Paulina quiere volver juntas con María José pero ella ya quiere seguir adelante con una vida sin ella. Se queda en CDMX pero lejos de su ex.

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 28


Episodio 28: Azalea (Templanza)
1979. Virginia queda embarazada y ahora tiene un gran dilema. ¿Quién es el padre de su bebé? Se lo digo a Ernesto y a Silvia pero claro que no a su mamá. Por primera vez llega a ver su papá enfermo gracias a La Chiva pero antes de poder decirle su secreto entra su mamá en la habitación para sacarla de allí porque según ella su marido tiene una enfermedad muy contagiosa. En el presente, Jenny y unas 36 prisioneras se fugan con éxito mientras que Paulina termina en la clínica donde recobra el conocimiento. Allí están Alejo y María José, la verdadera María José, para darle la buena noticia de su libertad. Recién salida de la cárcel, va derecho al hospital para ver Elena cuya vida está en peligro por estar en coma y embarazada a la vez. Purificación no toma sus medicinas y hace una escena en el cabaret durante la fiesta de bienvenida de Paulina la cual se convierte en una reunión familiar improvisada para decidir el porvenir de Elena y su bebé. Diego está invitado y se opone a un aborto. En el hospital, Elena se despierta del coma.

La casa de las flores: Episodio/Episode 27


Episodio 27: Malva (Ambición)
1979. Virginia, Salo, Carmelita y Ernesto participan en la primera manifestación del orgullo gay en México para mostrar su apoyo a Pato. Cuando salen sus fotos en un periódico se enoja Victoria con su hija y le prohibe su relación con Salo. Una joven Silvia “La Chiva” López (Olivia Lagunas), la enfermera del padre enfermo de Virginia, sirve como su confidente en la casa. En el presente, una vieja La Chiva ocupa la celda en la cual se ubica la entrada a la que Jenny se refiere como “La Gran Venida”. Para obtener acceso, le ofrece Paulina a la vieja. Al final, las prisioneras intentan fugarse pero Paulina acaba por quedarse atrás. Victoria dice a Ernesto que ya no puede vivir en su casa. Por eso él se muda a la otra Casa de las Flores y les encarga a las drag queens la gestión del cabaret. En vez de vivir con su abuela en la mansión, Julián se muda con su papá al cabaret después de terminar con Diego. María José telefonea a su hermana para estar al tanto de la situación de Paulina pero Purificación le miente al respecto.

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