Author: Bonita Gutierrez

Bonita found her way to the stage at the early age of five. After college, she moved to Los Angeles to get into "The Biz." Over the years, she's played many roles from actor to producer, screenwriter to filmmaker — and now novelist. Under the banner of Empyrean Press, Bonita has co-authored five books in her urban fantasy series, The Werewolf Whisperer. With a background in Jeet Kune Do Kung Fu (Bruce Lee's art), Bonita holds a black belt in Kickboxing-MMA and trains in Kali-Eskrima (stick and knife fighting). An avid runner, student of film and lover of music, Bonita is a self-proclaimed hamburger connoisseur with a passion for all things Star Wars and Buffy.

The 92nd Academy Awards had some great moments this year: Eminem (to the delight of the head-bobbing audience) rapped his 2003 Oscar winning song Lose Yourself, Brad Pitt finally won a gold statue for acting, and history was made with Parasite — the first non-English language film to win for Best Picture. But the moment that has stuck with me the most these past weeks is Carol Dysinger’s acceptance speech for Best Documentary (Short Subject). The NYU Film professor spoke of enduring four decades in the film industry only through the encouragement she’d received from mentors like Frank Capra. Her…

Read More

I was first introduced to the spy who loved…well everyone…when I was five (I know, probably too young). But my pop was a huge fan of the films (Fun fact: He was a crooner back in the day and was a contender to sing the theme song to 1964’s Goldfinger), and being a huge fan of my pop, I, of course, dug everything he did. Sharing a love for these super spy/action thrillers with him is still one of my favorite things in the world. But Bond, James Bond, is not who I want to highlight today. No. With the…

Read More

Sisters are doing it for themselves! From Greta Gerwig’s masterful depiction of sisters struggling to survive the Civil War while searching for their place in the world in Little Women to Daisy Ridley’s Rey — a lonely scavenger turned Jedi Knight in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Hollywood’s heroines have been killing it both behind and in front of the camera. And with no less than five major blockbusters — all helmed by women — releasing this year, this fangirl is super excited for 2020! Here’s what’s coming to (or is already available in) a theater near you… Out…

Read More

2019 was chock-full of great films featuring strong women kicking butt and taking names. With millions of moviegoers flocking to theaters to see blockbusters like Captain Marvel, Us, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it’s understandable that some of the smaller films fall through the cracks. Even the most fervent movie addicts like myself occasionally miss them in the theaters. That doesn’t mean that these flicks should be buried in the celluloid graveyard of obscurity. Unconventional as they are, each of these compelling films could be considered among the best of the year. Whether through drama, magic realism, or…

Read More

When I was a kid, The Wizard of Oz would air on television once a year. It was a big deal—an event. Millions would tune in and dare to dream along with Dorothy as she gazed up at the Kansas sky with her big doe eyes and sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Little me was mesmerized, and from then on, I became a lifelong fan. With musical numbers like “The Trolley Song”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Meet Me in St. Louis) and “Easter Parade,” Judy Garland created some of the most iconic performances in entertainment history. She was…

Read More

There’s nothing like the magic of movies and television. I love losing myself in a really great story; it’s what fuels my fandom. And as an actor-writer-producer, I’m passionate about stories that are female driven. That’s why I’m so excited to share my favorite flick picks here at Ms. In the Biz. One of my favorite shows streaming on television right now is the Netflix original series — GLOW. Before the women of the WWE successfully fought to end the use of the “Divas” moniker, before Becky Lynch became “The Man,” and before Rowdy Ronda Rousey revolutionized the sport of…

Read More