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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Motherless Brooklyn (2019) in Movies

Mar 10, 2021 (Updated Mar 11, 2021)  
Motherless Brooklyn (2019)
Motherless Brooklyn (2019)
2019 | Drama, Mystery
A swing and a miss, to be sure - but boy do I admire what a wide fuckin' swing it is. Norton clearly loves and understands the mechanisms of film noir but translates them into a boiling hot mess. A baffling Frankenstein's monster of hokey performances, grotesque fakey-looking cinematography, trash editing, formless structure, and corny dialogue - you'd think no one here had ever been involved with the moviemaking process before, it's actually bewildering. The ever-dependable (and criminally underrated) Daniel Pemberton's score as well as some fine production are in direct conflict with its shit TV movie visuals - so there ends up being no actual mood here either. Its noble but muddled attempt at reviving the old-school prestige gumshoe epic make it at least mildly diverting oftentimes - but there's a whole lot of people explaining the plot to each other and not a lot of actual character on display. Nothing really feels lived-in, we're told time and time again how much we're supposed to feel for these relationships despite the fact that everyone just kind of bounces in and out only when they're needed to advance the plot with no further development - and its 50s setting it banks so hard on is mere window dressing to peddle the type of plot you've seen a hundred other times in these. Am I supposed to be shocked that urban renewal leaders are greedy, egotistical, and racist?
  
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Merissa (11805 KP) created a post

Mar 25, 2021  
BEING REMADE by Lissa Bolts (@lissabolts) COMING MARCH 31!

The second book in a New Adult Urban Fantasy series ‘Ruling Magic’ with magic, romance, secrets and a dangerous mission.

🔥🔥🔥

  She must forge her own path to save them all.

#PRE-ORDER NOW: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N447CYZ

---

BLURB

So the entire mage world is looking for me. Who cares?

I’m not going back.

I’ve finally tasted freedom, and even though I hate that I accidentally left my sort-of-boyfriend behind, there’s no way I’m giving this up.

Not yet.

I’ve got things to do here. If I’m going to change the world, I’ll need to see it first. Preferably before Mother reduces everything to dust, waging her deadly war.

So, I’m blending in. Learning what it takes to be a regular mage. Pretending I’m not the missing heir plastered all over the news…

The only problem is, keeping my ruling powers hidden is proving tougher than I thought. The other mages? They’re starting to notice I’m different.

Sooner or later, they’re going to figure me out. And while not everyone looking wants me dead, one thing is clear. If I don’t see this mission through?

It’s game over. For all of us.

---

#Bookstagrammers and #BookBloggers SIGN UP for BOOK BLITZ here: https://forms.gle/k3dbqKDnk4LuRJ8z7

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@magicpenbooktours #BeingRemade #RulingMagicSeries #RulingMagic #LissaBolts #MagicPenBookTours #UrbanFantasy #ParanormalRomance #ComingSoon #bookstagram #fantasybookseries #romancebooks #urbanfantasylovers #newread #booklovers #urbanfantasyreaders #indiebooks #urbanfantasybooks #magicbooks #bookbloggerswanted #bookstagrammerswanted #opensignup #magic #romance #bookgram #newadultbooks #newadult
     
Better - Single by Joycie
Better - Single by Joycie
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Joycie is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from Pensacola, Florida. Not too long ago, she released an adorable contemporary R&B tune, entitled, “Better”, produced by Faithe Franklin.

“I’m not a stranger to mishaps, I’m never wanting an adverse reaction. You won’t, you won’t let me down. You love me better than I ever loved, you touch me better than I ever could.” – lyrics

‘Better’ tells a charming tale of a young woman who isn’t a stranger to disappointments. Therefore, she builds herself up because she expects to be let down by those who she gives her heart to.

Apparently, she’s head-over-heels in love with a guy who she shares a potentially serious relationship with.

Even though he’s much better than anyone she’s ever been with, she tries to avoid a letdown by running away from her love for him. But she is unable to do so because her love for him is too strong for her to let go of it.

‘Better’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and melodic instrumentation flavored with contemporary R&B and urban-pop elements.

“‘Better’ tells the story of a girl that has a history of heartbreaks and knows the signs all too well. She’s met someone but has tried to put up a wall just in case things doesn’t go well. Somehow, her walls fall, and she lets this person in because they love her better than she ever thought possible.” – Joycie
  
Anointed
Anointed
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The cover grabbed my attention straight away when I saw this in the Netgalley catalogue. You should know by now that I like a good cover.
 
Then comes the story... Well. I read books for the romance aspect and it took a little too long, in my opinion, for anything even slightly romantic to happen. Yeah, I get she's on a mission to save the world and everything but surely she's allowed a little fun? Nevertheless, when it did happen. Phew! It was scorching. The attraction between Alana and Gaelen was hot from the very first meeting...and his eyes! The only problem with their attraction is that they don't particularly like or trust each other so they fight it, which results in some hot scenes.
 
There was a lot of description, which I will honestly say bores me to death sometimes and I skip over large areas. In this I scanned it, looking for important stuff that I might need to know.
 
It had a fair share of location changes; going from London to Wales to Italy to Ireland, as Alana hunted for the items and the information she needed to stop the demons from coming through the rift.
 
Not really for me, but if you like Urban Fantasy, lots of description, or some steamy sex scenes and attraction then this is probably for you.
  
With Silent Screams ( Hellequin book 3)
With Silent Screams ( Hellequin book 3)
Steve McHugh | 2021 | Horror
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
199 of 250
Kindle
With Silent Screams ( Hellequin book 3)
By Steve McHugh

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

His name is Nathan Garrett, but he's also known as Hellequin. And murdering one of his friends and trying to blow him up is a good way to get this centuries-old sorcerer's full attention... An old friend's dead body, a cryptic note, and an explosion that almost costs him his own life propel Nate headfirst into a mystery involving a new threat from an old foe. Now he must piece together the connections between a grisly series of tattooed murder victims, an imprisoned madman, a mysterious alchemist, and a deranged plot to usurp the throne of the hidden realm of Shadow Falls, rival to the power of Avalon.

Can Nate avert the coming slaughter, or will he become the latest to fall in this clandestine war?

With the story careening between modern-day New York and Ontario and 1977 Maine, With Silent Screams continues the gritty and action-packed mix of urban fantasy and ancient mythology that mark Steve McHugh's popular Hellequin Chronicles.


This is becoming one of my favourite series and they are getting better with every book! This is book 3 and the best one yet it’s so intricate without being overbearing. I love Nate and his many friends figures from real history and fictional. I could read these over and over. Brilliant series!
  
WO
Wages of Sin ( Cin Craven book 1)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
46 of 230
Book
Wages of Sin (Cin Craven Book 1)
Jenna MacLaine
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dulcinea Macgregor Craven is the only child of a wealthy English viscount. She is also a natural witch, one of a long line of Macgregor witches on her mother's side. When her parents are killed in a carriage accident, Dulcie doesn't think her life can get much worse. Then an old childhood friend returns to the country a little bit differently than he left and vows that nothing will stop him from possessing her and her magic.

In a desperate attempt to save her life, Dulcie summons a trio of vampires called The Righteous to her aid. With the help of The Righteous and four human friends, Dulcie attempts to thwart her enemy's plans to capture her and use her magic for his own evil purposes.

Even as she falls in love for the first time, Dulcie realizes that she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save the world.

I absolutely loved this book historical fiction meets urban fantasy just couldn’t put it down. Dulci is brilliant and I love the Righteous especially Justine. Not what I was expecting at all. As Dulcie becomes CIN she develops more and into a much stronger character and female lead! I’m hoping to learn more on the werewolf “woof” in the next book.
  
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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Fractured part 1 ( Society book 11) in Books

Jan 7, 2023 (Updated Jan 7, 2023)  
FP
Fractured part 1 ( Society book 11)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
6 of 235
Kindle
Fractured part 1 ( Society book 11)
By Mason Sabre
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Society law states that mixing the species is illegal, and anyone who breaches this rule will be executed.

The next heart-pounding instalment in Mason Sabre's Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, Society Series.

Cade MacDonald, shifter, wolf, son of the alpha, detective … law breaker.

He is a man who believes that we only get one life and is willing to do whatever it takes to do the right thing in his, even if it means breaking those laws.

When a young shifter is hunted down and slaughtered for the same secret Cade holds close to his own heart, he must face more truths than his soul can stand. Does he risk everything and fight for Gemma Davies, shifter, tiger, member of a different species—the one thing in the world that makes sense to him, or does he abide by the laws and lose everything?


I love love love this series! We are back with Gemma and Cade as they fight to stay apart not knowing they are being lied to left right and centre. This series just drags you in every single book whether it’s a short novella or a full book. I have to pace myself as I’ll read the lot in days. We also have the mysterious Henry trying to convince Gemma she’s his reincarnated lost love. It’s all hotting up.
  
132 of 235
Kindle
Midnight Spells ( Witches of Hollow Cove 2)
By Kim Richardson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Get ready for this heart-pounding and laugh out loud magical adventure! Just when I thought I’d finally gotten my life back on track, the unexpected happens. It’s the annual Night Festival in Hollow Cove, a paranormal festival extravaganza that lasts for five nights and features a multitude of powerful faces in our paranormal circles. There’s only one little problem. Someone ends up dead. And I’m the one accused of murder. As my life spirals down the crapper once again, things between me and Marcus are even more confusing than ever before—hot—but ridiculously confusing. And to add to my wondrous good fortune—something or someone is trying to kill me. So, what is a witch do to? Find the culprit and clear my name, that’s what. If you like fast-paced urban fantasy adventure with a kick-butt heroine and plenty of action, suspense, and humor, you’ll love Midnight Spells.

This is becoming one of my favourite witch series I love the characters and stories. These books are so easy to fall into and read. Ronin makes me laugh so much he is definitely one of my favs! These books would definitely lift any reading slump esteem if you like a something a little quirky. It’s still the only Gorilla shifter I’ve ever come across too!
  
American Assassin (2017)
American Assassin (2017)
2017 | Action, Thriller
Great, another terrorism thriller
Just what the world needs, another ill-timed terrorism-based thriller – you can almost hear the groans can’t you? It seems the movie-going public just can’t get enough of these accounts of urban terrorism.

Last year’s diabolical London Has Fallen inexplicably took over $200million at the box office and the better-received Unlocked also performed well commercially. All of this in spite of the constant threat posed by terrorism across the globe.

Now, there’s a new kid on the block. American Assassin. But does this film based on the novel of the same name do enough to be different?

When Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton) takes CIA black ops recruit Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien) under his wing, they receive an assignment to investigate a wave of random attacks on both military and civilian targets. After discovering a pattern of violence, Hurley and Rapp join forces with a lethal Turkish agent to stop a mysterious operative who wants to start a global war.

Michael Cuesta’s film is propped up by a nicely shot opening in which Dylan O’Brien’s Mitch comes up against Islamic terrorists while on holiday with his fiancé. Naturally, she’s brutally murdered and it becomes Mitch’s life-ambition to hunt down terrorist cells across the world.

Yes, you heard me right. That’s the plot. Ridiculous in every way and frankly, a little boring, American Assassin is a poor excuse for a film riddled with dreadful dialogue, phoned-in performances and uninspiring camerawork.

What makes it worse is that Maze Runner rising star Dylan O’Brien thought it would be a good idea to helm such a vehicle. He performs well but feels at odds with the film’s dark tone and is in serious danger of doing a post-Abduction Taylor Lautner and tanking his promising career. Michael Keaton’s bizarre effort here is the polar opposite of his genuinely menacing turn in Spider-Man: Homecoming only two months ago.

The rest of the cast might as well be made of cardboard they’re that uninteresting and while globe-trotting should evoke some visual joy, the scenery feels flat, hampered by a dull colour palette and the fact it’s been done to death already.

As American Assassin steamrolls to a 70s-esque Bond finale, we’re subjected to some torturous CGI, though Cuesta does well to ramp up the tension a little, but it’s the subject matter once again that proves a sticking point.

In a world where our fears of urban terrorism are greater than ever, should we be classing films like this as ‘entertainment’? Take the opening sequence for example, as nicely choreographed as it is, the parallels to the dreadful Tunisian beach attack of 2015 linger in the back of my mind and I find it all very much in poor taste.

Overall, American Assassin is yet another addition to the already overstuffed terrorism thriller genre that adds absolutely nothing new. The performances are dull, the story is flat and the cinematography is uninspired. Poor Dylan O’Brien left the Maze for this?

https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/09/15/american-assassin-review/
  
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Guaranteeing a “safe passage through the anus”!
I’m neither a Marvel fan, nor (in particular) a Thor fan….. but I have to admit “Thor: Ragnarok” was brilliant from beginning to end.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has been travelling the universe in search of… stuff… (I neither remember nor care)… but returns to his home planet of Asgard with a dire warning of impending ‘Raganrok’: this being the ‘End of Days’ for Asgard. But he finds the court engaged in serious leisure time!
ragnarok4
“Shave and a hair cut… two stripes”

Things go from bad to worse when Hela (Cate Blanchett, “Carol“) – someone with more than a passing relationship to Thor – arrives with a mission to assume the throne. Teamed uncomfortably with half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston, “High Rise”), the brothers get cast millions of light years away to a planet lorded over by a ‘grand master’ (a lovely performance, that I will leave anonymous here) who pits new gladiators in an arena against his latest champion. You’ll never guess who his champion is? Well, OK (cos the trailer gives it away)… he’s big and green!
ragnarok2
The grand master’s champion. Opponents are green with envy.

The film’s script is hilarious. It generates an enormous volume of entertainment with laugh-out loud moments throughout; the unforseen involvement of other Marvel characters; some startling cameos all mixed with the usual brand of spectacular fights and action. Some of the action is surprising: a real eye-opener you might say.
ragnarok3
Tessa Thompson as the Valkyrie in full flight.

The lead cast (Hemsworth, Hiddleston, Blanchett and Ruffalo) all perform admirably and are joined by heavyweight cameos from Anthony Hopkins (“Westworld”) and Idris Elba (“Bastille Day“) reprising their roles from “Thor: The Dark World”. Particularly impressive is Tessa Thompson (“Creed“) as Thor’s Valkyrie warrior side-kick and Karl Urban (“Star Trek: Into Darkness“) as the turn-coat Asgardian Skurge.
ragnarok5
The real McCoy. Karl Urban as the Skurge of Asgard.

Directed by young New Zealander Taika Waititi (behind last year’s successful indie hit “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”) it’s a breath of fresh air for the Thor franchise, more similar to the style of “Guardians of the Galaxy” rather than the previous films in the series. Waititi also saves all the best comedy lines for himself as the ‘rock warrior’ character Korg: his New Zealand twang delivering just side-splitting dialogue.
Hela (Cate Blanchett)
Hela may be a super-villain, but she still hasn’t learned to hold a hammer by the right end.

As with most Marvel films, its a little bit flabby in places, running to 130 minutes: some of the dialogue, particularly scenes between Hemsworth and Ruffalo, feel like they needed tightening up in the editing suite. This time of course includes the scrolling of endless teams of visual effect artists in the closing titles which – naturally – 90% of the audience stay for to see if there are any “monkeys“. In fact,there are two: one fairly early on; the other right at the end. (To be honest, I thought neither of them was particularly worth waiting for).
However overall the movie is highly recommended for a fun night out at the cinema.