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World War Z (2013)
World War Z (2013)
2013 | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Brad Pitt has become one of Hollywood’s best loved actors over the years and it isn’t difficult to see why. His chiselled good looks, slick blonde hair and quiet confidence have all ensured he is never short of work. Here, he teams up with director Marc Forster who helmed the disappointing James Bond sequel, Quantum of Solace, in the latest zombie film to hit the screens; World War Z, but is it any good?

Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a former UN investigator who has chosen the quiet life and retired early to spend more time with his wife and children. Whilst taking his wife Karin and two daughters Rachel and Constance out in the car, they become stuck in heavy traffic which marks the start of the mayhem. From then on this 116 minute thrill ride puts the viewer on the edge of their seat more times than an Alton Towers rollercoaster.

After fleeing the hordes of ridiculously fast and ridiculously terrifying undead, Lane and his family board a US aircraft carrier where they are told they will be safe; however, as always, there is a price to pay. Gerry must start work once again to try and find the epicentre of the zombie virus – otherwise, the entire world will be lost. From here, Gerry’s mission is to travel across the globe trying to find what it is that has infected nearly 100% of the planet’s population.

What plays out could be described as a formulaic horror film, but it is so much more than that. Whilst it’s true that there isn’t enough character development, in fact there is only 5 minutes of it right at the beginning, director Marc Forster has cleverly allowed the audience to make up their own minds about the family’s back story and whether we care if they survive or not.

World War Z is not a film for the faint hearted, and whilst blood and guts are quite sparse for a movie with a 15 certificate, there are some truly terrifying moments, many of which will have your heart pumping through your chest.

There are scenes here that really get the adrenaline flowing, one of which involving a stowaway zombie onboard a commercial jet will leave you biting your lip, grabbing your seat and looking through your fingers in shock, horror and intense excitement. It’s safe to say I came away with very bitten fingernails.

Special effects are on par with some of the better blockbusters of the last couple of years. They aren’t as in your face as those in Transformers, nor as lacklustre as the CGI in I am Legend, they are right in the middle and because the effect is used incredibly subtly, you don’t notice when extras stop playing the zombies and the animators take over.

However, it is in the acting that this film really succeeds. Pitt is fantastic as Gerry Lane, his quiet sense of confidence never turns into arrogance as he fights for survival and this will hold the character in high esteem with audiences. He doesn’t pretend to be an action hero, heck, he even makes the kind of mistakes that any human would do if they were under pressure, and thankfully he does all of this beautifully; his characterisation is absolute perfection. The rest of his family are also excellent, Abigail Hargrove and Sterling Jerins who play Rachel and Constance respectively are very good indeed; you truly believe they are missing their father and cannot wait to see him return. The rest of the cast do very well with the limited roles they have, but let’s not forget that this is a Brad Pitt one-man show and he is more than up to the job.

Unfortunately, the cinematography really lets the film down. There is far too much handy-cam in the first 30 minutes, something which I hate. Directors often use it to sustain a sense of alarm and terror, but Marc Forster has used it to such an extent here that it made me feel physically sick. Moreover, whilst the story is solid, it is nothing more than that, and often the plot takes a back seat to the impressive action pieces meaning that the film seems to go through the motions of 10 minutes plot, 10 action, and so on.

Overall, World War Z is a very impressive film. The sheer scale of the virus means that Marc Forster has utilised some beautiful scenery from across the globe. Whilst it may be slightly too long for a zombie film at just under 2 hours, and have a distinct lack of character development; the impressive story, brilliant acting and very good special effects help lift it above the norm. This is a ride better than any rollercoaster, and is 100% worth the increasingly expensive price of a cinema admission ticket.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2013/06/22/world-war-z-review-2013/
  
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
2022 | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
7
7.0 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The Magic is Fading
Alas, the magic is fading in the Wizarding World

The 3rd installment of the Fantastic Beasts saga, THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE is satisfying enough for fans of the ongoing Wizarding World of Harry Potter universe and will be time well spent for those of you that have watched all 8 Harry Potter films and the first 2 FANTASTIC BEASTS films, but it is nothing…magical.

Picking up where the 2nd film (THE CRIMES OF GRINDEWALD) left off, the arch-nemesis of Dumbledore (a game Jude Law) is in power and looking to start a war with the Muggles (non-magic folk). A ragtag group of heroes (are there any other kind) led by Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) are humanity’s only hope.

And…while this worked well in the first series of film…this setup falls rather flat as it has a “been there done that” feel to it that is not really elevated above the ordinary.

The reason are numerous:

First, Newt Scamander is no Harry Potter. While Eddie Redymayne plays an interesting, quirky, central character - a character who’s unique skills were needed to defeat the bad guy in the first film - he is, really, a secondary character, yet he is the one we follow throughout the film. Kind of like watching the Harry Potter films through the eyes of Neville Longbottom.

Secondly, Grindewald (this time played by Mads Mikkelsen, replacing Johnny Depp) is no Voldemort. Grindewald was an interesting character set up in the first film, but by this film, he is pretty bland (and pretty blandly played by Mikkeslen who is, frankly, miscast).

Thirdly, Dumbledore (Jude Law in a very good performance, one that needed to be larger and more central) is sidelined for most of this film - a film about the battle between Grindewald and Dumbledore, a stumble (plotwise) to be sure in an awkward attempt to keeping the Newt Scamander character front and center.

Fortunately, the supporting cast is strong from Dan Fogler’s muggle, Jacob Kowalski to his love, Queenie (Alison Sudol) to Newt’s brother, Theseus (Callum Turner) to Newt’s assistant Bunty (Victoria Yeates) to Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth (Richard Coyle) - all have their moments and are interesting (enough) to watch.

Unfortunately, Ezra Miller’s conflicted villain, Credence is poorly written with a crescendo to his character that lands with a thud. And, the inexplicable reason that Katherine Waterston’s main character of Tina is sidelined (rumors are she conflicted with J.K. Rowling) just doesn’t land, so, consequently, 2 major pieces from the first 2 films just don’t work.

What does work in this film is the magical sequences, as handled by Harry Potter veteran David Yates (who has now helmed 6 films in the Wizarding World franchise), the magical scenes are truly…magical. They are fun to watch and the real reason to watch this film, but the story is weak with a misguided viewpoint character that diminishes the fantasy for all.

Rumors are that this was supposed to be a 5 film franchise, but with box office diminishing for each successive Fantastic Beasts films, the filmmakers wisely decided to wrap up most storylines in this film.

It’s time to say goodbye to FANTASTIC BEASTS, but it should be time for the Wizarding World to go the way of Star Wars, Marvel and Star Trek - streaming TV series that breathes new life - and new, interesting characters - to a sagging franchise.

In the meantime, FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE is “good enough” and since it is all we have at the moment, it will have to do.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) - and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Kiss of Vengeance
Kiss of Vengeance
S. Young, Samantha Young | 2020 | Paranormal, Romance
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Faeries (0 more)
Too much slow burn for my taste
3 1/2 Caffeinated Stars

Kiss of Vengeance is the second book in the True Immortality series by S. Young. As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of Samantha Young & I thoroughly enjoyed War of Hearts. When I received this book in exchange for an honest review, I was extremely excited to dive into it, but it just wasn't my favorite. It had many of the elements I love, but at times it fell flat.

This book was a slow burn with an enemy to lover trope feel. Unfortunately, it was indeed a slow burn. There was nothing more than one-sided flirting for over 50% of the book. When I'm reading a romance, I want it to be the focal point, and it didn't feel like a focal point until 70% into the book.

Though the slow burn romance wasn't my favorite, I loved the world that S. Young created. The fantasy aspects were what kept me going. Learning about the fae & seeing their abilities kept me thoroughly entertained. I enjoyed seeing Rose learn her skills, and it was fun to see her interact with Fionn as her mentor. I do have to say that at times, her fixation on Fionn and flirting felt like her sole personality trait.

I would have loved to see more of Rose's interaction with any character that wasn't a "hot guy." When Rose wasn't flirting, I loved her strength and determination. Her joy for her abilities was something I loved about her. Fionn was a complex character. I loved learning about his background & seeing his struggle.

Even though I didn't enjoy the book as much as I liked, I'll be continuing on in the series. The fantasy and world-building were fantastic, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the series goes.
  
VT
Viper: The Prophecy (Odins Wolves 2)
Candi Fox | 2023
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
155 of 235
Kindle
Viper :The Prophecy (Odins Wolves MC 2)
By Candi Fox
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gaia. the mother of all created a werewolf shifter class to serve as guardians. To avoid war, Gaia gifted those that answered the call to Odin, who infused the warriors with immortality creating a class of demigods who fight for justice.
20 years ago, the world found out that humans were not the only Earth dwellers. Now Dark Fae and Shifters live in the light.
Logan Haagan: Viper, Viking demigod, and retired Dallas police officer will join his brothers in White Horse, OK as part of the OWMC who will work to exact justice when the law can’t. Before leaving Dallas, Viper sees Lady Death fight in an underground ring. The fight has mafia ties and ruthlessly pits all manner of dark fae creatures often encouraging the death of the loser.
Billie, Lady Death has been fighting for the Tromlui capo, Cayum since she was a teenager. She becomes a champion of the ring and wants nothing more than to win her contract back and help her friend who is being threatened. Viper and Synne, a dark fae, work to get her released, but Cayum is not easily discouraged and will stop at nothing to keep Billie right where he wants her.
Viper and Billie are sent to New Orleans to uncover a curse, unearth an ancient vampire relic, and discover an age-old prophecy that will change everything...
Don’t miss this epic tale of myths, justice, and prophecy.

I did enjoy this one but think I was expecting to feel the same as I did about book 1 and I didn’t. The world building is really good with complex characters and storylines. Loved catching up with Odins wolves and finding other creatures especially loving Deaths identity . Also a gator shifter that’s a first for me too!
  
The Strain  - Season 4
The Strain - Season 4
2017 | Sci-Fi
Fantastic finish (2 more)
Twists and turns, you never see what's coming
Bring the band back together
A little to much drama (0 more)
Heart stopping ending to an amazing show
Contains spoilers, click to show
I thought I should come back and write a review for the completion of the 4th and final season of The Strain. Overall this was a fantastic season and finale. After the 3rd season ended you just thought the vampires were just going to win the whole thing and take over the world. It left you wondering where everyone was going to end up and if they were even going to fight back.

Well fight back they did. The season did start out fairly slow, learning where everyone ended up and what they were doing to win the war. Eff was the one that just gave up until running into some resistance fighters. I guess having your son start a nuclear war will do that. The rest of the team broke off to find was to fight back and kill the master. By episode 4 you saw were everyone was and they were working their way back to New York to kill the Master.


One of the coolest thing I think I got to learn about this season was some back story on Quilan and why he was in the fight. The flashbacks was something I didn't think we were going to get this season.


There were a lot of sad parts to the final 2 episode. Losing the professor I think was the hardest part. Even though he was kranky, everyone still loved him and wanted to see him finally kill the Master, but his did the next best thing and kill his Nazi enemy.


I won't tell you who dies at the end, but if you followed the comics you already know. If you have never watched the show pick it up or stream it. This was a fantastic show and sorry to see it come to a close, but it was a great closing episode, that is so rare sometimes. Happy hunting and if you see a big old wooden coffin, don't open it.
  
Where Every Man (Inspector James Given #4)
Where Every Man (Inspector James Given #4)
Charlie Garratt | 2020 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Where Every Man by Charlie Garrett is set in rural France at the beginning of the second World War. James Given has retired from the police force back in England and has moved with his wife Rachel, to work on a farm. He seems happy with the work, and their plan is to move south with the good weather. This looks increasingly less likely as time progresses because of the approach of the German army towards France’s borders. Regardless, James and Rachel love their lives in the small French town, and consider staying anyway. Rachel teaches local students to play the violin, and it’s one of these students who draws James back in to his role as an investigator when the local librarian dies unexpectedly. The local policeman believes its merely a cycling accident, but it increasingly looks like it’s murder. When James looks further in to the accident, it appears there is a German spy in the village. Before he can do anything about it, the spy disappears. Did the spy have anything to do with the death of the librarian?

This mystery played out so well, and I loved the interactions between James and the violin student. She wants to work as a police officer when she leaves school - much to her fathers disapproval. The students role in the story was a really good way of showing how James approached the task of solving a murder.

I have to say, I read a lot of this with a feeling of mild panic, especially when James goes to visit his uncle and his family nearby. It showed the vulnerable position he and his family were in as Jews in France. Even though James and Rachel have forged passports that showed that they were Christians, there was still that worry for them and their family - and the spectre of the Nazis is hanging over this whole story.

I always enjoy these James Given books, and I’m intrigued to see what comes for him next as war approaches.

Many thanks to Sapere Books for a copy of this book to read and honestly review - I really enjoy this series (I bought books 2 and 3 myself, if that’s anything to go by!)
  
Reclamation ( Shadowed Wings book 3)
Reclamation ( Shadowed Wings book 3)
Ivy Asher | 2022
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
162 of 230
Kindle
Reclamation ( Shadowed Wings book 3)
By Ivy Ash
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

The last place I ever wanted to be was in the middle of someone else’s war. Too bad fate doesn’t give a fuck.

When I first woke up in the land of the Gryphons, I had one goal...getting back home.

I was so focused on figuring out how to leave that I got myself exiled from the Hidden, captured by the Avowed, and managed to claim not one, but three mates. Although I had no idea about that last one until it was too late.

Oh right, and then I almost died.

I thought having my throat slit from ear to ear was going to be the worst of my problems. But my asshole mates make coming back from the brink of death look like a glide through the sky compared to dealing with them.

I’m ready to accept my fate and right the wrongs of the past. I just wish I had some idea how to keep the pricks I’m bound to from fighting long enough so we can find the help we need.

I’m supposed to awaken all that I am in order to finally free the Gryphons, but will I find the key to unlock all the answers in time?

War is breathing down our backs, and if we can’t figure out how to come together...we’re all going to die.

So I was left reeling after the last two chapters in book 2 so I was thinking all sorts going into book 3. I just loved this book I think Falon is just brilliant she just does not give a f**k. She finally stands up to the 3 meat heads she is mated too and that scene I was just laughing. She finally finds her place in the world and does it with such a filthy mouth, there’s no holding her back. She reminds me so much of a person in my life. Definitely a series I’d recommend I think I need to start the series before this one as the ending has me believing they are lin