As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for September 2019!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
#1 Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Owens
Ina quiet town on the North Carolina coast in 1969, a young woman who survived alone in the marsh becomes a murder suspect.
QUESTION: Is Batman just a rich man with toys or is he a metahuman?
About a week ago, I got into a discussion about Batman with some friends. I stated that he is just a rich man with toys and they got visually offended and argued that he is in fact a metahuman. Not wanting to speak out of turn, I did a little research to figure out what the heck they were talking about.
Let me start by saying, Batman is NOT my favorite superhero. I like his origin story. As a young boy, Bruce Wayne, witnesses his parents being murdered by a mugger. That experience drives him to fight crime in Gotham City, he does so by taking on the identity of Batman. Pretty cool, but just wanting to fight crime doesn’t make him a metahuman.
Batman, from what I know of him… through movies alone – I admit I have not read the comics… but what I know of him, Bruce Wayne, or rather Batman has no inherent superhuman abilities. He simply relies on his own scientific knowledge, detective skills, and athletic abilities. He is smart… very smart, but the last time I checked being intelligent doesn’t make you a metahuman. If it did, wouldn’t geniuses like Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, and Von Goethe all be considered metahumans?
The thing is, the appeal for me, and so many others, is that Bruce Wayne is in fact NOT a metahuman. It’s a huge redeeming factor for him. Batman, like the Green Arrow are just really good at what they do, but they aren’t metahumans. They don’t have any special skills or powers.
Sure, Batman is the worlds greatest detective… So was Sherlock Holmes, but no one ever called him a metahuman! The cool thing about Batman is that he doesn’t need powers. He is the only superhero in the trinity (Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman) who doesn’t have special powers. He is one of the only members of the current Justice League lineup who doesn’t have metahuman abilities and that is awesome! The appeal of Batman has always been that he is simply a rich man with toys who wants to make Gotham City a better place and rid it of crime. His super power is his money and he uses his money for good.
Now, with that said, with the introduction of the Dark Knights: Metal comic book in 2017… which dealt with the weird metals in the DC universe… it seems that we’re being told that Batman was actually exposed to Dionysian, one of these dark metals, which has given him metahuman like powers. Basically, metahumans are created by these dark metals and since Batman was exposed to the metals, he is now being called a metahuman. What does being a metahuman allow Batman to do that he couldn’t do before when he was merely human? Well, he now has the ability to overcoming his injuries and he is stronger and more powerful than he has ever been.
I guess, technically he is a metahuman because this dark metal now runs through his veins… but I still just see him as a rich man with toys. What do you think, is Batman a rich man with toys or a metahuman?
MY FAVORITE BATMAN:
Michael Keaton will always be my batman. However, the list of actors who’ve played batman is pretty amazing. from the very first batman; Lewis Wilson in 1943 to Ben Affleck in 2017. Not to mention Dante Pereira-Olson who will be playing Batman in the soon to be released Joker on October 4, 2019 or Robert Pattinson who will be playing Batman in The Batman which is set to be released some time in June of 2021.
COMMENT BELOW AND TELL ME WHAT ACTOR PLAYED YOUR FAVORITE BATMAN!
Batman (Throughout History):
FILM
U.S. RELEASE DATE
ACTOR
DIRECTOR
Batman
7/16/1943
Lewis Wilson
Lambert
Hillyer
Batman and
Robin
6/26/1949
Robert
Lowery
Spencer
Gordon Bennet
Batman: The
Movie
7/30/1966
Adam West
Leslie H.
Martinson
Batman
6/23/1989
Michael
Keaton
Tim Burton
Batman
Returns
6/19/1992
Michael
Keaton
Tim Burton
Batman
Forever
6/16/1995
Val Kilmer
Joel Schumacher
Batman &
Robin
6/20/1997
George
Clooney
Joel Schumacher
Batman
Begins
6/25/2005
Christian
Bale
Christopher
Nolan
The Dark Knight
7/18/2008
Christian
Bale
Christopher
Nolan
The Dark Knight
Rises
7/20/2012
Christian
Bale
Christopher
Nolan
Batman V
Superman: Dawn of Justice
3/25/2016
Ben Affleck
Zack Snyder
Suicide
Squad
8/5/2016
Ben Affleck
David Ayer
Justice
League
11/17/2017
Ben Affleck
Zack Snyder
*Joker
October 2,
2019
Dante
Pereira-Olson
Todd Phillips
*The Batman
6/25/2021
Robert
Pattison
Matt Reeves
MY FAVORITE BATMAN QUOTES:
“It’s
not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.” ~ Bruce Wayne / Batman
“All
men have limits. They learn what they are and learn not to exceed them. I
ignore mine.” ~ Batman
“I
wear a mask. And that mask, it’s not to hide who I am, but to create what I am.”
~ Batman
What do you think?
I want to know what you think… Where do
you fall in the Batman: Human Vs. Metahuman debate? Comment below and let me
know. I still believe he is human, but I’d love for someone to convince me
otherwise!
Check out the video on my YouTube channel below…
and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
Alita is a creation from an age of despair. Found by the mysterious Dr. Ido while trolling for cyborg parts, Alita becomes a lethal, dangerous being. She cannot remember who she is, or where she came from. But to Dr. Ido, the truth is all too clear. She is the one being who can break the cycle of death and destruction left behind from Tiphares. But to accomplish her true purpose, she must fight and kill. And that is where Alita’s true significance comes to bear. She is an angel from heaven. She is an angel of death. Written byAnthony Harmon
MY 2 CENTS:
Writing/Story: ★★★★
This movie was Based on a graphic novel series by Yukito Kishiro. I haven’t read the graphic novel series so I can’t compare them to the movie. I’m just reviewing what I saw on screen and I personally think that James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis did an awesome job with the adaption and that Robert Rodriquez was exactly the right director to bring it to life.
Right from the start of the film, you are swept away in this mysterious, dangerous new world where nothing is as we know it today yet the societal struggles of class are all too familiar.
The only think I really had a problem
with was the unnecessary romantic storyline. I didn’t really believe the
relationship between Alita and the local boy who falls in love with her.
Cinematography: ★★★★★
I don’t usually call out the cinematographer by name, but this film was so much fun to watch and the imagery that Bill Pope gave us on screen was truly beautiful. The world created in this film is stunning and the effects are amazing!
The motor ball scenes which depict this
world’s sporting event are insane. Basically, the players go around a race-track
with a metal ball that they have to capture. Its violent and fast-paced, and so
exciting. As a movie goer, I was drawn right in.
The visuals in this world are insane!!!
The fight sequences are so exciting. I love a strong female character, but I do
think that Alita is a character than all movie goers can enjoy.
Character(s)/Acting: ★★★★
Rosa Salazar was fantastic as Alita and the special effects associated with her character were astounding. I will definitely be checkout out more of her work.
Christoph Waltz was good as Dr. Dyson Ido. You could really feel his fatherly love for Alita as well as his internal struggle with what he was doing just to survive.
I’m a Jennifer Connelly fan but with this film, I felt that her character was really under-utilized. There just wasn’t much character development with her character. I felt like they could have done so much more with her.
Mahershala Ali was another actor that just felt stagnant in this film. There wasn’t much to his character. He was a puppet and I felt like just about anyone could have played his role.
Keean Johnson who plays Hugo, Alita’s love interest, actually surprised me. No, I didn’t believe the romance between them, but he did a great job with his internal struggle. He so desperately wanted to get up to the upper world and will do, and has done, literally anything he has to do to get there. Then, when he meets Alita his starts to struggle with some of his decisions.
MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“This is just a body. It’s not bad or good. That part’s up to you.” ~ Dr. Dyson Ido
“You’ve been given a chance to start over with a clean slate. How many of us get that?” ~ Dr. Dyson Ido
TO SUM IT UP:
Overall,
I loved this film. I’ve seen some less than flattering reviews on it, but I
really enjoyed it and think it was a lot of fun. Sometimes you really just want
a fun, strong, unstoppable character and that’s what you get with Alita.
Have
you seen Alita: Battle Angel yet? If you have let me know, in the comments
below, what you thought of it!
Check out my YouTube channel and the video
review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for August 2019!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the title or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
#1 ONE GOOD DEED
by David Baldacci
A World War II veteran on parole must find the real killer in a small town or face going back to jail.
What was the last thing you read or saw that really inspired you?
The
last thing that really inspired me wasn’t something that I read or saw… it was
a conversation I had while out in Los Angeles recently. I was visiting with an
old friend and we were talking, over coffee, about all the screenplays he has
written. He’s a struggling writer out in L.A. trying to make it in ‘the
industry’ and he was telling me how he reads 60+ scripts a week and has written
40, 50, 60+ scripts himself. I can’t remember the exact number. I just remember
thinking, WOW!
This
guy, in my opinion, is one of the most talented screenplay writers I’ve ever
met… yet he is struggling. It’s not easy to sell a script in Hollywood. It’s
not easy to pitch ideas and get turned down again and again. It’s not easy to
keep your spirits up and continue to be motivated to put pen to paper… or
rather fingers to keyboard. Yet, he does it. He does it every day, day after
day, week after week. He hasn’t given up and neither will I.
His
drive to keep going. His determination to continue pursuing his dream inspires
me to do the same.
Alright,
now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in
you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing.
Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
What was the last thing you read or saw that really inspired you?
Are you an author
looking for inspiration? Take some advice from these amazing authors:
Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children says, Start a collection!
Cormac McCarthy, author of ‘The Road’ says to talk to people!
David Mitchell, author of ‘Cloud Atlas’ says to explore extended metaphors!
Are you an author who is looking for ways to stay organized and on track with all your writing goals? Check out my author workbooks below. They are full of all the tools I use in my writing process!
Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel
It isn’t just for indie-authors. I have filled it with all the tools I’ve learned over the years and use on a regular basis with each book I write.
Want help meeting your writing goals? Check out JUST WRITE: The Ultimate Author’s Bullet Journal
Sitting in a quiet, comfortable space, I want you to
focus on your breathing. Once you’re fully relaxed – but not sleeping – think about
your day and how you’re feeling right now. What is happening in your life? Are
you anxious, frustrated, stressed, upset, angry, saddened, or disappointed
about anything? If not, I applaud you. If you are feeling any of these emotions
lets take a few minutes to accept them.
Whatever the cause, and it really doesn’t matter, you
need to understand that your emotions are natural. It’s okay to feel frustrated,
angry, sad. It’s okay to feel whatever it is you’re feeling. It’s how you deal
with those emotions that matter. Learning to accept them will allow you to deal
with them in a healthy, non-disruptive way.
As you focus on the negative emotions you might be feeling,
I want you to take long, slow, deep breaths in then release those breaths with
the mantra “It’s natural to feel this way. It’s okay for me to feel this way.”
Continue this for 3-5 minutes and repeat any time your
emotions start to feel overwhelming.
Keeping a
journal is a great way to connect with your emotions. This could be through a
joy journal, a gratitude journal, an acts of kindness journal, or even a rant
journal. If you’re wondering what a rant journal is… you’re in luck, because
that is today’s journaling exercise.
For five minutes, and only five minutes, I give you permission to rant… This is
useful when you’re feeling upset, angry, sad, overly emotional in any way. Avoid
writing down what you think is causing your emotions… avoid blame. Simply write
down the emotions you’re feeling. Recognizing your emotions and understanding
that it is natural to feel those things is the first step in allowing yourself
to accept your emotions without giving them the power to become overwhelming.
* * * * *
Check out
my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you
never miss an episode!
I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for JULY 2019!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the title or the (BUY IT HERE) button.
#1 Summer of ’69
by Elin Hilderbrand
The Levin family undergoes dramatic events with a son in Vietnam, a daughter in protests and dark secrets hiding beneath the surface.
Nina Soden 