Saturday, November 5, 2016

School Days Weren't All That Bad

In passing the da's ever-on telly today I heard the words, 'by sundown' and this poem from my school days came back to me, word for word, in its entirety. (High five, brain.) And it's still a favourite, to this day.

The Conquerors

By sundown we came to a hidden village
Where all the air was still
And no sound met our tired ears, save
For the sorry drip of rain from blackened trees
And the melancholy song of swinging gates.

Then through a broken pane some of us saw
A dead bird in a rusting cage, still
Pressing his thin, tattered breast against the bars
His beak wide open.
And as we hurried through the weed-grown street
A gaunt dog started out from some dark place
And shambled off on legs as thin as sticks
Into the woods to die at least in peace.

No one had told us victory was like this;
There was not one amongst us who'd have eaten bread
Before he'd filled the mouth of the grey child
That sprawled stiff as a stone before the shattered door.
There was not one who did not think of home.

by Henry Treece

Any other favourites out there?

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Fancy, Huh?

A collection of 16 delicious short stories of the darker persuasion in eBook or paperback

For the whole of October, Red Wine and Words eBook is just 99 cent. Click on the link below to get yours.


Lots of other great titles from Post Mortem Press are also on sale, so don't come crying to me if you're bored during the long winter evenings!

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

7D7M: Day 7

My excuse this time? Well, I had my face in a pint all weekend, and for the last few days I've been paying for that and have been forced to bed before most pre-teens. To be honest, I'm glad this 7 movies in 7 days thing is over, because I've sat through some utter drivel in the past week. One such culprit is:

It Follows

I spent the entire film waiting for some deep and profound backlying/underlying/any-way-lying story to crop up. I was still waiting when the credits rolled. I don't think there's anything deep about this film. It just glazes over the top level of horror. It barely touches on the what; it doesn't even attempt to explain the why. Which to me, is just lazy, uninspired storytelling and this really grinds my fucking gears.
I don't usually like to bitch about the human factor in films because I find it's most often a rather personal opinion. For instance, I wouldn't watch a movie that had Sandra Bullock acting in it, but I know of many of would watch it just because she's in it. Anyway, still cranky from the hangover from Hell, tonight I will indulge.
To be blunt, the acting was as dead as the storyline. I honest to Methuselah don't think the MC's facial expression changed from the start when things were hunky dory, all through the shit hitting the fan and to the also dead, banal ending. 
Would I recommend it? Would I recommend it? Not on your nelly. Not if it was the last thing on telly. Not even if I could find another line that rhymed. Seriously, don't bother. Do anything besides watching it. Floss your cats. Check out what that new taser feels like on your nuts. Anything to save you the pain that is It Follows.
My conscience, and hard-drive, is clear.

Monday, August 1, 2016

7D7M: Day 6

I haven't been watching films for the last few nights because my face has been stuck in a pint glass. Never fear, however, I'm back with a bang today, bringing you my thoughts on

The Den

This one wasn't the worst of them, to be honest. It was aggravating in the usual horror film ways - Why didn't you lock the door behind you? Perhaps you should consider putting that poker there through bad-boy's brain. Why are you running upstairs? Turn the fucking lights on. The MC did redeem herself by socking a few nice punches all the same. 
The ending, I thought, was quite clever also, and did a good job of pulling this film away from the typical trope.
Recommend it? So long as you don't invite the whole village around, promising them the night of their lives (then tell them I told you so), then sure, why not?

Friday, July 29, 2016

7D7M: Day 5

Odd Thomas

I really liked this film. It was fun and different and kept me guessing all the time, which I like, and which is not s easy to come by anymore, sniffle. Odd Thomas is not what I would class as a 'horror' so to speak but there were definitely some parts that had me on edge. On top of that there was a real nice story to it; heart-warming if you will.
Recommend it? Well, I heard that some followers of Dean Koontz weren't so impressed with the film. This, I cannot comment on. But if you're an Odd Thomas virgin like me, I'd say, go for it. Five for entertainment.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

7D7F: Day 4

The Taking of Deborah Logan

To cut a story that could possibly have been very long, short, this film is shite. Which is sad, because it had real potential. The premise was good and somewhat new (and sad) with the whole Alzheimer's twist. Unfortunately those responsible just didn't tap into that potential.
There were about one and a half scary parts, give or take a half. The rest was just discordant 'found-footage' segments that tried to recreate and better what's been done countless times before, and failed.
Recommend? Nopes. Stick on an episode of the Teletubbies if you're looking some genuine scares.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

7 Days 7 Films: Day 3

The Road

This one is a bit of a lie. I'd seen it before, a long time ago, but I was drunk, and although at the time Inner Omma was screaming 'Wake up, you lush. This film's great', the bottle of wine on the table was singing, 'Drink me, oh sweet descendant of the gods'. You get where I'm going with this - Red Wine was so much more polite than Inner Omma, so she won the toss up.
 Annnnnywho, second time around, I wished I'd listened to Inner Omma, or that we three had at least come to some kind of understanding, because this film really is great. The storyline is fantastic - apocalyptic with a twist. It kept me guessing the whole way through to the somewhat poignant ending. 
Recommend it? Yep. Most definitely. I'd even suggest that if one wanted to take a short detour from one's Joss Whedon re-run, this is a worthy distraction.
If nothing else, Viggo Mortensen is always worth looking at.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

7 Days 7 Films: Day 2

Housebound

Housebound is more comedy-horror than pure horror, which is just fine by me. Some of my favourite films are comedy-horror. And this one did not disappoint. I giggled, I outright laughed, fun was had. However, among these tickley bits were some real chilling and jumpy parts.
I loved the MC, and...yes, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Watch it.
Recommend it? See final sentence above. Look. See? It's right there. Watch it!

Monday, July 25, 2016

7 Films in 7 Days

I'm planning to do exactly as it says on the tin - 7 random films in 7 days. The genre will be horror for the most part. The reason? I've a hard-drive full of stuff I've, um, 'bought' that I need to watch and clear out.

Because I'm efficient, I've already gotten a head-start by watching my first one last night. The film:

The Canal

This film, in fairness, had a few creepy moments, but I had it pegged from the start. Unfortunately this is the case much of the time for me, as it is for many writers and creative sorts - the curse of no more surprises, ever again, forever! So I can't comment as to whether this is universal shitty plot concealment, or just my doomed brain.
The ending was genuinely surprising though.
Recommend it? Ah go on, sure why not. Unless you're due a Joss Whedon re-run, what else would you be doing? 
Tonight, Matthew, I'll be watching 'Housebound'.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

*UPDATE*

Just a short post to inform my loyal readers that as of today, you will also be able to find me under the pseudonym 'Writey McWriteface'.

Have a lovely day!

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Alpenglow

Isn't this a lovely word? Aren't words just lovely? I love words.

As you were.