Saturday, 29 December 2012
Top Films of 2012
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Top Books Read in 2011

“stunning debut thriller........harrowing.....the best self-published book I’ve read”
Sinema by Rod Glenn
“This is a hardcore serial killer thriller that won’t appeal to those used to cosy whodunits”
Jimmy by William Malmborg
“ captivating journey through the mind of a young man who crosses the line and brings his darkest fantasies to life”
Black Flowers by Steve Mosby
“Neil Dawson investigates the apparent suicide of his Father in the latest disturbing tale from Steve Mosby”
Creep by Jennifer Hillier
“Fatal Attraction meets Misery.......in a sexually charged story”
11.59 by David Williams
“Full of seedy goings-on and laced with dark humour it had me looking forward to resuming the story every time”
Ask The Dice by Ed Lynskey
“very engaging and the explosive finale provides a final round knockout”
Winds Of Change by Jason Brannon
“simultaneously terrifying and intriguing”
The Sacrificial Man by Ruth Dugdall
“Dugdall proves to be a smart new voice in the crime fiction genre”
The Infection by Craig Dilouie
“everything The Walking Dead aspires to be....all the best elements of a zombie story in one place”
Blitz by Ken Bruen
“Highly recommended for fans of violent, fast paced crime stories”
Memory Leak by Trevor Schmidt
“an action thriller told at a blistering pace that reminded me of one of my favourite films, Total Recall”
Monday, 14 November 2011
Blogfest: I Love The Noughties

Friday, 31 December 2010
Top Films Of 2010

2. The Town – Ben Affleck’s tale of Charleston bank robbers would have been no.1 in any other year. It’s even better than Gone Baby Gone, cementing Affleck’s status as a top quality director.
3. Tony – Peter Ferdinando deserves nothing short of an Oscar nod for his amazing portrayal of a socially challenged loner who resorts to murder as a way of making friends. Outstanding.
4. The Expendables – Sylvester Stallone delivers the kind of film that action fans have been longing for as his crack team of mercenaries attempt to take down an oppressive regime.
5. Rare Exports – A movie from Finland about Santa? This dark take on the Santa legend is a welcome change to the usual Christmas movie drivel.
6. It’s Complicated – Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin excel in this excellent American Pie for the over 40’s brand of comedy.
7. Spiral – A geek with mental issues finds purpose when he begins a relationship with a work colleague. How long will the tranquillity last?
8. Hot Tub Time Machine – Four friends find themselves back in the 80’s after taking a dip in a magical hot tub. Far better than expected.
9. Rampage – Tense journey into the mind of a disillusioned young man with horrific results. Controversial director Uwe Boll is at the helm of this surprisingly well-acted and tense drama with an inspired ending.
10. The Fourth Kind – “Real” footage is mixed with the fictional account of this creepy story of alien abduction.
Notable mentions also go to The Losers, Machete and The Crazies.
All of the above (except Mine and The Fourth Kind) are reviewed elsewhere here.
Films included were not all necessarily released in 2010.
Monday, 21 June 2010
The Movie Dirty Dozen Blogfest: 12 All Time Greats

Brotherhood Of The Wolf - If cinema is art then this is a masterpiece. In the year 1764 a Beast has slain 123 women and children in the French town of Gevaudan. To prevent a Peasant revolt The King sends two men to investigate. Enter Fronsac and Mani (Samuel Le Bihan and Mark Dacascos) who set out to reveal the truth no matter what the cost. This has it all, fantastic story, excellent acting, wonderful action and great characters. Visually and emotionally stunning. I urge you to see it.
Made - Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau before they (sort of) sold out to Hollywood. Following the cult success of Swingers the guys re-unite in this crime comedy caper about two wannabee gangsters sent on a mission to New York. It's the quick fire humour that makes this one stand out. Vaughn's portrayal of the constantly talking Ricky has to be seen to be believed and alongside Favreau's straight laced Bobby it works like a dream. Watch it and be amazed at the rapid fire comedy in the office scene with Peter Falk and the scene on board the plane. I catch more gags with every viewing and each time is funnier than the last. 
The Crow - The ultimate story of love and revenge as Brandon Lee's Eric Draven returns from the dead to seek out the killers of himself and his Bride - to - be.

The Jacket - Adrien Brody excells and Keira Knightley proves she can act in this mind bending thriller.
The Karate Kid - Everyone's favourite karate movie has stood the test of time and remains just as uplifting as it ever was.
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Top Books read in 2009

1. THE LOCH BY STEVE ALTEN
Murder mystery set against the legend and magnificent backdrop of Loch Ness.
2. STILL BLEEDING BY STEVE MOSBY
Disturbing tale takes you on a journey to the dark side of the internet and into the world of murder and suicide memorabilia. Mosby is one of the most original authors on the scene today and I highly recommend his books, but be warned, they are not for the faint of heart.
3. WICKED PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD
The long running Lucas Davenport series still delivers the goods but you'd need to start way back at the beginning with Rules Of Prey to get the best from this one.
4. BLOOD BROTHER BY JACK KERLEY
Carson Ryder tracking his serial killer brother in this top notch thriller.
5. INFECTED BY SCOTT SIGLER
Join "Scary" Perry Dawsey as he tries to stop "The Triangles" taking over his body. This book is far more than you'd expect. Highly recommended.
Friday, 15 January 2010
Top Films Of 2009
1. AVATAR
Ignore the predictability of the story and just enjoy the sheer spectacle. You too will want to be a Na'vi.
2. STAR TREK
Everything a re-make should be.
3. SEVEN POUNDS
Will Smith gives an excellent portrayal of a man looking to make amends.
4. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS
Tarantino is back on form with this WWII drama. Top notch script and great performances all round.
5. THE HANGOVER
Most unusual these days, a comedy that's actually funny and literally about a hangover. Brilliant.
6. WATCHMEN
Dark comic book adaptation.
7. SURVEILLANCE
Violent unpredictable drama.
8. DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM
Not as good as the original but Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle should be given a break in Hollywood after another amazing set of action scenes.
9. X MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
Appearances by Marvel characters Gambit and Deadpool along with another good turn by Jackman and great action earn this one a place on the list.
10. DEFIANCE
Daniel Craig is much better than any of his Bond performances in this WWII tale of survival.
Friday, 2 October 2009
Films: Top Films of 2005
2005 was a pretty good year for films and here are my top picks.
They are in order of merit and should all be available cheap on DVD.
Each one is a worthy addition to any collection.

THE JACKET
Adrian Brody in this highly original psychological thriller.
KUNG FU HUSTLE
Stephen Chow’s excellent martial arts mayhem movie.
THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE
A rare thing nowadays. A horror film that’s actually scary.
CRASH
Ensemble piece dealing with racial tension.
CINDERELLA MAN
Russell Crowe gives another powerhouse performance as boxer Jim Braddock.
STANDER
Thomas Jane plays the real life cop turned criminal.
ONG – BAK
Excellent showcase for the amazing skills of Tony Jaa as he sets out to retrieve a stolen ancient statue.
5 X 2
French film about the breakdown of a marriage. Told in reverse.
SIN CITY
Dark comic adaptation starring Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and Clive Owen.
THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN
Very funny comedy about a late developer.








