Susan May's Blog: Susan May Official Website, page 5

October 7, 2016

What's on at the movies Oct 6 2016?

I'm back from my holidays and even though I didn't attend any previews I still recorded the film spot and Jenny and I ran through the new releases for the week.

Do you love competitions and prizes?Well, I'm going to be running regular comps from now on at my beautiful new website.On offer this month听are3 packs of eBook and Audibleof my best sellerDEADLY MESSENGERS.So just click through here for a chance听to win:The Girl on the TrainOpens October 6

I read this book before it was a big hit. Last year, and even this year, it is probably the highest selling book worldwide. This was the first book from author Paula Hawkins and so this was an unexpected success.There have been some complaints that an English set novel has been transported into an American setting. Clearly a move for box office receipts. However casting Emily Blunt was genius as she has the acting skills to make this work. Whenever you mention this film to someone they usually say, 鈥淥h I love Emily Blunt.鈥� Should be a big hit like 鈥淕one Girl.Film BlurbBased on the best-selling novel by Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train is an electrifying thriller directed by Tate Taylor (The Help) and starring Emily Blunt. Devastated by her recent divorce, Rachel (Blunt) spends her daily commute fantasising about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.Snowden鉁湭鉁狾pens October 6

Directed by Peter Berg (Battleship, Friday Night Lights, Hancock) who also directed Mark Wahlberg in Lone Survivor is becoming well known for his action films.Deepwater Horizon looks to be a cross between Poseidon Adventure and action dramatization. Can鈥檛 really go wrong casting Mark Wahlberg and Kate Hudson as a pair and then throwing in John Malkovich and Kurt Russell. Incidentally Kurt Russell is step-dad to Kate Hudson.On Rotten Tomatoes the film has received a decided thumbs up with a score of 83%: Critics Consensus: Deepwater Horizon makes effective use of its titular man-made disaster to deliver an uncommonly serious -- yet still suitably gripping -- action thriller. Sounds great. I鈥檓 going to catch it this weekend.Film BlurbOn April 20th, 2010, one of the world's largest man-made disasters occurred on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. Directed by Peter Berg (Lone Survivor), this story honors the brave men and women whose heroism would save many on board, and change everyone's lives forever.The Baulkham Hills听African Ladies TroupeOpens October 6

Film Blurbshowing at Luna LeedervilleTHE BAULKHAM HILLS AFRICAN LADIES TROUPE, is a feature documentary which played the Sydney Film Festival and MIFF 2016.听 With just one screening at the Sydney Film Festival, the film was voted in the top 5 audience favourites for Australian documentaries. THE BAULKHAM HILLS AFRICAN LADIES TROUPE follows the story of four charismatic and inspirational African women, now living in Australia, who, with the help of acclaimed theatre director Ros Horin, turned their stories of survival into a joyous theatre of humanity that has filled theatres from across their new country to the other side of the world.I hope you are enjoying my new website. 听You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please.

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Published on October 07, 2016 01:49

September 22, 2016

What's on at the movies Sept 22 2016?

This is my last review blog听for a couple of weeks. I'm off to Queensland to research a book I will write next year entitled Where We Once Were. I wrote a short story a few years ago about a girl who time travels back to 1898 toresearch her family history and discovers her ancestor might be involved in an unsolved triple killing. So some of the story is true ... the killings and the time line and I plan to blend听fact with听fiction. I had never intended to write this book听but so many people have written asking for the novel of the short story I couldn't听ignore the story. Plus its a pretty interesting concept.I'm giving away the short story to听readers who join the Mayham Club (my newsletter听basically).if you would like to receive the story plus two other books for free.

Hollywood is hunting through the files to find successful films,听which will bring the audience who enjoyed the original to part with their money, and gain new fans who would never watch an old film.Many of my era if asked for their favorite Western,听from the Saturday afternoon film line up, would reply with the 1960 The Magnificent Seven starring all the big names of that era: Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, James Cobert, Eli Wallach and directed by John Sturges a big director of his day (The Great Escape, The Eagle Has Landed, McQ).So these are big shoes to fill when you approach a beloved film like Mag 7.And who ya gonna call? The Denzel, of course. Helmed by director Antoine Fuqua (The Replacement Killers, Training听Day, The Equalizer,听Braxton, Shooter,听Olympus has Fallen), you are in solid drama/action hands from the get go. 听Add to the heady mix: Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Peter Saarsgaard and a few other upcoming stars and you have just over two hours of gun-fighting fun that has some simply breathless, tense scenes and an improbably body count.This film is no masterpiece in plot, derivative heavily from the original source. But don't we want that?听The last few weeks of film offerings have been听decidedly dullish. So this is a breath of fresh air. There's a new film in town and its The Magnificent Seven and its packing big guns. See it on the big screen with a big tub of popcorn听for maximum enjoymentFilm BlurbDirector Antoine Fuqua brings his modern vision to a classic story in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures' and Columbia Pictures' The Magnificent Seven. With the town of Rose Creek under the deadly control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), the desperate townspeople, led by Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), employ protection from seven outlaws, bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns - Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), Josh Farraday (Chris Pratt), Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), Jack Horne (Vincent D'Onofrio), Billy Rocks (Byung-Hun Lee), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier). As they prepare the town for the violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries find themselves fighting for more than money.Stars:听Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D鈥橭nofrio, Byung-Hun Lee and Peter SarsgaardSnowden鉁湭鉁狾pens September 22

This should have been an intense drama and听revelationary in its content. Not to mention there's excellent talent involved on and off screen. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, Looper, The Walk)听has an incredible ability to inhabit a character, and I find him an underrated actor. Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Rhys Fans are solid, and there's even a cameo from Nicolas Cage. The weak link is Shailene Woodley of the Divergent series.听Director Oliver Stone (JFK, Platoon, Natural Born Killers, Wall听Street,) brings a depth of experience in storytelling that means his name is at the top of the poster. Ingredients for a riveting drama, yes.Sadly听it is not. This is a not terrible movie听but having seen the documentary and the听quantity newsprint published on听the听real life Snowden, we should have been offered more than a听lifted version of the headlines.Sometimes we critics bemoan the Hollywood engine that takes a great story idea and adds bells and听whistles where they're not needed. This is what Snowden needed!听Give us a few tense moments and show us more than cliche CIA personnel. When听everyone in the CIA are听power mongers with no听conscience and the protagonist is the only good guy, then that is a thin drama.In saying this, I think most who know little听about Snowden and missed the documentary, which I didn't think was so great anyway, will find this reasonably entertaining. We are probably being shown Hollywood's version of what the CIA does. I'm sure they're a lot worse. I'm finding too that Oliver Stone has lost all听subtlety and his films are becoming a paint by numbers, which is a shame because he once had a very keen eye for the heart of a story.Film BlurbAcademy Award-winning director Oliver Stone, who brought Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Wall Street and JFK to the big screen, tackles the most important and fascinating true story of the 21st century. Snowden, the politically-charged, pulse-pounding thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley, reveals the incredible untold personal story of Edward Snowden, the polarizing figure who exposed shocking illegal surveillance activities by the NSA and became one of the most wanted men in the world. He is considered a hero by some, and a traitor by others. No matter which you believe, the epic story of why he did it, who he left behind, and how he pulled it off makes for one of the most compelling films of the year.Stars:听Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Nicolas Cage, Rhys Ifans & Zachary QuintoStorks鉁湭陆Opens September 22

I couldn't make it to this film. The trailer does look funny and the studio has dropped in a lot of good voice talent so you'd expect it would be good. Ty Burrell of Modern Family seems to be getting a lot of voice gigs.My friend Reiko took her two boys along, one eleven and the other thirteen, but they weren't too impressed. Here's her brief feedback."Storks was ok. The story was quite boring to me. However my boys seemed enjoying it. They rated 3 out of 5 but I rate 2."Film BlurbIn this animated children's fantasy, two storks (voiced by Kelsey Grammer and Andy Samberg) reveal the truth about their job delivering babies to new parents.Stars:听Andy Samberg,听Jordan Peele, Jennifer Aniston, Kelsey Grammar, Ty Burrell,听Steve GlickmanEXTENDED SEASONThe Beatles: The Touring Years鉁湭鉁湭Opens听September 听15 for one week only

Due to popular demand and reports of audiences spontaneously applauding the film,the encore screenings will commence Thursday 22 September, with exclusive-to-cinema Shea Stadium concert footage screening after the feature at all cinema locations. The Beatles concert at Shea Stadium on August 15, 1965, was the first rock concert staged in a stadium in front of more than 55,000 people. The event was filmed using fourteen 35mm cameras by Ed Sullivan Productions and Brian Epstein; for the first time the fully restored, remastered, 30-minute performance is available to screen with the film.My reviewYou forget how incredibly talented the Beatles were/are, so it's听wonderful to be reminded. Fifty years later, their music is just as听catchy and toe-tapping听as it was when first released. Director Ron Howard, better known for his big budgeted but听always entertaining adventures, proves he also has a good feel for听documentary story-telling.From start to finishThe Beatles: The Touring Yearsis fascinating and a joy to watch. Probably no great听revelations here because their lives have been documented so much, but that doesn't detract from the entertainment value. It's simply fantastic to sit in a cinema, uninterrupted, and listen to these songs of, well, in my case, our youth.Be prepared to come straight home and start playing your Beatles collections immediately or, in my case, streaming from Spotify. These guys were and are still the bomb.An added bonus only for cinema-goers is an extra thirty minutes of their performance at the Shea Stadium, digitally remastered. This bonus will not be on the DVD or streaming when the film is released on those services.听Those who attended the original performance couldn't hear for all the screaming fans and neither could the Beatles hear their own playback, but you will be able to hear it perfectly. So do stay after the credits.Film BlurbWe all know the moment. February 9th, 1964, 8:12pm EST - after a brief commercial break, four young men from Liverpool step onto the Ed Sullivan stage, changing culture forever. Seventy-three million people watched The Beatles perform that night, the largest audience in television history. By the time the band quit touring in August of 1966, they had performed166 concerts in 15 countries and 90 cities around the world.The cultural phenomenon their touring helped create, known as "Beatlemania," was something the world had never seen before and, arguably, hasn't since. It was the first time much of the world felt truly unified - bound by aspiration and attitude, rather than divided by race, class, religion or nationality.I hope you are enjoying my new website. 听You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please.

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Published on September 22, 2016 04:38

September 15, 2016

What's on at the movies Sept 15 2016?

This week on the podcast I'm not talking to Jenny. This week I'm on air with Ted Bull, whom I've never met until I walked into the studio. So I was ill-prepared. This would have to be the most hilarious radio interview I've ever done. These questions arise.Will Ted stop talking and let me get through all the films?Will the CIA arrive in the studio and pull us off air?Will Ron Howard ever talk to us again?Who hasn't Ted interviewed in his radio career?Can I convince him to go see Sully?And why does he keep saying 'Dead!' every time I mention certain actors?The answers and many laughs are had in this interview. I adore Jenny Seaton but every now and then you need a sprinkle of Ted Bull.

We all know the story of Sully and his miraculous landing of the American Airlines A320 Airbus on the Hudson River around 3:20pm on a freezing winter day. 听What we didn't know about was that听for the days听after Sullenberger had landed the plane, he was investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration suggesting that the pilot and co-pilot听could have made it back to La Guardia without loss of the plane. This film tells that story.The scenes of the actual crash are gut-wrenching. When thehostesses shout "Brace, brace, brace," and听continue to shout the words, I very nearly burst into tears imagining the terror experienced by the passengers.Tom Hanks is, as usual, masterful and his sympathetic portrayal of a quiet, unassuming hero is always note-perfect. Aaron Eckhart as the co-pilot Jeff Skiles also delivers.听For most of Clint Eastwood films, I'm usually a fan. Here I think this film is the perfect marriage of great director, great actors, and a good script. Definitely a film to see on the big screen. I'm still thinking about it.Interesting fact:The passengers on the aircraft each received a letter of apology, $5,000 in compensation for lost baggage, or $5,000 more if passengers can demonstrate more than $5,000 in losses, and a refund of the ticket price.听Beginning in May 2009, passengers received their baggage and other belongings. In addition, passengers reported they were offered $10,000 each not to sue US Airways for damages by听American International Group听(AIG), the airline's insurance carrier.Film BlurbOn January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the "Miracle on the Hudson" when Captain "Sully" Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his careerBridget Jones's Baby鉁湭鉁絆pens September 15

This series has never been a听favourite of mine. The last film the 2004Bridget Jones: Edge of Reasonwas certainly rather weak against the original passable comedy. Of course, Ren茅e听Zellweger is the charm in all the movies. She听is the听embodiment of Bridget, despite the original听controversy with an American cast in the very British roll in听the original 2001 feature, which was adapted听from a very popular English novel by Helen Fielding.This film has definitely brought the series to a good place to conclude Bridget's story (I hope it's over, please don't go back ... this is good). It is charming, funny, relatable in a weird way,听and nearly听everything you would want in a romantic comedy. Romantic comedies are not my thing and it takes a lot to win me over and Bridget has done that. Maybe it's the baby. 听Or the addition of Patrick Dempsey, still gorgeous, as the alternate suitor that also helps. Colin Firth is his usual tight-lipped but vulnerable, somehow, Darcy, and Emma Thompson is fantastic in her role as the hilarious听take-no-silliness obstetrician.It's a chick flick, although I do think the boys wouldn't be totally bored with it. There really are some great laughs. Bridge Jones has delivered a good looking baby this time.Film BlurbOscar庐 winners Ren茅e Zellweger and Colin Firth are joined by Patrick Dempsey for the next chapter of the world鈥檚 favorite singleton in Bridget Jones鈥檚 Baby. Directed by Sharon Maguire (Bridget Jones鈥檚 Diary), the new film in the beloved comedy series based on creator Helen Fielding鈥檚 heroine finds Bridget unexpectedly expecting.After breaking up with Mark Darcy (Firth), Bridget Jones鈥檚 (Zellweger) 鈥渉appily ever after鈥� hasn鈥檛 quite gone according to plan. Fortysomething and single again, she decides to focus on her job as top news producer and surround herself with old friends and new. For once, Bridget has everything completely under control. What could possibly go wrong?Then her love life takes a turn and Bridget meets a dashing American named Jack (Dempsey), the suitor who is everything Mr. Darcy is not. In an unlikely twist she finds herself pregnant, but with one hitch鈥he can only be fifty percent sure of the identity of her baby鈥檚 father.SPIN OUT陆Opens September 15

We have enjoyed some fantastic听Australian听films听over the past听couple of years.听Nearly two years ago, there was much talk about the poor quality of Australian films and their woeful听box office showings. 听Then suddenly we had a run of brilliant films like听Paper Planes, Mad Max Thunder Road, The Babadook, Predestination, The Infinite Man, That Sugar Film, Embrace, Chasing Asylum, 听to name a few.Outside of these and more, we've also had some duds. However, I think we now need听a lower ranking than 'Dud' to describe Spin Out from directors听and screen writers Tim Ferguson (Doug Anthony All Stars) and Marc Gracie.Yes, you can argue I听didn't enjoy because it's听not aimed at my demographic. I would reply, who is this aimed at? What teenager is going to revel 听in this silliness and relate to these overblown,听over wrought characters?听My demographic, should, like me,听greatly object听to what this portrays as admirable behaviour being sold to听teenagers.The story centres on a single night of a Bachelors听and Spinsters' party in the bush, which is a set up for a lot of fun. However, in the ninety odd minutes they manage to cram in extremely dangerous driving several times, one night stands (many), drinking competitions until the participant has almost killed himself while others cheer him on, multiple fights,听chauvinism like you听wouldn't believe,听nudity that's supposed to be amusing but has no point, a sling at听homosexuality, a mocking of city folk as compared to country folk (seriously, does anyone think like that these days?), vomiting, urinating, and defecating wherever suits, and a wonderful scene of dozens of young 'uns passed out after their 'great' time the night听before. Aww, their mums would be so proud and so glad they let them attend.My friend and most others I spoke with after felt the same as me. Glorifying this behaviour in this day and age is appalling.However, this is not the film's听greatest sin. The worst thing about this听is that the story is boring and predictable, the characters cliched, and the lack of听humour (nobody in our screening laughed at all) makes for checking of the time quite often.You feel as though听you're听watching a film created by the Americans who know nothing about Australians except for watching a few cartoon characters, Crocodile Dundee, and movies from the seventies. This thing might still have some use听because certainly this won't fair听well at the box office against the enjoyableBridge Jones's Babythat does deliver听laughs.听If the Australian government is serious about deterring听refugees from coming to our shores, just show听this in their countries.听We won't have to worry about anyone wanting to come to Australia听anymore, that's for sure.Film BlurbBilly and Lucy have grown up together in a small, close-knit country town, where they form one of the town's most formidable Ute driving teams. When Billy takes one risky car stunt too far, Lucy declares she is moving to the city - sending Billy into a spin. Amid the mayhem of the town's annual "Bachelors and Spinsters" party, Billy only has one night to wake up to his true feelings for his best friend - or lose her forever. Spin Out is a fresh, feel-good comedy romance for the young and the young at heart.PETE'S DRAGON鉁湭鉁絆pens听September 15

Somehow in my youth听I missed seeing the original 1977 animated film voiced by Helen Reddy, Mickey Rooney,听Jim Backus and Shelley Winters. I guess my non-enthusiasm as a child might have been because I wasn't keen on dragons. Give me a vampire or a zombie as a kid. That's听what I wanted as a pet.Never to fear, though, because if the story is beloved, they'll bring it back, retread the thing, and offer again to the next generation.Disney is continuing their mixed animation live听films, which began with the very enjoyable Jungle Book with Pete's Dragon. While I did enjoy this film, I don't think the experience soared to the heights it could have. Bryce Dallas Howard does not impress me as an actress. She just doesn't have charisma on screen and her face is wooden. Just me, probably, but I didn't love her inJurassic World, either.I know this might be a strange comment, but I found the story just too Disney, the music too sweeping and sweet, the story trying too hard, and all of it tooformulaic. The one thing I did get from it, though, is I would now like a dragon. Does anyone know where听you can get one?Film BlurbA reimagining of Disney's cherished family film, "Pete's Dragon" is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon. "Pete's Dragon" stars Bryce Dallas Howard ("Jurassic World"),听Karl Urban ("Star Trek"), 听and Oscar (R) winner Robert Redford ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier"). The film, which is directed by David Lowery.For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales...until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete's descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham's stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.The Beatles: The Touring Years鉁湭鉁湭Opens听September 听15 for one week only

You forget how incredibly talented the Beatles were/are, so it's听wonderful to be reminded. Fifty years later, their music is just as听catchy and toe-tapping听as it was when first released. Director Ron Howard, better known for his big budgeted but听always entertaining adventures, proves he also has a good feel for听documentary story-telling.From start to finishThe Beatles: The Touring Yearsis fascinating and a joy to watch. Probably no great听revelations here because their lives have been documented so much, but that doesn't detract from the entertainment value. It's simply fantastic to sit in a cinema, uninterrupted, and listen to these songs of, well, in my case, our youth.Be prepared to come straight home and start playing your Beatles collections immediately or, in my case, streaming from Spotify. These guys were and are still the bomb.An added bonus only for cinema-goers is an extra thirty minutes of their performance at the Shea Stadium, digitally remastered. This bonus will not be on the DVD or streaming when the film is released on those services.听Those who attended the original performance couldn't hear for all the screaming fans and neither could the Beatles hear their own playback, but you will be able to hear it perfectly. So do stay after the credits.Film BlurbWe all know the moment. February 9th, 1964, 8:12pm EST - after a brief commercial break, four young men from Liverpool step onto the Ed Sullivan stage, changing culture forever. Seventy-three million people watched The Beatles perform that night, the largest audience in television history. By the time the band quit touring in August of 1966, they had performed166 concerts in 15 countries and 90 cities around the world.The cultural phenomenon their touring helped create, known as "Beatlemania," was something the world had never seen before and, arguably, hasn't since. It was the first time much of the world felt truly unified - bound by aspiration and attitude, rather than divided by race, class, religion or nationality.I hope you are enjoying my new website. 听You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please.

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Published on September 15, 2016 19:29

September 8, 2016

What's on at the movies Sept 8 2016?

Some good听films this week听but听before you read on I have an invitation.听If you enjoy chatting about films or books, then come over to my private Facebook group and join all the fun.and just hit the Join button and I will press the open sesame button my side and you are in.It's just a new group but already we have over one hundred members. We've called it theSusan May Mayhem Club. I'll be running some competitions very soon in there and on this site.You can also register for my newsletter to stay up to date with happenings. I'm also throwing in a couple of Free books of mine just to say hello when you hand over your email.CAPTAINFANTASTIC鉁湭鉁絆pens September 8

This is one of those small production films that's a real听gem. The storyline is original, thought provoking and, at times, heart-wrenching.听I'm watching these kids who are so far above our city kids intellectually听because they're not connected to the web and video games ten hours a day, and I'm thinking, gee, maybe we should go live off grid.Then director and screenwriter Matt Ross brings it back around to show us both sides of the argument.The kids are amazing. There's a couple of the young ones I'd like to adopt and, of course, ViggoMortensen is perfect in this听part as demanding but loving single Father to the brood. He does solemn and earnest so very well. George Mackay (recently11/22/63andHow We Live Now) is haunting as the eldest son struggling with the wide open world while keeping his morals intact. Definitely, if you enjoy thought provoking, challenging, quality,听indie-style films go see this.Film BlurbDeep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, isolated from society, a devoted father (Viggo Mortensen) dedicates his life to transforming his six young children into extraordinary adults. But when a tragedy strikes the family, they are forced to leave this self-created paradise and begin a journey into the outside world that challenges his idea of what it means to be a parent and brings into question everything he's taught them.鈥婦ON'T BREATHE鉁湭鉁湭Opened听September 1

I finally caught this little thriller gem. It is as smart as they are听saying in the reviews. Don't go along expecting to see a big blockbuster, but it is definitely a resourceful use of an idea. I kept wondering how they would keep these three criminal kids inside a house. Was it going to have underground tunnels from which they couldn't escape or the house is owned by a bunch of vampires. Nope it's a blind guy with some navy seal skills against these three and the plot just keeps throwing barriers at them.It is听ingenious听what they come up with and I can see the screenwriters in a room saying, "Okay, so they've got the basement听window open and can escape, what do we do to stop them?" Then, "Right, now he's gotten out the window, what could possibly go wrong?" Worth a watch and great to see horror is making a comeback. We've had some good films this year. Keep 'em coming Hollywood. There is a market if you do it right and very听profitable because they don't cost a lot to make.Film BlurbA trio of reckless thieves breaks into the house of a wealthy blind man, thinking they'll getaway with the perfect heist. They're wrong.GIRL ASLEEP鉁湭Opened听September 听1Showing at Luna Cinemas in Perth

I know this film has won a lot of awards, but I honestly don't know why. Yes, it does use someinteresting little flourishes so that it can be considered quirky, but it's got some real problems. I certainly don't think it should be something people pay to see other than on a subscription service. The kids in the lead are good, but I don't like the overstylized acting which worked brilliantly for Baz Luhrmann 听in听Strictly Ballroom and P.J. Hogan听with Muriel's Wedding.It didn't work for me in this because it's sloppy in it's filmmaking and you can see the inexperience of the听director and the screenwriter. However, I do think they have talent and have potential. Clearly I may be in the minority, but I'm a tell me a story and get a move along kinda gal.听I almost was the girl asleep!WIN! WIN!To celebrate the release of Girl Asleep on Sept 1st, we're giving away DVD packs that honor the best + worst of the teenage experience! Simply purchase a ticket in the first week of release, write your details on the back + drop it into the entry box in the Leederville foyer to enter!Film BlurbThe world is closing in on Greta Driscoll (Bethany Whitmore).On the cusp of turning fifteen she can鈥檛 bear to leave her childhood, it contains all the things that give her comfort in this incomprehensible new world. She floats in a bubble of loserdom with her only friend Elliott (Harrison Feldman), until her parents throw her a surprise 15th birthday听party and she鈥檚 flung into a parallel place; a world that鈥檚 weirdly erotic, a little bit violent and thoroughly ludicrous 鈥� only there can she find herself.听A potently comic journey into the teenage mind, scripted by original playwright Matthew Whittet, Girl Asleep is a delight.听Winner of the Age Critics Award for Best Australian Feature at MIFF 2016; Jury Prize for bestfilm.听Winner of the Adelaide Film Festival Audience Award, Girl Asleep is the filmmaking debut of Windmill Theatre Artistic Director Rosemary Myers. Won the听Cinefest OZ Festival's $100,000 prizeSECRET LIFE OF PETS鉁湭鉁湭Opens听September 8

I didn't see this film. I can't get my teenage boys to go along to animations much anymore. So sad for me and I do try and go on my own but sometimes the weekends need to be about family. So I sent along a friend and her three kids. Her mini-review is below. Be warned: she told me she had quite the argument with her fifteen-year-old daughter who, after seeing this film,听wouldn't听take 'no' for an听answer on the question of getting a dog."The secret life of pets was funny and humorous. It tells us the importance of friendships through animal life. We had a lot of laughs. Kids rated it 3.5 to 4 out of 5. Good kids movie for age between 5 and 15 years old. Hannah even enjoyed it. Annoying part of this movie is now kids are asking me to get a pet dog."Thanks to Reiko and her children Hannah, Sean, and James听for the review.Film BlurbTaking place in a Manhattan apartment building, Max's life as a favourite pet is turned upside down, when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke. They have to put their quarrels behind when they find out that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is building an army of abandoned pets determined to take revenge on all happy-owned pets and their owners.鈥婰OUIS THEROUX: MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE(not reviewed)Opens听September 11Showing at Luna SX and Cinema Paradiso in PerthDate:Monday 12th September & Tuesday 13th SeptemberTime:6:45听pmLocation:Luna Leederville & Luna SXFilm Blurb

Louis Theroux hits the big screen in his first feature documentary, LOUIS THEROUX: MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE, created in collaboration with director John Dower and two-time Academy Award庐 winning producer Simon Chinn (Searching for Sugar Man, Man on Wire).Following a long fascination with the religion, and with a lot of experience dealing with eccentric human behaviour, incomparable British broadcaster Louis Theroux won鈥檛 take no for an answer when his request to enter the Church of Scientology鈥檚 Los Angeles headquarters is turned down. Theroux鈥檚 insatiable curiosity motivates him to understand what life inside the Church is really like, and with the aid of former second-in-command at the Church, Mark 鈥楳arty鈥� Rathbun, he uses actors to replay incidents people claim they experienced with high profile members such as Tom Cruise and leader David Miscavige.Suffused with a good dose of humour and moments worthy of a Hollywood script, LOUIS THEROUX: MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE proves that what people do in the name of religion can be truly stranger than fiction.SPECIAL EVENTSPerth International Queer FestivalLocation:Backlot Cinemas

Time:7:00pm鈥嬧€婦ate:Friday 9th Sept-15th SeptemberGo to Western Australian Aids Council forThe Perth International Queer Film Festival celebrates all that is great about International Queer Cinema this September! Teaming with The Backlot Perth this will be a chance to see some amazing queer films from the USA, South Africa, The Netherlands and France.听A fundraising initiative of the WA AIDS Council.Opening Night Film Jonathan (7:00pm drinks)Join us for the special opening night of the Perth International Queer Film Festival.听From 7pm enjoy a drink on arrival and the atmosphere of the lounge before the Australian Premiere of JONATHAN.SPIN OUTEvent Cinema Advance ScreeningLocation:Event Cinemas Innaloo

Time:7:00pm鈥嬧€婦ate:Wednesday September 14Film season opens Thursday September 15Buckle up and spin into our special advance screening of Spin Out!Fall in love with the new Aussie rom-com, where the cars are fast, the burnouts furious, the bums are bare and beers are flowing!Purchase your ticket online to our advance screening of Spin Out and enter to WIN听a trip for 2 to the Deni Ute Muster ft. Keith Urban 鈥� plus a meet & greet with Shannon Noll!Cinebuzz members can attend this screening for only $15*! Not a member? JOIN NOW - it's free!Film BlurbBilly & Lucy have grown up together in a small, close-knit country town, where they form one of the town's most formidable ute driving teams. When Billy takes one risky car stunt too far, Lucy declares she is moving to the city - sending Billy into a spin. Amid the mayhem of the town鈥檚 annual "Bachelors & Spinsters" party, Billy only has one night to wake up to his true feelings for his best friend - or lose her forever.Readings and Hoyts听Advance ScreeningsPETE'S DRAGONFilm season opens Thursday September 15Location:Readings BelmontTime:9:30 am Film Starts at 10:30 am

Date:Sunday 11th SeptemberAlso special family preview at 2pm at Hoyts Carousel & Booragoon听11th September. Tickets are only $13. Booragoon:听Come early for badge making and balloons. Carousel: Build-a-bear workshop.Join us for an advance Family Day screening, with lots of activities and giveaways!For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales鈥ntil she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott.EVENT CINEMAS CINEBUZZ听SENIORS听SCREENINGSSULLY

Location:Event Cinemas Innaloo & MorleyTime:10:00 am Film Starts at 10:30 amDate:Wednesday September 14Seniors Members Tickets $8.50*Non-members pay full price 听FREE to join.On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the "Miracle on the Hudson" when Captain "Sully" Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his careerEvent Cinemas Sensory ScreeningBFG

Location:Event Cinemas听MorleyTime:11:00 amDate:Wednesday September 11Seniors Members Tickets $8.50*Non-members pay full price 听FREE to join.Sensory Movie Day is an inclusive event for families with special needs.Lighting is dim, sound lowered, volunteers monitoring fire exit doorsRun once a month on a Sunday - 11am at Greater Union MorleyTickets are $8 each, children 2 years and under freeCompanion I.D cards are acceptedLive TheatreALMEIDA LIVE听RICHARD IIIDate:Saturday听10th & Sunday 11th SeptemberTime:1pm

Location:Windsor CinemaAlso showing at Event Cinemas Innaloo听Saturday 10 and Sunday September 11 (time TBC)A peaceful England. Family. Small children. But obstacles can be overcome.Picturehouse Entertainment are thrilled to announce RICHARD III live from the Almeida Theatre, with Ralph Fiennes and Vanessa Redgrave.Adding to the celebrations to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, this new production brings together two of the world's finest acting talents. Ralph Fiennes plays Shakespeare's most notorious villain in a new production directed by Olivier Award winning听 Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold (American Psycho; King Charles III; Medea). Vanessa Redgrave makes her Almeida debut as Queen Margaret.I hope you are enjoying my new website. 听You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please.

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Published on September 08, 2016 03:52

September 1, 2016

What's on at the movies Sept 1 2016?

Welcome to another week in film. I've been busy replying to emails and planning wonderful events and competitions for the launch ofThe Troubles Keeperin mid-October.Early听reviews on The Troubles Keeper have been fantastic听so I'm beginning to breathe again. If you would like听an absolutely FREE pre-release copy comeJoin me听up!I've been busy chatting to early readers about The听Troubles Keeper and working on a听short story for an upcoming Alternative History anthology. Haven't got the name for it, yet, but it's coming along beautifully and I think you will find it intriguing.THE INFILTRATOR鉁湭鉁湭陆Opens September 1 (limited release)

We just don't have enough great dramas. Two of my听favourite films in the last twelve months have been dramas, Eye in the Sky and Sicario. 听Now here's another to add to the lists of greats.Of course, this film was going to be great Bryan Cranston is in it. He has a way of creating expressions on his face and you know his mind is churning through something thick. Pair his听ability with John Leguizamo's talent for playing gritty side-kicks and you have some听mesmerising acting happening on screen.Then throw in a great, almost unbelievable, true story and, at least for me, I was almost off the edge of my seat. These guys playing undercover as high end associates to true life drug dealers are in a dangerous game. If you like your dramas pacy and scary go see this.Film BlurbThe true story of one man against the biggest drug cartel in history听Based on a true story, Federal agent ROBERT "BOB" MAZUR (Bryan Cranston) goes deep undercover to infiltrate Pablo Escobar鈥檚 drug trafficking scene plaguing the nation in 1986 by posing as slick, money-laundering businessman Bob Musella.Teamed with impulsive and streetwise fellow agent EMIR ABREU (John Leguizamo) and rookie agent posing as his fianc茅 KATHY ERTZ (Diane Kruger), Mazur befriends Escobar鈥檚 top lieutenant ROBERTO ALCAINO (Benjamin Bratt).听Navigating a vicious criminal network in which the slightest slip-up could cost him his life, Mazur risks it all building a case that leads to indictments of 85 drug lords and the corrupt bankers who cleaned their dirty money, along with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, one of the largest money-laundering banks in the world.NERVE鉁湭鉁狾pens September 1

I wish my eldest son had come along to this. He's the perfect demographic at sixteen. This isn't one for us adults although we can sit and watch and nod affirmation that online socialising and playing games with strangers is听dangerous. This film takes that idea to the extreme ... think Michael Douglas's The Game for the听millennials.The first half is quite interesting and does get along a pace. The leads Emma Roberts andDave Franco give reasonable performances, although听it is interesting that they are听both in their late twenties听but playing teenagers. It falls down at the end with a cliched wind up that is far too neat.However, it certainly isn't a听fail and for the teen to early twenties market it will do well. It might even become a cult classic (mind you,who can tell why anything makes it into that realm). If your teenager wants to see it, let them. It's not too violent and might scare them off playing games online. Hope someone doesn't take the idea of this film and make it real.Film BlurbIndustrious high school senior, Vee Delmonico, has had it with living life on the sidelines. When pressured by friends to join the popular online game Nerve, Vee decides to sign up for just one dare in what seems like harmless fun. But as she finds herself caught up in the thrill of the adrenaline-fueled competition partnered with a mysterious stranger, the game begins to take a sinister turn with increasingly dangerous acts, leading her into a high stakes finale that will determine her entire future.GIRL ASLEEP(not reviewed)Opens听September 听1Showing at Luna Cinemas in Perth

The indie film, directed by Rosemary Myers, written by Matthew Whittet and produced by Jo Dyer, was up againstSpin Out, The Death and Life of Otto Bloomand WA'sJasper Jones.I'd say this is one not to be missed. I'm going to catch it shortly.This Aussie film just won the听Cinefest OZ Festival's $100,000 prize along with a bunch of other鈥嬧€嬏齛wards听at other festivals.WIN! WIN!To celebrate the release of Girl Asleep on Sept 1st, we're giving away DVD packs that honor the best + worst of the teenage experience! Simply purchase a ticket in the first week of release, write your details on the back + drop it into the entry box in the Leederville foyer to enter!Film BlurbThe world is closing in on Greta Driscoll (Bethany Whitmore).On the cusp of turning fifteen she can鈥檛 bear to leave her childhood, it contains all the things that give her comfort in this incomprehensible new world. She floats in a bubble of loserdom with her only friend Elliott (Harrison Feldman), until her parents throw her a surprise 15th birthday听party and she鈥檚 flung into a parallel place; a world that鈥檚 weirdly erotic, a little bit violent and thoroughly ludicrous 鈥� only there can she find herself.听A potently comic journey into the teenage mind, scripted by original playwright Matthew Whittet, Girl Asleep is a delight.听Winner of the Age Critics Award for Best Australian Feature at MIFF 2016; Jury Prize for bestfilm.听Winner of the Adelaide Film Festival Audience Award, Girl Asleep is the filmmaking debut of Windmill Theatre Artistic Director Rosemary Myers. Adapted from Windmill鈥檚 acclaimed 2014 stage production, it鈥檚 a wonderfully eccentric modern fairy tale of female adolescence.2016 Seattle International Film Festival; Most Popular Feature听 Adelaide Film Festival 2016BLOOD FATHER(not reviewed)Opens听September 1

I haven't seen this film, but I'm told by fellow reviewers it's by the numbers. However, Mel Gibson is very good and it is still entertaining. I might try and see it during the week and will let you know.Film BlurbMel Gibson returns to the big screen in the edge-of-your-seat action thriller, BLOOD FATHER,based on the novel by Peter Craig (scriptwriter of The Town). When his teenage daughter is caught up in a drug deal gone wrong, she is forced to reach out to her estranged father, ex-con John Link (Gibson). Only he can protect her from the drug dealers who want her dead.THE CARER 鉁湭鉁�(not reviewed)Opens听September 听1Showing at Luna SX and Cinema Paradiso in Perth

Again haven't seen this one. Looks very arthouse, but might be interesting.Film BlurbSuffering from Parkinson鈥檚 disease and being cooped up in his country estate has left retired Shakespearean actor Sir Michael Gifford (Brian Cox) rather crabby and frustrated.Having ejected all previous would be carers, his daughter spearheads an intervention that sees Dorottya (Coco K枚nig) 鈥� a young Hungarian home help with acting aspirations of her own - tasked with the job of tending to this aging thespian grump.What blossoms between these two kindred spirits is a funny and heart-warming tale on the acceptance of one鈥檚 own mortality.

DON'T BREATHE(not reviewed)Opens听September 1鈥嬧€婽he studios听didn't preview this听but I plan to see it next week and report back. It has garnered some great reviews and been called 'smart horror.' I like a good horror film, but none of my family will come with me so I'll be sitting on my own in the dark and trying to breathe.Film BlurbA trio of reckless thieves breaks into the house of a wealthy blind man, thinking they'll getaway with the perfect heist. They're wrong.SPECIAL EVENTSBRIDGET JONES BABYREADING CINEMAS ADVANCE SCREENINGSLocation:Readings Belmont

Time:7:00pm鈥嬧€婦ate:Wednesday September 7Gold Glass $28听听 General Session $10Film season opens Thursday September 8Then her love life takes a turn and Bridget meets a dashing American named Jack (Dempsey), the suitor who is everything Mr. Darcy is not.After breaking up with Mark Darcy (Firth), Bridget Jones's (Zellweger) "happily ever after" hasn't quite gone according to plan. 听Fortysomething and single again, she decides to focus on her job as top news producer and surround herself with old friends and new. 听For once, Bridget has everything completely under control. 听What could possibly go wrong?READING CINEMAS ADVANCE SCREENINGSPETE'S DRAGONLocation:Readings BelmontTime:9:30 am Film Starts at 10:30 am

Date:Wednesday September 7Film season opens Thursday September 15Join us for an advance Family Day screening, with lots of activities and giveaways!For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales鈥ntil she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott.EVENT CINEMAS CINEBUZZ听SENIORS听SCREENINGSSULLY

Academy Award庐 nominee Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC鈥檚 Sherlock, The Imitation Game) takes on the title role of Shakespeare鈥檚 great tragedy. 听Directed by Lyndsey Turner (Posh, Chimerica) and produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, the original 2015 broadcast was experienced by over half a million people worldwide.As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father鈥檚 death but paralysed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.I hope you are enjoying my new website. 听You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please.

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Published on September 01, 2016 23:12

August 25, 2016

What's on at the movies 25th August 2016?

So if you are in my Wonderful Readers' Club you will have received an early eCopy ofThe Troubles Keeper. If you are not, then it's not too late. Just join now on the link in this section.Early response has been fantastic and I'm just waiting to hear what my rabid reader's think once they've finished. I'm nervously biting down my fingernails waiting.If you love free stuff and want to check听out my books for absolutelyFREE,join my club and you will receive two free books, PLUS, and this is a听great plus, this weekend I will be sending out an offer to receive an early readers' eCopy of The Troubles Keeper. To join just go here:BEN-HUR鉁湭Opens August 23

Who didn't love the original 1959 Ben-Hur starring Charlton Heston? This is a weak copy of the original and while straight after seeing the film I gave it a pass. By the next day, I'm feeling less generous. Directed by Russian Timur Bekmambetov I should have known before I even saw the film it was going to be听ill-conceived and barely a B film.听He had a hand in production or direction of some films that landed on the听bottom of my yearly lists听of worst听films ...听like the real听bottom. One of his filmsThe Darkest Hour (was extraordinary in the poor quality of the CGI and direction andAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunterwasn't much better.The first forty minutes is a complete yawn-fest while he attempts to set up the characters. If you听can't do that in ten minutes then you have a problem with your script. It does improve once Ben-Hur is taken captive and the action heats up a little and it gets a move along.听But then enters Morgan Freeman channelling Whoopi Goldberg in the hair department and we are all down hill from there into an attempt at Hollywood blockbuster treatment without the bang for your buck.The Darkest HourIt's not the worst film I've seen this year. So this means Bekmamabetov is improving.I did suggest everyone send money to his scriptwriter so he could attentscreenwriter's school and learn something of value. It seems that perhaps Bekmambetov received some of听the money and learned a couple of things (not a lot, but a听couple).听听Why the studios keep giving him money and reasonable actors to make these messy films is beyond me. Go see it if you don't believe me, but I'd wait for video so you can fast forward past the boring bits and Morgan听Freeman. That hair is ridiculous and I hate to say this but Jesus in this is pretty awful, too.Film BlurbThe epic story of Judah Ben-Hur, a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala, an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves, Judah is forced into slavery. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but an encounter with Jesus leads him to the Crucifixion, where he discovers forgiveness and finds redemption.DAVID BRENT: LIFE ON THE ROAD 听鉁湭鉁狾pens August 23

I was a great fan of the UK version of the office so you count听me as looking forward to this film. While I did find parts really funny, laugh-out loud funny, by about half way through听I'd begun to feel uncomfortable. The character created by Ricky Gervais is someone we've all met, albeit his is mostly more over the top than average as he's supposedly playing to a reality show camera crew.However, more than a decade on from the original UK series of three seasons ending in 2003, (not to be confused with the US series starring Steve Carrell),听and the idea of laughing at someone and revelling in their self-obsession just feels kind of wrong.In the film, David Brent spends all his retirement savings in funding an ill-conceived, last ditch effort at becoming a rock star and scoring a recording contract. It's an amusing set up, but as time goes on and he funnels more money into the ridiculous tour and his band听talk about how much they dislike him and won't even allow him to travel on the tour bus he has paid for, you really start to feel terribly sorry for the guy.As the credits came up, my husband, thirteen-year-old son, and I all agreed we felt a little depressed having watched his exploits. The film does have a quasi-happy ending, but by then we are feeling so sad for the guy and anyone in real life like him, it just doesn't feel like enough. And has he really learned anything from his experience.It certainly may appeal to some ,听and may actually be a brilliant commentary on life and our incessant desire to be loved and appreciated, but I was feeling too sorry and sad to ponder it further.Film BlurbNow working as a rep selling cleaning (and ladies personal hygiene) products up and down the country, David Brent hasn't given up his dream of becoming a rock star - or more specifically, singer/songwriter for fledgling rock band 'Foregone Conclusion'. As he assembles a group of mercenary session musicians, a talented sidekick for street cred and an overpriced yet underwhelmed tour manager, he embarks upon a self-financed UK tour coming to a venue near every major city near you.FREE STATE OF JONES听鉁湭鉁狾pens August 25

Free State of Jones is a powerful, epic film about an interesting historical event of which I had no knowledge. Matthew McConaughey, as usual, delivers a great performance, but its not enough to make this film a must-see.I would have preferred to watch it as a mini-series and sit comfortably on my听couch.听The ending felt a little rushed and the sixties period insert of the court trial showing us that nothing much has changed in the attitudes to racial听discrimination听just听didn鈥檛 work and muddied the story. I think the film would have been tighter and shorter, (shorter would have been much better) if they had left that out.The听Americans do seem a touch听crazy. First they have a civil war killing their own countrymen. Then they have a civil war within a civil war. Some strange ideals. Please no offence meant to my wonderful American friends.Film BlurbDirected by four-time Oscar (R) nominee Gary Ross and starring Oscar (R) winner Matthew McConaughey, Free State of Jones is an epic action-drama set during the Civil War, and tells the story of defiant Southern farmer, Newt Knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, Knight launched an uprising that led Jones County, Mississippi to secede from the Confederacy, creating a Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the War.HITCHCOCK听TRUFFAUT鉁湭鉁� 陆Opened听August 18

I watched this film on a DVD screener since it didn't have a preview.听Hitchcock is one of myheroes and an inspiration in my fictional work. I think I've seen all his films.听This is a fascinating insight into the man talking frankly about his work as though its another day at the office. I'd like to get hold of the book written by Truffaut from the interviews.However, I did find it a little dry andrepetitive. While the interviews are fascinating, I think the documentarian probably hadn't plotted the arc of the documentary well. It's a touch meandering. Those who are obsessed with film and Hitchcock will still enjoy, as I did. I just think it could have been done better.Film BlurbIn 1962 Hitchcock and Truffaut locked themselves away in Hollywood for a week to excavate the secrets behind the mise-en-sc猫ne in cinema. Based on the original recordings of this meeting-used to produce the mythical book Hitchcock/Truffaut-this film illustrates the greatest cinema lesson of all time and plummets us into the world of the creator of Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo. Hitchcock's incredibly modern art is elucidated and explained by today's leading filmmakers: Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Arnaud Desplechin, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Wes Anderson, James Gray, Olivier Assayas, Richard Linklater, Peter Bogdanovich and Paul SchraderSPECIAL EVENTSCINEFEST OZ FILM FESTIVAL 2016Australia's SouthwestDate:Wednesday August 24 & August 28Time:Various TimesLocation:Western Australia South West

Set in the seaside centres of Busselton, Bunbury, Dunsborough and the Margaret River wine region, CinefestOZ premieres feature films and events in the region鈥檚 cinemas, wineries, small bars and galleries, making it a feast for the senses and听an unforgettable five-day getaway.With such a large score of Australian features, there will be an impressive听group of esteemed industry professional听accompanied the various films on听offer. Heading the Film Prize Jury is acclaimed directorGillian Armstrong.Joining her in the festival experience is multi-award winning novelist,听playwright, television writer,screenwriter and lyricist Ben Elton(Upstart听Crow); comedian, screenwriter and directorTim Ferguson(Film Prize听Finalist Spin Out); Cinesnaps PatronMyles Pollard(Drift); Logie winning actorLincoln Lewis(Spin Out);听actress,听director and writer Matilda Brown (The Death and Life of Otto Bloom); actor听and writer Matthew Whittet (Girl Asleep); actress Sara West (Bad Girl) and actor Aaron McGrath (Jasper Jones) alongside one of Australia鈥檚 greatest and most-loved actorsMagda听Szubanski. Plus many more!Films screening include听The Death and Life of Otto听Bloom, Girl Asleep, Jasper Jones, Spin Out, Blood Father (Mel Gibson), Down UnderIn 2015, Cin茅festOZ highlights included:Over 150 public screenings of Australian and French feature films, documentaries and short films160 free community screeningsFilm-related events, open to the public and ranging from Red Carpet premiere gala nights to intimate short film screenings in cosy barsForums with filmmakers and cast members through Q&As and 鈥業n-Conversation鈥� eventsThe $100,000 CinefestOZ Film Prize in 2015 attracted thirty-five entries of Australian features and documentaries and听Putuparri and the Rainmakers听was presented with the CinefestOZ Film PrizeFilmmaking workshops for public participationScreen industry workshops held in conjunction with ScreenWest, Screen Australia and the South West Development Commission (SWDC)READING CINEMAS ADVANCE SCREENINGSBRIDGET JONES BABY

Date:Wednesday September 7Time:7:00pmLocation:Readings BelmontFilm season opens Thursday September 8Gold Glass $28听听 General Session $10After breaking up with Mark Darcy (Firth), Bridget Jones's (Zellweger) "happily ever after" hasn't quite gone according to plan. 听Fortysomething and single again, she decides to focus on her job as top news producer and surround herself with old friends and new. 听For once, Bridget has everything completely under control. 听What could possibly go wrong?Then her love life takes a turn and Bridget meets a dashing American named Jack (Dempsey), the suitor who is everything Mr. Darcy is not.

Grand Cinemas Grand DayDate:Sunday August 28thTime:ALL DAYLocation:Grand Cinemas WarwickFilm season opens Thursday September 8Gold Glass $28听听 General Session $10Grand Day is all day on Sunday the 28th August at Grand Cinemas Warwick听and tickets are $8 for all members.听 We will be hosting fun activities for听patrons all dayReadings Belmont Secret Life of Pets Family Fun DayDate:Sunday28th AugustTime:Activities from 9.30am听for the fun. Film starts 10:30am

Location:Readings BelmontFor their fifth fully-animated feature-film collaboration, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present The Secret Life of Pets, a comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day. Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts in The Secret Life of Pets, which co-stars Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks. Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy produce the film directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2), co-directed by Yarrow Cheney and written by Brian Lynch and Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio.REVELATION PERTH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALPresents AUSTRALIAN REVELATIONSDate:Monday29th 听AugustTime:6:30 pmLocation:Backlot Cinemas

Revelation Perth International Film Festival听in association with听Cinema Australia听proudly present a celebration of Australian film - past present and future - through its program of monthly screenings with Australian Revelations.August's film is the WA premiere of DownriverA young ex-con encounters secrets from the past and danger in the present when he returns to the rural Australian community to discover the truth behind a crime he supposedly committed when he was a child.Official Selection: Melbourne Film Festival鈥∣fficial Selection: Toronto Film Festival.Preceding Downriver is the locally made - and WASA nominated - short film Outline.KINGSGLAIVE: FINAL FANTASY XV SCREEN EVENTDate:Saturday27th 听AugustTime:2:15听pmLocation:Luna on SX & Luna Leederville

KINGSGLAIVE: FINAL FANTASY XV features stunning animation, with near photorealistic attention to detail and an exciting blend of sci-fi & fantasy elements.The magical kingdom of Lucis is home to the sacred Crystal, and the menacing empire of Niflheim is determined to steal it. King Regis of Lucis (Sean Bean) commands an elite force of soldiers called the Kingsglaive. Wielding their king's magic, Nyx (Aaron Paul) and his fellow soldiers fight to protect Lucis. As the overwhelming military might of the empire bears down, King Regis is faced with an impossible ultimatum - to marry his son, Prince Noctis to Princess Lunafreya of Tenebrae (Lena Headey), captive of Niflheim, and surrender his lands to the empire's rule. Although the king concedes, it becomes clear that the empire will stop at nothing to achieve their devious goals, with only the Kingsglaive standing between them and world domination.MET ENCORE: TOSCADate:Saturday27th & Sunday 28th AugustTime:11amLocation:Luna SX & Luna LeedervilleRunning Time 218 mins

TOSCA鈥� Puccini鈥檚 enduring favorite, starring an exceptional trio of singing actors in the leading roles, features acclaimed American soprano Patricia Racette as the ultimate diva, Floria Tosca, in Luc Bondy鈥檚 production. French tenor Roberto Alagna sings Tosca鈥檚 lover, the painter Cavaradossi, and Georgian baritone George Gagnidze is the corrupt, lustful Scarpia. Italian maestro Riccardo Frizza conducts Puccini鈥檚 sweeping, dramatic tale of murder, lust, and political intrigue.Puccini鈥檚 timeless verismo score is well served by an exceptional cast, led by Patricia Racette in the title role of the jealous diva, opposite Roberto Alagna as her lover, Cavaradossi. George Gagnidze is the villainous Scarpia. (originally transmitted live on November 9, 2013)Kenneth Branagh Theatre LiveROMEO & JULIET LIVEDate:Saturday听27th & Sunday 28th AugustTime:1pmLocation:Cinema Paradiso & Windsor CinemaReadings Cinema Belmont (tickets $20)

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company Live cinema season continues with a new vision of Shakespeare鈥檚鈥嬧€� heartbreaking tale of forbidden love. Branagh and his creative team present a modern passionate version of the classic tragedy.A longstanding feud between Verona鈥檚 Montague and Capulet families brings about devastating consequences for two young lovers caught in the conflict.Reuniting the stars of his celebrated film of Cinderella, Kenneth Branagh directs Richard Madden and Lily James as Romeo and Juliet and Sir Derek Jacobi as Mercutio.I hope you are enjoying my new website. 听You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please. You instantly receive two FREE eBooks.听There are, also, regular giveaways, more free books, and news. Plus, I have a new book coming in SeptemberThe Troubles Keeper, which I think will keep readers up late into the night. I'm sure you'd enjoy being part of the festivities for it.

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Published on August 25, 2016 05:24

The Darkest Hour (encore review)

Invisible aliens star in an invisible plotI just reviewed Ben-Hur, which I learned during my research was directed by the same director as one of the worst films I've reviewed in my career. This was also one of the few reviews that I really had a ball writing by inserting a touch more snarky听humour. I thought you might enjoy this encore review ofThe Darkest Hour,which I wrote in 2012, and I've brought听over from an old original film review blog of mine. This was published in US Suspense Magazine four years ago and, at the time, my editor wrote and asked in future to warn her if I was about to beat up a film as she ended up snorting her coffee out of her nose while reading this. Enjoy and leave a comment on the worst film you have seen?'The Darkest Hour'听should be renamed 'The Darkest 89 Minutes of Cinema'.听听After recentlywatching one of the best sci-fi films of the past decade听'Attack the Block鈥�, I believe there should be a moratorium on films involving aliens invading the planet.听听We have seen the best and we don鈥檛 need any more.

It seems every year we must endure one of these badly plotted, poorly scripted, lamely acted disappointments (warning adverb invasion).听听Last year听at the same time听we suffered 'Battle: Los Angeles' and already I鈥檝e forgotten the story except for the image of Michelle Rodriguez toting a gun that looked too big for her.听听I pray that by this time next year the image of teenagers鈥攊n high heels鈥攔unning through the deserted streets of Moscow听with light bulbs strung around their necks, will also fade from memory.Sean (Emile Hirsch) and Ben (Max Minghella) are in Moscow to close a phone app deal with investors.听听Not only does that go terribly wrong听thanks to Skyler (Joel Kinnaman), but later that night their attempt at picking up Natalie (Olivia Thirlby) and Anne (Rachael Taylor) at a nightclub is rudely interrupted by ball-like lights descending from the sky.听听These turn out to be invisible aliens听who within minutes听begin disintegrating people leaving a trail of very messy dust.Our four heroes鈥攈ear a mocking tone in those words鈥攅nd up surviving by hiding in a cellar for four days, along with the arch business enemy Skyler. I pause here for a note to the scriptwriter, Jon Spaihts鈥攊f people hide in a room for听four days, their hair will be messed, their clothes dirtied, men grow beards, and women tend to take their four inch high heels off.

When they finally emerge we are treated to a view of an unpopulated Moscow that is a little intriguing if we hadn鈥檛 become so worried that the film was already running amok.听听The aliens听having totally devastated the city and incinerated everyone听are now patrolling looking for survivors to crisp.听听At this point, the survivors decide they must get to the US embassy because, as we know, only the Americans can save the planet.听听Before travelling there, they decide the most important thing is to stop at an empty shopping mall and, wait for it鈥et new clothes鈥攜es, there is such a thing now as 鈥淚nvasion Fashion鈥�.It鈥檚 in the mall where they analyse the aliens and deduce that they can see living things by their electrical impulses and, also, that the aliens light up electrical appliances when they pass.听听So, they all don light bulbs as early warning alarms against alien drop-in.听听Throughout the balance of the film there is much light bulb throwing. 听And I fear that, as much as the producers will protest, some light bulbs may have been harmed during the filming.The film travels on from one ridiculous idea to the next; an electrician who has created an apartment sized Faraday cage in four days; a mob of Russians riding horses and toting guns that don鈥檛 kill the aliens yet the Russians听are still alive; a submarine waiting in the river for the only survivors鈥攐ur heroes; microwave guns built in hours; and don鈥檛 get me started on women running around in high heels and perfect hair.Whether the careers of these promising young actors are also harmed by first time Director Chris Gorak鈥檚 and producer Timur Bekmambetov听lack of any sense of creativity or logic is something that remains to be seen.听听As this film will no doubt only last a few weeks on screens the actors probably thought that most people won鈥檛 see it听and they may as well take the pay cheque.Normally in reviews my policy is to give away very little of the plot.听听However, in this review for the sake of your hip pocket, I would like to share the whole plot.听听They get away鈥攆ortunately the better acted characters survive (thank you Aliens for taking out the bad actors first).听听In the end, they work out how to kill the aliens and you do see the little critters鈥攖hink some kind of rough sketch of a spider that the special effects department forgot to run through their CGI machine.听听Most of the other plot highlights I have already revealed earlier.

I do this dear filmgoer听because听I know you will see the trailers and think, 鈥楾hat looks really good,鈥� and you may say to yourself, 鈥楬ow bad can it be?鈥櫶齀t is so bad听you will want your money back.You see the marketing department is tricking you with the trailer. They know you will think all those disjointed images that don鈥檛 have much story are like that because they are edited from the movie听and that听the movie will explain everything. Let me enlighten you with my light bulb preview knowledge, those good bits they show you make more sense than the movie and at least they are all over in a few minutes.So, get your popcorn and coke, and watch the YouTube trailer and then use your saved eighty-nine minutes productively.听听Go to bed and read 鈥榃ar of the Worlds鈥�.听听Oh and send the twenty dollars you鈥檝e saved to Jon Spaihts the writer听because he needs to go to scriptwriting school.

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Published on August 25, 2016 05:18

August 19, 2016

What's on at the movies 18th August 2016?

Busy, busy,听busy life听at the moment, isn't it?听And now we are fitting in听watching the Olympics, too. It's been enjoyable, but I've had to turn it off to finish the edits to this new bookThe Troubles Keeper.And sorry there is no podcast this week. I rushed out and didn't set the听record up properly. 听Sad face.If you love free stuff and want to check听out my books for absolutelyFREE,join my club and you will receive two free books, PLUS, and this is a听great plus, this weekend I will be sending out an offer to receive an early readers' eCopy of The Troubles Keeper. To join just go here:THE SHALLOWS鉁湭鉁狾pens August 18

Filmed off the coast of Queensland, this film was made for peanuts (in Hollywood terms), seventeen million. So there was no way with the slick marketing behind it and an appealing star in Blake Lively听that it wasn't going to make back its money and some. You can read why it is doing so well here:I had a conversation a year or so听ago with a film producer in Sydney. He was looking at one of my short stories for film (no, nothing has come of it, yet). 听He kept repeating, we need abig ideathat is cheap to film, mentioning the success ofmade in 2003 for $500,000 and grossing eventually lifetime听$55 million. The minute I saw the trailer for this, I knew this was one of those films. It's not going to be great, but it will certainly make a fantastic return on investment.Is it a good film? No, not really. Is it fun and watchable? Yes, very much so. It's cheap and silly, but you will come away having eaten a bucketload of popcorn you didn't even notice because you were too busy rooting for the Blake Lively character. I could pick a dozen holes in this film, but director Jaume Collet-Serra (Non-Stop, Run All Night) does know how to ramp up the action, and I think people spending their dollars to see this will get what they paid for. If you are a film purist, I think you will not enjoy. It's certainly not the well craftedJawsand Collet-Serra is no Spielberg. I don't even think it will keep you out of the ocean. 听Watch the trailer and听if you like what you see, then go and enjoy.Film BlurbIn the taut thriller The Shallows, when Nancy (Blake Lively) is surfing on a secluded beach, she finds herself on the feeding ground of a great white shark. Though she is stranded only 200 yards from shore, survival proves to be the ultimate test of wills, requiring all of Nancy's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and fortitude.WAR DOGS 听鉁湭鉁絆pens August 18

This film's trailer leads you to believe it's one of those ribald comedies Jonah Hill usually stars听in. However, it couldn't could be further from that preconception. It's a drama about a true story and while there are a couple of laughs, the joke is on the US government who in real life actually bought hundreds of millions of dollars of defence weaponry from two dope-smoking, irresponsible twenty-somethings. So it's more like a Wolf of Wall Street or a Big Short than anything.The film stars Jonah Hill, Miles Teller,听and Bradley听听Cooper, who also co-produced.听Jonah Hill and Miles Teller perform听very well. In fact, I'm surprised how good Jonah Hill is in this, playing Efraim Diveroli, the听wily, conniving leader of the pair of gun runners. Miles Teller is always a talent. He's so understated, but says so much with just fine facial movements. He plays the poor sap David听Packouz, Efraim's听naive partner.There's been quite a few films听lately dealing with different aspects of the听Afghanistan war and USA participation, but then I guess big events involving millions of people and money are always going to spin off incredible stories. Certainly if you go along expecting to see an interesting drama on something I'm sure none of us have heard you will enjoy.Film Blurb"War Dogs" follows two friends in their early 20s (Hill and Teller) living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War who exploit a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. Military contracts. Starting small, they begin raking in big money and are living the high life. But the pair gets in over their heads when they land a 300 million dollar deal to arm the Afghan Military--a deal that puts them in business with some very shady people, not the least of which turns out to be the U.S. Government.KUBO and the TWO STRINGS 鉁湭鉁� 陆Opens August 18

I didn't make it to this screening. However, I did send along a friend and her two sons aged 13 and 11. They really enjoyed the film. My reviewer friends also said it was a good film. In particular the stop-gap animation was spectacular, I'm told. 听My friend did tell me that its probably very suitable for kids, but as an adult it was only 'okay' viewing. Here's her quickie review:The movie was better than we expected. It was spiritual and inspiring. Beautifully described Japanese culture in scene with lots of Origami figures shaped as humans and creatures. James (11 year old) even cried at climax. Good kids movie and my boys can recommend this to any age children. They rated 3.5 out 5.Film BlurbKubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA. Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of "Game of Thrones") ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including Hosato (George Takei), Akihiro (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), and Kameyo (Academy Award nominee Brenda Vaccaro). But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen - a magical musical instrument - Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) and the evil twin Sisters (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara), to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family, and fulfill his heroic destiny.HITCHCOCK听TRUFFAUT(not reviewed)Opens August 18

I haven't seen this film, but I'm going to try really hard to catch it. I'm obviously a big Hitchcock fan and I quote him as being an inspiration for my own work. Anything giving us an insight into the mind of a creative genius is going to be riveting. Fans of the craft of films听should certainly catch this one.Film BlurbIn 1962 Hitchcock and Truffaut locked themselves away in Hollywood for a week to excavate the secrets behind the mise-en-sc猫ne in cinema. Based on the original recordings of this meeting-used to produce the mythical book Hitchcock/Truffaut-this film illustrates the greatest cinema lesson of all time and plummets us into the world of the creator of Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo. Hitchcock's incredibly modern art is elucidated and explained by today's leading filmmakers: Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Arnaud Desplechin, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Wes Anderson, James Gray, Olivier Assayas, Richard Linklater, Peter Bogdanovich and Paul SchraderSPECIAL EVENTSCINEFEST OZ FILM FESTIVAL 2016Australia's SouthwestDate:Wednesday August 24 & August 28Time:Various TimesLocation:Western Australia South West

READING CINEMAS SPIT THE DUMMY SESSIONBAD MOMSDate:Wednesday August 24Time:10:00amLocation:Readings BelmontReadings also has The Spit the Dummy session every Wednesday. Next week they are screeningBAD MOMS.听The lights are dimmed and stay on and the sound is lowered. Tickets are the usual $10IN THE HOUSE (CLASSICS)Date:July 22 鈥� 25 NovemberTime:Friday 7pmLocation:Event Cinema InnalooTickets:Non Cine Buzz member tickets $13 Member Tickets: $11*HOSTED BY SHANNON HARVEYfromTHE WEST AUSTRALIANFriday 19th August鈥� SERENITYSerenity听is a 2005 American听space Western听film written and directed byJoss Whedon of Marvel Avengers fame.It is a continuation of Whedon's short-lived 2002听Fox听television series听Firefly听and stars the same cast, taking place after the events of the听final episode. Set in 2517,听Serenity听is the story of the captain and crew of听Serenity, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. The captain and first mate are veterans of the Unification War, having fought on the losing Independent side against the听Alliance. Their lives of smuggling and cargo-running are interrupted by a psychic passenger who harbors a dangerous secret.Friday 19 August - SerenityFriday 2 September - Leon The ProfessionalFriday 16 September - The GodfatherFriday 30 September - Boyz N The HoodFriday 14 October - Flying HighFriday 28 October - *Halloween Double Feature* - The Thing (6:30pm) & The Shining (9:30pm)Friday 11 November听 - True RomanceFriday 25 November - AliensSome of cinemas most celebrated films are set to return to our screens听in the 2016听season of 鈥業n The House鈥�!听Join the conversation on the dedicated In The House Facebook page and tell us what YOU want to see back up on the big screen听here.THE GOONIES(monkey听collective immersive)Date:28th AugustTime:8pm for the fun. Film starts 9pmLocation:Luna Leederville

鈥淚t鈥檚 gonna hit you so hard that when you wake up your clothes will be out of style!鈥� (We havesold out in as little as 4hours. If this is your film, don鈥檛 wait.)Pre-screening entertainment from 8PM, film screening 9PM at Luna Leederville. Tickets $22 include a goodie bag.听Your goodie bag packed with items and chants to play along with throughout the screening.This is no Ordinary Screening.......听Tonight you are IN the film!! But first you gotta do the Truffle shuffle鈥μ鼺rom 8pm you can grab pre-show drinks and witness actors run amok in the foyer!In Cinema Bar with Cocktails and Costume CompetitionTreat yourself to some treasure at the amazing Frontier 3D prop shop.听Snag a photo with One eyed willy and his Mound of treasure.听This is a mad favourite of ours鈥hings might get a bit out of hand鈥trictly 18+ We will be rude, crude and extremely unapologetic.I'm setting booty traps..Kenneth Branagh Theatre LiveROMEO & JULIET LIVEDate:Saturday27th & Sunday 28th AugustTime:1pmLocation:Cinema Paradiso & Windsor Cinema

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company Live cinema season continues with a new vision of Shakespeare鈥檚 heartbreaking tale of forbidden love. Branagh and his creative team present a modern passionate version of the classic tragedy.A longstanding feud between Verona鈥檚 Montague and Capulet families brings about devastating consequences for two young lovers caught in the conflict.Reuniting the stars of his celebrated film of Cinderella, Kenneth Branagh directs Richard Madden and Lily James as Romeo and Juliet and Sir Derek Jacobi as Mercutio.I hope you are enjoying my new website. 听You can subscribe now and receive an alert whenever there is a new post. So you never need to miss out on the weekly film reviews or any news.If you've arrived here as a fan of my stories, please. You instantly receive two FREE eBooks.听There are, also, regular giveaways, more free books, and news. Plus, I have a new book coming in SeptemberThe Troubles Keeper, which I think will keep readers up late into the night. I'm sure you'd enjoy being part of the festivities for it.

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Published on August 19, 2016 03:30

August 18, 2016

Stealing Time & Debunking the Myths of Writing, No Time and Quality

There鈥檚 a myth that鈥檚 been doing the rounds since forever that in order to write quality fiction you need to spend years on it. It鈥檚 bunk.

in which he said,鈥淭he lie that a good novel takes five years to write needs to die. There鈥檚 no correlation between听how much an author procrastinates and how wonderfully literary their creation turns out to be.鈥滿y concern with this myth is that aspiring writers believe in it and then don鈥檛 get started because the mountain seems insurmountable. Yesterday, a friend wrote telling me that she was too busy with life to write, even though she really wanted to pursue this career. She鈥檇 hoped that somewhere in the distant future (you know that place, it鈥檚 very magical) she would find the time.Let me set those writers straight who don鈥檛 know this secret. That place in the distant future where you are looking for time, well, it doesn鈥檛 exist. To demonstrate how to find a better place, a more flexible place, I thought it would be a fun little exercise to share a week of my recent life when I wrote an 11,000-word short story. It will also serve as my contribution to stabbing the stupid myth that successful writers have a cozy office where they get to sit all day and drink coffee, in order to produce their works of carefully crafted prose.听听If that does ever happen to you I suggest you look out for the pigs flying by the windows.

First, I鈥檝e been tagged in a blog hop by my Aussie mate. Well she was my mate until she started telling everyone that her story in our anthologySIDE听is better than mine. But you will need to buyto decide for yourself. I鈥檓 going to quickly answer the blog hop questions and then get on to that myth.How does your work differ from others in its genre?I try and write something different from anything I鈥檝e read or seen in a film. My mother once said to me while I sweated a high school English writing assignment, 鈥淚magine what everyone else will write and then write something completely different.鈥� So that鈥檚 always my plan.I follow the illusionist鈥檚 tricks with my surprise endings, too. While a reader is over here distracted by the action and thinking they know what鈥檚 going on, they are exactly where I want them. Meanwhile I鈥檓 over here with the real truth that they hopefully won鈥檛 see coming. It鈥檚 a sleight of hand with words. I love writing it, while imagining the pleasure the reader will enjoy from the ending.Why do I write what I do?Zero choice. I love sci-fi, horror and anything strange. Somehow my brain is programmed that听way, most likely from all the horror stories I read and watched as a child. Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock had a huge impact on me. Where my imagination goes, I鈥檓 merely a passenger and am forced to follow and take notes. Very quickly, usually.How does my writing process work?

I don鈥檛 plot. I did try for a long time because that鈥檚 what I was taught. But I get bored.听听It鈥檚 been several years since I knew the ending of anything I write when I start writing. I have a scene or an idea, and then I just sit down and write the first thing that comes into my head. It鈥檚 terrifying and exhilarating.At the end I鈥檓 always shocked that I worked out the story arc and the ending and found a good twist. Of course, there is a bit of rewriting at times to clean up what I didn鈥檛 know in the beginning to make it match the ending. There is rarely a great deal to do.听听When I actually attempt to work something out in my head, outside physically writing it, I can鈥檛. My mind is a blank.That is the conclusion of the blog hop. Now onto鈥tomping on the lie that you have no time to write or that you need years to write a novel if it鈥檚 going to be quality.

As an example to fellow time-starved writers and those looking in on the writing world, I would like to share with you how I just wrote an 11,081 first draft of a story called听鈥淏ack Again,鈥澨齱hile crazy busy this past week.I鈥檓 not doing this to say, 鈥淟ook at me. Aren鈥檛 I a hero?鈥� If I wanted that I would tell you that I slave over my keyboard, need quiet because I am a genius, and that I bleed every word. Some writers might and good luck to them, but that seriously does not sound like fun, and it鈥檚 not how I feel when I write. Writing feels joyous to me. It鈥檚 not work, and many times I feel like I am flying it鈥檚 so liberating.The first thing to know is that I am a mom before anything else. I鈥檝e got two 鈥渕onster鈥� boys, eleven and thirteen. They argue A LOT, treat me like a slave, and seem to have no clue that their parents are human beings with their own stuff. It鈥檚 all about them. I try to teach them differently, but hey, that鈥檚 the nature of kids these days, right? I drive the kids to and from school, and if they need me at the school canteen or to help with anything, my hand is always up. How do you teach your kids to be involved in the community if they don鈥檛 see you doing it?Secondly, I'm a film and book reviewer, so I go to a lot of movies (averaging about three to four a week). I think my record was eight one week.听听Last year I saw 134 films on screen. Then I have to write the reviews.听听Of course, I have to drive to the cinemas all over Perth. So each film is a three to four hour round trip. I get in and out as quick as I can, around chatting to my critic mates. We love talking film and, no, we don鈥檛 ever get sick of it. Also eating into my time are promotions with book and film publicists involving the exchange of 听many daily emails.

Thirdly, I don鈥檛 work outside the home, but as any mom can tell you that doesn鈥檛 mean you don鈥檛 work your butt off, washing, cleaning, preparing dinner, and all the phone calls and errands you do. My house isn鈥檛 meticulously clean, but it is tidy. So I don鈥檛 live in a vacuum, and I don鈥檛 get to squirrel myself away from life to get to my writing. That鈥檚 an impossible dream.Two weeks听ago on Monday 17th听February an author wrote to me asking if I could contribute a time travel story to an anthology. It needed to be submitted by the 30th March. 听(UPDATE July 2014: The story becamebut I decided, in the end, to not have it included in the anthology and it was published in early May 2014.)Now I have a lot on in the way of writing, a collection of short stories to assemble, a 鈥淒ust鈥� fanfic to edit that鈥檚 come back from my editor, and a booking late March for more work to be edited.听On top of that, coming up last weekend was the Perth Writer鈥檚 Festival where I had two speaking gigs.But I love a challenge and I did have a time travel story that had kicked around in my head for several years that was just itching to be told.How do I fit writing this story in, which I hadn鈥檛 planned to write, when I have no time? I was only halfway through creating my PowerPoint for my three hour workshop and the kids had a lot on with sport. So here is how I wrote 11,000 good words alongside my day-to-day other jobs鈥攊magine constant chaos and interruption in the background, too.Wednesday 19th听Feb:Attended 13-year-old鈥檚 all day swim carnival. Took my laptop and in between raceswrote 1400 words.A good startThursday 20th听Feb:9-11amWent for my swim-2.2km-and by the time I wash my hair, blah, blah, there goes two hours.11- 2pmWorked on my workshop, that was a priority, so couldn鈥檛 do anything else. In between did all the other mom stuff that you do and business emails, etc., etc..2pm to 2:50pmManaged to write听another 800 words听just before school pickup.Total now 2200 words.Friday 21st听Feb:11:30Writer鈥檚 Festival interview hosted by me withand. It was great fun, and they are awesome guys. Spies actually鈥� shh, don鈥檛 tell anyone. I now know spies.2:00pmMedia screening across town ofIn A World.Rushed there, ate my lunch (leftovers) in the dark (pretty stock standard for me).5:00 pmTook 11-year-old to indoor soccer and then across town to outdoor soccer training until 7pm. Husband came along. I thought we could spend quality time together while son was training. But no, I had to catch up on my twitter account. Bad me.9:00pmChildren in bed and we just crashed. I wanted to write, but my brain had started to switch off.Saturday 22nd听Feb:10amSlept in. Trundled over to son鈥檚 all day soccer tournament in 37/100 degree heat. When he wasn鈥檛 playing I wrote.听Another2,500 words.Total now 4,700 words3pmCame home and hung with thirteen-year-old. Watched two episodes of听Walking Dead听because he鈥檚 ahead of me and he keeps bugging me to catch up. I was hot and happy to sit down for an hour or so. Sheese that show is violent, though, ain鈥檛 it?8pmHusband sat with me and checked through my workshop to make sure it was coherent. He gave the thumbs up. It was forty slides of good information on writer 鈥渄iscoverability.鈥漇unday 23rd听Feb:听听听听听听听Lazy morning. Posted my film reviews for the week. Enjoyed hanging out with my family for late breakfast. Stopped the children from killing each other. Several times.2pm3 hour听workshop at the Perth Writer鈥檚 Festival. Went well and attendees seemed to feel they learned a few things.听听I learned something, too. Don鈥檛 wear heels to conduct a 3 hour workshop.6pmBack into mom clothes, helped son fold pamphlets for his letterbox delivery round (15 flyers folded together for 180 letterboxes). It had to be done by today.7pmAfter dinner walked our letterbox delivery round. We all do it for exercise and as a family outing. Eleven-year-old kicks his soccer ball alongside, Dad does one side of the street, I do the other, and the thirteen-year-old does the exterior of the route because he has an electric scooter.Monday 24th听Feb:9-11amWent for my swim.What seems like millions of emails have accumulated since Friday. So has the washing. But I did manage to scrawl out听another 1,000 words.听But I wasn鈥檛 happy with the progress, because I felt it was going to be a longer story than I鈥檇 expected and I wanted it done sooner than later.听Total now 5700 Words6:30pm 听听Film听screening听Non-Stop.听The whole family went.11pm-1am听Added another 2,000 words.听I know a lot of authors say they get up early to write or stay up until 4am.听听I can鈥檛 do that. I get really tired if I don鈥檛 get 6 to 8 hours of sleep. Then the next day, I fall asleep at the keyboard. So that option is only there occasionally to stay up late and usually I don鈥檛 go past one am.Total now 7700 words.Tuesday 25th听Feb:9amMel Hearse听comes over for coffee first thing. She also has a story in the FROM THE INDIE SIDE ANTHOLOGY (you really gotta buy it) I haven鈥檛 seen Mel for a few months but we email and facebook all the time. (I can鈥檛 get rid of her. Does anyone know how I can?)听We had an unboxing to film of FROM THE INDIE SIDE. A box of the books had just arrived on Thursday and this was the first chance we could get together.11:30amFilm screening 鈥� Ride Along1:30pmEmail and business stuff 鈥� no writingWednesday 26th听Feb:Today is the day. I have to get the story finished because I have other things coming up.9amCatch up on all my film reviews and returning emails.听听I wrote six reviews and replied to countless queries and writing related stuff (but not story writing).1:30pmPut听down听another1500 wordsbefore school pick up.听听I am close to the end of the story at around 9,200 words, but I still don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen, and I am starting to worry. I want that big 鈥渨ow鈥� ending that you don鈥檛 see coming. But even听I听don鈥檛 see it coming at this moment.4:30pmHusband comes home early and I ask him to finish off dinner for me, while I go work on my story. He knows the rule 鈥淗appy wife, happy life.鈥�6pmHusband calls out that dinner is ready.听听Just ten more minutes and I think I鈥檓 done. I found my ending, (and what an ending) and I鈥檓 madly racing toward it.6:15pm1881 Words听I join the family for dinner, maybe eight minutes late from the final dinner call, but it鈥檚 done. I鈥檝e typed 鈥淭he End鈥� at11,081 words(around 45 pages), and I really don鈥檛 feel as if I broke a sweat.Now if you听extrapolate out that word count for five more weeks of barely doing anything, I would have a novel.听 This week was one of my very, very busy weeks. This story is quality I believe, and by the time you read it in May after its edited several times and then fine-tooth combed by my fabulous editor, Peg, you won鈥檛 be including this story in the 鈥淭sunami of Crap鈥� bag that is hurled at indies.

So there you have it, folks. It isn鈥檛 about being special or having more time than anyone else, it鈥檚 about stealing time that you freely give away. An hour to me is worth a 1000 words, so I spend my time wisely. I鈥檓 not a hermit and I enjoy seeing my friends when I can.听听I know the job I have to do is to produce words, and so I do it. In between, I do all that I have shown you and I fritter my time on Facebook and twitter. I fritter because I enjoy it.Next time you hear yourself saying 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have any time鈥� or you hear that tale of authors taking years to write their masterpiece, think about this post. It鈥檚 not that you don鈥檛 have time; it鈥檚 just that you haven鈥檛听learned to find it. It鈥檚 hiding everywhere, you鈥檝e just got to open your eyes and see it.P.S. Update July 2014:I've just completed the novel, of the same name, from this short story. It took me five weeks to write it, based around the short story, and 4 and a half weeks to get the 85,000 word manuscript through two more drafts before sending it off to my lovely editors.听听In total, it's taken me 11 weeks to write and edit to a reasonably clean manuscript of 350 page book. I don't say this to be a smart-ass. Just to share that this trope of taking years to write a novel may not be true for everyone. I听didn't think听that I could write a book that quickly, that I actually had it in me. Turns out I did. Who knows, it might be in you, too.Now back to the normal transmission... I'm meant to pass this lengthy, (I know I do go on) blog hop on to someone else, but I don鈥檛 know to whom. Hellooo鈥� hellooo鈥� who is the next guy?听Somebody email me, mental telepathy me, something.听听Did I talk too long?听听Hellooooooo鈥�.And since nobody else is here, and while we are waiting for the next blog hopper author, don鈥檛 forget to grab a copy of. It鈥檚 definitely not part of the 鈥淭sunami of Crap鈥� even though we are indie authors and the twelve of us got that little baby out in less than six months. If you would like a FREE copy of it to read so you can decide for yourselfby the 10th May, 2014.Other stops on this blog hop from authors starring in FROM THE INDIE SIDE:P.S.听 I've just heard from Peter Cawdron, who has joined the blog hop from the side. He's from Queensland, Australia and that's how they roll over there.听 It's the humidity we think-it does something to you.听 I was actually born in Brisbane, Queensland, and lived thee until I was 25, so I can share that the nickname for Queenslanders is "Banana Benders," and there is a reason for that.听 So, the next stop on this blog hop, that is hopping all over the place, is听Ernie Lindsey, but you will hop there and find that you have arrived at Peter Cawdron's blog, where he interviews Ernie. See what I mean?听 You would expect that Peter interviews himself because that's what we all did.听 But we like to shake it up, folks. And we are indies so we can do whatever the heck we want to do.听 So hop over to听听Ernie'sPeter Cawdron's blog and from there, well, you could end up anywhere. But isn't that the fun of it?

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Published on August 18, 2016 06:44

Who's afraid of a little blank page?

Fear, as defined by听 the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is 鈥渁n unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.鈥澨齆obody needs to research the word to understand its meaning.听听We鈥檙e born with the understanding of it, as a necessity听for our very survival.听听If not for fear, we would no doubt place ourselves in harm鈥檚 way often with serious consequences.So it was with interest I viewed recently on a,听an interview with听a fellow they听nicknamed the Bird-Man.听听He jumps off mountains with flimsy looking, parachute-type wings, skims across the hillside at 200km per hour, and then lands in the valley thousands of metres below.听听As if that wasn鈥檛 dangerous enough, he, and his other crazy mate, place helium balloons a metre above the edge of cliffs, then aim and fly into them for that little extra thrill.

In the documentary, one of the balloons had snagged on a stone and then only floated inches above the ground.听So, of course, Bird-Brain-Man still needed to attempt bursting the precariusly low听balloon.听听And in this case, he failed, skimming into the rock and hurtling off unconscious down the hillside.Miraculously, he did live to fly another day but听endured series injuries but he has the full intention of recovering and doing it again.听听According to him, he suffers from a disorder calledcounterphobia, a pathological phobia to confront things that scare him.Now as much as I don鈥檛 want to hurl myself off a mountain鈥攊n fact, I get nervous walking down steps鈥擨 would like to get me some of that counterphobia for each time I experience the biggest thing that stands between me and writing.For twenty-three years, fear was a seemingly impenetrable wall, preventing me from embarking on a writing career.听听And even now, despite short story competition wins, and a building volume of published work, it is still there鈥攍arge and looming.An Exercise in Control

Thomas Keneallyis clearly an accomplished author.听听He is the winner of the Man-Booker, Miles Franklin Awards, along with many others.听 He also听enjoys the notable claim of having his book, 鈥淪chindler鈥檚 Ark鈥�, adapted into an Oscar winning film by none other than Steven Spielberg.听听Certainly he should feel some confidence in his literary abilities.Recently, in a,听he was asked that, considering his fairly early success, did writing come easily and did he worry was there any time that the writing might not come?He began to comment, 鈥榃riting is an exercise in control,鈥櫶齛nd then he paused.听听I thought this incredible author, with such a legacy of prose, was about to extol the virtue of controlling yourself to sit at a desk day after day.听听That is the toughest part of the job right?After a long breath, though, he said something that truly surprised me.听听Award winning, Thomas Keneally said,鈥榃riting is an exercise in controlling your fear.听听Above all the fear that you are not a writer.听听And that doubt is always there.听听But we are addicted to writing.听听Writing is like dope.听听It鈥檚 like alcohol to the alcoholic.听听You can鈥檛 do without it and alcohol makes alcoholics miserable and writing makes writers sometimes miserable but writing delivers a sort of transcendence sometimes.鈥橶ow.Devil in my Ear

In my first year of taking writing seriously, that same fear sat next to me, whispering in my ear听for every page I wrote.听听Sometimes it was so loud it drowned out all common sense and reassurances by my best first reader, Hubby.听Even the wins in competitions and enjoying publication of my stories still managed to garner negative comment from my inner critic鈥攈e鈥檚 really quite malicious.'Surely, there weren鈥檛 many other stories in the competition,鈥� he would say, or 鈥楾he quality for this particular competition must be very low for you to win a place.鈥櫶� I wouldn't even hang the award certificates on my wall.听He actually made me feel ashamed.听As confident as I would feel at times, it was seemingly his job to bring me down, crash me on that mountain I dared to skim.Then there was听that听week, two years ago, where I didn鈥檛 dare read what I had written in a section of my novel.听听The memory of the writing, so punctuated with the thoughts that it wasn鈥檛 just trash but embarrassingly unfixable trash, paralysed me.听听That was the week I cried myself to sleep, couldn鈥檛 read, couldn鈥檛 write and decided I was never going back to it again.But the addiction called and at the back of my mind was the feeble, lonely thought that maybe, just maybe, it wasn鈥檛 as bad as I remembered.听听I thought if I just read one page and then put it away, then at least I would forever still the听mad thought that I could be a good writer.The DemonsIn the end, the writing wasn鈥檛 terrible and, of course, it was fixable, and I learnt a valuable lesson.听听Writing听harboured its demons.听 Battling those demons was as much a part of the process as coming up with plots, inventing characters, and editing my drafts.听听Writing was a conscious and subconscious mind game.Ah, so now I knew the rules, I thought.听听That nasty critic voice will not catch me, the oh-so-wise writer, again.I was wrong.

Two weeks ago, I began a short story with all the bravado with which my experience has endowed me.听听It was an exciting idea and the first few pages captured the concept perfectly.听听I read them听enthusiastically听over the phone to Hubby, who cooed and ahhed at my brilliance.That night I handed over the remaining pages eager to hear his thoughts on my work so far.鈥業t doesn鈥檛 work,鈥� he said bluntly.听听鈥楾he sentences are choppy and the whole opening scene drags.听听I鈥檇 scrub that beginning.鈥欌€極h, the whole beginning, doesn鈥檛 work.听听Are you sure?鈥櫶齀 said, puffs of听ego escaping from every pore.鈥榊ep,鈥� he says, 鈥楽ee, you always accuse me of bias but when it鈥檚 not good I tell you.听听So now you can trust me.鈥橝nd that was all it took to keep me from writing for two weeks; to even spin me into a little sadness that permeated my life.听听In the night, that critic voice听crept back in hissing like a听snake, 鈥榊ou really aren鈥檛 much of a writer.听听Whatever muse you had has gone and found a better writer.听听Give up.听You鈥檒l amount to nothing.鈥橣or over two weeks it went on鈥攃ritical voices, sadness, and no writing.听听But I鈥檓 a confirmed writerholic, and I couldn鈥檛 stay away.听听I opened the story file and stared at the screen as I took a deep breath.听听I didn鈥檛 dare read what I had already written.The literary critic had amped it up a notch and was screaming that the听well was dry听and best forget about it.听听'You will听never write another good sentence,' was his final shot.And I almost turned away.Barely听Hanging OnOne thought kept me there, hanging by my creative fingernails.听听If I didn鈥檛 write that day, then I may not write tomorrow or the day after, and the longer the gap the more fear would fill it.听听Then one day might the gap stretch wider than I could reach.听听And the thought that I would never experience that 鈥榯ranscendence鈥� again, was just enough to tip my hands towards the keyboard.

By now the critic was hysterical鈥擨 think I heard, terrible, disaster and horrific in the same utterance鈥攁s the first sentences left my mind and appeared upon the screen.听Then, like magic, he was gone.听听And it was just the words and me again and I was back safe in my home.Later as I read the passages to my hubby, he exclaimed, 鈥楤rilliant, truly brilliant,鈥� and I was once again wearing my coat of many bravadoes.听听I thought, why, oh why, did the thought of writing scare me for two weeks?And I鈥檝e thought a lot about it since, too, because this shouldn鈥檛 have happened to me again.听I knew it would happen but like all writers, I鈥檓 counterphobic when it comes to writing.听听Sometimes, I even like the fear.听听It makes me feel all-conquering.听听So why did I lose my faith?Why, why, why?Because it鈥檚 magic, you know.Writing is pure magic and we are magicians who instinctively weave with all our tools.听听And because it鈥檚 magic, there is no true formula.听听It doesn鈥檛 come from knowing that if you add one plus one you will always get two.听听It comes, and it doesn鈥檛 come; and it works, and it doesn鈥檛 work.Writers are even braver than the Bird Man.听听Even that Bird Man wouldn鈥檛 jump off a cliff if he thought there was a chance that his wings wouldn鈥檛 work.听听Sometimes, our wings don鈥檛 open.听听We don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 waiting for us counterphobic writerholics each day but we take our chances.

We face our demons.听听We write to fight another day because there is only one thing worse than bad writing and that is no writing at all.听听And a life without writing scares me more than jumping off a cliff with听only听flimsy parachute wings.If you听have听enjoyed this musing, do hop over and register for my very random newsletter. Straightaway you will receive two fantastic short stories FREE. You'll also be the first to know when I have exciting news to share like free books (international) and film ticket giveaways (Australia). Hop over here:My Amazon author page:

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Published on August 18, 2016 06:19

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