There is a lot of running in Licorice Pizza. Said running acts as an energetic, exhilarating recurring motif, whether its central characters are running in a comedic or bonding moment, running to find one another amid melancholy heartache, or running to post flyers for fledgeling business ventures. I’ll come back…

In August 2020, I took voluntary redundancy from a staff job I’d had in television for over twenty years. It was a difficult decision, made in an exceptionally tough set of circumstances, complicated by a global pandemic. Nonetheless, it was the right time to leave for all sorts of reasons…

Olivia Colman excels in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s superb psychological drama The Lost Daughter. Her complex performance ranks among her finest; a shining gem at the centre of this ruthlessly honest, humane exploration of a subject likely to jab a few raw nerves.

Colman plays Leda, a linguistics professor taking a “working…

Who doesn’t enjoy a great whodunnit? Even when you know the identity of the killer, the films I’ve selected for this article bear repeat viewings. That said, if you’ve not seen any of these, you’re in for a compelling treat. Just don’t let anyone spoil them for you.

When it…

I loathe corporate claptrap with a burning passion. For decades, I endured the interminable waffle of management meeting lingo, with all the usual suspects present and miserably correct. …

The Authentic Eclectic

I’ve had a number of questions requesting clarification on plot points in my fantasy novella Bloodmire (recently serialised in Fictions). Encouraged by positive response and engagement with this story, I originally intended this article to be a breakdown of all seven parts, in which I would expound on narrative clues…

Last week, the Medium Town Crier strode along my metaphorical street. He rang his metaphorical bell, informing me a writing prompt has been issued, urging the listing of five songs that define me, or five films that define me. Normally the Dillon Empire ignores such prompts — not because I…

Another day, another tissue-thin algorithm-of-ultimate-power spy thriller. That’s not to say Simon Kinberg’s female-driven actioner The 355 is entirely without entertainment value, but it is superficial and painfully predictable, not to mention irritatingly illogical. Suspension of disbelief is always required for a film of this kind, but The 355 makes…