A television crew interviews a murderous prisoner believed to be demon possessed. — Continuing my brief series showcasing the first chapters of some of my novels, here’s the post-prologue opening of gothic mystery horror-thriller The Irresistible Summons. Naomi Levinson sat in the driver’s seat of the company Citroen Berlingo, watching light drizzle splatter on the windscreen. She drummed her fingers on the steering…

Florence Pugh delivers a standout performance in Olivia Wilde’s flawed but intriguing riff on The Truman Show. — Don’t Worry Darling arrives in cinemas clutching a plethora of eye-rolling celebrity gossip baggage, some of which has itched my irritation to horsefly bite levels. The most rage-inducing gnat in my single malt whisky is the idiotic sexist assertion that Olivia Wilde is somehow a bad director due to the…

I resisted for a long time, but I think I’ve found a way to provide something of value for supporters. — As a fairly stereotypical Brit, self-promotion doesn’t come naturally to me. It’s difficult not to think of it as vulgar and distasteful. …

The Dillon Empire’s monthly meander into the mires of Medium in search of magnificence. — Due to popular demand, I have decreed that henceforth Dillon Picks shall be compiled by both Reginald the Rigorous and Millicent the Malevolent, unless one or the other is on annual leave, or if one or the other incurs the displeasure of the Dillon Empire. …

Viola Davis gives a strong performance as the fierce leader of an all-female warrior army defending the Kingdom of Dahomey. — There’s been a fair bit of controversy around The Woman King. This Braveheart-ish story of an all-female warrior army from the African Kingdom of Dahomey during the early 19th Century, has been accused of glossing over Dahomey’s involvement in the slave trade. With tedious predictability, some on TwitTok are calling…

A much procrastinated over selection featuring UFOs, futuristic dystopias, AI nightmares, reality television, time travel, and more. — My Medium listicular portfolio includes pieces on horror, fantasy, musicals, superheroes, gangster films, romantic comedies, romantic dramas, sport dramas, film noir, war, and more. However, I’ve yet to draw up a list of my favourite science fiction films. Why have I put it off for so long? I’m not sure…

An ornithophobic aspiring novelist goes to extreme lengths to rid herself of an avian intruder. — Continuing my brief series showcasing the first chapters of some of my novels, here’s the opening of gothic mystery thriller The Birds Began to Sing. I’m including this one also as an example of an opening with a few things that make me slightly cringe these days (I wrote this…

Any excuse to talk about John Cleese’s hilarious classic comedy heist thriller. — Screenwriting guru Robert McKee claims, in his outstanding book Story, that comedy is disliked by critics because there’s nothing to discuss. To paraphrase, you can debate the relative merits of Citizen Kane until you’re blue in the face, but say A Fish Called Wanda isn’t funny, and people simply pity…

Viggo Mortensen and Léa Seydoux undertake sexually charged performance art surgery in David Cronenberg’s return to Crash territory. — “Surgery is the new sex.” So claims new organ registry bureaucrat Timlin (Kristen Stewart), who later attempts an awkward seduction of evolutionary anomaly Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen). He responds with equal clumsiness to her advances, stating: “I’m not very good at the old sex”. Old sex, presumably, not involving kinky…