August update

Hi guys

Hope your all well?  Just a quick note to keep you updated.

Still not written anything yet although going through The Minion story so I can post on here in September in a serial format - so expect some cliffhangers ( I hope).

Last night missed going to Mini Con at Waterstones, Leeds which had a cos play,  stalls, competitions - sounded good but had other things to do.

Also been having some good ideas last week or two - with these in mind has anyone written for comics/graphic novels?
Need advice on how to write for them  - cheers.

See you soon.

Film Review - The Gift

Hi guys

Went to the cinema last night and was either going to watch the new Fantastic Four or The Gift.  Had heard bad reviews for Fantastic Four plus I still think it's too soon for a re-boot after the last films. 

The Gift had good reviews.

It set up the story well with Simon (Jason Bateman) and his wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall) moving from Chicago to Simons home town where they bump into a weird old school friend of Simons, Gordon (Joel Egerton) who finds out where they live and starts leaving gifts.

The film is a bit of a slow burner with the tension and Robyns paranoia slowly building up.  But is she being paranoid?  Is Gordon really in their house?

The three leads are excellent especially Jason Bateman as Simon who starts of a warm fun character but he turns nasty once his secrets from school start coming out and shows he was a bully.  The film mainly focused on the three leads so they carried the film well.  There are bit parts from Simons work and their neighbours. 

The  film us creepy in places but needs a better end - there was no real resolution (or is there).  At the end everyone in the screening was like WTF? 

Overall  -  A good thriller although slow in parts but the three leads carry it very well - end is disappointing. 

Score   7/10

Inside Out - film review

Took my daughter to see the above film Inside Out last Saturday at the Rex Cinema in Elland.  An old fashioned cinema complete with organ and an interval half way through selling icecream.  The screen isn't massive but the place screams nostalgia.   Also it's alot cheaper than the big cinemas around which I think are way over priced.

Anyway the film has been advertised as a hit comedy and it was really good although not as funny as I'd hoped.

It focuses on Riley and starts with her being born, inside her head materialises Joy who starts running Rileys emotions.   She is joined by Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear.
I have similar ones in my head which are Sadness, Paranoia, Worry, Beer monster, Psycho and Perv - lol.
Anyway as Riley grows up small balls of her memories store up including her core memories.  Outside command central islands if Rileys personality appear.  These include Hockey and Family.

The trouble starts when at 11 Riley and her Mum and Dad move away, sadness touches the core memories turning them blue/sad and Sadness and Joy end up outside the command centre with the Core memories and have to return them before her islands of personality crumble.   Jeez sounds complicated but it isn't.

As always with a Pixar film the SFX and voice cast are top notch and my daughter and myself enjoyed it.

At the end it shows different versions of the emotions in different people's head which was funny especially the dog version.

Overall - a great film for the family but could have had more laughs.

Score    8/10
Bels Score  9/10

To Write or Not to Write

Hi guys

Had a bit of a break in writing,  blogging and all things bookish as I've had a crisis of confidence.
It started with a few bad writing feedbacks.  Then I didn't make the long list of the No Exit Press competition.  I also couldn't get into Camp Nano in July and continue my novel.  All this and it put me off blogging both here and for the Cleckheaton Literary Festival blog.  Although always planned about a month off the latter blog to space events out and have coverage going for most of the year.

So over the last month I've had a think as to whether I should continue writing - the pros and cons.
These include
Con - time - working full time, getting up early travelling and staring at a screen for about seven hours tires my eyes so when I get home I'm too tired especially in the eyes to sit at another screen.   Also on weekends have my daughter.
Pro - I can work around weekends when haven't daughter or when she gone to bed - plus can write her stories too - she also likes to read and write.
Pro - even though I don't write as much as I should when I do I enjoy it and love getting my creative juices going,  thinking up characters,  setting and stories (I sometimes do this while tapping at work too - shush).
Pro - like doing blog posts and getting my thoughts, ideas out on the net for others to enjoy and discuss - just need More FOLLOWERS!

Verdict - To Write - going to make time to write my stories and blog(s) especially as sometimes guilty of watching too much crap on TV and on Social Media.

So keep your eyes peeled for more posts and stories coming very soon - spread the word and Follow my blogs - with more Followers comes more writing - this is to include a Spy Spoof serial coming in September - Always liked the serials which ended on cliff hanger - well I have one on way soon.
Also will put more writing events and news on my blog.  It may also have a bit of an change.

So keep reading folks.