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SPICYWATCH

Got That Monkey Off My Back

18/4/2025

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I have strangely become very quickly accustomed to having less time to marinate in things lately. Don't get me wrong, I am still practising meditations and yoga, spending time in the kitchen and journaling and often contemplating and pondering as I like to; I still do enjoy a multitude of mindful and gentle practises. I just don't spend as much time sitting around anymore, or over -thinking things, because I honestly just don't have the time to that kind of thing anymore. 
See the need and sort it, make a commitment and stick to it and keep your integrity and honesty in check and usually things seem to go reasonably well. Sure there are evenings that we don't sit down to eat until 7.30pm or later, and when the day comes to an end I do look forward to the soft landing of my bed - when I am in town to be able to access my own bed that is. However, all in all - things have still been seen to and attended to and no one is freaking out about me being out of town regularly. I still have ample time to share with friends and family and I haven't had to give up any of the things that I love to do, so it really hasn't been as challenging as I thought it would be. 
I actually think that I may have been a bit of a time waster to be perfectly honest. A fluffer of sorts, just plodding along and often pouring way to much energy into things that never actually required it of me. And because I had more time, I wasn't as discerning about the ways that I spent it. I gave my time to people who, quite honestly, probably didn't deserve it. I can think of a few people that I poured a lot of energy, attention and care into that turned out to be a complete waste of my time. Now that I have less time that is my own, well I just can't be doing that kind of thing. The people that get a share of my free time now are the people that matter to me greatly - and it is as simple as that. 
You could say that too much free time had allowed me to create some unhealthy habits around the way that I invested it. I had a monkey on my back of sorts, because I had felt obligated to use up my free time and probably invested that time in some pretty bullshit 'people pleasing' things, but not anymore - no sir! That monkey  is off my back for good. Now I worry a hell of a lot less about pleasing other people and I spend a lot more time focused on what pleases me; and it's turned out to be incredible!
In the last month I've spent quality time with my husband, children, my grand-daughter, my mother, my best friends, my new work colleagues and my old work colleagues. I've gone out for drinks, caught up with mates for pizza, I've had spa treatments, and nights away with friends, I went to Tasmania for work, attended a sangha and a book club evening, hosted a Spicywatch movie night, stayed away in Shepparton, Melbourne and Portland, had lunch at a friends house and just last weekend went to the LUME in Melbourne to do yoga. This weekend I am hosting Easter in Enfield and next week I have another trip to Shepparton, a night with Zoe,  a trivia night and a New Moon Sound-bath happening. Happily busy, never bored and certainly not pouring any energy into things that don't deserve my time anymore!
Picture
THE MONKEY
Release Date: 2025
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 98 mins

A black horror comedy, written and directed by Osgood Perkins and based on the 1980 short story by Stephen King. The Monkey comes on strong with gory deaths and bloody interludes that involve a lot of exploding bodies, some twin brothers and a very creepy, wind-up monkey toy.
When a strange monkey toy is discovered in their deceased fathers belongings, twins Hal and Bill don't consider it's presence to be that much of a big deal. That is until they realise that when the monkey plays his drum, horrible and dreadfully violent things occur. 
Teeming with violent deaths, The Monkey is a magnificent and macabre watch that plays on all of King's best tropes around childhood trauma, innocent things being as sinister as hell and uncontrollable outcomes. It's a fast and fantastically gruesome watch, that I personally found very entertaining. The Monkey is a ridiculously fun, gorefest, horror watch. 
FINAL SAY: Everybody dies. Some of us peacefully and in our sleep, and some of us...horribly.
3 Chilli Peppers

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A Month of Gratitude and the Oscars 2025

15/3/2025

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Another whirlwind month slides by as I settle into my new employment and watch my grand-daughter grow more independent and beautiful by the day. I recently turned 51 and spent some time over the long weekend reflecting; as I do when I have a birthday, about the blessings that I have in my life. Whenever I have another lap around the sun, I am always blown away by how generous and kind my loved ones are and how terrifically my friends treat me. Again I was showered with love and attention, some gorgeous and thoughtful gifts and lots of messages and offers to share time in celebration of my life.  Blessings, so many blessings and much to be grateful for.
In the last month I have had so many reason to feel grateful, its hard to name all of them, but some highlights for me were The Bohemian Summer Festival, regular stays with Zoe, Ben and Freja in Bendigo due to work travel, Soundbathing with friends, my mums cast coming off the wrist that she broke in January, seeing Kinky Boots at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sip Champagne bar with Zoe, the Book Club group, trivia nights rebooting, Spicywatch movie night, the National Gallery of Victoria with Seth and watching the Oscars with my feet up and a glass of bubbles in hand!  A bloody amazing month and a reflection of how genuinely lucky I am to be able to engage and afford to be doing so many fantastic things. 
And, I also have my next month of movies lined up thanks to the awards season which always takes the thinking out of 'what to watch' for me for weeks to come. And don't worry - just in case you missed it, here are the nominees and winners in every category of the 2025 Academy Awards. Happy viewing!
Best Picture
  • WINNER: Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Dune: Part Two
  • Emilia Pérez
  • I'm Still Here
  • Nickel Boys
  • The Substance
  • Wicked
Director
  • WINNER: Anora — Sean Baker
  • The Brutalist — Brady Corbet
  • A Complete Unknown — James Mangold
  • Emilia Pérez — Jacques Audiard
  • The Substance — Coralie Fargeat
Leading Actor
  • WINNER: Adrien Brody in The Brutalist
  • Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown
  • Colman Domingo in Sing Sing
  • Ralph Fiennes in Conclave
  • Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice
Leading Actress
  • Cynthia Erivo in Wicked
  • Karla Sofia Gascon in Emilia Perez
  • WINNER: Mikey Madison in Anora
  • Demi Moore in The Substance
  • Fernanda Torres in I'm Still Here
Supporting Actor
  • Yura Borisov in Anora
  • WINNER: Keiran Culkin in A Real Pain
  • Edward Norton in A Complete Unknown
  • Guy Pearce in The Brutalist
  • Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice
Supporting Actress
  • Monica Barbaro in A Complete Unknown
  • Ariana Grande in Wicked
  • Felicity Jones in The Brutalist
  • Isabella Rossellini in Conclave
  • WINNER: Zoe Saldana in Emilia Perez
Animated Feature Film
  • WINNER: Flow
  • Inside Out 2
  • Memoir of a Snail
  • Wallace & Gromit: Vengence Most Fowl
  • The Wild Robot
Cinematography
  • WINNER: The Brutalist — Lol Crawley
  • Dune: Part Two — Greig Fraser
  • Emilia Perez — Paul Guilhaume
  • Maria — Ed Lachman
  • Nosferatu — Jarin Blaschke
Costume design
  • A Complete Unknown — Arianne Phillips
  • Conclave — Lisy Christl
  • Gladiator II — Janty Yates and Dave Crossman
  • Nosferatu — Linda Muir
  • WINNER: Wicked —  Paul Tazewell
Documentary feature film
  • Black Box Diaries
  • WINNER: No Other Land
  • Porcelain War
  • Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
  • Sugarcane
Documentary short film
  • Death by Numbers
  • I Am Ready, Warden
  • Incident
  • Instruments of a Beating Heart
  • WINNER: The Only Girl in the Orchestra
Film editing
  • WINNER: Anora — Sean Baker
  • The Brutalist — David Jancso
  • Conclave — Nick Emerson
  • Emilia Pérez — Juliette Welfling
  • Wicked — Myron Kerstein
International feature film
  • WINNER: Brazil: I'm Still Here
  • Denmark: The Girl with the Needle
  • France: Emilia Pérez
  • Germany: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
  • Latvia: Flow
Makeup and hairstyling
  • A Different Man — Mike Marino, David Presto and Crystal Jurado
  • Emilia Pérez — Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini
  • Nosferatu — David White, Traci Loader and Suzanne Stokes-Munton
  • WINNER: The Substance — Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli
  • Wicked — Frances Hannon, Laura Blount and Sarah Nuth
Music (original score)
  • WINNER: The Brutalist — Daniel Blumberg
  • Conclave — Volker Bertelmann
  • Emilia Pérez — Clément Ducol and Camille
  • Wicked — John Powell and Stephen Schwartz
  • The Wild Robot — Kris Bowers
Music (original song)
  • WINNER: El Mal from Emilia Pérez; Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard
  • The Journey from The Six Triple Eight; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
  • Like A Bird from Sing Sing; Music and Lyric by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada
  • Mi Camino from Emilia Pérez; Music and Lyric by Camille and Clément Ducol
  • Never Too Late from Elton John: Never Too Late; Music and Lyric by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt and Bernie Taupin
Production design
  • The Brutalist — Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Patricia Cuccia
  • Conclave — Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Cynthia Sleiter
  • Dune: Part Two — Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
  • Nosferatu — Production Design: Craig Lathrop; Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerová
  • WINNER: Wicked — Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
Short film (animated)
  • Beautiful Men
  • WINNER: In the Shadow of the Cypress
  • Magic Candles
  • Wander to Wonder
  • Yuck!
Short film (live action)
  • A Lien
  • Anuja
  • WINNER: I'm Not a Robot
  • The Last Ranger
  • The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
Sound
  • A Complete Unknown — Tod A. Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey and David Giammarco
  • WINNDER: Dune: Part Two — Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill
  • Emilia Pérez — Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz and Niels Barletta
  • Wicked — Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson and John Marquis
  • The Wild Robot — Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A. Rizzo and Leff Lefferts
Visual effects
  • Alien: Romulus — Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin and Shane Mahan
  • Better Man — Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft and Peter Stubbs
  • WINNER: Dune: Part Two — Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer
  • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes — Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story and Rodney Burke
  • Wicked — Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk and Paul Corbould
Adapted screenplay
  • A Complete Unknown — Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks
  • WINNER: Conclave — Screenplay by Peter Straughan
  • Emilia Pérez — Screenplay by Jacques Audiard; In collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi
  • Nickel Boys — Screenplay by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
  • Sing Sing — Screenplay by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar; Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John "Divine G" Whitfield
Original screenplay
  • WINNER: Anora — Written by Sean Baker
  • The Brutalist — Written by Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
  • A Real Pain — Written by Jesse Eisenberg
  • September 5 — Written by Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum; Co-Written by Alex David
  • The Substance — Written by Coralie Fargeat
Picture
A REAL PAIN
Release Date: 2024
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 90 mins

A comedy-drama, written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg who also stars in the lead role, A Real Pain delivers a thought provoking at relationship that is greatly bolstered by Keiran Culkin's incredible portrayal of Benji, a troubled young man who swings between being magnetically care free and offensively careless. Culkin landed the both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor off the strength of his role here and he shines very brightly as Benji. 
David and Benji, mismatched and once close cousins, take a pilgrimage to Poland using the funds that their deceased grandmother left for them. They join a Jewish heritage tour in the hopes of seeing the home that she grew up in and connecting with their Jewish family history. Along the way the odd couple cousins engage in a series of activities that has a profound effect of them both and upon their relationship with each other. 
I loved the way that this movie played out, with Benji's 'real pain' character actually being the main catalyst for change and growth in others, in spite of his own misgivings and at times complete disregard for social norms and etiquette.
A Real Pain is as charming as it is disturbing, brilliantly written and perfectly cast, it's one not to miss. 
FINAL SAY: We used to be different. 
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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The Best of 2024

5/1/2025

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Just like 2023, the viewing opportunities in 2024 presented themselves so fast that I found it pretty much impossible to juggle all of my streaming services and keep up with all of the new releases at the cinema. The over-abundance of new release material to trawl through was  absolutely phenomenal!
There was a head spinning amount of high quality viewing material to absorb this year, and I was very grateful to be constantly distracted from all of the drama that 2024 delivered with a saturation of fantastic cinematic offerings. I also, again, received many welcome high quality recommendations from friends and family throughout the year as well, which stretched my viewing choices even further. Long story short, we were all very spoilt for choice and if you couldn't find something to watch, then in my opinion, you just weren't trying hard enough!
I managed to get through 211 movies and 143 television series this year. Basically, I was flat out watching something every day of the year and I still didn't get to half of the material that still sits waiting on my 'to see' lists, which has now blow out to more than 600 titles, so it is fair to say that I am not going to be slowing down any time soon either. 
The task of seeing everything has become arduous beyond anyone's means, and unless you are willing to permanently strap yourself to the couch and do nothing but watch movies and TV, there is just no way that you can manage to see it all in one year. So now more than ever, you must be discerning, and hopefully this is where I can offer a hand and some sound advice around what you should be investing in your time in; if you haven't done so already. 
Again, I was thrilled to be able to view so many great movies and TV across all genres, for which I am always grateful. In particular, I again really appreciated seeing so many excellent horror, thriller and fantasy offerings this year; most of which boasted stunningly good visuals and terrifically original storylines. I am now sure that audiences are becoming more acclimated to a few jumps and jolts, and more and more people are embracing high quality horror, thriller and challenging viewing choices, because these genres do thankfully seem to still be on the rise. 
And so, without further ado....here is my selection for the best viewing experiences of 2024, full movie reviews can be found on the corresponding genre pages in the drop down menu above. 
BEST MOVIES (2024 release):
Anora - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Dune Pt2 - Sci-fi 4 Chilli Peppers 
Longlegs - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers
The Wild Robot - Kid Friendly 4 Chilli Peppers
Late Night with the Devil - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers
The Substance - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers 
Handling the Undead - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers 
Alien Romulus - Sci-Fi 4 Chilli Peppers ​
Hitman - Romance 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Iron Claw- Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers
MadS - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Oddity - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers  
Civil War - Action/ War 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice - Supernatural 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Smile 2 - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers  
Inside Out 2 - Kid Friendly 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
HONOURABLE MENTIONS - 2024 Release:
Speak No Evil- Horror 3 Chilli Peppers 
Heretic - Thriller 3 Chilli Peppers 
Abigail - Horror 3 Chilli Peppers 
Lisa Frankenstein - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - Action 3 Chilli Peppers 
Deadpool and Wolverine - Action/Super 3 Chilli Peppers 

Here are my top recommendations for pre-2024 releases that I didn't get around to seeing until 2023:
Poor Things - Art House 5 Chilli Peppers 
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse - Kid Friendly 4.5 Chilli Peppers
Pink Floyd: The Wall - Musical 4 Chilli Peppers 
Blackfish - Doco 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Killers of the Flower Moon - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
Departures - International 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Holdovers - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Tale of Tales - Fantasy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Rye Lane - Romance 4 Chilli Peppers 
Wild Tales - International 4 Chilli Peppers 
Society of the Snow - International 4 Chilli Peppers 
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers
American Fiction - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Leo - Kid Friendly 4 Chilli Peppers 
For Sama - Doco 4 Chilli Peppers
Zone of Interest -  War 4 Chilli Peppers 
Dream Scenario - Art House 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
After the Wedding - International 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Babylon - Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Bread and Tulips - International 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

Rent-a-Pal-Gritty 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Coffee Table - Gritty 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
All of Us Strangers - Romance 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Five Devils - International 3 Chilli Peppers 
Nyad - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers 
Blood and Gold - War 3 Chilli Peppers 
Sisu - Action 3 Chilli Peppers 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES 2024:
Baby Reindeer - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Scavengers Reign - Sci Fi/ Animation 5 Chilli Peppers 
The Bear S3 - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Mr and Mrs Smith - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Boiling Point -Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
FALLOUT- Sci-Fi 5 Chilli Peppers 
The Boys S3 - Super 4 Chilli Peppers
One Day  - Romance 4 Chilli Peppers 
Love Has Won: Cult of the Mother God - Documentary 4 Chilli Peppers 
True Detective: Night Country -  Thriller 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Gentlemen- Crime/ comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Reservation Dogs S3 - Comedy/ drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
Yellowstone (Final Eps) - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Colin from Account S2 - Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers  
ERIC- Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
House of the Dragon S2- Fantasy 3.5 Chilli Peppers
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power S2 - Fantasy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Shrinking S2- Comedy/ Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
What We Do in the Shadows S6 - Horror/ comedy  3.5 Chilli Peppers  
Secret Level- Animation/ Sci Fi 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Earth Abides - Sci Fi 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
3 Body Problem - Sci Fi 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
THEM 2: SCARE - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

2024 TV HONOURABLE MENTIONS: ​
Kaos- Fantasy  3 Chilli Peppers 
Life and Beth S2 - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Love on the Spectrum S2- Reality 3 Chilli Peppers 
Nobody Wants This - Romance/ comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Mirror Mirror S3  - Documentary  3 Chilli Peppers 
Boy Swallows Universe- Comedy/ drama 3 Chilli Peppers 
Such Brave Girls - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
For Those About to Die - Period Drama 3 Chilli Peppers 
Ghosts S4-Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Baskets S4 - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Killing It S2- Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers
Fisk S3- Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers
Entitled - Art House 3 Chilli Peppers 
Mr Big Stuff - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Palm Royale - Drama/comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
It's Florida Man - Dramatisation  3 Chilli Peppers 
Queer Eye S9 - Reality 3 Chill Peppers 
Dick Turpin - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
How We Wore (Celeste Barber) - Documentary 3 Chilli Peppers ​
Picture
THE SUBSTANCE
Release Date: 2024
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 141 mins 

A satirical body-horror; written, directed and co-produced by Coralie Fargeat that is sure to raise some eye brows and churns some weaker stomachs with it's sickly, visceral and highly amusing stab at Hollywood's relentless cries for youth and beauty. 
Actress and fitness guru Elisabeth Sparkle has just turned 50 and her sleazy producer Harvey is already showing her the door. Unwilling to go down without a fight, Elizabeth orders a mysterious serum called 'The Substance' that promises a more youthful and perfect version of the self. Elizabeth immediately administers the serum and sets about re-establishing herself in Hollywood as Sue, a much hotter and youthful version of herself. But youth and beauty always has a price, and Elizabeth finds that she is now on a very slippery slope of desperation and depravity.
The Substance is a brilliant horror film; it has an interesting storyline, lots of gross out scenes and some really solid performances from both Demi Moore as Elizabeth and Margaret Qualley as Sue.  Honestly, this could be Moore's big come back film, she is just great in this.
In truth, there is a lot to like about this movie. Sure, the last half hour is straight up bonkers, but who cares? No-ones goes to see a body-horror flick expecting to see a completely sensible slice of cinema anyway, so just strap in and enjoy the ride, I guarantee that you won't forget it! 
FINAL SAY: There has been a slight misuse of the Substance.
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Turn and Face the Strain

23/12/2024

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You know what they say about the best laid plans right? Well, I got a really big serve of 'nah ya don't' from the universe this month, that I did not see coming at all. And I could've crawled into a hole and cried for days but I did not do that, even though I really wanted to, more than once or twice. Okay, well in all honesty, I may have cried a bit for a day or two, but not nearly as much as I wanted to. I did however decide to get all proactive and take the bull by the horns and I think that I have managed things pretty well, all things considered. 
So, let's start at the beginning. Things started to go south for me on December 3rd when I discovered that I needed to find a new job. After seven years of working 'one to one' with a blind student, I thought that I had given my employer plenty of signals and enough verbal interaction for them to know that I was not willing to undertake another 'one to one' learning support role in 2025. Working 'one to one' with high needs students has a 'burn out' factor that can really only be explained when you have walked the miles yourself, so to speak, and I can assure you that it takes its toll. It takes its toll physically, emotionally and mentally and everyone deserves a break from that level of intensity and I knew that I needed one.
Anyway, my employer did not listen closely to my conversations or requests, and also did not follow through on previous implications around my role, and rather unfortunately placed me in an awkward position where I found myself again in a 'one to one' capacity. Only this time, I was placed with an even more complex student that also needs to be toileted. And to that I said - hmmmm, no thanks! And that is what I told them, thank you, but no thank you. 
Which meant that I was left with less than three weeks of term to find another job. Time to draft my resume and get my cover letter sorted, I was back on the market! Fine, I got this. Then, two days later I was racing Seth to hospital because he had tonsilitis and his throat and epiglottis swelled up so much that it was closing over his wind pipe and he was choking. That was a fun ride to the hospital with my pulse racing so fast that I nearly needed an ambulance as well. 24 hours later, Seth's throat was sorted but I was struggling to sleep. That was also the day that we found the baby brown snake hanging from the garage door and I thought, what the hell is actually happening here? Mind racing, I pulled out of my work staff party (who feels like partying when you feel like that?) and my monthly sangha because I was a bit over-wrought and not great company; in fact my stress levels were quite high at that stage and I just had to retreat and have a re-group. 
I went in hard and applied for six jobs and got two interviews within ten days, which wasn't bad odds. I accepted a terrific job offer on Monday 16th December, only to receive a better one on Wednesday 18th December and then I had to have another awkward conversation to pull out of the first offer. I actually really hated doing that too because I do not like to go back on my word and it was a really good job. However, the job that I did end up taking is excellent and it is probably my last shot at leadership, so I felt that if I didn't take it I would be doing myself a disservice.
Plus, I had asked, or rather prayed, to my dad to help me on this one. I've not asked for his help with anything since he died five years ago, but I was so lost and overwhelmed that I actually called on him for a favour and asked for his support, and sure enough I landed an excellent job - so thanks dad. I really did feel like you and the universe had my back on this one. Crisis averted, got a job lined up for 2025, had my streak of three bad things, I must be coming out of the poo-pit by now right?
Yeah, not quite! After an emotional farewell to the Year 6 graduating students that I have worked with for seven years, a goodbye to the blind students that I have supported for just as long and an exit from my workplace (that's a lot of goodbyes at once - and a lot of feelings right there), I left work on the 20th feeling relatively good in spirit and ready to enjoy a well earned break and rest. All the Christmas shopping done, all I had to do was relax and enjoy the festive season. And then yesterday, because a work colleague had tested positive for covid, I thought I had better, especially since I had mum staying over for Christmas and yep - you guessed it - positive!  I have bloody covid again, for the third time and the second time over Christmas! UUUGGHHH!
​So, yep, Christmas plans had to change again! As I said, the best laid plans right? Honestly it's enough to make you cry. It turns out that Zoe, Ben and Freja all had covid last week, so they have full immunity and can still join us, which is actually fortuitous, if covid can actually ever be fortuitous. Anyway, they are still coming and will arrive tomorrow for a few days. Poor mum however cannot be anywhere near us, so she is the one who really lost out with this, but I have promised to make it up with two fun days out with her as soon as I get a negative test result. 
Anyway, long story short, it is two days until Christmas. I have experienced my own kind of fresh hell in the lead up to it but I do not want to harp on about the shitty stuff anymore. It's time to crack open the champers, put up my feet and share some quality time with my lovelies out here in Enfield. I am ready for some Christmas joy and don't want to hear another bad word about any of it. I am leaving it all behind me with 2024 and moving on up to higher ground. 
Picture
SPEAK NO EVIL
Release Date: 2024
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 110 mins

If there is one thing that James McAvoy can do well, it is crazy, and he is completely delivering 'the crazy' in Speak No Evil. A psychological thriller and a remake of the Danish- Dutch film of the same name that was made in 2022, Speak No Evil manages to bring just enough intrigue and interest to keep you invested until the bitter end. 
While vacationing in Italy, an American family of three befriend a free spirited British family and gain an invitation to holiday at their farmhouse in Devon. With the option of free travel available, the Americans happily head to the remote English location to immerse themselves in some local culture but soon discover that they have become embroiled in some very sinister goings on.
The story isn't exactly ground breaking, and the writing is on the wall very early on here, but the incredible cast really sell this film with their on-point delivery; especially Aisling Franciosi, Mackenzie Davis,  Scoot McNairy and as I mentioned earlier, especially James McAvoy who brings so much sinister side eye and sly smiling that it is impossible not to feel unnerved.  For a simple thriller, this is definitely worth a gander. 
FINAL SAY: Because you let us!
3 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Slow Living

26/9/2024

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My mindful practises have expanded over the school holiday break and I am now embracing slow living. Slow living is kind of like mindfulness, but it is really more focused on grounding and re-setting yourself than needing to be mindful.  Lord knows that I spend a lot of time in mindful contemplation, so the idea of just switching off every now and again, or just doing something for the utter joy of it certainly has great appeal to me also, and nothing provides more time to meander and marinate than a school holiday term break, so I've been embracing the slow with both hands. 
To be totally honest, I actually do crave slow, even though I am often moving at break neck speed and over filling my life to the brim with exciting adventures and opportunities. From time to time I just have to escape everyone and everything for a few days and I will find myself searching for slow rather than mindful ways of being. And one of the best things about slow living is that it totally fills my hedonist bucket because there is a lot of 5 senses stimulation involved in slow living, and who doesn't want more of that action?
Still not sure what slow living might involve? Well here's a list of ways to kick your slow cooker into gear:
  • Spending 15 minutes outside with a good coffee in the morning.
  • Eating by candlelight.
  • Not using your phone/Ipad/device for an entire day.
  • Picking out a new books at the library/ bookstore. 
  • Selecting a new gin/ whiskey or wine at a tasting.
  • Picking fruit/ vegetables or herbs. 
  • Listening to an audio book in the bath. 
  • Making your own pizza - base and all. 
  • Watching the sunrise or sunset. 
  • Writing in a journal.
  • Having a long breakfast or brunch and making it from scratch. 
  • Giving someone a really long hug or cuddling on the couch.
  • Having a candlelight shower.
  • Sketching, painting or modelling without purpose or plan. 
  • Wearing your cosiest clothes all day. 
  • Making a pot of soup and homemade bread. 
  • Cutting flowers from your garden and arranging them. 
  • Hanging at the farmers market and tasting something new. 
  • Listening to music or watching an old classic movie. 
  • Handwriting someone a letter. 
  • Reading in bed. 
  • Knitting, sewing, crocheting or stitching something. 
  • Changing the linen on your bed. 
  • Finding a new cheese at the local deli. 
  • Sleeping in and having breakfast in bed. 
  • Planting vegetables, herbs or flowers. 
  • Baking biscuits or cupcakes.
Getting the idea now? Slow and steady, deeply enjoyable, filled with sensorial joy and just what one needs when they are on an early spring break. Ah, slow living, if only all the days could be so marvellously gentle. 
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ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
Release Date: 1948
Rating: PG
Running Time: 83 mins 

If you haven't yet had the joy of seeing this cult classic, do yourself a favour and take a look. Considered the 'OG' of the horror/comedy genre, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is a treasure-trove of classic horror iconography and mighty fine example of old school slapstick comedy. 
Baggage clerks Chick and Wilbur are given the unfortunate job of delivering two large crates to a 'house of horrors' wax museum. Unbeknownst to them, the contents of the crates is none other than Count Dracula in his coffin and Frankenstein's monster, both of whom awaken and with the help of a femme fatale named Dr. Sandra Mornay, begin to exact a devious plan. 
There are few things to really love about this film, the first is seeing Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula, Glen Strange as Frankenstein's monster, Vincent Price as the Invisible Man (keep your ear open for that one) and Lon Chaney Jnr as the Wolfman. The other thing that I really enjoyed was that they chose to make the real villain behind it all a woman, which wasn't a plot line utilised a lot back in the day, and last but not least; well how can you not love a bit of Lou Costello? With his over acting, wheezy, bumbling gestures and silly carry on, he totally steals the show. For me, this is the finest offering that Abbott and Costello have made together and it shouldn't be missed. 
FINAL SAY: I've had this brain for thirty years. It hasn't done me any good!
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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How Many Movies Have You Seen?

1/7/2024

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Because I have a movie blog, people often ask me how many movies I watch in a year. And I usually just say - a lot. Spicywatch.com only reflects my top 1,000-ish movies, but I have to wade through a lot of movies to find titles that I believe to be 3 Chilli Peppers or more. And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. On any given year I can watch anywhere from 250 to 500 films, depending on what else is going on for me and also the quality of television programs on offer that year. Some years I watch more television than movies, and some years it is the other way around. And I also like to read quite a lot of books and listen to music as much as I can as well, so I often find that I am torn between my media passions. 
However, cinema is my first passion and will always hold a special place in my heart and that is why Spicywatch.com is primarily all about movies and not television programs or books or music, even though I do regularly offer my opinion on all of those things well.
​All together, over the course of my lifetime I estimate that I have watched around 10,000 movies, and that is only counting from 15 year of age because before then I know that media was a lot less accessible than it is now, and we never had a VHS tape player until I was 12 years old, so I've not counted my first 15 years of viewing; even though I know that I was already well and truly cinema obsessed by the time I was 10 years old. But, if we calculate say 300 films a year, as an average for 35 years, we land on 10,500 and I think that I sit around there somewhere. 
So, if I have only reviewed around 1,000 worthy cinema choices on Spicywatch.com, then we can safely assume that I have only really enjoy around 10% of the movies that I have ever watched, and I think that is probably a fair statement, not just for me but also for many other people. One in ten films is a stand out and the rest are either so-so or stinkers. I don't review mediocre, and I certainly don't want to review hall of shame offerings, because cinema is like art for me. It's subjective and open to interpretation, and if someone went to the trouble of making it into a movie, then someone really loved it, and who the hell am I to shit all over that? No-one, I'm nothing more than a lady who likes movies and my opinion is no more valuable than yours or anyone else's. 
So, it really doesn't matter how many films I have seen, it's kind of irrelevant really. What I can say for sure however, is that in order to get through around 300 odd movies a year you need to be a bit of a night stalker. And I do love a late night movie marathon! 
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LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL
Release Date: 2024
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 93 mins 

A supernatural horror; written, directed and edited by Colin and Cameron Cairnes that uniquely uses elements of documentary filmmaking to deliver a found footage energy to a wickedly fresh script, and the result is just mesmerising. 
It's 1977 and Night Owls, a variety talk show hosted by Jack Delroy is having a special occult themed Halloween episode.  Special guests include a self proclaimed psychic, a sceptical former magician, a parapsychologist and a 13 year old girl called Lilly who is reportedly possessed by a demonic spirit. What could possibly go wrong? 
This is a delightfully twisted offering, cleverly hinging on 1970's America and its obsession with late night talk shows and all things occult related. David Dastmalchian is just exceptional, and perfectly cast  as talk show host Jack Delroy; and with a strong supporting cast bringing all of the cheesy banter and silly antics of talk show TV to life perfectly, Late Night with the Devil delivers on all fronts. A must see for horror lovers looking for something different. 
FINAL SAY: We met amongst the tall trees...remember? 
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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The Best of 2023

7/1/2024

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Just like 2022, the viewing opportunities in 2023 grew so fast that I found myself yet again juggling all of my streaming services and struggling to get to the cinema often enough because as always, I seemed to have an over-abundance of new release material to trawl through.
There was a head spinning amount of high quality viewing material to absorb this year, and I was very grateful to be constantly distracted from the political and environmental disasters of 2023 with cinematic offerings. I also received many welcome high quality recommendations from friends and family throughout the year as well, which has stretched my viewing choices as well.  Long story short, we were all very spoilt for choice in 2023, and if you couldn't find something to watch, then in my opinion, you just weren't trying hard enough!
I managed to get through 180 movies and 160 television series this year. Basically, I was flat out watching something every day of the year and I still didn't get to half of the material that still sits waiting on my 'to see' lists, which has now blow out to more than 580 titles, so it is fair to say that I am not going to be slowing down any time soon either. 
The task of seeing everything has become arduous beyond anyone's means, and unless you are willing to permanently strap yourself to the couch and do nothing but watch movies and TV, there is just no way that you can manage to see it all in one year. So now more than ever, you must be discerning, and hopefully this is where I can offer a hand and some sound advice around what you should be investing in your time in; if you haven't done so already. 
Again, I was thrilled to be able to view so many great movies and TV across all genres, for which I am always grateful. In particular, I again really appreciated seeing so many excellent horror, thriller and fantasy offerings this year; most of which boasted stunningly good visuals and terrifically original storylines. I am now sure that audiences are becoming more acclimated to a few jumps and jolts, and more and more people are embracing high quality horror, thriller and challenging viewing choices, because these genres do thankfully seem to still be on the rise. 
And so, without further ado....here is my selection for the best viewing experiences of 2023. 
BEST MOVIES (2023 release):
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - Kid Friendly 4.5 Chilli Peppers 
Oppenheimer - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
The Banshees of Inisherin - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Saltburn - Thriller 4 Chilli Peppers 
Talk to Me - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers 
Barbie - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
John Wick Chapter 4 - Action 4 Chilli Peppers
Evil Dead Rise- Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers
The Killer - Crime/ Action 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Leave The World Behind - Sci-Fi 3.5 Chilli Peppers  
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - Action/ Super 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Guardians of the Galaxy VOL 3 - Super 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS - 2023 Release:
Skinamarink- Horror 3 Chilli Peppers 
No Hard Feelings - Comedy  3 Chilli Peppers 
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - Action/ Adventure 3 Chilli Peppers 

Here are my top recommendations for pre-2023 releases that I didn't get around to seeing until 2023:
Pinocchio - Kid Friendly 5 Chilli Peppers 
Aftersun - Drama 4.5 Chilli Peppers 
Triangle of Sadness - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
The Menu - Drama  4 Chilli Peppers
You Wont Be Alone - Art House 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Worst Person in the World - Art House 4 Chilli Peppers 
Paul Dood's Deadly Lunch Break-  Art House 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Delicious - International 4 Chilli Peppers
Boiling Point - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
RRR - International 3.5 Chilli Peppers
The Call - International 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Marcel the Shell with Shoes on - Kid Friendly 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Wildcat - Doco 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
A Man Called Otto - Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Bones and All - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers
The Survivor- War 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Where the Crawdads Sing - Romance  3 Chilli Peppers
Deerskin-Art House 3 Chilli Peppers 
Baby Teeth - Romance 3.5 
Be My Cat: A Film for Anne - Gritty 3 Chilli Peppers 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES 2023:
Lessons in Chemistry - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
The Bear S2 - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Succession S4 - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
The Last of Us- Sci-Fi 5 Chilli Peppers 
Love and Death - Drama 4.5 Chilli Peppers
Tiny Beautiful Things  - Drama 4.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Fall of the House of Usher - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers 
Beef - Drama/ comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Slip - Fantasy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Dave S3 - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Righteous Gemstones S3 - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Platonic - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers
Life and Beth - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
GEN V- Super/ Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers
Copenhagen Cowboy - Fantasy/ Art House 4 Chilli Peppers
Shrinking - Comedy/ Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Interview with the Vampire - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers  
Mythic Quest S3- Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
FISK S2- Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Our Flag Means Death S2 - Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Mirror, Mirror by Todd Samson S3 - Doco 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

2023 TV HONOURABLE MENTIONS: ​
1899- Fantasy  3 Chilli Peppers 
Down for Love - Reality 3 Chilli Peppers 
The Big Door Prize - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Poker Face  - Crime 3 Chilli Peppers 
Cunk on Earth - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Daisy Jones and the Six - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers 
Always Sunny in Philadelphia S16 - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Somebody, Somewhere S2-Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
High Desert - Comedy/ Crime 3 Chilli Peppers 
Jury Duty - Reality/ Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers
Aunty Donna's Café- Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers
Deadloch - Crime/comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Swarm- Horror  3 Chilli Peppers 
War on Waste  S2- Doco 3 Chill Peppers 
The Traitors - Reality 3 Chilli Peppers 
What We Do in the Shadows S4- Horror/Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers ​
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TALK TO ME
Release Date: 2023
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 95 mins 

An Australian supernatural horror, directed by Danny and Michael Philippou. Talk To Me made its worldwide premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and has been seriously creeping out audiences ever since. With a virtually unknown cast and a seriously unsettling storyline, Talk To Me is destined to become a cult horror classic. 
A group of teenagers get their kicks from conjuring spirits, filming the outcomes and posting them onto social media. With the aid of a mysterious embalmed hand they are able to allow entities to possess their bodies, but as with all stories of possession, things go wrong and the consequences are of course, dreadful!
This is a genuinely gripping horror tale that had me captivated from start to end. Touching on concepts of grief, loss and the desperate need for belonging when it comes to teens, this film plays out in believable and disturbing ways, with the main actors giving convincing and emotional driven performances. 
Talk To Me really does get under your skin, and it also delivers enough gore and shock value to appease hardcore fans of horror. 
FINAL SAY: I let you in. 
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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2023 - Just Passed Me By...

2/1/2024

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Looking back across the landscape of 2023, I see that overall it was a year of massive growth for me. I did a lot more than I expected to do, faced some challenges, had some celebrations and also had some massive highlights along the way as well.
I do love to brag about my amazing yearly achievements, not because I want to rub anyone's face in them, but mostly because looking back and remembering a year completely really helps me to identify all of the joys, personal highlights and reasons to be grateful, of which I have many in my life. Just take a look over the epic year that 2023 was for me: 
JANUARY: 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene, Escape Room Adventure, Seth's 18th birthday,  Mini Spa Day, Enfield deck revamp, Seth got his license, Clunes Ghost Hunt, Seppelt Winery Tour, Halls Gap Road Trip, Chinese New Year celebrations, tuned in to the Triple j Hottest 100.
FEBRUARY:  Italian Dinner Party, Blackberry picking. 
MARCH: International Women's Day, My birthday, McQueen Exhibition, Harmony Day Intercultural Celebration, Kate Bush Tribute Show. 
APRIL: Easter Sunday with the family, April holiday break, Spa Day with Craig, Eastern European Dinner Party, Craig's birthday.
MAY: Spicywatch's 9th Birthday, Golden Plains Art Trail, Mother's Day.
JUNE: Mushrooming,  Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show, The Garden's of St. Erth, Torquay Trip, Zoe's 26th Birthday.

JULY: Winter School Holidays, The Sound of Music Theatre Show, Horror Movie night, Bishop's Palace Ghost Tour, Addams Family Theatre Show.
AUGUST: Immigration Museum, Middle Eastern Dinner Party, Borealis at Daylesford Lake, Book week dress up. 
SEPTEMBER: Amazing trip to Uluru, Father's Day, Spring School Holiday Break, Mum's 80th Birthday.
OCTOBER:  Girls Shopping Day, Photo Biennale in Ballarat, Moulin Rogue Theatre Show, Yoga at Chat for Tea, Yoga Festival in Bendigo, Halloween horror movie/ dinner night.
NOVEMBER: 29th Wedding Anniversary, Deep Blue Spa, Enfield Smoke event, Public Speaking Event, Zoe and Ben's baby Shower.
DECEMBER: Summer Holidays kicking off, Seth buys his first car, Wreath Making and Candle Decorating events, Enfield Xmas Brunch, Christmas Day with the fam, Family Smoke Event. 


There is a lot here to celebrate and appreciate that's for sure. And on top of all of that, I have also managed to squeeze in:
  • Daily meditation.
  • 66 books.
  • Workouts - 5 times a week.
  • 180 movies.
  • 11,000 average steps a day.
  • 160 TV series - a new record for me!
  • 26 brunches/ lunches and  delicious restaurant meals with family and friends. 
  • A daily French lesson on Duolingo.
  • Brain Gym everyday for 10 minutes.
  • A daily journal entry. 
  • And....I reviewed another 38 movies on Spicywatch.com bringing the total number of reviews to more than 1,000! 
Woohoo! That's a lot of 'doing' for one year! 
And now, as 2024 gently unfurls itself before me I wonder what will arrive in the next 12 months. Probably the most exciting thing will definitely be the arrival of my grandchild! As for the rest, well only time will tell, but let's hope it's as exciting as the last year was!​
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SALTBURN
Release Date: 2023 
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 127 mins 

A psychological thriller and a black comedy; written, directed and co-produced by Emerald Fennell, Saltburn is definitely one of my favourite films of 2023. Steeped in gothic mystery, chock full of unscrupulous characters and peppered with kinky interludes, Saltburn is deeply intriguing and absolutely original in every respect. 
Oliver is struggling to fit in at Oxford University. He becomes fast friends with Felix Catton, a rich and influential student that takes Oliver under his wing and asks him to join him at his family home 'Saltburn' for the summer break. Saltburn is a sprawling estate in the British countryside, filled with strange and entitled people and offering a release and a refuge to Oliver who has shared his tragic upbringing and difficult home life situation. But nothing is at all as it seems at Saltburn. 
Sumptuously designed from the costumes and sets to the exceptionally good soundtrack, Saltburn is a true jolt to the senses. Intoxicating in every way, you just cannot look away, especially from the incredible cast that sports the likes of Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Alison Oliver, Carey Mulligan and Rosamund Pike. This film made me long for a summer holiday and envy the privilege of wealth, but most of all, it made me laugh and it made me blush, and for that I am giving this a big fat tick and a very high recommendation. Feel the burn of Saltburn for yourself!
FINAL SAY: I'm sorry my performance wasn't good enough. 
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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The Ways to Measure Wellness

6/8/2023

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I was having a great chat with Zoe (my daughter) recently about the way that we measure health. She is 14 weeks pregnant and is glowing from within. Her skin, nails and hair are immaculate and she has the happy disposition of a first mother-to-be, which is generally a mixture of curiosity about the unknown and excited anticipation about what inevitably lies ahead. In short, she is demonstrating what it looks like to be a healthy expecting mother. 
We got to talking about weight gain (since it is always on the mind of expectant mothers) and I chatted with her about my personal weight loss goals for the year, which are going along pretty well. And although the scales are moving backwards very slowly but surely, my body is looking firmer and feeling stronger by the day, which I love more than any number on a scale. And then she posed a very thought provoking question to me, which was - why do I feel like I need to be a certain number on a scale?  I gave her my BMI rant and explained that it is one area that I feel like I have struggled to maintain control over and it bothers me. Okay, she said, but rather than it being based on a BMI number why don't you make it goal around fitting into something for Summer or Spring that you already own, something that may be tight at the moment? Hmmmm....my mind was ticking. 'You do know,' she went on, 'that BMI is really outdated and fails to measure many other important health indicators right?' Ah, no, not really. Okay so this lead me into a deep dive, was this true? Is BMI outdated, is true health measured in other ways? And if so, in what ways? 
Turns out, she is bloody well right. Physicians all over the world are seriously questioning the usefulness of BMI. For a start it was created in the 19th century, which makes it seriously outdated and out of touch with what a real measurement of health actually is, and it does not account for age, sex, ethnicity, genetics or gender. It was popularised in the 1970's when thin was in, and yet it still continues to dominate as a health measure today. In fact there a number of other health metrics that are now giving physicians a far more accurate measure of what health is and these are the things that you should be paying attention to when measuring your own health levels:
Waist Circumference:
A larger waist circumference - one greater than 35 inches (85cm) in women or 40 inches (101.6cm) in men - indicates greater body fat in the abdominal area, which is associated with a higher risk of chronic disease. 
Hip to Waist Ratio:
A high ratio (greater than 0.80 in women or greater that 0.95 in men) indicates higher fat stores in the stomach area and is linked to a greater risk of heart disease and chronic disease. A low ratio (lower than or equal to 0.80 in women or lower that or equal to 0.95 in men) suggests higher hip fat storage which is associated with better health.
Blood Pressure:
A normal blood pressure reading is between 120/80 mmHg and 129/84 mmHg.  Having a high blood pressure raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, vision problems and sexual dysfunction. 
Heart Rate:
A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Find yourself over that and you're at risk of heart failure, stroke and even sudden cardiac death. 
Cholesterol Levels:
For a healthy population, your cholesterol should be less than 5.5 mmol/L. A high cholesterol reading can lead to narrowing arteries, heart attack, stroke, mini stroke or peripheral heart disease. 
Blood Glucose Levels:
A normal range of fasting blood glucose levels is between 70 and 100 mg/dL. Everyone knows that diabetes is a serious problem with a multitude of health related risks attached. If you have high blood glucose readings you could find yourself with a diagnosis for diabetes.  
Overall Inflammation:
How does your body feel? Do you have a lot of injuries, pain, aches, physical symptoms that are debilitating or detrimental to your ability to function well? If you are suffering from recurring or persistent inflammation anywhere in your body, this can be an indication of poor health. 
Mental Wellbeing:
How's your head space and your mindset? Do you have a positive outlook and a sunny disposition or are you struggling with your mental wellbeing, wellness and general lust for life? Mental health is a serious component of overall health and can have detrimental effects on many other parts of the body and lead to physical symptoms and inflammation if it goes unchecked. 
Diet and Water Intake:
You are what you eat and unfortunately if you eat and drink crap you will feel like crap and your body will get ill. What you put into your body will determine how well it will run, how effective your immune system will function and  how much energy you will have to face the day, so be discerning and eat properly and wisely. 
Sleep Patterns:
People that sleep better live longer and have less health problems overall. Your body not only rests when you are sleeping, it heals itself as well and sleep is vital to tissue repair and the regeneration of healthy cells. If you aren't getting 6-8 quality hours of sleep a night, you may find yourself with some serious health issues as a consequence. 

The good news for me is, that I pass on all of those other tests. I am within the normal range of each of those other health indicators, which is super good news for my wellbeing. Does this now mean that I no longer want to lose a few kilos? Nah, I still want to, but not to reach a certain number on the scale so much anymore, but just for my own satisfaction. Zoe said to me  -do you really think that people are going to stand around at your funeral and say "if only she was a stone lighter, we would've loved her so much more!" Which, when you really think about it is pretty funny and totally true. It is fine to want to lose some weight, but the people who really love you the most are going to love you bones and all no matter what, and there is a great deal of comfort to be found in that knowledge. 
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BONES AND ALL
Release Date: 2022
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 121 mins 

A romantic horror directed by Luca Guadagnino and based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis. Bones and All unpacks a fresh horror perspective as well as a coming of age love story in one fell swoop.
It's the late 80's and Maren, a teenager, finds herself abandoned by her father when she acts on her increasing hard to ignore cannibalistic tendencies. On the run and searching to discover the true nature of who and what she is, Maren bumps into some of her own kind which has both delightful and disastrous consequences. 
Not for the faint-hearted, Bones and All  delivers something equal parts repellent and compelling. The acting here is incredibly good with Timothee Chalamet, Taylor Russell and Mark Rylance bringing stunning and genuine performances all round. The overall effect is seriously contemplative and very original. 
FINAL SAY: There's before bones and all, and then there's after. 
3 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Getting Self Care Cosy

17/6/2023

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There is nothing quite like a stretch of crappy winter weather to provide the perfect opportunity for a bit of cosy self care time. All of the best self care can be done from the comfort of your own home and in winter, you need to really hone your self care skills. It's easy to get run down, depressed and unwell during the darker months, so making sure that you are doing lovely things for your mind, body and spirit is not only a good idea, its downright wise. 
Here is a useful list of delightfully simple and inexpensive ways to recharge your batteries, reenergise your mood and re-invigorate your system on a wet and gloomy winter weekend.
  • Stream a movie
  • Listen to some music or make a new playlist
  • Read a book
  • Knit a scarf or beanie
  • Take a bubble bath
  • Grab an umbrella and take a walk in the rain
  • Try a new recipe
  • Clean out your wardrobe
  • Binge watch a tv series 
  • Do some mindful colouring in
  • Learn a new language
  • Look through your old photo albums
  • Make a vision board
  • Put on a face mask
  • Have coffee and cake with a friend
  • Listen to a podcast
  • Meditate
  • Plan a holiday 
  • Do YouTube yoga
  • Make a dessert
  • Give yourself a make over
  • Sew something
  • Take a nap
  • Home manicure or pedicure 
  • Declutter a cupboard
  • Take an online class
  • Play a video game
  • Start a journal
  • Read a magazine or blog
  • Play cards 
  • Do YouTube Pilates
  • Bake biscuits or cupcakes
  • Create a collage 
  • Call a friend or family member 
  • Sing and dance to your favourite songs
  • Make a bucket list
  • Paint a picture 
  • Put outfits together in your wardrobe 
  • Write thank you cards to people you value
  • Give yourself a new hairdo
  • Play a board game 
  • DIY something around the house
  • Play an app 
  • Make a time capsule
  • Try nail art
  • Watch a documentary 
  • Plan a vegetable garden to plant in the spring
  • Play with a pet
  • Make soup 
  • Do an online workout 
  • Meal prep
  • Donate to a charity online
  • Watch funny YouTube clips
  • Do a puzzle
  • Learn how to read tarot cards 
  • ​Watch a movie off the spicywatch Hall of Fame list

Just find something to do that makes you feel amazing! Try to embrace the quiet calm of the winter months and above all else, be kind to your beautiful self. 
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THE LODGE
Release Date: 2019
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 113 mins 

A psychological horror film directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala that delivers a grim and hard hitting portrait of a family in crisis. Ever since Ari Aster gave us the brilliant thriller Hereditary, a lot of other movies have jumped on the 'mentally scarred family in deep crisis' trope and have not been able to deliver. The Lodge certainly does deliver, but it's extremely large helpings of grim isolation, mental torment and painful grief are definitely going to be too jarring for some viewers. 
After their mother suicides, teenage Aidan and young Mia go to live with their father who has just entered another serious relationship with a woman named Grace that he met through his latest research novel about cults. They all retreat to the family's remote lodge in Massachusetts during the deep winter period for some rest and relaxation, what could possibly go wrong?
Everything about this film felt like a red flag to me. You've got the clearly grieving, betrayed and angry children, the clueless father who willingly takes an ex-cult member on holidays to a remote place and Grace herself who is stealthily guzzling meds and has a little dog that appears to do nothing but sit in a basket. It all felt a bit contrived and highly unlikely at its essence. However, there were some good plot twists and ideas being tossed around here, and Riley Keough who plays Grace delivers a gripping and convincing portrayal of a women in peril. 
Not a life changer, but a worthy watch nonetheless. 
FINAL SAY: Nearer, My God, to Thee.
3 Chilli Peppers 
​

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The Phenomenon of Defiance

26/3/2023

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Why do we defy? What is happening inside of us when we feel the need to defy? Usually it is some kind of authority or something that we may feel oppressed by or overwhelmed by that may trigger a need in us to resist openly and boldly. The need to defy rather than accept is human, we all do it, but the degree that we feel compelled to do it, does differ from person to person. So why do some people feel like they need to defy more often or more strongly when others are just happy to comply? And what is actually going on when we find ourselves falling into defiance? 
The topic of defiance is as complex in its psychology, design and origin as the cosmos. Sometimes defiance happens because it is expressing a need, other times it is expressing a deficit or disgust and sometimes defiance can be as simple as your mood or your internal stress levels on any given day. Whatever the reason, we have all at some stage felt the urge to fight back, push back, refuse to accept or bristle against, and that my friends is defiance.
What I can tell you, is that people don't defy for nothing, so for whatever reason, the person in defiance feels very justified in their defiance, which makes it one of the most difficult states to alter and manage and it is why people will so stubbornly adhere to their defiance's. Just like our values and morals, our defiance levels are part of who we are, but there has been some interesting scientific investigation into the topic of defiance that suggests that some people may have less control over their defiance than others. 
At its most simple definition, defiance is basically control aversion. It is the urge that all humans have to rebel against control over one's decisions or ideals. It can be explained by investigating the connectivity between two regions of the brain (the parietal and frontal lobes) as well as behavioural measures of distrust or a lack of understanding. It has been scientifically proven that people with stronger synchronous activation of the two mentioned brain regions were more likely to demonstrate stronger defiant behaviours. They were also more likely to struggle with trust, real consequence constructions and overall decision making. 
When children go into defiance mode, they go hard; this is because they are generally lacking the language or emotional aptitude (due to their immaturity) to restrain or comprehend their feelings of defiance, so they often demonstrate their defiance physically, violently or in extreme measures. Defiance in children often looks like stubbornness, annoyance, refusal or obstinance. It can look pretty much the same in people that have a strong link between the partial and frontal lobes of their brains. These people are synonymous throughout history with rebellion, insurrection, mutiny, revolt, revolution and uprising. They are people who can get a crowd into a flurry when they get going!
And sometimes, we need people to perform these tasks, we need people to revolt, to speak out, to push back and to question the status quo. If there was never any defiance in the world we would have some very serious problems. Corruption, abuse, war and and manipulation would be rife and people with little conscience would rule the planet while everyone else would happily conform like a bunch of mindless lemmings. Not a very appealing prospect at all.
It is true, we do need defiance, it serves a purpose, we need it to protect and defend ourselves and others. However, it is worth noting that not everyone has their defiance levels in check and some people will defy that the sky is blue just to engage another persons limits. This is when defiance is not pro-active or necessary, it is destructive, foolish and thoughtless. It is not empowering, it is disempowering. It is not strong, it is challenging. It is not pushing back, it is pushing over.
Learning to understand where your own levels of defiance sit and where the line sits between proactive and destructive defiance is a moral obligation that we all owe to ourselves and everyone else that we share this incredible planet with. Sometimes defiance is needed and sometimes compliance is necessary, and knowing when to use each of them will make you a better person. And if like me, you think that you may have a strong connection between your parietal and frontal lobe that make you want to fight the powers that be and be a little more defiant than you probably need to be at times, don't despair. Put your penchant for defiance to good use and always stand up for the underdog, question anyone that is obviously a gas lighter, oppressor or fuckwit and try hard to use your powers of defiance to do good things in the world. You don't have to start a revolution to be making changes and you don't have to insight a rebellion to gain a following, and don't you forget that!
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​SAINT MAUD
Release Date: 2021 
Rating: MA 
Running Time: 84 mins 

A British psychological thriller that could have easily sat on the gritty list due to its disturbing behaviours and shocking outcomes. Directed by Rose Glass in her feature directorial debut, Saint Maud has received rich critical acclaim for its direction, atmosphere, performances and score. 
A young and deeply pious hospice nurse becomes obsessed with her client, a terminally ill dancer. Desperate to save her client's soul before she dies, Maud goes to extreme and dangerous lengths. 
Saint Maud is a genuinely unsettling watch that constantly swings between religious fanaticism, social awkwardness and a nauseating sense of discomfort and unease. Morfydd Clark portrays Maud with such striking and disturbing effect that you find yourself swimming upon the waves of ecstasy and horror along side of her and the finale delivers a slap down ending that is pretty unforgettable. 
Not an easy watch but Saint Maud is definitely not one to miss either. 
FINAL SAY: Never waste your pain.
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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The Best of 2022

8/1/2023

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Just like 2021, the home viewing opportunities in 2022 grew so fast that I found myself juggling all of my streaming services, and I always seemed to have an over-abundance of new release material to trawl through. There was a head spinning amount to absorb this year, and I was also very grateful to be constantly receiving high quality recommendations from friends and family throughout the year as well.  We were again, all very spoilt for choice, and if you couldn't find something to watch in 2022 then you just weren't trying hard enough!
I managed to get through 205 movies and 158 television series this year. I also re-watched the entire Game of Thrones series, which was just as good, perhaps even better, the second time around. Basically, I was flat out watching something every day of the year and I still didn't get to half of the material that is on my 'to see' lists, but I did have a bloody good go at it!
The task of seeing everything has become arduous beyond anyone's means, and unless you are willing to permanently strap yourself to the couch and do nothing but watch movies and TV, there is just no way that you can manage to see it all. And so you must be discerning, and hopefully this is where I can offer a hand and some sound advice around what you should be investing in your time in; if you haven't done so already. 

Again, I was thrilled to be able to view great movies and TV across all genres, for which I am always grateful. In particular I really appreciated seeing so many excellent horror, thriller and fantasy offerings this year; most of which boasted stunningly good visuals and terrifically original storylines. I think that audiences are becoming more acclimated to a few scares and chills these days, and the demand for quality horror does thankfully seem to be on the rise. 
And so, without further ado....here is my selection for the best viewing experiences of 2022. 
BEST MOVIES (2022 release):
Everything Everywhere All At Once - Art House 4 Chilli Peppers
All Quiet on the Western Front - War/ Action 4 Chilli Peppers
The Sea Beast - Kids 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Barbarian - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Nope - Sci- Fi 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Blonde - Gritty 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
ELVIS - Musical/ drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers  
The Batman - Action/ Super 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - Action/ Super 3.5 Chilli Peppers
The Northman- Action  3.5 Chilli Peppers
Thor: Love and Thunder - Action/ Super 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Fresh - Thriller   3.5 Chilli Peppers
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - Crime  3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Bodies, Bodies, Bodies - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Smile - Horror  3.5 Chilli Peppers

2022 HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Hustle - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers
Terrifier 2- Horror 3 Chilli Peppers
Hellbender-  Horror 3 Chilli Peppers 
I Want You Back - Romance/comedy  3 Chilli Peppers 

Clerks 3 - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 

Here are my top recommendations for pre-2022 releases that I didn't get around to seeing until 2022:
C'mon C'mon - Drama 4.5 Chilli Peppers 
Licorice Pizza - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Nightmare Alley - Horror  4 Chilli Peppers
Spiderman: No Way Home - Action/ Super 4 Chilli Peppers 
West Side Story - Musical 4 Chilli Peppers 

Flee - International 4 Chilli Peppers
Annette - Art House/ Musical 4 Chilli Peppers 
Nitram - Gritty 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Raid: Redemption - Action 4 Chilli Peppers 
Titane - Art House 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Love Witch - Art House 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Dolemite is My Name - Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Antrum - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Ron's Gone Wrong - Kids 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

Ghost Busters: Afterlife  - Horror  3 Chilli Peppers
Silent Night - Sci-Fi 3 Chilli Peppers
How I Live Now - War/ Action 3 Chilli Peppers 


BEST TELEVISION SERIES 2022:
Somebody, Somewhere - Drama/ Comedy 5 Chilli Peppers 
Atlanta S4 - Art House 5 Chilli Peppers 
Ozark S4 - Crime/ Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Maid - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Better Call Saul S6 - Crime/ Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson - Comedy 5 Chilli Peppers 
Dopesick -  Drama 5 Chilli Peppers
The White Lotus S2 - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Severance - Fantasy 4.5 Chilli Peppers 

The Peacemaker - Super/ comedy 4 Chilli Peppers
Pam and Tommy - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Boys S3 - Super/ Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers
This is Going to Hurt - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
FROM - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers 
Pistols - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
Umbrella Academy S3- Fantasy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Dahmer- Horror/ Crime 4 Chilli Peppers
Black Bird - Crime 4 Chilli Peppers 
The Bear- Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
What We Do In The Shadows S4 - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Woodstock '99 - Doco 4 Chilli Peppers 
Love, Death and Robots S3 - Fantasy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Our Flag Means Death - Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Stranger Things S4 Part 1 - Sci-Fi 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Mirror, Mirror by Todd Samson - Doco 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

2022 TV HONOURABLE MENTIONS: ​
House of the Dragon- Fantasy  3.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Serpent Queen - Period/ fantasy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

Man vs Bee - Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Colin from Accounts - Comedy - 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Always Sunny in Philadelphia S15 - Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Bloods S2-Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Ghosts S4 - Comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Lizzo's Watch out for the Big Grrls - Reality 3 Chilli Peppers
Moon Knight - Super 3 Chilli Peppers
The Outlaws - Drama/comedy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Brassic S4- Crime/comedy  3 Chilli Peppers 
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - Fantasy 3 Chill Peppers 
The Sandman - Fantasy 3 Chilli Peppers 
Wednesday - Fantasy 3 Chilli Peppers 

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ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT 
Release Date: 2022
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 142 mins 

An epic, German language, anti-war film based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque. Directed by Edward Berger, this timeless retell of the classic 1930's adaptation packs a punch, both visually and emotionally, with its scathing critique of the idea of nationalism, control and power. 
Three idealistic German soldiers head off to war in the spring of 1917. As they experience the realities and the traumas of war, their lives are shattered by the realisation that there are no heroes in war, only survivors. 
All Quiet on the Western Front is a stand out war movie. It touches upon the desperation, the loneliness and the unrelenting chaos of war in the most unflinching ways. You will squirm, you will feel shocked and horrified and if you're anything like me you will probably cry a little too.  There are a lot of big concepts and big emotions being dealt with here so don't expect an easy ride.
Felix Kammerer is incredible as Paul Baumer, the naïve German soldier that transitions from boy to killing machine in space of 2 hours. Kammerer convincingly delivers one of the most harrowing and disturbing roles of the year with startling believability. 
​All Quiet on the Western Front is easily one of my favourite movies of 2022.  
FINAL SAY: What is a soldier without war?
4 Chilli Peppers

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Jack O' Lantern Night

1/11/2022

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Anyone that knows me well, knows that I love Halloween. I called my first cat Samhain (which was the name of the Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season aka Halloween) and my new cat is called Salem, home of the infamous witch trials. I like to go ghost hunting in my spare time, I adore horror movies and novels and love sweet treats. So yeah, of course I love Halloween. I love everything about it and who wouldn't? You can dress up in scary garb, eat tonnes of candy, pull out the tarot cards and Ouija board and watch creepy arse movies, to be honest it is kind of hard to find any negatives here. 
I wish that we had some scary haunted houses to walk through like they do in other countries though, and that more kids engaged in the trick or treat aspect of the holiday. This year, because of the dreadful weather, we hardly had any  little trickers come to the door in Enfield, which was so disappointing. I now have a massive bowl of uneaten candy to contend with, and considering that I still need to squeeze into my 'mother of the bride' wedding gown in less than a month, this kind of temptation is not welcome right now. 
We do have two banging Jack O' Lanterns at the front door though. Craig and Seth did a stellar job of carving up a couple of pumpkin heads for us. I bloody love a good Jack O' Lantern and I always feel much safer at Halloween with a couple of them burning at the entrance of our home. For those of you that don't know your Jack O' Lantern history, please allow me enlighten you. 
The carving of vegetable effigies and gourd heads has been common practise around the world for centuries. It is believe that the carving of  what we now call a 'Jack O' Lantern' at Halloween first began in Ireland in the 17th century when turnips and mangle wurzels were hollowed out to act as lanterns. They often had grotesque faces carved into them to deter uninvited guests. They were set out during Samhain when it was believed to be the time of the year that supernatural beings and the souls of the dead walked the earth freely for one night only every year.
On the 31st of October, the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is said to be at its thinnest, and by placing a burning root vegetable out of the front of your home and ensuring that it stayed alight all night, you were safeguarded from allowing any ill natured or unwelcomed spirit entrance into your home. 
Every year on October 31st, we have at least one Jack O' Lantern on our porch that burns throughout the entire night. And whether it is superstition or just good luck, we have not had any unwelcomed guests to our house on Halloween night either, so it is a tradition that has continued for us. Not only that, but they look so awesome and they are so much fun to design and carve.  The kids in our neighbourhood know that if they see the burning Jack O' Lantern on the doorstep then we are open for some serious candy distribution. 
Perhaps one day I will make it overseas for one of those big, glitzy and all out Halloween celebrations, but in the mean time I am happy to keep my Halloweens on the low down. Just me, my tribe, my good friends, my black cat, my Jack O' Lanterns, my horror movies and my unfortunately still too big bowl of candy!
​And for my keen horror viewers, here's my pick for this year's Halloween movie feature:
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BODIES, BODIES, BODIES
Release Date: 2022
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 94 mins 

A suspense thriller with a slasher/ gore undertone, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies delivers dark humour and a rising body count in equal measure. Directed by Halina Rejin and written by Sarah DeLappe, this mystery driven tale about a bunch of entitled twenty-somethings will keep you guessing until the very last moments with an extremely satisfying reveal. 
Wealthy Sophie is hosting a "hurricane party" at a mansion owned by her family. As the weather closes in, the group imbibe a number of illicit substances and then decide to play "Bodies, Bodies, Bodies" which is a murder in the dark type game. It's all fun and games until someone has their throat slashed mid-game. Immediately, the group begin to turn on each other and suspicions start to spin out of control as the body count continues to rise as the night progresses. 
This is a well-crafted, modern, whodunnit that explores friendship loyalties, youthful archetypes and the effect that social media has posed around logical thinking and problem solving for our twenty-something cohort. The cast is pretty terrific, with Rachel Sennott, Pete Davidson, Maria Bakalova and Lee Pace bringing loads of youthful energy and believability to their roles.
Every bit as entertaining as the original Scream movie, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is destined to generate a cult following in years to come. 
FINAL SAY: Did you just fucking shoot me? 
3.5 Chilli Peppers ​

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Your Body Knows

23/10/2022

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Your body is sending you signals all of the time. Most of the time we are so wrapped up in whatever we are doing that we fail to hear or recognise these signals. When this happens, we get lethargic, we feel weary and sometimes we even get ill. In extreme cases we can even suffer disease, serious sickness or worse still; incurably poor health.
Recently a lot of research and energy has gone into understanding our bodies as a type of eco-system. An individually and uniquely designed system that needs to be in balance to thrive and blossom. Our bodies need balance, rest, nutrients and attention in order to work at peak performance, so ignoring even the most subtle of messages can spell disaster down the track if it goes unnoticed. 
So what should we keep an eye out for? To be honest any signal of imbalance should be treated as serious and dealt with right away in order to quell further problems, but it is a good idea to know what some of those subtle differences may be and potentially what they could be indicating. 
Let's start at the top of the body and work our way down from there. The head is a vitally important part of our body, it houses our brain, eyes, ears, nose and mouth, not to mention it is often fully exposed to the elements much of the time and can therefore also be prone to skin eruptions and abrasions. In short, head signals can be very unforgiving and frequent. 
Headaches can be a sign of feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty dealing with new demands, this in turn can lead to sleeping difficulties, a lack of alertness or agency and can cause people to lose control of situations around them. Any headache or brain discomfort should be investigated immediately by a trained physician, as should any interruptions to the senses of the face such as sight, hearing, smelling or tasting. Many stress, anxiety and anger signals are triggered around the face and head and can indicate a need for attention, therapy or adjustment. If you have frequent headaches it can indicate a serious underlying condition and you should seek medical advise asap. 
Down to the chest we go and we are on the look out for any shortness of breath or laboured and uneasy breathing. Chest pressure can be your bodies way of signalling potential threats or fear of the unknown and it can be alleviated through calming and meditative practises. Of course, any serious chest or breathing problems should always be checked by a professional, but recognising when your body is reacting to certain situations will allow you to better understand when the need for professional intervention is required and when it is not. Hundreds of people rock up to the emergency department every year with chest pains and breathing difficulty claiming to be having a heart attack when they were really just have a panic or anxiety attack. This is why it is important to get to know your body so that you can decipher what it is trying to tell you. 
Heading down further we encounter the gut. The gut is a labyrinth of nerve endings and a biome of its own that resides within your lower abdomen. Recent studies believe that the gut is every bit, perhaps even more, complex than the human brain. It appears that we store much of our stress, anxiety and worry in our gut and any digestive problems or changes in appetite can be a call to attention around unresolved issues and emotional baggage. Gut feelings really are gut feelings, and recent research into the gut is revealing a multitude of fascinating and important body hacks about the gut, so keep your ear to the ground on this topic because I think we are going to be seeing a lot more focus in this area of health in the coming years. 
Now lets not forget to address out limbs, back and feet. Sore feet, muscle fatigue, tension, pinched and aching limb ailments have all been linked to supressed emotions. Turns out that your gut isn't the only thing storing all those bad vibes, your muscles, skin and bones do it too and it can manifest in a number of aching and annoying ways throughout your system. Skin break outs, rashes, aches, pains, stiffness, throbbing and numbness have all been linked to stress and anxiety conditions and have shown vast improvement when treated with gentle, holistic and calming treatment methods. 
Any restlessness, inability to settle or ground yourself is another way that your body sends you signals that you aren't operating at 100%. Even a simple niggle or nuisance pain can turn into something significant if it is left unattended for long enough, so long story short, never ignore the signals that your body sends to you. Listen to that twinge, notice that knot and be attentive to anything that seems odd, out of the norm or annoying within your system. And never forget one of my favourite pieces of advise; that if you listen to your body when it whispers, then you'll never have to hear it scream. So please, tune in and stay strong. 
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NOPE
Release Date: 2022
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 130 mins 

Jordan Peele delivers a unique mix of sci-fi suspense and horror that is destined to become a cult classic with Nope. With elements of early '80s Spielberg and a big nod to classic sci-fi monster horror, Nope manages to be sharp, funny and creepy in ways that the sci-fi/ horror genre hasn't been in a very long time. 
Em and OJ Haywood have inherited their father's ranch after he is killed in a freak accident on the property. The two attempt to keep the family legacy afloat by selling horses to a nearby Western Theme Park, however, at night, strange and inexplicable things are occurring and their horses are being effected. 
This sounds like a simple story, but it really isn't. There is also a second story running along side that invokes a chimpanzee and a '90s sitcom TV program, but I really don't want to spoil anything for you. In fact the less you know the better here. I went in blind and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. 
The cast is really strong here with Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya, Brandon Perea and Steven Yeun all giving terrific performances. Michael Wincott is also fabulous as the creative film-maker and Keith David rounds things out perfectly as the Haywood patriarch and ranch owner Otis Haywood. 
Teamed with excellent special effects and unnerving sound effects, Nope will stick with you and have you pondering the clouds more than you did before you saw this film. 
FINAL SAY: Yeah, nah nah nah. 
3.5 Chilli Peppers 
​

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What's New Pussycat?

21/8/2022

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Last week we welcomed a new kitten into our lives. Salem, our black eight week old kitten arrived in Enfield just ten days ago after a screaming drive home from Melbourne to relocate with us. Born from a stray cat and delivered inside of a lawn mower catcher in my brothers backyard, Salem is anything but meek and has been tearing up our home, scratching up the place and making herself more than comfortable in our now very kitten proofed home. 
I cannot deny that I seriously under-estimated how much energy kittens can have, especially since we had a geriatric cat for about a decade that did nothing but eat, snuggle and sleep. Salem does those three cat things a lot as well, but she also jumps, runs, skitters, drags,  chews, destroys, pounces, climbs, bites and scratches. And all of this is apparently very normal for a now nine week old kitten, but boy is it tiring! I am feeling a new level of fatigue that I haven't experienced since my children were toddlers. 
Kittens need a tonne of attention, that's the bottom line. And they require so much of your time, energy and commitment if they are to become well adjusted, content and loving adult pussy cats. In the last ten days alone we have had to navigate settling Salem into her new home environment, a trip to the vet for vaccinations and chipping (which made her so lethargic that I thought she was going to die) and then to add icing to the already quite stressful kitten cake, she also had a bout of explosive kitten diarrhoea which was not only messy and smelly, but truly gross and distressing.  
Has it been amazing? Yes at times, it has been extremely cute, cuddly and enjoyable. But mostly, it has been tiring, taxing, stressful and troubling. And so it should be right? We have literally introduced a wild animal into our home, what did we really expect was going to happen? Sure I had visions of tiny kitten cuddles, morning snuggles and sweet head-butting behaviours teamed with gentle but cute play, and yes we did get all of that, but we also got a tiny bundle of claws and teeth! A pint sized, furry, killing machine that appears to be hellbent on wearing us out, wrecking all of our stuff and keeping us up at night. 
The other day Seth was at home sick, really quite sick indeed and in need of some rest and recovery time.  He said that he was more than happy to do a spot of kitten sitting whilst he was resting at home. When I got home from work I asked how Salem had gone without Craig or I around. Poor Seth proceeded to explain that whilst we were out Salem had bouts of extremely high energy which involved zooming about the house, leaping off the furniture, scaling the fly wire screens, biting his feet, jumping on top of his head and attacking him on and off throughout the day. Needless to say, Seth did not get a lot of rest with all of that going on and he was also sporting some seriously welted battle scars on his stomach, arms and feet; clear evidence that Salem was indeed going bonkers and attacking him roughly. This was the point when we realised that our tiny Salem was going to be a handful and that the 'settling in to her new home' honeymoon was well and truly over!
And what do the experts say about all of this? They say that this is all very normal stuff, and we just have to stay calm and ride it out, that the kitten phase only lasts about a year so we should try to make the most of having a baby in the house. A YEAR! Wtf? I am going to look like that crazy cat lady off the Simpsons if this continues for a year! Walking around aimlessly in an unkempt state and talking gibberish to myself with a cat hanging off my back all of the time. I am praying that our little hellbender settles down a little bit sooner than that, but we will just have to do what the cat whisperer says and find our peace with it. 
When you adopt a pet you have to take it on completely. You sign up to see it through the vet visits, the bouts of explosive diarrhoea, the destruction of property and in our case the mental kitten stage! And you do that for the duration of its lifetime, no matter how it all turns out. When you become a pet owner, its a little like being a parent all over again, you don't get to tap out or check out and you have to make your peace with things going wrong from time to time. And I really cannot deny that in spite of Salem's hellbender antics, those delightful pussy cuddles, feathery soft fur pats and delightful tiny facial expressions do make every bit of the effort utterly worthwhile. 
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​HELLBENDER
Release Date: 2022
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 86 mins 

When it comes to low budget independent films, Hellbender has everything and everyone else trumped. While the rest of the world was lollygagging about during the covid-19 lockdown period, the Adams family were making this movie. And when I say making it, I mean writing, directing, filming, editing, costume designing, music composing and also acting in the lead roles. The trio - composed of John Adams, Toby Poser and Zelda Adams, collaborated on this low budget horror and the results are deeply impressive. 
A mother and her teenage daughter live a solitary life on an isolated mountain. They have their own band, they forage their own food and they appear to live a very peaceful and natural lifestyle, except for one detail. They are hellbenders, and if you want to know what that is, then you'll need to see the movie!
What Hellbender delivers may be janky in effects, but it more than makes up for that with its brilliant cinematography and gripping atmosphere. I was hooked at the 10 minute mark and I think that this little hidden gem deserves  lot more attention and applause. Toby Poser and Zelda Adams are incredibly good in front of the camera here, delivering a mother-daughter, coming of age folk tale like no other. 
FINAL SAY: Growing up is hell. 
3 Chilli Peppers 
​

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The Winter Long Weekend

13/6/2022

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The Queen's birthday long weekend could not have arrived at a more convenient time. Three days of wintery Enfield bliss was just what my flagging system needed and I spent much of the last few days bopping about in my flannelette PJ's, sipping alcoholic beverages and binge watching an absolute swag of TV and movies.  And I have to say that there has been a lot to enjoy on streaming services lately as they all seem to be scrambling over the top of each other to stream a multitude of good quality viewing opportunities. 
It is around this time every year that I like to offer my list of the best of the year so far to my faithful readers. Well, the best that I have watched anyway, I know for sure that there is a lot more out there to see than just what I put forward, but if I was recommending,  these are the TV programs and movies that I believe deserve your attention, your time and your energy so far.  So, in no particular order - 
TV SHOWS:
  • Atlanta S3 - Drama SBS
  • Our Flag Means Death - Comedy Foxtel
  • Severance - Mystery/ Sci Fi Apple+
  • EVIL S2 - Horror Stan 
  • Ozark S4 -  Crime/ Drama Netflix 
  • The Pentaverite - Comedy Netflix
  • Peacemaker - Comedy/ Super Foxtel
  • After Party - Mystery Apple+
  • This is Going to Hurt - Docuseries Foxtel 
  • Stranger Things S4 - Sci Fi Netflix 
  • The Outlaws - Comedy/ Drama Prime
  • Bloods S2 - Comedy Stan
  • The Boys S3 -  Super Prime
  • Pam and Tommy - Drama Disney
  • Love, Death and Robots S3 - Sci Fi/ Animation Netflix
  • Love on the Spectrum US - Reality Netflix
  • Cursed Films S2 - Documentary Shudder 
  • Lizzo's - Watch Out for the Big Grrrls - Reality Prime 
  • Moon Knight - Super Disney 
MOVIES:
  • The Batman - Super
  • Fresh - Thriller 
  • I Want You Back  - Rom/Com
  • The Northman - Action 
  • Nitram - Gritty 
  • Everything, Everywhere All At Once - Fantasy 
  • Hellbender - Horror 
  • ​Spiderman - No Way Home -Super 
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THE BATMAN
Release Date: 2022
Rating: M
Running Time: 176 mins

The latest offering in the DC comic world, The Batman directed by Matt Reeves plunges us back into the seedy underbelly of Gotham City in perhaps the most gothic and dark portrayal of Batman so far. It was universally praised by fans and critics alike for it performances, score and cinematography and quickly became one of the highest grossing films of 2022. 
A masked psychopath calling himself the Riddler begins a grisly killing spree across Gotham City, leaving notes for the Batman at every crime scene. Batman must try to uncover the true identity of the Riddler and put his diabolical plans to an end before more lives are lost. 
All of the original villains are back in action here with The Penguin, Cat woman and the Riddler all making an appearance and they are a far cry from their first portrayals in the Tim Burton originals. In fact the entire Batman franchise has shifted gear again; moving further into the realms of lavish noir and further from the comic book cheap thrills of its earlier days. 
Across the board the cast is fantastic, with notable efforts from Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis, John Turturro and Colin Farrell. Robert Pattinson has the lead role and portrays Batman with an entirely new level of broody emo that the character was missing from previous instalments. And although this is not my favourite Batman movie, I do think that Pattinson may be my favourite Batman to date. 
​Almost as good as The Dark Knight, and certainly as visually appealing, The Batman although clearly overlong, is a worthy and enjoyable superhero watch. 

FINAL SAY: Fear is a tool. When that light hits the sky, it's not just a call. It's a warning. 
3.5 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Eight, Eight... It's Perfectly Great!

4/6/2022

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Spicywatch.com celebrated its eighth birthday last Saturday evening. And how she has grown over the years from a humble dozen or so movies reviews when I first launched her in May 2014 to the massive 933 reviews that she now has under her belt. In the 8 years that Spicywatch has been on the internet I have had over 130,000 hits and on average, good old Spicywatch manages to rustle  up around 3000 readers a month.
So naturally, I had to celebrate the wonderful and joyful occasion of Spicywatch's 8th birthday and invite some movie loving family and friends around to Enfield to share in the movie chatter. 
With the perfection and infinity of the number 8 in mind, I asked my guests to share a clip that they felt was perfect in some way. 
 It could be perfect in dialogue, scene, costume, lighting, atmosphere, composition or just perfectly memorable to them and something that they go back to time and time again. 
As it has been at every Spicywatch birthday occasion, we traversed all of the genres together; laughing, crying and remembering the movie moments that have stuck with us throughout the years. 
Here is a sampling of some of the movies that made it to the viewing arena for their perfect  and memorable scenes:
  • The Fall
  • Toy Story 3
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once
  • Pan's Labyrinth 
  • Whale Rider
  • Big Fish 
  • Kill Bill 
  • The Lord of the Rings 
  • The Conjuring 2
  • ​Samsara
  • Moulin Rogue
  • Marriage Story 
  • Henry V
  • House of Flying Daggers 
  • The Lighthouse
  • Soul
  • Napoleon Dynamite
  • The Great Gatsby
  • Beautiful Creatures
  • Fantastic Mr Fox 
  • The Bourne Identity
  • Mr Bean's Disaster Movie
  • Shadow
  • Rosemary's Baby
  • Much Ado About Nothing 
  • Dancer in the Dark
  • Midsommar
  • Suicide Squad 2
  • The Great Beauty 
  • Apocalypto 
  • The Ghoulies 
Many thanks to the special people who gave up their Saturday evening and made the very cold journey out to Enfield to share the celebration of Spicywatch.com with me, your presence was a wonderful and treasured gift. Make sure that you keep on viewing because I am rounding the 1,000 review mark and we will definitely need to celebrate that when it happens! 
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EIGHTH GRADE
Release Date: 2018
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 94 mins

Written and directed by stand up comedian Bo Burnham, this coming-of-age tale had me squirming in my seat with it's accurate and embarrassingly memorable recount of early adolescence and teenage awkwardness. 
Kayla Day is completing her final week of eighth grade and preparing to enter high school. Shy and socially awkward, Kayla spends her free time making motivational videos on YouTube that get little to no views. Between navigating social media, school cliques, crushes and her clingy single father, Kayla is just trying to do her best to stay optimistic. 
This movie feels so genuine and real, the character of Kayla (played perfectly by Elsie Fisher) offers an accurate and unpolished version of early teenage awkwardness that was so desperately missing from the coming-of-age genre and it is delivered in such a fresh and plausible way. 
Although completely different in so many ways to my own adolescent experiences, there were still moments when I recognised the awkward longings and difficulties of Kayla as I watched; proving that teenagers are still just teenagers and that growing pains haven't changed all that much in 30 years. 
FINAL SAY: Growing up can be a little bit scary and weird. 
3.5 Chilli Peppers 
​

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In Three Minds

3/4/2022

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Your mind, like mine, consists of three different modes of thinking. When we are doing mundane or neutral types of activities like driving, brushing our teeth, shopping or running errands, we are usually engaging our Rational Mind. And when we are having times of high fear, excitement, sadness or joy we are engaging our Emotional Mind and coming in third place  is the ideal state of mind that we don't engage as often as should, and it is called our Wise Mind. 
Let's take a better look at these three states of mind because doing so will help you to understand yourself a whole lot better. In fact, if you can identify when you are triggering automatic responses from these modes of thinking you're going to able to to save yourself a lot of heartache and worry down the road. 
Firstly, let's examine the Emotional Mind. Basically, this mind kicks into gear when our thinking gets triggered by our external experiences of the world, for example:
  • When you are arguing or disagree with someone.
  • When you are fighting the urge to have a drink .
  • When you procrastinate.
  • The feelings you get from certain people, places or events. 
In general, the emotional mind is not impartial, it is reactive and it can be crippling. It can hijack our thoughts and sweep us over like a tsunami with dread, anger, sadness, fear, anxiety and many other big and often unhelpful thoughts and feelings. 
Next comes the Rational Mind which is pretty much opposite to the Emotional Mind. The rational mind bases all of its decisions on facts, evidence and things that worked well for us in the past. Situations that engage the rational mind may be things like:
  • Deciding what to cook for dinner.
  • Driving to work.
  • Planning an event or social gathering.
  • Learning a new language.
  • Fixing a leaky tap or changing a flat tyre. 
The Rational Mind is straightforward, logical and thinking and because it is quite polarised to the Emotional Mind it can create great inner turmoil within people when they are trying to be decisive or precise. 
Enter the third state of mind - The Wise Mind. The Wise Mind is the ideal mind because it takes into account both the Rational and the Emotional mind without allowing them to conflict or overwhelm each other. Rather than allowing the Rational mind to wag its authoritarian finger at the sensitive Emotional mind, it instead seeks to build a bridge between the two and encourages a sense of harmony and acceptance. 
The Wise Mind honours and accepts emotions whilst taking into account the facts by working in a manner that is reasonable. 
A Wise Mind is mindful, aware, observant, patient and kind to us and that is why is we need to try and engage it as often as we can. 
Another way to conceptualise the three Minds, is to imagine how they might form a dialogue with one another. 
Rational Mind: You should get out of bed and go to the gym, you have a lot to do today.
Emotional Mind: I don't feel like getting up, you're stressing me out!
Wise Mind: I can feel stressed out and still get to the gym, I know that I will better once I have gotten my workout done for the day. 
Good old Wise Mind always finds the happy medium that is required to get the job done! And that's why we need to try really hard to recognise which state of mind we are using most of the time by being mindful and aware. This allows Wise Mind to take the reigns and make far better choices, decisions and pathways so that we can stay calm, focused and fresh. 
Being mindful about your 'mind state' will make your life easier and has been proven to assist in the management of anxiety and also to help individuals to identify unhelpful and hijacking thoughts that they entertain within themselves. Engaging your 'Wise Mind' is deeply self empowering, try it for yourself!
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FRESH
Release Date: 2022
Rating: R18+
Running Time: 114 mins 

An American thriller film adapted from a screenplay by Lauryn Kahn and directed by Mimi Cave, in her directorial debut. Fresh delivers a unique blend of storytelling that is part American Psycho and part Silence of the Lambs with a sprinkling of Delicatessen and a side of How to be Single, and somehow it works!
Noa is struggling to find a suitable partner when she bumps into Steve in the fruit and vegetable aisle of the supermarket. Steve is handsome, smart and romantic and after several dates the new couple decide to go on a holiday together. Whilst on holidays, Noa discovers the truth about Steve; who he really is and his extremely disturbing appetites.  
This film is greatly strengthened by the terrific performances. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan are really solid here which adds a lot of credence and jet black humour to the story. There's plenty of gripping and disturbing interludes, some nice little twists and some pretty nasty behaviours to wrangle, but overall it's an enjoyable ride. 
FINAL SAY: It's about giving. Giving yourself over to somebody. 
3.5 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Busting Makes Me Feel Good

20/2/2022

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Over the years I have invested in a number of ghost hunting experiences. I have done the ghost investigation tour at the Aradale Lunatic Asylum in Ararat, the Ballarat Walking Ghost tour, the Melbourne Walking Ghost tour, a tour of J Ward in Ararat, the Old Melbourne Gaol tour and I have even been to Monte Christo in Junee which claims to be one of the most haunted sites in Australia as well.
In fact, all of these sites and tours claim to be in very active and haunted places and all them failed to deliver any ghostly activity that I would consider to be significant or particularly memorable. Now I am not saying that these sites aren't actually haunted, many if not all of them probably are, but I myself failed to have what I would consider to be a  significant ghostly encounter at tours of this nature; that was until this week.
Seth had desperately wanted to do a ghost investigation for his 17th birthday and we were all booked in to do just that on his birthday in January.  However, the God's did not smile upon this and not only did the tour guide get Covid-19 and have to isolate, but the actually site that we were going to investigate got totally flooded the week prior to us attending and had to close for refurbishment. Seriously, if that's not a sign that you're not meant to go then I don't know what is really. Anyway, we had to withdraw and reschedule for a future date and not wanting to leave it too long after Seth's birthday to get the ghost hunting rolling, I booked the two of us in to a ghost hunting experience and investigation session at the Blackwood pub last Wednesday night. 
The Blackwood pub is a small venue about 15 minutes outside of Ballan in Victoria. It was once a morgue for the graveyard that is adjacent to the venue and it's history is speckled with both tragedy and mystery which our guide and host "Dolly" informed us of whilst we enjoyed a hearty pub meal before embarking on two hours of ghost investigating. 
Armed with an array of ghost detecting equipment (that had been kindly supplied by our host) and an extensive knowledge of the history of the venue, we were allowed free reign to the venue and graveyard to explore at will. And I am not going to lie, I was not really expecting to experience anything much and had pretty much agreed to do the tour with Seth for a few shits and giggles. And how wrong I turned out to be. 
I can say without any hesitation that the Blackwood pub is haunted, very haunted. And I am not sure if it was the combination of people that were in attendance that evening, if it was just the right pace at the right time or if this place is always running this hot but both Seth and I felt  and saw a lot of odd phenomena that night. From scary shouting ghost box messages, flashing lights, EVP activity, orbs caught on camera, sensations of feeling compressed, dizzy, disorientated and listing from side to side to photos that appear to depict full apparitions, unseen movements and even ghostly faces - we had it all going on. Other people in the group of around 20 people claimed to being touched and grabbed, which thankfully Seth and I did not experience and one poor woman was even struggling to stay upright throughout the night. It was weird beyond all explanation and was easily the most significant and active ghost investigation tour/experience that I have ever been involved in. 
This was both good and bad. Good because if you are going to invest your time and energy in to doing a ghost hunting tour then you do want all of the bells and whistles and this certainly delivered on those fronts. However, it was also kind of bad because when you are around that much activity you need to make sure that nothing is latching on. I had to burn a shit tonne of sage and Palo Santo and do lots of white light meditations after the effect to make sure that nothing came home with us or had latched on to us. And I have never felt compelled to be that thorough when I have been doing a ghost investigation with a tour group before because they just aren't usually that active or significant. 
So would I recommend doing a ghost investigation of Blackwood pub? Yes, I would. But as I said before it is always hard to say just what it is that makes these kind of supernatural experiences amplify, because in all sincerity I have no doubt that someone else could do this tour and experience nothing at all. I personally do think that Blackwood pub is haunted and I do think that there are active spirits at the venue. Can I guarantee an experience if you go? Of course not, but when you stack it against the other ghost related tours that I have been on, it's the best experience that I have had in a tour group thus far and that is worth noting. 
Even if you are a total sceptic, at worst you'll still enjoy a decent pub meal and a little intrigue and a bit of local history. At best, like Seth and I, you'll be shocked and surprised by the levels of activity and creeped out for days to come about what you just experienced first hand. I don't know why I like this kind of stuff so much, at heart I have always loved ghost stories and the unexplained and having had lots of supernatural and eerie experiences all on my own I suppose that it is just nice to have a shared experience with like minded others as well. It is not only affirming but also very bonding, and what's not to like about that? 
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GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE 
Release Date: 2021 
Rating: PG 
Running Time: 124 mins 

Made for kids and playing out with as much youthful energy as The Goonies and enough sentimentality as any good Spielberg film, Ghost busters: Afterlife directed by Jason Reitman, delivers a simple and sweet supernatural tale that the whole family can enjoy together.
Egon Spengler, one of the original ghostbusters, passes away and leaves him weird home to his estranged family. Upon moving in, the youngest child of the family Phoebe discovers that Spengler is communicating with her from beyond the grave and is trying to warn her about an impending doom that lies ahead. A supernatural doom that consumed his entire life and now threatens the lives of everyone on the planet.  
There are plenty of call backs to the original film for die hard fans and all of the original gang make appearances at some point during the movie, except of course for Harold Ramis who originally played Egon Spengler in the first Ghostbuster film and passed away in 2014; and there is a tribute to him at the end of the film. Along with the old Ghostbusting crew, the new recruits: Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace and Logan Kim are terrific here and Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd fill in the shoes of the supporting adults nicely as well. 
I won't lie, it is a little sappy at times and super sentimental, but it is also a PG rated film, so it kind of needs to be. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is not a life changer, but it is wasn't a bad way to spend a couple of hours either. 
FINAL SAY: I don't remember this job being so painful. 
​3 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Movies for Weirdos

30/1/2022

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I've always loved films that don't follow a linear path. I love strange and eccentric films, honestly, I think that I like 'strange and eccentric' anything really but movies, music and literature that pushes the boundaries has always had a special place in my heart. 
Who doesn't like a bit of bizarre and surreal speckled into their everyday lives? Well, I'm sure there are actually quite a lot people who don't like material that challenges, confuses or disturbs them, but boy, they are really missing out on all of the fun, aren't they? Some of my favourite films of all time are weird as hell!
Some film makers and directors have practically specialised in producing absurd, unusual and inexplicable films, they've made a household name for themselves out of it. Take David Lynch, Harmony Korine, David Cronenberg or Yorgos Lanthimos to name but a few. If people weren't into weird, then these guys would never had made it big in Hollywood. And I for one, love to ask myself 'what the fuck did I just see?' after viewing a movie because then I know that what I have seen will leave me thinking. It will leave me pondering for days, going back to it in my mind and turning it over like an unsolvable puzzle box. 
And isn't that what we want from artistic and creative film making? Something that makes us think, something that will stretch our boundaries and push our limits. Well, maybe you don't, perhaps I am part of a small group of weirdos that does enjoy this type of cinema, but over the years I have reviewed an array of edgy, unusual, confronting and just plain weird films. Films that weren't just odd, but were, in my opinion also very, very good. And today I am sharing the pick of the litter here for you. 
If you are looking for something quite left of centre but also deeply engaging, then I suggest that you take a look at these beauties.
Full reviews can be found in the appropriate genre list tab. 
ART HOUSE/ MUSICAL/ INTERNATIONAL
  • The Lighthouse
  • Sorry to Bother You 
  • The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
  • The Killing of a Sacred Deer 
  • Dave Made a Maze
  • Swiss Army Man 
  • The Lobster
  • The Mermaid
  • The Brand New Testament
  • The Skin I Live In
  • Kung Fu Hustle 
  • I Heart Huckabees 
  • Dogville
  • Mulholland Drive
  • Hedwig and the Angry Inch
  • Being John Malkovich
  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 
  • Pi
  • Delicatessen 
  • Wild at Heart 
  • Blue Velvet 
GRITTY/ CHALLENGING
  • Titane
  • Swallow
  • Mother!
  • Enter the Void
  • Dogtooth
  • Requiem for a Dream
  • Irreversible 
  • Dancer in the Dark
  • Gummo
HORROR
  • Saint Maud
  • Possessor
  • Midsommar
  • Mandy
  • Hereditary 
  • Susperia
  • A Dark Song
  • The Neon Demon
  • Kill List
  • Martyrs
  • Jacob's Ladder
SCIENCE FICTION/ FANTASY
  • Color Out of Space
  • Vivarium
  • Annihilation
  • The Cell
  • The Endless
  • Predestination
  • Under the Skin
  • Melancholia
  • The Fall
  • The Fountain
  • Mirrormask
  • Donnie Darko
  • eXistenZ
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey 
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​TITANE
Release Date: 2021 
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 108 mins 

A French language film written and directed by Julia Ducournau that got tongues wagging, not just because it won the 2021 Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, but also for its intense, jaw dropping concepts and striking imagery. 
Alexia, a dancer with a metal plate in her head due to a childhood accident, has an unusual affinity with cars. She also has an affinity to killing and does so ruthlessly. However, after a sexual encounter with a vehicle (yep, you read that right, a car) she finds herself pregnant and on the run from the law.  Alexia decides to take on the persona of a child that went missing a decade ago in an attempt to go into hiding. The lost boy's father Vincent, a lonely fire captain, is also desperate for a new beginning and he takes Alexia in and allows her to charade as his son. 
This is a seriously provocative and original film. However, it is also not an easy watch by any stretch. There is a lot of graphic body horror and some deeply disturbing depictions that some people may find too much. However, for all of its ugliness, Titane is really about desperate, lost people that genuinely crave love and meaningful relationships, which makes it equal parts distressing and emotional. 
Agathe Rousselle is giving everything here as Alexia and spends much of the movie involved in awkward, weird and revolting interludes. Vincent Lindon brings the term 'damaged' to new light with his misogynistic firefighter crew antics and desperate need to hold back the ravages of time on his body. 
There's a lot to like and also a lot not to like in Titane. I suggest that you see it for yourself and be the judge. 
FINAL SAY: It's very solid. It's titanium. 
3.5 Chilli Peppers

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The Best of 2021

9/1/2022

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It was another strange year of cinema to say the least. I cannot deny that the home viewing opportunities in 2021 grew so fast that I found myself juggling all of my streaming services and an abundance of new release movies to no end. There was a head spinning amount of material to absorb and we were certainly spoilt for choice. If you couldn't find something to watch in 2021 then you just weren't trying hard enough!
I devoured 213 movies and 142 television series this year. Basically I was flat out watching something every day of the year and I still didn't get to half of the material that is on my 'to see' lists. The task of seeing everything has become arduous beyond anyone's means, and unless you are willing to permanently strap yourself to the couch and do nothing but watch movies and TV, there is just no way that you can manage to see it all. 
However, like I do every year, I did give it my very best shot and I did see a great deal of incredibly good things. 2021, just like 2020 managed to deliver greatness across all of the genres, for which I am always grateful. In particular I really appreciated seeing so many excellent horror and science fiction films this year; most of which boasted stunningly good visuals and terrifically original storylines.
And so, without further ado....here is my selection for the best viewing experiences of 2021. 
BEST MOVIES (2021 release):
The Power of the Dog - Drama  5 Chilli Peppers (Hall of Fame) 
Dune -
Sci-Fi 4 Chilli Peppers
Nomadland - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Promising Young Woman - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Don't Look Up - Sci-Fi 4
 Chilli Peppers
CODA - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 

Pig - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
Saint Maud - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers 
Bo Burnham: Inside  - Comedy  4 Chilli Peppers
The Last Duel - Action/Period  4 Chilli Peppers
Encanto - Kids 4 Chilli Peppers
The Dig - Drama   3.5 Chilli Peppers
Nobody - Action 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Mitchell's vs The Machines- Kids  3.5 Chilli Peppers
Fear Street Trilogy - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Cruella - Kids 3.5 Chilli Peppers

2021 HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Palmer - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers
The Conjuring 3 - The Devil Made Me Do It - Horror 3 Chilli Peppers
Army of Thieves-  Action 3 Chilli Peppers 
Finch - Sci-Fi 3 Chilli Peppers 

Here are my top recommendations for pre-2021 releases that I didn't see until 2021:
Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Romance 5 Chilli Peppers (Hall of Fame) 
The Father - Drama 4.5 Chilli Peppers 
The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always - Drama  4 Chilli Peppers
Another Round - International  4 Chilli Peppers
One Cut of the Dead - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers
The King of Staten Island - Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers
Possessor - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers 

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers
You Were Never Really Here - Gritty 3.5 Chilli Peppers  
Host - Horror 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
On the Rocks -Drama  3 Chilli Peppers
The Dry - Drama  3 Chilli Peppers
Hillbilly Elegy- Drama 3 Chilli Peppers
Blinded by the Light - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers 

BEST TELEVISION SERIES 2021:
Ted Lasso S2 - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Midnight Mass - Horror 5 Chilli Peppers 
Succession S3 -  Drama 5 Chilli Peppers
The White Lotus - Drama 5 Chilli Peppers 
Mr Inbetween S3 - Crime 5 Chilli Peppers
Britannia S3 - Fantasy 5 Chilli Peppers 
EVIL S2 - Horror 5 Chilli Peppers
It's a Sin - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers
Wandavision - Super 4 Chilli Peppers 
Reservation Dogs - Drama 4 Chilli Peppers 
American Gods S3 - Fantasy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Black Summer S2- Horror 4 Chilli Peppers
Mare of Easttown - Crime 4 Chilli Peppers 
SEE S2 - Fantasy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Brand New Cherry Flavour - Horror 4 Chilli Peppers 
What We Do in the Shadows S3 - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Love on the Spectrum S2 - Reality 4 Chilli Peppers 
Resident Alien- Sci-Fi 4 Chilli Peppers
Ghosts S3 - Comedy 4 Chilli Peppers 
Foundation - Sci-Fi 4 Chilli Peppers 

2021 TV HONOURABLE MENTIONS: ​
Master of None S3- Drama  3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Young Offenders S3 - Comedy 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
BUMP - Comedy - 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Behind Her Eyes - Drama 3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Cowboy Bebop - Sci- Fi  3.5 Chilli Peppers 
Loki- Sci-Fi/ Comedy  3 Chilli Peppers 
Scenes from a Marriage - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers
Valley of Tears - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers
Nine Perfect Strangers - Drama 3 Chilli Peppers 
Mr Corman - Art House 3 Chilli Peppers 
The Kominsky Method S3 - Drama 3 Chill Peppers 
AHS Double Feature - 3 Chilli Peppers 
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PIG
Release Date: 2021 
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 92 mins 

An American drama, written and directed by Michael Sarnoski in his directorial debut. And I think that it would be fair to say that the subject material here certainly had people raising their eyebrows with scepticism, but in all honesty, Pig is one of the most unexpectedly heartfelt and affecting films of the year, so don't be mislead.
A hermit truffle hunter named Rob (Nicholas Cage) has his truffle hunting pig stolen and will stop at nothing to get it back again, even if it means venturing back into a world that he abandoned long ago. 
As far as the storyline goes, we have all seen this before; a damaged, lonely man becomes attached to his pet and it gets taken from him, hello John Wick. However, it isn't very far into the movie that we see that this is not just a film about avenging a stolen pig, it is actually about having the courage to choose what you really want out of life and the pure joy of simple pleasures. 
Nicholas Cage is bringing his all and hasn't been this good since Leaving Las Vegas, he is actually that good. It's a riveting performance and testament to the fact that he still has it. Alex Wolf is equally good along side of Cage and the two are a powerhouse of emotion together.
I adored the contemplative tone of this film from start to end, I thought that the film's strength dwells in its simplicity. In my opinion, Pig is definitely one of the best drama offerings of 2021.
FINAL SAY: We don't get a lot of things to really care about.
4 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Another Pumpkin Night

1/11/2021

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Halloween came and went for another year. This year we all gathered in Enfield to carve pumpkins, eat our body weight in candy and various sugary substances and watch as much horror as we could squeeze into one weekend.  And boy am I am paying for it this week, not the horror binging but the candy overload.  My poor struggling system is working overtime in an attempt to remove the high sugar, chemical shit-storm that I have willingly smashed into my face over the last 48 hours.
I can still easily digest hours and hours of horror but my ageing body cannot process the filth that is put into lollies these days. What am I saying? That filth has always been in lollies, my body just doesn't know how to process it anymore because I don't eat that kind of shit anymore. I haven't really eaten sweets and ice-cream for the better part of a year now, probably not since last Halloween if the truth be told, and my system is giving me major push back for re-introducing toxins at such a high and furious rate. I have had bloating, cramps, headaches, insomnia and stomach aches like I haven't had in a very long time; a type of horror that I am glad to be seeing the back end of that's for sure. In the future my Halloween's are going to be squarely focused on the horror films and not at all on the candy, and I can assure you of that!
So back to the movies, I did manage to digest 6 horror films in total over the weekend between Friday and Sunday evening. We even managed to get to the cinema - God it has been an age! However, due to more relaxed COVID restrictions and the fact that we are all vaccinated I was thankfully able to receive my first cinematic embrace in 6 months. And did it feel good to slide back into those squeaky faux leather seats with the huge plastic drink holders and smell that buttery popcorn smell again? Oh yes, yes it did! How wonderful it was to be embraced by the darkness and noise of a cinema and how marvellous it was to be swallowed up in 100 minutes of mindless slasher horror that came in the form of (most appropriately) the latest offering in the Halloween franchise - Halloween Kills. 
Okay, not going to lie here, the movie was not great, however the experience of being back in the cinema for a full surround sound, big screen adventure most certainly was. And it seemed timely and extremely appropriate to engage in a Halloween film on the actual day of Halloween. Anyway, it may not have been my favourite offering in the Halloween franchise, but it did get us all out of the house and laughing a lot more than screaming in our seats, which for me is definitely a win and a mighty fine way to spend any Halloween. 
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HALLOWEEN
Release Date: 1978
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 91 mins 

Anyone that knows me well also knows that slasher horror films are my least favourite of all the horror sub-genres. However, although Halloween is technically a slasher it was also the first film to launch a long line of other slasher films that followed, including the 13 instalments in the Halloween franchise. It also spawned the 'final girl' storyline through the long enduring character of Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) whom we have all come to know and love, and it has an unforgettable soundtrack that could give anyone the chills. So it is fair to say that Halloween is probably the best, most genuinely original and renowned slasher horror film of all time, and for that reason it would be downright negligent of me to not acknowledge the contribution that it has made to the horror movie industry over the last forty plus years. 
Directed by John Carpenter, (who incidentally also wrote the movie's  haunting soundtrack) Halloween tells the story of a deranged mental patient named Michael Myers. Myers  was committed to a sanitarium for brutally murdering his baby-sitting sister when he was only six years old. Fifteen years later, Myers escapes the hospital facility on Halloween night and returns to his home town. Donning a bleached out William Shatner mask, Myer's swiftly commences 'getting his stab on' and embarks on a bloody rampage. 
With a penchant for baby sitters (particularly Laurie Strode) and bloody big kitchen knives, Myer's has managed to stab, strangle and mutilate his way through 13 Halloween movie instalments, a video game, a novel and even a comic book series, and has become one of the most iconic horror figures in history. Are all of the films great? Absolutely not, in fact are some are downright comical because they are so bad, but as far as the original 1978 Halloween film goes, there is no denying that it was certainly horrifying in it's time and it does deserve at least one viewing in every serious horror fan's repertoire. 
FINAL SAY: It's Halloween. Everyone's entitled to one good scare. 
3 Chilli Peppers 
​

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By My Calculations...

24/10/2021

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I failed to write on my blog last week because I was doing a major overhaul of my review materials. Not only did I re-sort all of my reviews into chronological order, I also did a massive statistical review of my website. This was hours of work, but also a labour of love. 
In total, I now have 888 reviews completed on Spicywatch and only 60 unreviewed films left in my catch up (back log) of movies to review. That may sound like a lot of reviews to catch up on, but when you have managed to already do so many, it is actually quite manageable and it will give me a project to work on over the Summer break. 
My wish list of movies that I would like to see is, in contrast to my 'to review' list, ridiculously long with 493 movies currently starring, and it just continues to grow longer and longer by the day. I have to admit that I may never actually get around to seeing all of the films that I would like to see in this lifetime, but at least I will never run out of viewing options. 
Below is statistical break down of the reviews that I have joyfully completed on my website so far, which may not be that interesting to you but was very interesting for me as the reviewer. I clearly watch a lot more Horror, Drama and Art House movies than any other genres and when it comes to Romance films, I obviously struggle to find ones that I like enough to review. 
I have reviewed movies that span across a 100 year gap and most of the films that I have enjoyed enough to review have been between 1997 and 2020.
I cannot accurately estimate how many movies I have actually seen in my lifetime, however if I use my statistics from the last five years as a base line and only count the last 20 years then I think that I can safely guess that I have already seen around 5,500 films to date, with only 880 of those making it onto my lists so far. 
​At this point it would also be fair to say that I probably only like around 16% of what I actually watch, which I think probably makes me a pretty fussy reviewer!
Anyway, as always thanks for your continued readership and I hope that placing my reviews in chronological order on their genre lists will make them more user friendly for you to peruse in the future. Happy viewing!
DRAMA:
Total - 130 
Oldest Film - Citizen Kane 1941
Newest Film - Nomadland 2021
​Year with the most reviews - 2014
HORROR, THRILLER, SUPERNATURAL:

Total - 113 
Oldest Film - Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror 1922
Newest Film - Fear Street Trilogy 2021
​Year with the most reviews - 2016
COMEDY:
Total - 92
Oldest Film - Duck Soup 1933
Newest Film - JoJo Rabbit 2019
​Year with the most reviews - 2007
ACTION, CRIME, WAR:

Total - 101
Oldest Film - Seven Samurai 1954
Newest Film - Nobody 2021
​Year with the most reviews - 2019
SCIENCE FICTION, SUPER, FANTASY:

Total - 110
Oldest Film - It's A Wonderful Life 1946
Newest Film - Love and Monsters 2020
​Year with the most reviews - 2017
ART HOUSE, MUSICAL, INTERNATIONAL:

Total - 112
Oldest Film - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Oldest film reviewed) 1920
Newest Film - Another Round 2020
​Year with the most reviews - 2004
GRITTY, CHALLENGING, DOCUMENTARY:

Total - 95
Oldest Film - Deliverance 1972
Newest Film - Swallow 2020
​Year with the most reviews - 2010 and 2011
ROMANCE, MATTERS OF THE HEART:
Total - 68
Oldest Film - My Fair Lady 1964
Newest Film - Palm Springs 2020
​Year with the most reviews - 2013
KID FRIENDLY:

Total - 67
Oldest Film - Wizard of Oz 1939
Newest Film - Cruella 2021
​Year with the most reviews - 2009 and 2016 
Picture
​THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI
Release Date: 1920
Rating: PG
Running Time: 67 mins 
Considered the quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema, this classic silent movie is arguably the first horror film to have ever been made, and although it may not have the same clout that it had back in it's day, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari still has punch when it comes to unnerving its audience. 
A man retells his horrifying experiences after meeting Dr. Caligari at a town fair. Dr Caligari has a cabinet that contains a creepy somnambulist that can predict the future, but Dr. Caligari's arrival has also brought about a series of grisly murders to the town.  
There is a stark and twisted visual style to this movie that is absolutely amazing. Sets are askew, landscapes are jagged and the characters are all ghostly white with big black eyes. It is easy to see where Tim Burton may have gotten inspiration, because the odd angles and oblique lines are uncannily similar. 
Since you can watch the entire movie on YouTube for free these days, there is no excuse for not having seen this masterpiece of German cinema. I think it is a movie that everyone should make an effort to see for its vision and uniqueness, there really is nothing else like it. 
FINAL SAY: Dr. Caligari, you are one twisted sicko! 
3.5 Chilli Peppers

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Television Triumphs

15/8/2021

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The 73rd Emmys awards ceremony will be celebrating excellence in television in just over a month from now. The Emmys always gets me thinking about the best television that I have been experiencing and always gives me a range of TV material to put on to my own 'must see' lists. 
If you haven't checked out the line up yet, here are the TV programs that gained the most attention overall this time around that are also nominated for an Emmy:
Comedy series
“black-ish”
“Cobra Kai”
“Emily in Paris”
“The Flight Attendant”
“Hacks”
“The Kominsky Method”
“PEN15"
“Ted Lasso”

Limited series
“I May Destroy You”
“Mare of Easttown”
“The Queen’s Gambit”
“The Underground Railroad”
“WandaVision”

Drama series
“The Boys”
“Bridgerton”
“The Crown”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“Lovecraft Country”
“The Mandalorian”
“Pose”
“This Is Us”

TV movie
“Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square”
“Oslo”
“Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia”
“Sylvie’s Love”
“Uncle Frank”

Variety special (prerecorded)
“Bo Burnham: Inside”
“David Byrne’s American Utopia”
“8:46 — Dave Chappelle”
“Friends: The Reunion”
“Hamilton”
“A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote”

Animated program
“Big Mouth”
“Bob’s Burgers”
“Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal”
“The Simpsons”
“South Park: The Pandemic Special”

Variety sketch series
“A Black Lady Sketch Show”
“Saturday Night Live”

Competition series
“The Amazing Race”
“Nailed It!”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race”
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”

Variety talk series
“Conan”
“The Daily Show With Trevor Noah”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”

Do I personally think that anything got snubbed this year that should've made the list? Well, I am no expert but I do think that the following shows were all worthy of a nomination and deserved a lot more attention, so let's give them an honourable shout out right now:
  • It's a Sin
  • The Good Lord Bird 
  • Small Axe
  • Behind Her Eyes 
  • Resident Alien
  • What We Do the Shadows S2 
  • High Fidelity 
Anyway, maybe some of them fell outside of the cut off date and will get their moment of glory sometime in the future. And hopefully you will be able to find something on these lists that is worthy of your own viewing time or to add to your own 'must see' list.
As always dear readers, happy viewing. 
Picture
HOST
Release Date: 2020
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 57 mins 

Directed by Rob Savage in his first feature length debut and released on Shudder streaming, Host is different from regular horror films for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is only 57 minute long which is too long to be a short and too short to be a full fledged feature film, so it is unique in that way. Secondly, it was released, shot and edited during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period and the characters in the film reflect that by wearing masks, social distancing and engaging in Zoom meetings to touch base with each other which makes the content feel quite realistic. In fact, a lot of the movie does have an unscripted, almost improvised vibe to it, which in my opinion greatly assists in carrying the scare levels to greater heights. 
A group of six friends decide to perform a séance together whilst they are in an online Zoom meeting with the assistance of a qualified medium. It isn't long before everyone in the meeting begins to sense that something supernatural is occurring and escalating quickly. 
This isn't the first time that a horror movie has been based around sinister online interactions, but it easily the best and most unique version of its kind.  The virtually unknown actors are all really convincing and the overall delivery is so authentic that you cannot help but feel unnerved as the awful events unfold. 
Hardly a game changer, but at 57 minutes Host delivers some decent and plausible scares for half the run time of regular horror films. 
FINAL SAY:  Please take it seriously tho and be respectful. 
3.5 Chilli Peppers 
​

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Lockdown 5.0

18/7/2021

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We didn't even manage to get a full week in to the new school term before old Dan Andrews slapped another round of lockdown on us poor Victorians. Lockdown 5.0 is what everyone is calling this one and with numbers escalating around the country at a rapid and scary rate, lord only know how long this one will last for?
To be honest, I am not really an anxious person and after this many lockdowns I'm kind of like, yep bring it on. Or as Vicky Pollard from Little Britain would be saying at this stage 'I'm not bothered' about it at all.  If locking down is what we need to do then let's just do it and get it done. 
This latest lockdown was the result of two furniture removal guys travelling from Sydney to South Australia and having a lovely little stop off in Victoria and smearing their COVID19 hands across the state on the way. And there was also a family who broke border restrictions and came down to us from Sydney and brought with them...yep you guessed it - COVID19, the Delta Strain. Bless their hearts right? And that's all it takes, a couple of people not complying and boom - we are back to where we started all over again.
​However, for the first time ever it's not Victoria being blamed for another outbreak, it's poor NSW who is copping it royally this time, with numbers in the hundreds every day and rising. We as Victorians know exactly how this feels and it is just awful and tremendously scary. And naming and shaming the culprits who delivered a fresh batch of hell back to our doorsteps doesn't really change the fact that COVID19 is back in our lives and lockdown again we must. 
​Last year Victoria saw 820 deaths from COVID19 and we were in lockdown for almost four months and in that time we saw over 7,000 people become infected, it was not fun and Victorians remember that horror show and are more than happy to lockdown and do whatever it takes to stop that happening again.  We are bloody lockdown experts now!
Since the first confirmed case of the virus was detected in Australia in January of 2020 we have had 31,771 cases and 914 deaths to date. Which may not seem like many when compared to other parts of world but we certainly don't want any more deaths. Across the globe there have now been 190 million cases and 4.08 million deaths with the worst effected countries being the United State, India, Brazil, Russia and France. The United States alone has had 34 million cases and 608 thousand deaths, which is just mind boggling but there is the true power of Trump leadership for you, a total shit stain on the history of America forever. That country will take generations to recover from the impact of COVID19 and his bullshit leadership.
So, when we compare ourselves to the rest of the world we aren't doing so bad but we don't want to gain credit for having less infections, we just want to look after our fellow citizens and our own wellbeing. Locking down costs money, I get it but the cost of lives is far greater than any amount of money. Every economy across the world is being hit hard by COVID19 but it is only by putting people first that we can defeat this relentless and highly adaptable virus. 
So we forge forward into the great unknown lockdown predicament of 'Lockdown 5.0', not knowing how long it will last or how far it will spread but knowing that we have nothing to fear if we just do the right thing and stay home for as long as it takes. Thank god for streaming services right now that's all I'm going to say. 
Picture
FEAR STREET TRILOGY:
Part One - 1994
Part Two - 1978
Part Three - 1666

Release Date: 2021
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 330 mins total 

Based on the Fear Street books written by R.L. Stine, this horror trilogy  directed by Leigh Janiak hits some high notes with its ode to old school horror slasher films. There are Easter eggs galore for fans of retro horror and the storyline that ties the trilogy together is pretty intriguing and generally well executed. 
Welcome to Shadyside, a town that has been plagued with a string of grisly murders for centuries. A group of teenagers accidently unearth and awaken an ancient evil, something powerful that has been buried deep but can no longer remain hidden. The teens unwittingly become involved in uncovering a truth that will change the town forever. 
Is this a perfect formula? Of course not, it's a slasher trilogy, but on that front it does deliver. With a mixture of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Halloween and The Witch all rolled into one, Fear Street brings something known but also missing from our screens since the early 90's and I had a lot of fun watching these with my teenage son.
​The cast is a likeable mix of fresh faced 'not so teenage' teens (would we expect anything else from a slasher trilogy?) and the soundtracks for all three films are honestly, completely awesome!
Released by Netflix over the course of three weeks, the 
Fear Street trilogy is a fun horror romp that doesn't fail to satisfy. 
FINAL SAY: Before the witch's final breath, she found a way to cheat her death. By cutting off her cursed hand, she kept her grip upon our land. 
3.5 Chilli Peppers ​

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