Wicked Watch – Possum 2018

Hello my fiendish followers,

I apologise for my lengthy silence, I started a new job and I got COVID over Christmas so I haven’t had much energy to do things, nor the attention span to focus on much. However on the plus side I have been watching lots of movies so I am back with another Wicked Watch.

This time it comes in the form of the 2018 film “Possum” written and directed by Matthew Holness (perhaps better known as the creator and star of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace) The film is based on a short story by Holness and stars the incredible Sean Harris and Alun Armstrong. 

Philip, a disgraced puppeteer returns to his childhood home and is forced to face the trauma he suffered there at the hands of his Uncle Maurice. Instantly there’s a gritty bleakness to the tone of the film that only increases as it goes on. Throughout the film Philip seems to be haunted by a marionette he refers to as “Possum” and despite numerous attempts to discard himself of this creepy looking thing (see below for reference) it always seems to find a way back to him.

When a school child goes missing, Philip becomes suspect number one and it’s around this point things take a darker turn. I won’t say much more as I don’t want to spoil anything but what I will say is that this film is a masterclass in psychological horror. The perfect blend of great writing, brilliant acting, locations, directing and sound design only add to the increasing sense of uneasiness and creepiness.

It’s probably one of the best horror films I’ve seen, with a standout performance from Alun Armstrong, this is definitely one to watch. 

5 out of 5 skulls from me. 

If you’ve seen this, I’d love to know your thoughts so why not comment below.

Stay Spooky!

👻LWG👻

Wicked Watch – The Witch in the Window 2018

Hello Coven,

We are now in August and I feel like the year is just flying by. Please use this a reminder to take some time for yourself, even if it’s just 5 minutes, remember to take a breath and be kind to yourself.

I’m here to bore you with another Wicked Watch review. This time round I’ll be talking about 2018 film “The Witch in the Window”

This follows the story of a father and a son who are “flipping” a farmhouse in Vermont. Despite warnings from a local man, the pair live in the house whilst they do their work. Pretty soon, things start happening in the house, and it seems as if the pair are being haunted by the previous tenant Lydia. 

Lydia was rumoured to be a witch who was responsible for the death of her husband and son. And the more they renovate the house, the stronger her spirit seems to grow. The chemistry between the actors is great and the relationship is well written and believable to watch. In terms of horror elements, there is a good sense of suspense built, but other than a couple of jump scares and one scene involving a phone call (which actually made me hold my breath) there’s not much here that makes it stand out as a great horror film.

Whilst well acted and presented, there just wasn’t enough “horror” for me. So I have to give this one 3 out of 5 skulls.

Has anyone else watched this? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below.

Stay Spooky!
👻LWG👻

Wicked Watch – Hagazussa 2017

Hello my moon gazers,

I hope you’re all feeling well and are happy? If you’re not, please be sure to reach out to people and talk to them. I realise sometimes it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and alone but please know there are people you can talk to. 

As part of my Wicked Watch series, I’ll be talking to you about the 2017 German film “Hagazussa” The film is set in the Alps during the 15th Century and follows Albrun, a goat-herder who is shunned by the people of the village.

Set in four acts, this is something of a slow burn film with subtitles, so if these elements aren’t your cup of tea, you may want to avoid it. But if you persist, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s hard to talk about without giving away too much of the story, so instead I will warn you that there are some scenes viewers may find disturbing including rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, infanticide and violence. 

What makes this a great film is the dedicated and excellent performance by Aleksandra Cwen, who plays Albrun and the stunning visuals that lend to the gothic mood of this folklore type film. If you watched and enjoyed The VVitch, then this would be one I suggest you check out. An absorbing, unsettling and relatively hidden gem of a horror film.

It gets 4.5 skulls out of 5 from me.

Have you watched this? I’d love to hear your opinion, so why not comment below.

Stay Spooky!
👻LWG👻

Wicked Watch – Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022

Hello my little ghouls,

I hope this post finds you well? Right now, we’re in the middle of a heatwave. Whilst I do enjoy warmer weather, I am craving the turn of the weather to something a little cooler and Autumnal. 

A while ago I treated myself to a Shudder account as I found the selection on Netflix lacked good options of Horrors. I’ve always enjoyed the genre but have tended to stick to certain films I’ve seen before. Almost in a tried and tested way, so I thought I’d start trying to watch more and see if I could find any gems. So without any hesitation, this is the first post of what I hope to call my “Wicked Watch” series where I’ll be giving my thoughts on horror films.

To start off let’s talk about the 2022 Netflix film “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” which is set around 50 years after the original. It focuses on a group of young entrepreneurs travelling to an abandoned town in Texas called Harlow, where they plan to auction off the buildings and create a “trendy” place for people to eat, socialize etc.

When they confront an old woman who is still residing in the orphanage, she claims she still owns the property but sadly suffers a heart attack and has to be taken to hospital. It is here that things start to go south for the annoying gang of pretentious teens who have decided to show up and gentrify an entire town.

I felt the narrative of the survivor of the school shooting was a little forced and none of the characters were fleshed out in the way I think the writers were hoping they were. Essentially this just ended up being a really disappointing film. One particular part that takes place on a party bus, gave me second hand embarrassment. It was as though the writers wanted to be humorous and give a deep commentary on the obsession of social media but it just felt shoehorned in and awkward.

Please don’t waste your time with this one, it lacks the styling and creepiness of the original and if anything, the storyline made little to no sense. There were no redeeming features and you’d be better off spending your 83 minutes watching something else.

This gets 1 out of 5 Skulls from me!

Perhaps you watched it and have a different opinion? I’d love to know your thoughts, so please comment below.

Stay Spooky!
👻LWG👻

A Haunting Read

Hello my little book lovers,

As I write this the sun is shining outside and the air feels different. The process of seasonal change, is hinted very subtly on the air. The smells of freshly cut grass and BBQ as people move outdoors to feel warmth on their skin after so much cold.

My reading bug has well and truly returned and I find myself falling into stories whenever I have a spare moment, so allow me to share my thoughts with you on Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. I think I bought this novel as it appeared on someone’s list of disturbing reads and I was intrigued.

The story starts when seventeen individuals decide to attend a secret writers retreat similar to the infamous Villa Diodati retreat. However they find themselves locked inside an abandoned theatre by the retreats organizer Mr Whittier, informing them they have three months to write the greatest work of their writing careers. What follows is 23 short stories, told by the various individuals that all tie back into the main story in some way.

The characters believe that to make their stories more interesting they need to up the stakes, so pretty soon they start sabotaging their survival by destroying food and utilities. And the acts become more depraved and desperate. If you’re looking for something that’s well written as an introduction to a “dark” read, this may be for you.

For some reason, one of the stories that stuck out for me and still stays with me, is a story told by Saint Gut-Free (all the characters have nicknames, I don’t think we actually learn their real names) about an incident involving a pool filter. The thought of it makes me feel sick. This book is not for those with weak stomachs, you’ve been warned!

If you’ve read it and know what I’m talking about, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. Did the same story stay with you? Or was it another one?

Stay Spooky!
👻 LWG👻 

The Ghost of Rebecca

Hello my savoury dumplings,

It seems that Spring has well and truly sprung! We are being greeted by days with clear blue skies, warmth in the air and vivid green leaves sprouting from the trees. I’m settling into life in Scotland with ease and enjoyment, relishing in the slower pace of life and the sounds of seagulls singing each morning.

I’ve been falling back in love with reading and finding myself getting through books easier, which after something of dry spell, feels great. The first book I’m going to give you my feelings on is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

Weirdly, when I was younger, I was given this book on Cassette Tape by my dad. Basically it was an early version of the audiobook! However, over time, the story had become vague to me. So I was excited to read it and do so with a fresh pair of eyes and adult perspective. As a young girl I often thought this was a ghost story, and it kind of is, but not in the traditional sense. 

The Cassette Tape I was given…Looking at this gives me pure nostalgia.

This classic Gothic novel, follows the story of an unnamed narrator who marries an older, charismatic widower named Maxim de Winter. Moving into his stately home of Manderley, his new wife instantly feels smothered by the presence of his first wide, Rebecca. An ethereal, charismatic woman who seemed to captivate everyone she met.

Maxim’s new wife feels plain in comparison, and spends alot of time pondering why Maxim is with her when Rebecca seemed like the perfect woman. This feeling is compounded by Mrs Danvers, the housekeeper of Manderley, who seems to hold her former mistress in high respect, even maintaining her room like a shrine. She’s often dropping little stories around the new Mrs de Winter, about her greatness, beauty etc. You can see why it would wear you down!

As the novel progresses we learn more about the infamous Rebecca and Maxim’s feelings about her. Needless to say there are twists and turns and it turns out Rebecca wasn’t as pure and innocent as people were led to believe. 

I did enjoy this book, but at times I felt myself growing frustrated with the narrator. I realise the time setting of the story has alot to do with this, but I just wanted her to be more outspoken and just ask the burning questions, instead of being coy or afraid of doing so. 

All in all this is a great piece of classic gothic literature, and feel it’s the perfect kind of book to read at the start of Autumn. It turns out my impression of it being ghost story, as a young girl, wasn’t too wrong. It is a ghost story, but not in the aspect of rattling chains or ghostly spectres. But more about the ghost of memories and people and the inability to move past them.

If you’ve read this, I’d love to know your thoughts below.

“Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again.”

Stay Spooky!
👻LWG👻

Mind the Gap

Hello my little Autumn leaves, 

I’m delighted to report that the weather has been both cold and wet here. I found myself once again staring out of the window watching the rain and feeling hypnotised. And I’m already on the look out for pumpkins in the shops, ready to purchase one and spend Halloween carving it out before vegging in front of the TV with spooky films. 

I’ve been thinking about nightmares and bad dreams, and how it is these that we tend to remember more. Perhaps because they often wake us with a start, breathless, our eyes wide as we look around the room to make sure nothing from the nightmare has spilled over into the comfort of our room. 

As a child and through my teen years, I had a recurring nightmare. It’s one of the reasons why now, as an adult, I don’t like their being any blinds or gaps in curtains in the downstairs of my house. The dream always started the same…

I’d be in an old classroom from Primary School, surrounded by other children. I’d walk to the library tucked into the corner of the classroom to put a book away but when I turned round, everyone had gone. The silence would press down on me and I remember a distinct feeling of unease wash through me. I’d walk to the door and leave the classroom and realise that the school was empty. I was the only one left.

There would be cups of milk abandoned, the sand and water table abandoned, its blue plastic water mill still spinning from the last child who poured water on it. The weather outside was always foggy and the sky was the colour of a bruise. I’d walk through the school, opening and closing classroom doors looking for someone, anyone. It was then that the tapping sound would start at the windows.

Not the pleasant tap-tapping of rain, but of long, slim fingers with knotted knuckles. A husky voice would sing-song my name and ask me to open the blinds. My blood would run cold and no matter where I went inside the school, the faceless person would always know which room I was in and tap on the window, saying my name.

In the dream, I would always press myself to the wall, my eyes wandering up the window as I held my breath. The tapping would grow louder and the voice would sound more sinister as it urged me to open the blinds. I could hear the smile in his voice, it was wicked and cold. And as quickly as the tapping had started, it ended abruptly, leaving me wondering if the sound of my heart could be heard by the man outside. 

I’d stand up thinking it was over, but one of the blinds didn’t quite reach the bottom of the window sill and that’s when I’d see a pair of wide, lifeless eyes staring at me through the gap.

A piercing shriek would fill the air and I’d start running…This is where I’d usually wake up.

I haven’t had this dream for so long but to this day, I still don’t like gaps in curtains or blinds when it turns to night. I never knew the thing that was stalking me, I never saw its face but it scared me. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if it had caught me? Probably best not to dwell.

Did you have any regular bad dreams as a child? Or perhaps you have a theory as to what my dream meant? Either way, why not comment below?

Now go and brew some Valerian root tea and fall into a nightmare free sleep.

Stay spooky!

👻LWG👻

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Boo fellow ghosts,

This will my first of, hopefully many, blog posts. As the weather changes and the leaves turn, I find myself craving that familiar feeling of comfort that always comes to me at this time of year. Though I am Summer child and a fire sign (August – Leo) I have always loved Autumn and Winter.

My Icon

The leaves turning from sharp greens, to burnt oranges and faded yellows, before curling into rust browns and floating down to the floor for all those willing passerbys to crunch their boots through. I find the air always has a certain smell to it this time of year too. Like damp, cold earth that’s been scrubbed and cleansed of Summers warm touch. Something changes inside me at this point of year that reminds me of being much younger. And certain, sometimes hard to explain smells, take me back to much more innocent and care-free times.

The smell of central heating takes me back to coming home from school on rainy days, changing into my pyjamas before sitting in front of my mums electric heater and eating, what I considered, her famous “Volcano” (mash potato with vegetable soup poured over it) The smell of  strong, sweet tea and sparklers reminds me of my dad, doing his best every Bonfire Night as we didn’t have much money to go to the bigger Bonfire’s put on. My teeth sticking together from homemade bonfire toffee and only eating the crackly red sugar from toffee apples (because that was the best bit) There’s something so wonderful about this time of year.

I know I’m not alone when I say, that at this time of year I love being able to reach for the knit jumper, make some hot chocolate with a dash of cinnamon and curl up with a book as I listen to the rain pelt against the window. Does anyone else stand staring out the rain as it lashes down with a smile on your face? Or are you normal? Let’s not forget those gorgeous drinks well known coffee shops sell at this time of year. Yes, I apologise but in that sense, I am kind of basic and I love a cheeky Pumpkin Spice Latte as a treat.

I’ve been reading alot recently, weirdly all the books that have been coming out of my TBR (To Be Read) Jar have been horror/spooky. So I will be posting a review on those (watch this space) and I’ll also be using the place to talk about my other interests Wicca, Movies and anything else that haunts my mind the way Miss Havisham haunts Satis House.

I’d love to hear what you love most about this time of year, so please feel free to comment below.

Stay Spooky!
👻LWG👻