Finding the best writing app is essential

2016-01-10

I am somewhat of a geek when it comes to picking out writing apps that let me just get on with writing. Now and again I need a change of style or approach to getting words onto the page, so I have quite a few different ones that suit almost every whim I may have.

This post will cover the apps I use, across a variety of platforms, in order to write blog posts, novels or indeed any other written project bar screenplays (that’s another post for another time).

First let me say that I have developed a keen interest in Markdown text in the last 12-18 months, something that I have taken forward with Markdown XL and Slugline’s version of Markdown for screenwriting, called Fountain. But as I’ve said, I’ll save that for another time.

For clarity, I am in no way affiliated with the creators responsible for each of the apps I will mention, nor am I receiving any financial incentive for waxing lyrical about them. No, this is just what I have found I enjoy using and are personal recommendations only. If you happen to find they work for you too, great.

Mac (other devices are available)

My trusty 2010 iMac is my main device for writing on when I’m at home. Many an hour has been spent toiling away on there, desperately trying to avoid being distracted by the huge pile of other things that I’d otherwise like to be getting on with besides writing. In fact I’m writing this piece on there now. A Mac computer is not a prerequisite for creativity though – I spend equal amounts of time writing on my iPad, Windows laptop and smartphone. Put simply, in this day and age if you want to write then there is no excuse not to. Use pen and paper if you have no alternative. It might take you longer to write longhand, but it’s better than not writing at all.

That’s enough warbling on anyway, you’re here for my favourite writing apps.

Ulysses (iMac and iPad)

Ulysses is, frankly, one of the best pure writing apps I have ever used. It is simple to get into but has a wealth of tweaks and advanced elements under the hood that caters for all skill sets and writing styles. The iPad app runs and looks much like its desktop cousin, although in my case I use Avenir on the iPad and Roboto on the Mac as my fonts of choice. Both are very nice to look at and make the craft of putting words to the page a delight.  Plus, the added bonus is that everything syncs via iCloud, so I can do some writing on my lunch hour, let it sync (let it sync, can’t hold it back anymore…) and resume my work on the desktop when I get home. Remarkable stuff.

iA Writer (iMac, iPad, Android devices)

I’ve moved away from this app recently in favour of Ulysses, but it still offers an effective stripped back interface. I decided to switch over to Ulysses with the introduction of the paid version – ironic given that Ulysses cost a lot more – but I still use iA Writer on both my phone and for previewing Markdown documents on my computer, and for avoiding all those bothersome extra features that get in the way of my writing time.

OmmWriter (pretty much device I own)

I use Ommwriter when I feel that I’m lacking focus and need it to just be me, the words and perhaps some soothing background sounds or ambient music. Ommwriter also has keyboard click sounds and a variety of different backgrounds that I can change depending on my mood.

Scrivener

Ulysses does almost everything I want a writing app to do, but when compiling a novel it’s Scrivener that does most of the legwork. It’s chock full of features but allows you the freedom to pick and choose what parts you actually make use of. I haven’t used most of the features within Scrivener yet, but I’m fairly certain that I will get round to exploring everything eventually. That’s more likely when my first novel is edited and ready to look at getting it published.
That’s an incredibly quick whistle stop tour of my current faves. Next time: my favourite screenwriting apps. Until then…

Antichrist (2009)

Simon Prior

2016-01-09

Twitter Plot Summary: Messed up goings on and mental health issues plague a couple on their log cabin escape.

A man, Willem Dafoe, and his wife, Charlotte Gainsbourg, retreat to a log cabin after the death of their young son in Antichrist. He is a psychologist and she is an academic student, with him choosing to dance along the border between maintaining a detached, professional attitude to his wife’s problems whilst trying to maintain their physical and emotional relationship. Suffice to say, bearing in mind this is also called Antichrist, he doesn’t succeed in this endeavour.

The problem is that there are some really good moments dotted throughout Antichrist, but they are often tarnished by others that are either needlessly violent, slightly ridiculous or borderline misogynistic. Shots of hardcore sex (albeit briefly) or gratuitous violence perhaps push the boat out too far, and are then met by talking foxes on the path towards insanity. You might never look at Yves’ “The Fox (What Does It Say?)” in the same way again.

At the same time it is very easy to appreciate the filmmaking ability and talents of Lars Von Trier. He may have dubious personal values which leak into his films, but they often look great and have a very unique style. He’s not afraid to break the usual tropes of cinema by jump-cutting several times within a scene, then going full arthouse in others. The opening sequence, playing out in a slow motion black and white world reminiscent of Sin City, is perhaps the best looking part of the film, but other dreamlike sequences dotted throughout have a similar sort of effect. His origins as one of the founders of the Dogme 95 filmmaking movement are apparent.

It is also worth nothing that the whole film is almost entirely carried by the performances of Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, proving that you don’t need an extensive cast to tell a compelling story. In this case it might be one that is affected quite significantly by the director’s thoughts on the world

By the finale you’ll have perhaps forgotten about the rest of the story, such is the impact of the third chapter, Gynocide. It’s arguably needlessly violent but Von Trier certainly makes his point, what with body parts being assaulted and blood spewing from them in a gratuitous manner. Is it misogynistic? I would say yes, it is. Does that make Antichrist a bad film? On this point I would say no, but it does make it a challenging one, and never an easy viewing.

Von Trier may have intended to make a horror film when he set out, but instead he has produced something that is horrifying in a different sense. For all of its stylistic positives and strong performances, it is still a story that has frequent moments that slow things down almost too much, and one where women are clearly painted as a problem. Thematically the links to grief and despair are strong ones, but had Von Trier chosen to portray events in a much more balanced manner then it would have resulted in an equally challenging but less offensive end product.

Score: 3/5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBdDcQONmkM

Short Story: I, Zombie

Simon Prior

2016-01-08

Good evening everyone, and welcome to the second of my weekly short story releases in 2016. This one is called I, Zombie and, unsurprisingly, is about zombies. Because I clearly don’t go on about them enough, right? This one’s a bit different as it comes from the perspective of the zombie.

If you like what you read, please consider sharing this on your social media channels and spreading the word. There are links at the bottom of this post to most popular social media sites. Alternatively you can share this post on one of my own social media channels – click through to the Contact page for the links.

And now, without further ado, this week’s story!

He sat up slowly. Where was he? What had happened? He looked around. He was in a hotel room, of sorts. Furniture had been thrown everywhere, a scene of chaos. He looked down.

On the floor, blood. Blood everywhere.

He followed the trail and found the source. A woman. She lay in the pool of blood, her blood. Unmoving, dead. The dark red liquid pooled out from a large wound in her neck, spread out in a wide circumference. A screwdriver was embedded in her left eye socket. She wasn’t going to come back.

He looked around in a wider arc. At the far side of the room was a sofa. A foot stuck out from behind it. He approached cautiously. Looking down he saw that it was one of the undead. A zombie. Its skull had been caved in by a heavy object. The table lamp lay next to the body, its base shattered and in pieces. As for the zombie, the brain had been destroyed, as had half of the zombie’s face. Around its mouth, recently dried blood had congealed.

Was he responsible for this?

He walked into the bathroom looked at himself in the mirror, barely feeling his legs moving beneath his swaying torso. His skin was decayed, his flesh a necrotic, pale grey. He had a similar wound to the woman, a bite mark between his neck and shoulder. The wound wasn’t fresh, his own blood had clotted and turned a disgusting black. It looked just like the blood that covered the face of the dead zombie in the other room.

He realised then that he was hungry, a gnawing hunger that engulfed him completely. Why had he not noticed it before? He would not, could not rest until this hunger was satisfied.

Then, a scream. It had come from outside, the front of the building.

With unsteady feet he walked slowly to the door and fumbled with the handle. He must get out there, and quickly, before the meat was spoiled. His hands didn’t want to work. He watched with growing frustration as they flailed against the handle. He lifted his hand high above his head and brought it down on the handle with all the force he could muster.

It was unlocked. Somewhere inside he was glad. He didn’t want to be trapped in here. Not with these bodies. The flesh was stale, unfit for him to eat. Who were these people anyway? A lingering memory of his past life tried to present itself, but a fog had descended on his mind. It was the hunger. It didn’t matter now, what he had been before, his past life. That was over now. All that was left was the hunger.

The door swung open easily. He grunted in appreciation. Without looking back he stepped into the corridor. The smell of fresh meat was calling him outside.

Paddington (2014)

Simon Prior

2016-01-07

"A double room please. And this is not what it looks like." — “A double room please. And this is not what it looks like.”

Twitter Plot Summary: Paddington is given the big screen treatment and has to contend with a taxidermist who wants to, er, stuff him.

Let’s ignore the controversy that struck Paddington before its release. First, Colin Firth “consciously uncoupling” from voicing the character in hindsight was a good move, and to do so with the grace in which he did is testament to his character. Then there’s that infamous PG rating, which came as a shock to some given how family friendly Paddington has been. The only potentially objectionable moments for parents sees Paddington climbing into a fridge to hide, and a brief sequence sees Hugh Bonneville in drag. Other than these two moments (and a slightly dark opening that might be too much for some younger viewers) there’s nothing here that’s anything other than family friendly entertainment.

Not only does Paddington achieve the same tone as Michael Bond’s original stories, but it also effectively brings that style of narrative into the modern age. Paddington is shipped off to England in order to make a life for himself away from the jungle. There he meets the Brown family, headed by Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins, and accompanied by their two children Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) and housekeeper Mrs Bird, the ever reliable Julie Walters.

Of course, there is the man who replaced Colin Firth as the voice of Paddington – Ben Whishaw. His voice fits the character perfectly without having to do anything other than use his own voice. With his tones emerging from Paddington’s mouth there is a youthfulness, a sense of naivety, but counterbalanced by hints of someone who is capable of looking after themselves if the situation required it.

"Behold! My gloriously symmetrical haircut!" — “Behold! My gloriously symmetrical haircut!”

Paddington meanwhile is wonderfully realised, and unlike most CGI creations it never proves to be something you find yourself focusing on. Indeed, while there are several moments where he’s clearly been composited onto live action footage, noticing those moments does not ruin your enjoyment in any way. The various developments in the story all work in context with one another, and Paddington’s various accidents and youthful mishaps are all unconnected yet still push things forward. It helps that they are gloriously silly.

The live action cast all seem to have enjoyed themselves, none more so than Nicole Kidman who has the opportunity to vamp it up all the way to eleven as the taxidermist who wants to stuff Paddington and add him to her collection. Peter Capaldi meanwhile is Mr Curry, next door neighbour to the Browns and has a strong dislike for foreigners of any description. Naturally, because Paddington is from deepest, darkest Peru, his arrival does not go down very well in the neighbourhood.

And then there’s the jokes, which all hit their mark and are well balanced for children and adults alike. Suffice to say, it’s a quick 90 minutes and you’re at the end credits before you realise it. It maintains a blistering pace yet never fails to be charming and, importantly, hugely entertaining throughout. You’d be hard pushed to find another live action family friendly film recently that gets so much right. There should be no excuse needed to break out the marmalade sandwiches on a regular basis.

Score: 4.5/5

Dumbo (1941)

Simon Prior

2016-01-06

Twitter Plot Summary: The tale of an elephant with big ears living in a circus. He learns to fly, you know.

Many people will think of Dumbo as the film where the titular character spends most of his time using his massive ears to fly around the place. What may come as a surprise to those people is that Dumbo does nothing of the sort until the final 10 minutes – sorry to spoil it for you, folks. The remaining hour or so is spent watching Dumbo cope with the intolerance of others, their disregard for him because of the size of his ears. It’s worth noting that much of the story takes place inside a circus, where Dumbo is a circus act, taking part in a literal flight of fancy by descending from the rafters in a stunt that wouldn’t get past health and safety laws nowadays – there’s open flames and all sorts. Just think of the children!

It’s surprising how dark these earlier Disney films actually are when you go back to them. There’s heavy emphasis on how unpleasant people can be, but then equally there’s also Dumbo’s innocence and shyness to counteract this, emphasised by his friendship with mouse Timothy – cunningly subverting the notion that elephants are afraid of mice. At the same time it’s worth calling it out for its racist stereotypes that were unfortunately quite frequent across most media at the time. It’s not as overt as in perhaps Tom and Jerry, but it still lends a slightly uncomfortable air to proceedings. Going back to Dumbo the character, his silence and lack of words further emphasise his isolation from everyone else. He is a youngster after all, no idea why the world is like it is. Yet he has an indomitable spirit that will never be beaten. Strong character traits for the young audience to learn from.

As far as the animation goes, it’s not as lavish as the studio’s previous efforts but this is balanced by some lovely primary colour artwork, making the lack of detail much less of an issue as it could have otherwise been. The songs, too, whilst not as frequent as much of Disney’s other films, are appropriate for the film and for its time of release. The highlight is of course “When I See an Elephant Fly”, which gets an appropriate reprise when the event takes place.

Put simply, Dumbo is a delightful film, an example of a studio in the early throws of its ascent to global domination. It doesn’t spend any longer with the story than is absolutely necessary, and it even finds time to give us a cheekily alive train as it huffs and puffs across Florida. Surprisingly, this is as weird as the film gets. Ignoring the flying elephant in the room, of course.

For me though he will always be best known for his brief cameo in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Now there was an elephant who knew his place in the world – he works for peanuts. We should count ourselves lucky that he hasn’t been subjected to the straight to video/DVD sequel routine – this film can stand proudly on its own in that regard.

Score: 4/5

Rammbock (2010)

Simon Prior

2016-01-05

Twitter Plot Summary: Rammbock. Berlin, Germany. The zombies are running rampant. But, more importantly, Michael has split up with Gabi. The horror… the horror!

Returning the keys to your ex-girlfriend’s flat is never a good situation to find yourself in. More so when you are yet to realise that what you once had has now been lost and can never be recovered. Such is the case with our unlikely hero, Michael in Rammbock. He is a lovesick fool who finds himself locked away in the flat of his ex, Gabi, right at the point where a zombie apocalypse begins. She isn’t there, but he meets a decorator who very quickly turns, and his young apprentice Harper who, er, doesn’t choose that particular moment to become one of the ravenous undead.

I first encountered Rammbock as a Netflix film a few years back, returning to it now having bought it on DVD. the UK title is Siege of the Dead, because apparently every zombie film has to use the “…of the Dead” suffix otherwise people might get confused and not realise it’s a zombie film. Because, clearly, a film called Rammbock is a heartwarming story about fluffy bunnies or something. Although saying that, there is a bunny in Gabi’s flat. Not much use in a zombie apocalypse, it has to be said.

The zombies here are red in face and the angry sprinters popularised by Danny Boyle (even though they’re technically not zombies) and Zack Snyder (which actually are zombies) that are a result of an infection, one that makes you a rabid beast due to increased adrenaline pumping through your body. They are used just often enough to be a threat, but not so much that their presence becomes tiresome. What we get are a number of edge of your seat moments enhanced by the relatively mundane surroundings Michael and Harper are in. The zombies also have an intriguing achilles heel – flash a light at them and they recoil in horror and/or pain.

The setup is almost the same as Rear Window but with zombies thrown into the mix instead of some strange dude bumping off the neighbours. Most of the zombie attacks are seen from Gabi’s flat window, as are many of the interactions between Michael and the other block residents. There are a lesser number of more direct zombie moments, all the more powerful thanks to Marvin Kren’s jittery direction.

Rammbock maintains tension by keeping its running time to a lean 62 minutes, with credits. It never tries to be more than the sum of its parts, namely a zombie film with a strong emotional core. Much like Simon Pegg’s Shaun, Michael is an unlikely and unconventional hero in every respect, but manages to rise up to the task of survival despite frequently putting himself and Harper into danger due to his lovesick mind. Not that he doesn’t have redeeming qualities – allowing Harper to use his phone to call his mother, or saving a vital piece of equipment essential for everyone’s survival, for example.

The remaining characters may be given very little to define them besides some very broad archetypal traits (the helpless woman, the angry selfish man, and so on), but they are essential support in order for Michael to complete his own journey, even if this means he never quite breaks away from his need for Gabi to reciprocate his affection.

Score: 3.5/5

What’s Up, Doc? (1972) review

Simon Prior

"You're right. This is a very odd place to hold a conversation." — “You’re right. This is a very odd place to hold a conversation.”

Twitter Plot Summary: Howard accidentally meets Judy and this sets off a chain of increasingly silly events.

It can be a difficult job getting screwball comedy right. There are several elements that need to coalesce in order for it to work, from solid jokes to solid performances and a story that makes sense despite the madness that ensues. What’s Up Doc? maintains all of this and more within its brief but consistently funny 90 minutes.

Ryan O’Neal is Howard, a man who happens to hold an almost nondescript plaid bag, a design that a vast number of other people in the vicinity also happen to have. Howard’s life is turned upside down by his chance meeting with Judy (played with gusto and an impish twinkle in her eye by Barbra Streisand), a catastrophic force who, despite being incredibly smart, is able to cause inadvertent destruction and mayhem wherever she goes.

She takes a shine to Howard who is due to be married to Madeline Khan’s Eunice. What follows is almost 90 minutes of pratfalls, silliness and confusion, but then in spite of the numerous plot strands it still makes perfect sense. It is easy to understand, however, why the judge at the end of the film has such a hard time of understanding the story – but then that’s because it’s recounted in a puzzling manner by the characters. Eventually all of the various elements come together for a rip-roaring finale through the streets of San Francisco where each of the parties wanting ownership of at least one of the bags, and nobody quite sure which is the one that has the correct contents. As comedic plots go, even we as the audience aren’t quite sure who has what.

"What's with all these tartan bags? Don't people realise that purple is the colour this season?" — “What’s with all these tartan bags? Don’t people realise that purple is the colour this season?”

The film is stocked with solid comedic talent. Madeline Khan makes her feature film debut and acts almost as if she’s been making comedy films for years, such is her comic timing. She also manages to find a perfect balance between being shrill without being irritating. She makes it easy to believe that Howard would want to find someone else, yet never becomes an unwanted burden to the audience.

There’s also another performance from Kenneth Mars led by one of his many funny accents, who plays a rival scientist obsessed with his own selfish goals. Of course, his and all of the other supporting performances are an able backup to the talents of Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal, the latter demonstrating perhaps for the first time his comedic abilities. His deadpan delivery and general confusion is a delight. Streisand meanwhile looks like she’s having all kinds of fun and throws herself into the role, causing mayhem and puzzlement in every scene she’s in.

If What’s Up Doc? proves anything, other than the fact Peter Bogdanovich is an incredibly talented director, it’s that the screwball comedy genre isn’t relegated solely to the early years of cinema. There haven’t been a huge number of such films since the 1960s, but the ones that have been released in that time have been solid entertainment. What’s Up Doc? is a solid example of the genre, and remains a thoroughly enjoyable and exceedingly silly viewing each and every time.

You Should Never Show People Your First Draft

Simon Prior

2016-01-03

Welcome to an ongoing series of blog posts about the writing process that will hopefully prove useful to a few people. I should start by saying that I do not have any formal training in these areas, it’s just advice based on my own experiences in writing and getting my work out to the wider world. But as I say, hopefully some or all of this will prove useful to one or more of you. I’m happy to receive your feedback either in the comments section below, or via one of the very many alternative methods you can choose to contact me by.

This first post comes from my recent novel writing sessions. There are quite a few people out there who have shown interest in reading my book, but seemed puzzled when I said they couldn’t read the first draft. I have a few reasons for this.

The first draft is still an embryonic state

Put simply, the first draft of anything I write is, in my eyes, still a work in progress. In the case of my first draft of The Undead Space, I changed my mind on at least half a dozen plot points as I was writing it, meaning there are aspects of the first few chapters that are no longer relevant or changed considerably between the first and final chapters. Rather than edit as I went it was far easier to just finish the first draft and then go back and do a full second draft. I don’t know, maybe editing as you go works for you, but I would advise against it. There’s a risk there of spending all your time tweaking your text and never actually finishing the book.

To read the first draft is tantamount to observing the fevered mind of a creative person, potentially filled with narrative cul-de-sacs and elements that will have no relevance when it comes to a final draft. No, if you’re intent on publishing your story then the biggest favour you can do for your initial reading group is to provide them with a copy of the second draft when you’ve ironed out the kinks (but not The Kinks, unless you’ve written a book about them, of course).

Feedback too early could harm the final product

Feedback is necessary for your story to develop and to ensure you don’t lead your story in an inappropriate or confusing direction. But to receive feedback too early in the process could have the opposite intended effect. You need to take time to ensure you’ve developed your ideas fully, and to correct the big mistakes before someone else reads it. You want to look like a bonafide literary genius, right? Then don’t give people an inferior product. It’s difficult to provide a good second impression if somebody has been tainted by the first glimpse of your opus. Plus, you’re more likely to get genuinely constructive feedback if you’ve taken the time first to remove as many inconsistencies as you can find. Unless you’re perfect of course, in which case: carry on.

There is a counterargument to the above, however. It’s entirely possible for somebody to offer incredibly constructive feedback on an imperfect first draft that lets you make amendments, and then blow them away with the second draft. That’s not my approach, but it’s something else to consider.

I would also recommend treating your first draft like a fine wine. Once you’ve finished putting the last sentence to paper (or the digital equivalent) then let it sit for a while before going back to it. I don’t know if you’ll get the same results, but it worked wonders for me.

Top 10 Films of 2015

Simon Prior

2016-01-02

It was another tough one this year. I’ve been to the cinema much less than in previous years, but I was still left with a list of about 25 films that I had to whittle down further to make this final top ten.

Now, as always let me clarify that this list is based on a film’s first cinematic release in the UK. This is based solely on UK cinematic releases in the calendar year between 01 January and 31 December 2015.

Likewise, the likes of Creed, The Revenant, The Hateful Eight etc aren’t out in the UK at the time of writing and so won’t appear in my list for 2015. Instead, as they are released in January 2016, they will be contenders for my next Top 10 list in 12 months time.

Now with that made absolutely clear, here are my top ten films released in the UK in 2015:

10 – Inherent Vice

Frequently baffling and nonsensical, Inherent Vice is almost 3 hours of following Joaquin Phoenix’s stoned private investigator as he kind of but not quite solves three linked cases. It could have been a terrible mess, but is in fact really, really good. It may take a couple of viewings (or six) for you to fully appreciate everything that’s going on, however.

9 – The Martian

Making hard science palatable to a mainstream audience whilst still telling an entertaining story is a tricky balancing act, but Ridley Scott and Matt Damon proved more than up to the task. Arguably Scott’s best film in quite some time, and captures the friendly but informative tone of Andy Weir’s novel.

8 – Birdman

A technical achievement more than anything else, Birdman got the year off to a good start, made clear just how good Michael Keaton is (as if you needed any more proof) and poke fun at the modern age of superhero cinema. The story itself is somewhat trite and played out, but shooting the whole thing as if it was one seamless sequence? Genius on the part of Mr Inarritu.

7 – Mr Holmes

A touching story focusing on the latter years of Sherlock Holmes. What could be worse than for The Great Detective to start losing his memory? I would argue that the narrative presented in the film is more satisfying than the source novel, but only just.

6 – Song of the Sea

A touching and heartwarming look at the nature of family, sibling relationships and the pain of loss, all wrapped around an old celtic myth about selkies, seals that can turn into humans and vice versa. Given a choice between this and the equally good Inside Out, I had to go with this. Don’t hate me for it.

5 – Slow West

This was a late entry on the list, but offered a substantially interesting take on the Western genre to bump The Salvation out of my Top 10. This is a modern take of the old Western, a still but incredibly beautiful landscape upon which bounty hunters and a lovelorn Scotsman come to blows. It doesn’t hold back on either the violence or the black comedy, managing to balance the two with almost effortless efficiency.

4 – It Follows

There’s a great concept behind It Follows, and an all too believable malignant force at its centre. That person walking towards you, are they real or is it the thing that will kill you? Not everything is tied up neatly by film’s end, but this something that works in its favour. I’m just hoping that, if a sequel ever emerges, it retains the qualities that made this film great and doesn’t become a Blair Witch 2.

3 – Ex Machina

Smart science fiction concept combined with excellent performances and solid direction. What more can you ask for in this day and age? Well, assuming you appreciate science fiction. If not, I’d recommend just going off and doing literally anything else.

2 – Whiplash

I never expected to enjoy a film about jazz drumming as much as I did in Whiplash. That comes down to an excellent script and two barnstorming central performances from Miles Teller and JK Simmons. Teller’s determination to be the best he possibly can be meets Simmons near-possessed conductor. Plus, my sense of timing is so bad I’d never be able to tell if I was rushing or dragging. On the other hand, I do now use the phrase “not quite my tempo” quite a lot.

1 – Mad Max: Fury Road

It was trapped in development hell for so many years that it almost never saw release. But, thankfully, George Miller managed to pull everything together and provide what for me is a perfect road movie. Detractors will criticise the plot for basically being “Going from A to B, then back to A” but that for me is missing the point. That isn’t what we’re supposed to focus on. Instead, it’s the emotional journey of the characters and specifically Furiosa, who is more or less the main character in place of the mostly silent Max. Insane action doesn’t really get much better than this, and extra plaudits are handed to Fury Road for the guitar wielding Doof Warrior.

Short Story – Resolutions

Simon Prior

2016-01-01

She was never going to drink again. Last night was the last time. How much had she actually had? Too much, it seemed. Her memory was almost completely blank. At some point she knew that she had foolishly decided to start mixing her drinks. Who combined beer and wine with sambuca and Jager shots anyway? Everything after that was a blur, snatches of memory amongst hours of darkness.

Where was she? She wasn’t in her bedroom, that was clear enough. The furniture was in all the wrong places. Her eyes focused and she quickly realised that she’d fallen asleep on the sofa in her lounge. It really must have been quite a drinking session. Had she even made it out of the house last night? There was a vague recollection of being invited over to a party at her friend’s house, but all of the signs indicated that she’d not gone beyond the front door. Never mind, maybe next time.

Wearily she climbed off the sofa and walked with measured paces into the hallway. Her stomach complained, unused to the amount of alcohol she had forced her body to imbibe the previous day. The nausea was rising, travelling up from her stomach and resting just below her throat. It was possibly the worst feeling she’d ever experienced.

In the hallway her attention was drawn to a flickering light coming from beyond her front door. She walked over to it, steadying herself against the wall as her vision doubled for a moment. A few deep breaths and her vision returned to normal, the nausea retreating a few steps as her body gratefully accepted the intake of oxygen.

She gripped the door handle and opened the door slowly, then stood on her doorstep and looked outside. Most of the street had been levelled. Fires burned in random locations all through the street. Looters had made their mark overnight, smashing windows and stealing anything that wasn’t nailed down. A car, her neighbour’s, burned quietly in the adjacent drive. A glance at her own car told her all she needed to know. A single brick had smashed the driver side window but otherwise it had avoided most of the destruction.

An object in the sky above caught her eye. She looked up and gasped. High above, moving at the same speed as the wispy clouds, was the alien mothership. It filled her vision for minutes, never slowing down or changing course.

Her memories returned to her in that instant, and she realised precisely why she had drunk so heavily.

The aliens had been detected on a direct course for Earth several months ago. Within moments of their arrival in orbit, less than 24 hours ago, they had targeted and destroyed most of the world’s key defensive locations, and now all that was left was a final, desperate scrabble by each country’s governments in an attempt at retaining control over the situation.

It was different for the general public, those with no power or say in how this alien menace was to be repelled. The New Year celebrations the night before had subsequently been a muted affair, with many people choosing to drink their sorrows away and come to terms with the fact that their lives had been irrevocably changed. Many more saw it as an opportunity for one final hurrah for the human race before the alien invaders landed, if they were to do so. Nobody had yet seen one of them, nor had they given any indication as to what they wanted. Death and destruction was all they had provided. It was possible that they would simply destroy all life and then move on.

All of this was what had spurred her on to mix her drinks as the New Year rang in. What she’d had in the cupboard was all that was left. It was unlikely that the human race would see such Plus it was best to get through it all now and clear her cupboards before the looting began.

As she looked into the skies and allowed the hopelessness to wash over her completely. She was never going to drink again. For now, that was all she could think about.

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