Wildling is a welcome addition to the werewolf genre. A genre that seems to get little love, both by way of following and decent films. But every now and then, a gem comes along that shines out of the din of so many mediocre werewolf movies. Wildling may not be the brightest gem, but it definitely shines and gives us a new take on the werewolf myth. That in itself is something special, as its not uncommon for a writer to dream up a new spin on an old monster, but rarely does it hit the mark.

In some ways, this is a movie that might be better going into it, without knowing about the werewolf element. The start of the film sets itself up to be quite the thriller, before it takes that turn toward lycanthropy. Though, the turn is still early enough that knowing about it doesn't spoil anything and so it's thankfully possible to write a review of it, without giving away spoilers.


Wildling is the story of a young girl, Anna (Bel Powley) who is raised locked in a secluded cabin, by her sinister father. However, when she is finally found, she is forced to learn to live in our world, while also learning to live with the progressive changes of a young woman's body. All these changes are the forerunner to uncovering a secret about where she comes from and, ultimately, the future that lies ahead of her.
She is accompanied on this journey, by the local sheriff (played by Liv Tyler) and her brother (Collin Kelly-Sordelet).


Liv Tyler is the unexpected producer of this film and to my mind she has done a good job, making the movie really feel like a labour of love. Though, of course, we also have to give great credit to writers Fritz Böhm (who also directed the film) and Florian Eder. If these two can keep writing to this calibre, then I expect they'll bring us great things in the future.


Powley is charming in the lead role, effortlessly portraying a character who possesses both wide-eyed innocence and a notable intellect. Brad Dourif plays the part of “daddy”, striking an uncomfortable balance between sinister and caring.


Certain elements of Wildling (werewolf, if you prefer) biology, as they are depicted, are a little questionable. Though, we can easily overlook that, thanks to everything else having a generally realistic tone – or at least as realistic as one can be when dealing with things like werewolves.
The creature effects and make-up are on point, which is the final factor that sells it.


Worth checking out, especially for fans of the genre. Though, perhaps best left for DVD or rental, rather than the cost of a cinema ticket. But even if you do choose the big screen, you'll still enjoy it.

This is a great film that will, unfortunately, probably get overlooked or missed by a lot people. This is a shame because good witchcraft and occult movies are few and far between. So if you get the chance, check it out.

This movie isn't revolutionary, but it is measured, well paced and the tone of the film is great. In fact, it is the tone of the film that makes it so desirable.

Pyewacket is a tale of modern witchcraft gone awry, when an angst ridden teen delves into the dark arts as a way to vent her anger. With growing regret, she begins to realise that she has summoned up something dark, which intends to destroy the lives of those closest to her.

Firstly, the approach to witchcraft in this film is excellent. Of course, it's a horror movie, so we see it through a darker lens. However, the way that the witchcraft is styled and portrayed, has a sense of authenticity to it, blending together a kind of twisted old spellcraft, with a few elements of a more recognisable modern witchcraft. The end result is something that is all at once new and original, yet also familiar.

Another nice touch is the name given to both the movie and the dark entity that is summoned: Pyewacket. A name given by Matthew Hopkins, the 'witchfinder general', as being the name of a familiar belonging to one of the witches that he tried. This really shows that the writer and director, Adam MacDonald, is either familiar with historical witchcraft or that he took the time to apply some research for the sake of authenticity. Either way, a job well done and I'd definitely like to see more from him in this genre.

The lead role is played by Nicole Muñoz, who does a great job playing a teenage who turns to an alternative lifestyle in the wake of her father's death, seeking a way to deal with her life and the spiralling mother that hovers unpredictably on the edges of it.

I also want to give a special nod to actress Chloe Rose, who plays the part of friend and confidant to the lead character. Her performance is great throughout, but she is exceptional in her portrayal of someone suffering a terrible and unspeakable paranormal trauma.

A particular element of the storytelling, which gives the film an extra edge, is the way it forms a seamless contrast between what we the audience know and what the characters perceive. We're given a fantastic and tragic view of people who are affected by the occult, but can never hope to prove it to others. Leaving them in a position where they're easily discredited and, despite what we know to be the truth, having to question their own sanity.

I have to give Pyewacket a four star rating, because while it may not be treading any new ground, the style and feel of the film are just spot on.

Well worth a watch.

If you like occult movies – and I mean full-on proper occult movies – then you should be watching A Dark Song.  In fact, you should be watching it and recommending it to your occultist friends.

A Dark Song tells the story of Sophia, a woman grieving a terrible loss, who enlists the aid of a somewhat broken and world-weary occultist, to lead her through a grand ritual to attain what she desires the most. The ritual, taken from the works of Abremelin, will take them weeks of constant work that will push the limits of their bodies, their sanity, their faith and their courage. But should they be successful, they will achieve the great magical feat of summoning Sophia’s Holy Guardian Angel, so that they both may be gifted with the thing that they desire the most.

This is a great film, though certainly niche, even within Pagan and occult circles (that’s occult circles, not Occult Circles – get it?). Writer and Director, Liam Gavin, clearly knows his stuff and is either well versed in the ways of magic and the occult, or has done one hell of a job researching. The result is a film that portrays not just a realistic interpretation of this kind of high magic ritual, but also a realistic depiction of how such a rite can affect a person and the world(s) around them.

Catherine Walker and Steve Oram give fantastic and convincing performances, as disciple and master performing the rite. While Sophia (played by Walker) and her motivations lead the plot, Joseph Solomon (played by Oram) is a wonderfully filled-out supporting character – wonderfully down to earth and matter-of-fact, even when lecturing on the metaphysical. A pleasing departure from past depictions of occultists, that have graced the screen in by-gone days of Hammer Horror and Dennis Wheatley stories. Balancing that, Walker gives us a performance that is both strong and tender, at the same time. She is resolute, but carrying a trauma and her strength of will doesn’t just pull her through, but the audience, as well.

Owing to the subject matter of the movie, it is unsurprising that the film is essentially a horror. But I would also say that for those with an understanding and appreciation for the occult material that it depicts, it is very easy to see that the movie is also more than just a horror. It is also a psychological thriller and a drama, though much of that is played out through subtext and the struggles of the main character.
While general audiences may receive the film as more of a 3 out of 5, due to its esoteric subject matter, for those more inclined to the occult this movie has to be a 5 out of 5, if only for how faithfully it approaches and depicts the material.

After a year of playing at a number of cinema festivals, A Dark Song is now available to purchase on DVD.

Hex Media bring us this startling horror offering, set in the remote Scottish countryside. As a horror film, it will most likely not be to everyone’s taste, but it is also not your conventional horror.

Sarah Daly (writer) and Lawrie Brewster (director) conjure an occult mystery that is genuinely creepy and often unnerving.

Lord of Tears tells the story of James Findley, a school teacher who is drawn back to his childhood home, following the death of his estranged mother. An enigmatic final message from his mother, causes him to question his own past and the mystery of what may be buried in his subconscious.
Plagued by visions of a terrifying entity, he seeks to uncover the mystery of what he has somehow forgotten.

What is perhaps most exceptional, is the depiction of Pagan elements in this tale. While ancient Pagans and their practices are depicted in a bloody and horrific way, as is so often the case in the horror genre, the idea of Pagan deities and spirits is given a far more profound treatment. Though often terrifying, it is not because they are monsters or evil, per se, but more because they are unfathomable beings that defy our comprehension. It is, in fact, quite refreshing to have Pagan cosmology treated in this way – acknowledging that there are dark, incomprehensible things out there, accepting that they may be scary, but not automatically equating those elements with evil. If anything, this movie presents the idea that humans are the monstrous ones, for how they interact with these otherworldly beings.

Expect a few chills from this movie, as well as the joy of finding a film that offers something original. Indeed, this is a true ‘scary movie’ in that it manages to invoke fear, without resorting to gore. Instead, the film makers have relied on a heavy sense of atmosphere, coupled with unsettling imagery.

If you don’t like scary movies, then this one may not be for you. But if you like something with a bit of mystery and creepiness, then this is a must see!

Lord of Tears can be purchased directly from Hex Media: http://www.hexmedia.tv

Devil’s Knot tells the true story of The Memphis Three – three boys accused of the heinous murders of three eight year old boys, as part of a Satanic Cult activity.

The real story is now quite famous and one of the most significant cases in the history of the “Satanic Ritual Abuse” hysteria. Devil’s Knot is based on the book of the same name, by Mara Leveritt and stars Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth. The movie is loyal to the true story that it is drawn from and engages the viewer with a mix of emotions that run from shock to anger.

Witherspoon’s performance is starkly legitimate, portraying the mother of one of the murdered boys. Though her character is not explored in depth, her screen time is well used as she embodies both the grieving mother out for justice and then later dealing with the turmoil of inner conflict as she begins to question the truth of the claims being made.
Firth gives a sedate, yet honest performance, of a man driven to uncover the truth, yet frustrated by a failing justice system. Though his character is a distinctly quiet and restrained man, he nonetheless shows us clearly that the evidence surrounding the crimes is in serious contrast to the accusations being levied against the three alleged killers.

The most noteworthy performance, though, comes from James Hamrick who, despite limited screen time and lines, very convincingly plays the loner outsider with an interest in the occult, that becomes the primary target of the Satanic cult allegations.

One cannot say that the story is “good”, as the reality of the crimes and injustices involved are just too terrible. But the depiction of these things is remarkably well done and very engaging, taking the audience through a number of emotions beginning in sadness at the initial crime and then anger at what follows.

The authorities attempt to use everything from Wicca to Aleister Crowley in their attempts to convict the accused teenagers and in many ways one cannot help but feel very lucky that Pagans these days are far less likely to experience these kinds of injustices, at least in the UK.

This movie is good, not merely as entertainment, but as a way to understand the depth of the Satanic Ritual Abuse hysteria and how insidiously it infiltrated both society and the legal system of the United States.

I have to give Devil’s Knot a high rating, not because the story, acting or directing are especially brilliant, but because they are all so true to the real events of the Memphis Three incident. It could almost be called a bio-pic, rather than a crime thriller.
Either way, it is valuable viewing for Pagans, both in terms of history and appreciating the improved religious freedoms that we have today.

The Witch – A New England Folktale.

Set against a backdrop of foreboding wilderness, a family of English settlers fall into darkness, as even the lofty bastions of faith are as much a source of terror, as they are of hope.Drawing from authentic folklore and historic records, The Witch tells a tale that is genuinely terrifying, in that it feels so real, even to the point where much of the dialogue is taken directly from real records of witch trials and accounts of historic witchcraft.

This is the witch of the black mass and death. The corrupting hag that flies in the night and pledges her allegiance to the Devil. The figure of fear that has terrified people for thousands of years.
The Witch is a modern vision of traditional folktales, so this manifestation of the witch is no misunderstood Pagan, midwife or village healer. She is a creature of darkness, in service to evil.
But the true terror of this tale is how even when in the presence of real monstrous evil, our own fear and superstition can be just as harrowing and deadly.

This movie is as much one of psychological horror, as it is literal horror and should appeal to those with a taste for the subtleties of fear. It will not make you jump, nor attempt to revolt you with excessive gore and blood. Instead, this is a classic horror movie, where the scares come from atmosphere and menace.

This is a masterful movie and if horror is your thing, then you should definitely see it. Alternatively, if you have a passion for historical witchcraft, then this movie, though fiction, certainly captures the feel of what it must have been like to live under the dreadful cloud of those superstitious beliefs.

On November 3rd, I had the pleasure of leading the Samhain open ritual, for The Pagan Federation London.  I had a brilliant ritual team behind me, who were fantastic in making the whole thing come to life (and death, if you will).  So a big thank you to each and every one of them.

I'm very happy to say that the ritual was very well received and I got lots of positive feedback about it.
Open rituals can be difficult things to manage.  As well as embodying the purpose of the ritual (the season, festival, deity, etc.), you also want the ritual to be enjoyable for the public who attend.  open rituals are very different from a private ritual.  The atmosphere in a private ritual and among a familiar ritual group, is much more conducive to generating a full spiritual experience that affects people on that deep level.  In an open ritual, the room can be filled with a mix of friends, acquaintances and total strangers, and even the setting (probably a public hall or similar venue) can seriously steal away from the sense of a spiritual environment that tends to be created in a private group or when performing ritual alone.  Plus, the number of people present at an open ritual, can seriously limit the degree to which everyone can "be involved", further impacting the experiential potential of the rite.
As such, the best that one can often hope for, is to create a ritual that is enjoyable for attendees and creates a good sense of community.  So it is wonderful when a public ritual is not only received as enjoyable, but is reported as being genuinely moving and spiritually effective for people.
So, I was delighted to hear that kind of feedback from people.

Because it was so well received, I decided that I would make the ritual available for everyone to download, here.  Feel free to perform it, draw from it, adapt it or utilise it in whatever way you think would be useful for you.
Of course, if you are going to reproduce it, please give credit and link back here.

About The Ritual
Just a little about the ritual.
For this Samhain ritual, I really wanted to draw upon the darker side of things, especially the darker side of "the witch".  Witches have been feared (whether justifiably or not) for thousands of years and the character of the witch, has long featured in folklore and fairy tales, as a foreboding and terrible creature.  I wanted to utilise that side of our witchcraft heritage, in order to give form to the dark sense of Samhain.
However, I knew that doing such a thing was something that needed to be done responsibly - especially in an open ritual.  It is one thing to explore the darkness in private, with people who you know and who agree that they are okay with that and whose limits you are aware of.  But in an open ritual, you can't really be sure who will be there or what their sensibilities may be.  So, it is important to be considerate of how people may be affected by certain themes and content.
As such, I sought out a way to bring in the dark imagery and atmosphere that I wanted, to allow us to feel that element of Samhain.  But do so in a way that could be safely embraced by everyone.

To achieve this, I turned to Shakespeare and his witches.
The witches of Macbeth are wonderfully dark and enigmatic.  They embody the power and mystery of the witch, but also hold a scary aspect.  Their secret ways and strange powers, make them unknown, scary and potentially dangerous.  However, they are also familiar to use.  They are a version of the witch that people know so well that they are able to straddle the dual understanding that these are dark and feared beings, but also known and acceptable.
So I turned to Macbeth and the language of Shakespeare, to form the basis of the ritual and craft a deliberate atmosphere of something that is both strange and alien, but also close and familiar.

I also wanted to include some old lore in the ritual.  One aspect of old Samhain is that it is a time at which spirits and fairies may cause mischief, pester or threaten mankind.  Some theorise that one of the reasons why we wear masks at Halloween is from a Samhain tradition of doing the same, to hide from any fairies or spirits that may be wandering around on Samhain night.
This is the tradition that I decided to include in the ritual, along with some traditional fairy lore.

I continued the Shakespearian theme by turning A Midsummer Night's Dream and adapting some of the script from that, so that artful Puck was among our number.
To that I added the Gods of the ritual, including a Shakespearian Hecate and all the characters of our sacred drama were ready.

So, to the story of this sacred drama...
We begin with three witches, who greet the gathering of attendees and then cast a circle and summon the power of the winds, to protect those present.
With the ritual space prepared, they begin their spell: the classic Double Double Toil and Trouble.
With the spell chanted, they have successfully invoked the presence of divine Hecate, who comes to them and praises their spell work.  Pleased with the witches' magic, she grants them a reward and brings into their presence a fairy sprite, to bring them merriment and fun.

But once Hecate departs, the mischievous Puck decides to have some fun of his own and begins to pick out people from the crowd, who are not wearing a mask (and thus, unable to hide from him).  Once he has them gathered together, he tries to tempt them into eating some fairy food and so trap them with a fairy enchantment.  But he is unsuccessful and begins to get annoyed.

However, at this point, Morpheus, the God of Dreams, descends upon the ritual and commands Puck to cease his mischief, reminding him that the circle is there to protect those within it and so the Gods themselves will enforce that protection, if needs be.
Morpheus then gifts those present with a dream, in the form of a pathworking, in which the attendees may experience a connection with those who have passed over to the other side.

Realising the wonder of the Mystery behind Morpheus' gift, Puck leads everyone in a celebratory dance, before the witches finally close the circle and dismiss the spirits present.

Thus ends the ritual.


The wording of the ritual is roughly half my own, while the rest is reworked from the plays Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
There is also a single line taken from Neil Gaiman's Sandman.

If you would like to read the full ritual or download a copy to use for your own purposes, then you can do so at the link below.  But again, please give credit if you are intending to share or reproduce this work.

So, a number of people have asked me about my next book.  What is it?  When will it be out?  And so on.
Okay, here's the run down on what you can expect for my upcoming works.

Currently I am working on my latest book, called The Source. 
I've been working on it for a while, but since I have moved it up to a full time project, I'm sailing through it at a very pleasing speed.  So, fingers crossed it'll be finished and published by the end of the year.
Potentially dangerous to put that kind of time frame on it, but at least it will give me a deadline to work to, so that people aren't disappointed.  Lots of people have been chomping at the bit to read it and keeping asking me about it, so I'm eager to get it into their patient hands.

The Source
But what is The Source going to be about.  Those who have asked me directly, either in person or online, have been told the basic idea of the book (which I'm glad has been well received and left people hungry for more).  But for everyone, here is what to expect from The Source.

The Source is a book of Gothic Horror.  It's big influences are writers such as H.P Lovecraft, Mary Shelly, Bram Stoker and Anne Rice.  While it aspires to the aesthetic of classic Gothic literature from the likes of Shelly and Stoker, I'm bringing it the modern edge of writes like Anne Rice, but also other horror writers like Dean Koontz.  However, the style of the writing is intentionally pulpy, as one might expect from Lovecraft and that kind of Weird Tales literature.

The book is structured as a number of short stories, which can be read in any order.  But when in their entirety, the reader will see that they are telling an overarching narrative.

The stories of The Source bring in a number of different inspirations, which should be of interest to both my Pagan readers and the casual horror fan.
You can expect magic, weird creatures, twisted tales of evil fairies, curses, secret cults, witches, maenads, dark gods, monsters and more.
The world of The Source is like our own.  To the casual observer, they'd appear the same, except in the world of The Source, the truth is frequently stranger than fiction and there are weird, terrifying things hidden in the darkness.

Drawing from myths, legends and folklore I'm giving a new dimension to the mysterious elements of our world and wrapping them together into a cohesive metaphysical reality.  The world of The Source has rules and tangibility, so that the reader feels that the world they are experiencing is real enough, that it could even be their own - as though they are getting a rare glimpse behind the veil, at something that few people are privy to - and what dwells beyond the veil is often horrifying and terrible.

So, watch this space.  The Source will be here soon.

I'm thinking that I may abandon one of my planned publications.

For a while now, while I have been writing my current book The Source, I have also been doing research and planning for the book I intended to bring out after that.  Basically it was a book about men in Paganism and associated topics.  But now, I am thinking that it may simply be more trouble than it's worth.

To explain, there are great many books on the market about the female side of Pagan spirituality, but far fewer on the masculine side of Paganism.  I thought it would be a great project to write something like that, looking at the divine masculine, the role of priests and how Paganism can be a positive element in the lives of men.
I didn't want to just dive into this.  As I tend to do, I wanted to do a good amount of research, so that I was able to write the best version of this book that I possible good.  I set out to explore the masculine, the lives of men and many other things about being a man in today's world.
But by the Gods, what should have theoretically been an enjoyable endeavor, has turned out to be a hornets nest.

It quickly became quite clear that in order to do justice to the subject of masculinity and men's lives, it was necessary to examine the ups, downs and intricacies of the modern male experience.  This includes exploring men's problems, worst lows and issues.
But exploring men's issues soon brings you into contact with a festering battle of ideologies that is festering below the radar of day to day lives.
Men and women from across the world indulging in all manner of ideological bile and idiocy in the names of men's rights, feminism, anti-feminism and more.  Each fighting for equality between the sexes, but seeing the issues from differing perspectives, often informed by little more than ideological zeal.
Unfortunately, at least as far as men's issues goes, the result is that no progress is being made, as each group is more interested in controlling the narrative and tearing down those they have decided are against them.

But that's the problem:  It's become massively clear that no matter how much I actually stick to the subject, focus on the issues and examine the facts, there is absolutely no way that I can possibly hope to write this book in a real way, without falling foul of that ideological war that rages in the background.

I actually have no problem with debate and I genuinely like the idea of opening discussion of different ideas and the reception of my work (and the things I write on).  But this is really on a another level. 
I've seen that while all groups in the debate have some very nice, level-headed people, who genuinely want to work for change and gender equality, there are also oceans of people who a wreathed in sexism, ignorance and denial, who only really care about demonising "the other" (whether that's another ideology, philosophy, gender or whatever).
To be honest, I don't really want to get dragged into that nonsense.
It's also quite depressing.

As such, I'm thinking that it may simply be easiest to abandon that book and instead focus on other works and projects that I have lined up (more about those in future blogs).

There was a man.  A king.  A God.
A father.
He nourished and protected his daughter.  She was his perfect babe and he loved her.

Over time, he watched her grow.  She ran in the woods and found joys in the sunlight, dancing in the spring rain and playing huntress in the forest.

Soon she was a young woman and the sight of her quickened the man, so that he too felt the joys of youth, once more.  He held her, embraced her and made love to her.

He made her his Queen and gave all the lands to her.  She ruled wisely and with strength.
He looked upon her adoringly.  She was great; full of power and promise.

The land grew older and the labours for food were harsh.  The man looked upon his perfect queen and knew that she must die.  She must die so that others could eat.  He took up the blade and came before her.  Willingly, she offered her throat.  The perfect queen, willing to die for her people and her king.
Her blood was the gift of life.  She received the gift of death.

But a queen she was and a queen she would remain.  So she took the throne of death and ruled in the underworld, waiting for the time when her king would join her.

As the land turned cold and the man was old, finally he let go of life and crossed the veil, into the world of the dead.  There, he ascended the steps to his throne, where he sat alongside his love, queen of the underworld, who had learnt the secrets of death and of resurrection.  
When the time is right and the land is ready, she would use this power to return the man to life, so that he may once again be her father.  Her lover.  Her king.