Stranger Things — Series 5: Chapter 1 — The Crawl — A Review

7th February, 2026.

“The Crawl”.

An Introduction.

I’ve officially been putting things off for a while.

Yes: I’ve officially been doing things!

Things that meant finding time to do other things was tricky.

You know, now I see that written down, it occurs to me that it’s not the most informative thing I’ve ever put to paper!

Let me put it this way: I’ve been busy … 

No, that doesn’t work, either … 

Let me put it like this: I’ve not watched a TV show, nor reviewed it, since Christmas.

So … ?

I’m going to remedy that, tonight: by starting on Stranger Things 5: the five and last series of Stranger Things.

Once I’ve had dinner, obviously!

~≈🐙≈~

Just as a thought for newcomers to Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar, or my @MrCuddy2977 YouTube channel?

I’ve been writing this blog since 2008: and in all that time … ?

Done written reviews of the whole series.

But only done video reviews of the fourth one.

When I first got a webcam.

I’m might add more Stranger Things content: but there seems little point doing so respectively.

At any rate, I’ve started this review of “The Crawl” on Saturday, 7th February: and should have it finished by Monday, 9th February.

I’ll hopefully see you then … 

~≈🐙≈~

28 Years Later — A Review.

24th October, 2025: 28 Years Later.

The Introduction.

There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to do several things.

Eating is generally a good thing, for example.

A wash, every-so-often, doesn’t hurt.

Shopping?

Reading … ?

Those are good: as is going to the toilet.

As and when needed.

The occasional song is nice: I’ve got an Ian Dury tune on the go.

And, every-so-often … ?

A movie.

Right at the moment … ?

I’ve got 28 Years Later sitting in my collection: ready to be watched.

Hopefully?

It will be entertaining.

I’ll let you know by Sunday, 26th October … 

~≈🎥≈~

Sinners — A Review.

13th June, 2025: Sinners.

The Introduction.

What with one thing and another … ?

There’s things I’ve not done for some time.

Made mad passionate love, for example.

Climbed a mountainous hill in search of washing powder, as another.

Or even … had a shower.

No, I tell a lie: I had one of those, this morning!

But I’m burbling, aren’t I … ?

There’s a few things I haven’t done.

One of those?

Is watch a movie.

The last one I saw was Snow White.

So, having a little time on my hands?

I felt something different could be good.

The trailer that caught my eye?

Was for a film called Sinners.

I’m hoping two things, right now.

One?

That Sinners will hold my attention.

And two?

If it does, I’ll have this review finished by tomorrow night … 

~≈🧛🏻‍♂️≈~

Nosferatu (2024) — A Review

20th March, 2025: Nosferatu (2024).

It has to be said: I’m in a mood.

For various reasons.

But … ?

With little to do, I’m in a mood to do something I haven’t done for a while.

One … ?

Play with software.

I’ve got hold of a copy of DaVinci Resolve, just recently: and wanted to play with it.

So … ?   Filming a review seems a good idea.

Second?

Watching a movie seemed good, too: even if I get this finished by Saturday, 22nd March.

I can only hope the Robert Eggers, 2024, version of Nosferatu is good to watch.

I wasn’t totally convinced by the original.

~≈🧛🏿≈~

The Last Voyage of the Demeter — a Review.

6th October, 2023: the Introduction.

 

As I write this … ?

I’ve not — officially — made up my mind about what I’m going to watch.

I have — as I do, every day — started dinner.

And yes: it’s Friday, so it’s fish and chips.

Frankly, I’ll be eating that whilst watching an old friend’s Judge Dredd video.

Then … ?

Watching a movie.

Hopefully?

It’ll be a little lighter than the last long-form drama I saw.

~≈🧛🏿‍♂️≈~

Nope — A Review.

6th January, 2023: Nope.

Right … 

Just out of curiosity?   How’s the audio on that intro video?

I have to admit: I got curious about the basic — very basic, I’m no sound engineer! — things I could do with the open source sound app, Audacity.

I think — by adding a distortion effect to the audio, then reimporting icon into iMovie — I’ve got an interestingly tinny effect.

That’s possibly not what you were expecting, were you?   A discussion of audio tweaking!

No.

You were expecting me to do what I’ve been doing on odd evening.

Telling you I’m planning to watch a movie … once I’ve had dinner.

Dinner’s will be going onto a plate, any minute.

Then eaten.

Then?

I’m going to watch a film … and tell you about it, tomorrow night … 

~≈🍿≈~

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It — A Review

31st October, 2022.

It’s officially official,

It’s Halloween: and I have the evening free.

And?

I’m JUST finishing cooking dinner.

I’m going to eat that: obviously!

Then?

Watch a film.

I have to admit: I had a few movies I felt I could watch.

The Black Phone looks interesting.

As does Strickland’s Flux Gormet.

Eventually?

I settled for the 2021, Micheal Chaves directed, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

By the time I’ve had a good night’s sleep?

I’ll be able to tell you more … 

~≈👻≈~

Hellraiser (2022) — A Review

7th October, 2022.

It’s Friday: and normally?

I’d be eating dinner: and getting ready to eat another episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds.

You’ve probably worked that out, by now.

Today?

I’m going to be doing something different: watching a movie.

Watching the 2022 version of Hellraiser, released, today.

Unlike every episode of the franchise since the late 90s?

This has feature some involvement from Clive Barker: the man who created the original movie, and wrote the story it’s based on.

I’ll have my written and video review up, tomorrow night.

I’ll see you then.

~≈🧟‍♂️≈~

Antlers — A Review

8th February, 2022.

Can I make a quick confession?

I’ve started writing this post on Tuesday, 8th February: hence the dateline at the top of the article.

And back when I only had an idea I wanted to sit in and watch a film: without necessarily having made up my mind about what I wanted to see.

Little Joe, Godzilla vs Kong, Last Night in Soho … ?

All look good.

However?

I’ve pretty much got my mind set on Antlers.

Purely because the trailer looks interesting.

By the time you read this, I will have written my review, recorded its video equivalent … 

And be able to tell you.

~≈Ÿ≈~

Censor — A Review

24th August, 2021.

Any minute now … ?

I am going to get into bed.

I’ve noticed that the older I get?

The more an early night appeals.

But, before I do … ?

I wanted to make sure I do my usual thing on an evening like this.

Make sure I’d started on a movie night post: to remind myself I’ve seen a film … 

And that I wanted to tell you about it.

Tonight’s film?

The 2021 Prano Bailey-Bond directed, Censor.

Arguably, it could be better … but is very good for a first timer … 

~≈Á≈~

In Fabric — A Review

18th June, 2021.

OK: you’ve watched the introductory video, haven’t you … ?

I hope so.

If you have, you’ll realise that — at the time I made the thing — I hadn’t made my mind up about what to watch.

Amongst other options?

I had both Lucas’ THX1138, and Besson’s Léon: The Professional.

Something I may catch, another time.

I’ve settled for the Peter Strickland directed Giallo-esque, In Fabric.

Yes: I’m going to bed, and carrying this post on, tomorrow.

But, yes: I think I’ve just seen something amazing … 

~≈👗≈~

Color Out Of Space (2019) — A Review

11th April, 2020.

It’s had to be said, I have a movie collection.

A set of films, sitting on an external drive connected to my iMac.

And have access to a lot of streamed movies, as well.

From various sources.

Occasionally?

I like to actually watch a film: which is what I’ve done, today.

Tonight, I should say.

Granted?   When fiddling about, I couldn’t — initially — make my mind up, about what to watch.

Having something of a range of options.

Eventually, though?

I ended up watching the 2019, Nicolas Cage film that is Color Out Of Space.

~≈†≈~

Dracula — Episode 3 — The Dark Compass — A Review

6th January 2020.

*Spoilers*

Now, that’s odd … 

I’ve just double checked the pile of letters I’ve got.

And realised one of them?

Informing me I was supposed to be getting a visit from a gas safety chap: to check that my boiler was functioning safely.

Between one and five.

Guess what?

I had a no show.

Phoning them in the morning seems to be the thing, I think.

~≈¥≈~

At any rate … ?

At any rate, it’s been a quiet day.

With little to do, except take some books up to the various charity shops in Brentwood High Street*.

Oh … 

And watch TV.

Yes, you guessed it … 

Dracula: episode 3 … 

~≈¥≈~

Dracula — Episode 2 — Blood Vessel — A Review

4th January, 2020.

OK, it’s a Saturday … it’s quiet … 

And I’m doing what, exactly.

Well … 

Waiting for the delivery of something I ordered with my last bit of Christmas money.

Yep: I’m waiting for The Leopard from Lime Street to turn up.

In the mean time … ?

Yes: you’re right … I’ve time for the second episode of Dracula.

~≈¥≈~

Dracula — Episode 1 — The Rules of the Beast — A Review

3rd January, 2020

OK … 

It’s a Friday night.

You’ve possibly noticed that, haven’t you … ?

It’s a Friday night … where I’m indoors … and thinking there’s something I could be watching on TV.

There’s plenty, certainly.

But nothing that caught my eye.

However?

Something did catch my eye.

Yes: the Moffat and Gatiss cut of Dracula.

I fancied something … grim … 

~≈¥≈~

The Banana Splits Movie — A Review

21st December, 2019.

You know, it’s Christmas.

You must have noticed, yes?

It’s the decorations, jollity, rain … 

And the incredible amounts of carol singers in whatever your equivalent of Brentwood High Street is.

Depressing, isn’t it … ?

At least, depressing enough — now that I’ve finished the bulk of my Christmas cards — that I actually felt I deserved a movie.

Yes.

The Banana Splits Movie.

Yes, it’s a movie … of those Banana Splits.

Quite whether it was worth the effort … ?

Hmm … 

~≈†≈~

Midsommar: A review

31st October, 2019.

Yes, OK, OK …

I’m stuck indoors on Halloween night.

Although, thankfully?

I’m stuck indoors on Halloween night … and not been pestered by trick-or-treaters.

Which is something!


At any rate … ?

It’s quiet … it’s Halloween …

So that means it’s the sort of night that deserves a movie …

Yes: I finally decided on Ari Aster’s Midsommar.

The director’s cut, so you know.

~≈†≈~

It: Chapter Two — A Review

20th October 2019.

I’m officially terrible.

No, really.

I had dinner with my family, earlier this evening.

I’m job hunting right now.

I get to see my relatives … and get a meal.

So stuff works out.



Until, of course, I got home … and realised I’d left my spectacles at my mothers.

Hmm …

Thankfully?   My sister Anna, happily dropped them off.

I’m grateful … 



And kicking myself!

~≈†≈~

At any rate … ?

At any rate, with time on my hand … ?



With time on my hand, I wanted to catch a movie.

Given it’s been recently released on demand, and that I’d seen Chapter One, last year?

Given I’d seen the radically different Kidulthood, last night?

I fancied something familiar, yet different.

I fancied It: Chapter Two.

And, if you’ve seen the extremely brief video I’ve posted on YouTube?



I have my doubts … 

~≈†≈~

The Midnight Meat Train: A(nother) Review

24th August, 2019.

Yes … 

At last … !

I’ve managed to go into town, today: to head for my GP’s, to pick up a prescription that I could then collect from the in-store pharmacy at Sainsbury’s.

Except, of course, and given that this is me we’re talking about … ?

I handed in the prescriptions, did my shopping, paid for may shopping, got a cab home … and only realised I’d forgotten my medications, about four hours later … 

And tramped back to the High Street to pick up them … and a bag of spuds.

The things we do for health, hey?

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?



I fancied a movie tonight: as I’m working a late shift tomorrow.



Frankly, I fancied one I’d already seen, many years ago.

As it had cropped up in comments from Old Peculiar regular, Anne: who’d mentioned she’d liked it.

I felt sitting in with The Midnight Meat Train would be … 

Well, good … 

~≈§≈~

Pet Sematary (2019) — A Review

18th August 2019.

Yes … 

It’s a Sunday night.



And frankly, it’s a Sunday night off.

After a couple of shifts that have been … exhausting, to say the least.

NOT helped by the fact I’m not exactly as thin as I was, twenty years ago.

I’m … 



I’m not having doubts about the job.



But may need to have a quiet word about the length of my shifts.

~≈†≈~

At any rate … ?



I’ve had today off.

Off … and have no worries about getting up in the morning … 

Yes: you’ve guessed it: that’s given me enough time for a movie.

Now … did you figure out it was the 2019 version of Pet Sematary?

~≈†≈~