Well, since this post is getting some traction, here's the book in question: www.terror-vision.com/store/p/hand...

While I polish up my Striking Distance piece (the forgotten American Giallo), I’ve been thinking about how I’ll tackle The Replacement Killers essay. I’ll be looking Art Deco architecture, colour, and subversion of expectations with its Neo Noir sensibilities. Should be a fun one!

Dom is, no bullshit, one of my favorite writers about film that I have discovered in my time writing about movies myself. He’s insightful, thoughtful, and genuinely makes me more appreciative of films I enjoy with his work. He also has gives a lot of effort to films many would dismiss, case in point

Nice to see my jawline and chin again after losing two stone (I think it works out as 35 pounds) in a few months. I feel a bit more like me again.

Still proud of last week’s essay! I look at the fetishisation of shots, kink culture and androgyny in the costume design, and the intriguing symbology found within The Crow: City of Angels thatdomobrien.wordpress.com/2026/02/26/s...

This felt so much like Alpha Stunts, but I was like "Hmmm, Koichi Sakamoto didn't start working on Kamen Rider until W, which was after this..." Turns out it's Makoto Yokoyama, the co-director of Sakamoto's WICKED GAMES and the director of the Alpha Stunt showcase SHADOW FURY.

I wrote another book!

When I finish the Striking Distance piece/editorial, it's straight onto more action film theory. I'll be tackling one of my favourites - The Replacement Killers. It's much more than a Woo rip-off!

I got to speak to THEEEEE Leon S. Kennedy himself and was (mostly) normal about it

Still proud of last week’s essay! I look at the fetishisation of shots, kink culture and androgyny in the costume design, and the intriguing symbology found within The Crow: City of Angels thatdomobrien.wordpress.com/2026/02/26/s...

I'm getting old school Roxy Bar & Screen vibes from the 2010s. This makes me super happy

Currently rewatching SHOOT’EM UP and I’ve got a cracking idea for an essay. Is anyone putting this out on a remastered disc? Because if so, I’d love to be part of it 🤘🏻

We've all spent a lot of time lately thinking about the horrors of real life. Would you rather focus on the horrors of the ultra-low-budget, red-dyed corn syrup-stained, butcher shop offal-slathered, and astoundingly creative but endearingly under-prepared world of amateur genre filmmaking?

Given the lack of engagement on here, is it worth me asking fellow writers (that I'm friends with) to give my essay posts a bit of a boost? Or is that utterly shameless?

Decided to go through my site and re-edited some of my favourite pieces (the recent CoA essay is excluded from this as I’ve already edited it). This means they are a little leaner (where necessary), the grammar is redone, and are overall a better reading experience thatdomobrien.wordpress.com/blog/

Well, this has generated a load of views on my WordPress👏🏻, so cheers to those who’ve read this essay. I'll be reposting my massive Bad Boys 4 essay to this site over the weekend (finally moving it away from Substack). #actionsky

ICYMI last night, here’s my essay on the fetishisation of clothing, shots and symbolism within The Crow: City of Angels (1996). I may edit a little more at a later date, but for now, it is what it is 👍🏻 thatdomobrien.wordpress.com/2026/02/26/s...

As promised. This is my first post in nearly a year, so the editing may be a bit wonky. I’m still getting back into the swing of things! thatdomobrien.wordpress.com/2026/02/26/s...

Posting my new essay shortly. Genuinely happy with how this turned out. I leaned into the symbolism found within the fetish culture costume design and the fetishisation of the characters through the camera lens. Mix in a bit of androgyny and you've got my first essay in nearly a year. Enjoy!

I've done the impossible and found two (in pretty good nick) original video shop posters for a few favourites. I can now frame some Full Eclipse goodness!!

New Year New Hotness! Steve Wang, yes really, joins us today to talk about his directorial career and filmmaking journey. Drive and Guyver Dark Hero being two of my favourite films! Plus I finally get to talk Kamen Rider Dragon Knight! With it's lead creator no less. Listen now!

I am really chuffed with how this essay turned out. Dropping it late Sunday. I have no doubt the subject matter and title will be NSFW. So, if you’re prudish, maybe avoid it 🤣 It's good to be back writing!

Next set of upcoming essays (with calendar dates and everything). Feels great to be writing again!

Expect two new essays over the next few weeks. I’ve made a decision (for the moment at least) to stick to action film theory for my future pieces of writing. The Bad Boys 4 essay was the catalyst to change up how I write and what I write about. Grief was also a damn good incentive to get creative!

Written my first action film essay in nearly a year (as I’m starting to feel a bit more like me after a shocking 2025). I’m currently doing my due diligence to see if the topics I’ve covered in my Point Break essay have been discussed previously. If they haven’t, then this will be posted very soon.

Word on the street is that we’re getting a 4K release of Guyver: Dark Hero this year (with a bunch of extras). Sadly, I have no idea who’s releasing it nor any other info (no I’m not involved). But, it’s great to see it finally getting restored and released in HD. It’s been a long time coming.

From May 2025 to Jan 2026 (so 8 months), I’ve lost two and a bit stone. My MH is on the up and I feel better overall. Jan also marks two significant life achievements. A year ago I was officially diagnosed autistic (it has taken a year to fully process it) and I’ve been AF/sober for two years 🙌🏻

I've been out of the writing game for a while. Whether you like my stuff or not, I'll be back posting some work soon. I have really missed writing, and although I'm not 100% yet, my brain is less overloaded and ready (finally).

Yeah, I absolutely loved that! Fascinated to see where they'll go with a third part (please let there be a third part!). Interestingly, I was the only one in the cinema to laugh at parts (it is very funny in places).

Foregoing another Christmas film tonight in favour of this brilliant, heartfelt indie. I love that it explores personal trauma and how we use both healthy and unhealthy vices to manage it. Plus, the outstanding production design (by Amy Danger) gives it a surreal fairytale vibe.

Sometimes, it's good to highlight your past achievements. In 2023, I was interviewed by SFX before the release of Budget Biomorphs. It was a brilliant experience and I’m still so grateful for the exposure from the SFX team.

Hello, gorgeous! Finally 🙌🏻

I adore this sequence from The Raid 2 for a multitude of reasons: the sizing up of each other’s abilities; the incremental build-up of the fight to its violent crescendo; the symbolism; the purpose it serves to the overall narrative. The action speaks louder than any dialogue ever could.

I know someone people get annoyed when writers promote their older work, but I honestly don’t care anymore. Over a year on, and I’m still immensely proud of all the work I did on The Guyver 4K (writing/commentary/interviews). I’m hoping I can work on another film release in 2026🤞🏻

Always nice to see a new review for the book on Amazon (even a few years on from it’s original release). This has perked me up!

I know someone people get annoyed when writers promote their older work, but I honestly don’t care anymore. Over a year on, and I’m still immensely proud of all the work I did on The Guyver 4K (writing/commentary/interviews). I’m hoping I can work on another film release in 2026🤞🏻

Before he made TMNT (1990), Steve Barron directed the gem that is Electric Dreams (1984) - a film I absolutely adore! The 2017 Blu Ray has been OOP for a while and it desperately needs a new remaster/4K. I am absolutely free to write about this if a new special edition is ever commissioned 😄🙌🏻

I’ll get this week out of the way and then, I can crash out before Christmas and actually rest. I have a lot of writing I want to publish in 2026 (both fiction and nonfiction).

"MUTRONICS: CÓMO SE HICIERON LAS PELÍCULAS DE GUYVER", de Dom O’Brien, ya está disponible en preventa premium, en edición limitada y tapa dura. Información y reserva: appleheadteam.com/producto/mut...

Safe to say my current reading pile is eclectic!

I’m surprised there are people who don’t know this. More people clearly need to read my Budget Biomorphs! Psst…there’s more interesting/fun facts and stories in my Guyver book. 👍🏻

Happy Two Year Anniversary!

I rather enjoyed that 👍🏻

Decided to take myself on a solo date to check out Predator: Badlands (back at a local indie cinema I used to frequent around seven years ago). Curious to see what Trachtenberg has done with this.

The Spanish edition of Budget Biomorphs looks like it’s shaping up nicely for an April 2026 release. If anyone knows of any potential Japanese publishers I can reach out to, feel free to drop me a DM (as I’d love to get a version translated into Japanese).

Oooh, I spy something interesting!

I know Smokin’ Aces (2006) gets a lot of flack, but honestly I like its bizarre insanity (I’m a Carnahan fan). This moment (coupled with the Clint Mansell cue - Dead Reckoning) has been lodged in my subconscious for years. So much so, it helped inspire a recent short story because of the emotion

Me, to other writers.

It’s a challenge to write truly unique horror fiction sometimes. But, if you can find an engaging angle for a familiar story, and then sprinkle in a few interesting or bizarre ideas between the horror tropes, you may just create something fun to read.