All posts by CJ

A pop culture devotee who is happiest watching any incarnation of Star Trek, reading Stephen King or Joe Hill novels, viewing great movies [primarily from the action, horror, adventure or science fiction genres], or flipping through a DC comic. Dream jobs would include: Starfleet Captain, joining the Green Lantern Corps, Pokémon Master, Disney Princess or plumber for the Mushroom Kingdom.

Rage of the Dinosaurs [US Title Age of Dinosaurs] (2013)

Rage of the Dinosaurs

Director:
Joseph J. Lawson

Starring:
Treat Williams, Jillian Rose Reed, Ronny Cox

Other notable appearances:
Plenty of pissed-off prehistoric puppets

Running time:
88 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
The Dinosaur Project or have ever wondered what would have happened if Jurassic Park had a really low budget

 

A biotech company makes the leap from healing burn victims to reconstructing dinosaurs from a single piece of DNA. During the grand unveiling of the 16 dinosaurs (comprised of carnotaurs, ceratosaurs and pteranodons), something goes wrong and the dinosaurs manage to break free from their enclosure.

With the original dinosaurs on the loose and more on their way, it’s up to former Los Angeles Firefighter Gabe Jacobs (Williams) to save his daughter Jade (Reed) from the Rage of the Dinosaurs.

Continue reading Rage of the Dinosaurs [US Title Age of Dinosaurs] (2013)

Revival by Stephen King (2014)

Revival

Page count: 403 [excluding one page author’s note]

Format: Hardcover

Publisher: Scribner

 

When he was only 6-years-old Jamie Morton met Reverend Charlie Jacobs. It was a meeting that would entwine the two men for the rest of their lives.

Jacobs was the new preacher in Morton’s small Maine town. Everyone loved him, his beautiful wife and loving son. However, when they were taken from him, Jacobs lost his faith, lost his job, and almost lost his mind.

The next time Charlie Jacobs crosses paths with Jamie Morton, Jamie is in his mid-thirties and a full-blown heroin addict who has played rock music since he was 13-years-old. Charlie Jacobs cures him of his addiction. There is a price to pay for all quick fixes though and next they meet, Jacobs will expect the bill paid in full.

Continue reading Revival by Stephen King (2014)

The Purge (2013)

The Purge

Director:
James DeMonaco

Starring:
Ethan Hawke, Cersei La- Lena Headey, Max Burkholder, Adelaide Kane, Edwin Hodge, Rhys Wakefield

Other notable appearances:
The most twisted legislation ever

Running time:
85 minute

 

James Sandin (Hawke) sells security systems for homes in the year 2022. Business is lucrative due to the one night a year when all crime is legal. Rape, arson, theft … even murder. The idea presented for the purge is to relieve people of their desires to commit these heinous acts, ensuring the rest of the year is peaceful and crime free.

James and his family lock themselves in their home as the purge begins. Yet when their daughter’s boyfriend emerges from hiding within the house and their son opens the security system for an injured homeless man, all hell breaks loose in suburbia.

Continue reading The Purge (2013)

Sinister (2012)

Sinister

Director:
Scott Derrickson

Starring:
Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Michael Hall D’Addario, Clare Foley

Other notable appearances:
Fred Dalton Thompson, James Ransone

Running time:
110 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
The Conjuring, The Ring, Drag Me to Hell

 

Ellison Oswalt (Hawke) is a true crime writer who had 15 minutes of fame 10 years ago. He has dragged his family from house to house near recent crime scenes in the hopes of recapturing that fame. This time, unbeknownst to his wife Tracy (Rylance), he moves them into the actual house where four family members were murdered and one is still missing.

While moving in Ellison finds a box of home movies labelled innocently enough — ‘BBQ’, ‘Pool Party’, ‘Lawn Work’ etc. When he begins to watch them however, he finds a collection of snuff films. Investigating further, in the name of research for his book, he finds a demonic image in each of the films.

Once Ellison begins watching the films, strange things begin to happen in the house and with his children. Can he figure out the secret on the films or will his family end up on the cutting room floor?

Continue reading Sinister (2012)

Annabelle (2014)

Annabelle

Director:
John R. Leonetti

Starring:
Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Alfre Woodard, Tony Amendola

Other notable appearances:
The incarnation of why I’m glad I don’t own any porcelain dolls … and that was even before it became possessed

Running time:
98 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
The Conjuring, Deliver Us from Evil, Thirteen Ghosts, The Haunting

 

Mia (Wallis) and John (Horton) are the idyllic 60s couple. They have a nice home, go to church every weekend, get along with their neighbours, and are expecting their first child. That is until their home is invaded by satanic cultists who are killed in the process. One of them while holding a doll meant for the couple’s baby. Now it seems that someone else has taken a liking to the doll too …

Continue reading Annabelle (2014)