Category: Mystery

TSJ Reviews THE FLY

TSJ on THE FLY Starring Vincent Price

Movie: THE FLY (1958)
Starring:  Vincent Price, David Hedison, Patricia Owens
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Sequels: RETURN OF THE FLY, CURSE OF THE FLY, THE FLY, THE FLY II
Writer:  George Langelaan (original story in Playboy)
Screenplay:  James Clavell! (THE FLY was his first filmed screenplay)

During this Coronavirus outbreak, I took the opportunity to watch the original film THE FLY with my 12 year old daughter.  We’re shuttered inside, and while I spend a great deal of my time writing, we’re also watching a lot of movies, streaming shows, and playing games.  THE FLY is a wonderful “horror” film from the 1950’s, part of my new BluRay package of FLY films, and has an important message for all content creators and creative writers.

TSJ Reviews HOLD THE DARK

 

TSJ Reviews HOLD THE DARK

Film: HOLD THE DARK, An Original @Netflix #Movie
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Riley Keough, Alexander Skarsgard
Directed by: Jeremy Saulnier
Screenplay by: Macon Blair
Based on the Novel By: William Giraldi

This is a captivating and moody film holding layer upon layer of meaning that will keep viewers guessing until the end. It’s compelling and engaging, thanks to strong acting and beautiful cinematography, and it reminded me of WIND RIVER crossed with THE REVENANT. It’s a mystery, a crime thriller, and a brutal examination of the thin line that divides human from animal. Answers are not stated outright, but the clues are all there … so watch closely.

TSJ Reviews ESCAPE ROOM (2017)

TSJ Reviews ESCAPE ROOM (2017)

Film: ESCAPE ROOM (2017)
Starring: Evan Williams, Elizabeth Hower, Annabelle Stephenson, Dan J. Johnson
Director: Will Wernick
Writer: Noah A.D.
Budget: Unknown

It took me a little bit to decide whether I wanted to write this review or not.

The Inaugural Timothy S. Johnston Future Writer Award

 

On Thursday 4 October I presented the inaugural TSJ Future Writer Award during the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2018 at London South Collegiate Institute in the Thames Valley District School Board.

TSJ’s List of the Best Science Fiction Movies of the 1970’s

The Best Science Fiction Movies of the 1970’s

I should clarify that a film’s presence on this blog post is entirely subjective based on my experiences growing up. These were my creative formative years, during which I was discovering genre books, television shows, and movies. I was born in 1970, so really the 80’s were my true introduction to Science Fiction Horror, Thriller and Adventure — books by Asimov and Crichton and films by Cameron, Spielberg, Carpenter, and Verhoeven — but the 1970’s played a huge role in my love for the genre. Detroit Channel 7 broadcast most of the films I saw. Many had poor effects, but the stories were so powerful and the actors so committed that the movies rose above the rest of the stories that were available at the time. The themes were relevant, the plots compelling and interesting, all the base human emotions like revenge and lust and greed and hate were on full display, they spoke of issues that people dealt with every day, and they featured powerful scores and incredible directing. They were gripping.

The GLASS Trailer is Here

 

GLASS — Coming January 2019

POSSIBLE SPOILERS about UNBREAKABLE and SPLIT below. You’ve been warned.

M. Knight Shyamalan exploded onto the movie scene with THE SIXTH SENSE in 1999. The movie was not just a hit; it was a pop culture phenomenon. He followed up the supernatural thriller with UNBREAKABLE in 2000, a movie many found even better than THE SIXTH SENSE. UNBREAKABLE featured an everyday man (Bruce Willis, playing David Dunn) who was the lone survivor of a train crash that killed hundreds.

It’s Murder … in Space by Timothy S. Johnston

 

TSJ’s Thoughts on His Second Novel THE FREEZER

or

What Really is the Most Dangerous Life Form in the Solar System?

TSJ’s Top Three Movies of All Time

People often ask me about my favorite movies. I try to watch a lot of Thrillers and Horror, especially in the Science Fiction genre, I like to talk about movies, and I enjoy reviewing great ones on my blog. So, I figured that this might be a good place to write an article about my top three films of all time.

Counting down from Three to One …

TSJ Reviews MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

A TSJ #ShortMovieReview

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is a well-crafted and fast-paced film with a fantastic cast and a compelling story.

TSJ on Writing First Lines

 

#Writing #AmWriting #ScienceFiction #Thriller #Horror

 

The first line of any story is the most important sentence you’ll write.

The first page of the story is the most important page you’ll write.

The first chapter of the story is the most important chapter you’ll write.