Category: Thriller

Action, Character Development, Comics, Horror, Movie Review, Movies, Mystery, Thriller

July 20, 2018 • 0 Comments

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.

SF Author Timothy S. Johnston Reviews STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

July 3, 2018 • 0 Comments

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS — A Review by Timothy S. Johnston

(Previously Published at TrekWeb on 18 May 2013)

Format: Digital 2D
Studio: Paramount
Director: J.J. Abrams
Writers: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof

Rating of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS: 9/10
Rating of STAR TREK (2009): 9.5/10

The First Time I Saw JURASSIC PARK

June 16, 2018 • 0 Comments

The First Time I Saw JURASSIC PARK

It’s hard to believe that JURASSIC PARK was released 25 years ago this week. I still remember seeing it at the Galleria. My friend Adam turned to me as the lights went down and said, “So what’s this film about?” He had no idea. It was a Friday night and our group of friends always hung out on the weekends.

A Look at the New HALLOWEEN Trailer

June 10, 2018 • 0 Comments

A Look at the New HALLOWEEN Trailer

Michael Myers is back.

He’s one of the greatest slasher villains of all time and featured in a franchise that co-created the genre. (Many also give credit to BLACK CHRISTMAS in 1974.) John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN (1978) could be considered one of the most successful independent films ever. Made on a budget of only $375 000, it earned $70 000 000 at the box office the year it was released and spawned a series that currently consists of eleven films. John Carpenter really hit it out of the ballpark and he exploded onto the horror scene and never looked back. (I spoke on a radio show about my love for this film and how it inspired me here.) Of particular note was the soundtrack that he created out of desperation: they didn’t have a budget to hire someone to score the film, so Carpenter did it himself.

TSJ Reviews AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

May 5, 2018 • 0 Comments

TSJ REVIEWS AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

I had the good fortune to attend a screening last weekend as the guest of an old friend.

(No Spoilers)

Pre-Order THE WAR BENEATH!

April 14, 2018 • 0 Comments

THE WAR BENEATH by TSJ is Available for Pre-Order at Amazon

First the bulkheads sweat, then there’s a trickle of water, and then in an instant you’re gone. The only thing left is a bloody pulp in the dark water and crushed bone fragments on the seafloor …

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

March 24, 2018 • 0 Comments

TSJ’s Thoughts on His Second Novel THE FREEZER

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

THE WAR BENEATH Jacket Copy Reveal by TSJ

March 16, 2018 • 0 Comments

THE WAR BENEATH Jacket Copy

Here it is — the book description for my upcoming underwater thriller.

I’ve always been excited by books and films set in this interesting, unique and dangerous environment. In many ways the undersea world is more hazardous for humans than outer space. With great depth comes great pressure. This means that structures face implosion at almost any time. It also means that more nitrogen and other gases dissolves in our bloodstream and tissues, and this results in The Bends if a character bolts to the surface. There’s therefore no escape in an emergency. Characters must solve issues on the spot.

They are prisoners of the deeps.

Throw in the superpowers of the world engaged in a new cold war, cities on the ocean floors, submarine warfare and espionage, love and family and greed and revenge, and it makes for an exciting and action-packed undersea world. I hope you enjoy it; the book is coming this fall.

Here’s the book’s jacket copy:

The Best Movie Sequels of All Time

March 14, 2018 • 0 Comments

The Best Movie Sequels of All Time

Before I begin, here are a few basic facts about me that you might already know by now:

I love movies.

I love genre movies — thrillers, action, adventure, horror, science fiction.

I love sagas, series, and trilogies. Call them what you want; I love to revisit characters and storylines that captivated my attention in the first film.

The Greatest Trifectas in Film History

January 31, 2018 • 3 Comments

The Greatest Trifectas in (Recent) Film History by TSJ

While writing the blog entry “Where Has the Character-Driven Action Film Gone?” (found here) I mentioned the idea of a trifecta — or “triple” — in film history. There are few directors who can create successful film after successful film. Having one critical and commercial hit is difficult enough. Having two in a row is even harder. And three? Nearly unheard of.

I decided to create a list of the greatest triples in film history. Even the concept seemed absurd, however — what gives me the right to create such a list? Who am I to say one director created a “better” trifecta than another? Moreover, how does one define success or failure in the creative/artistic industry? Sometimes a box office hit can be a critical failure, or vice versa. Well, to be blunt, this is my blog. I’ll write what I want. However, to identify triples and narrow the field it was necessary to create a list of criteria that I would follow.