Charles W Jones

Minutes to Midnight (2018) has an interesting cast, including William Baldwin, Richard Grieco, John Hennigan, and Bill Moseley. Then there’s the young adult cast who, of course, don’t heed the warnings to go home. Their involvement was for slaughter as expected. The whys of the film come rushing in quickly and everything was answered with a not-so-shocking twist. The jump scares were to my liking with a slasher as were the kills themselves. The masks for the killers reminded me of other masked antagonists that I’ve seen before, but at least they weren’t exact copies. Bill Moseley, being the reason this film made my watch list, played Gimple an artistic killer who only gets, at most, a cameo appearance, which was a little disappointing. But his twisted role left a larger impact on Minutes to Midnight than other bits (I wouldn’t expect anything less from him). Minutes to Midnight is a great film that you should watch if you haven’t already. I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. Minutes to Midnight...

I Trapped the Devil (2018) isn’t what expected and that is a huge thing for me. There are so many films made recently that are just an attempt to remake something and put a new name on it. This one wasn’t like that. Matt and Karen go to visit his brother, Steve, over Christmas to learn that he has someone locked in the cellar. He says it’s the devil, but, of course, neither of his uninvited guests really believe him. The thing that got me the most about this film was the insanity level. I wanted to believe Steve so much but I thought he’d just lost a nut. He’s very manic, which is amazing. And his explanation didn’t sit right. I was glad that he proved me wrong and made me a believer. I Trapped the Devil is truly sinister with an unnerving ending. I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. I Trapped the Devil (2018) #Dark #Thriller Click To Tweet

Vivarium (2019) follows Tom and Gemma as they search for the perfect home, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots. The developer they visit is kooky and has them follow him to the subdivision several miles out of town. All the houses are the same, just like the song Little Boxes by Malvina Reynolds, except they’re all green. As they think about if they want the house, the salesman disappears. Because of the maze-like setup of the development, they can’t figure out how to get out and somehow find their way back to the house. When the baby is delivered in a cardboard box, it gets interesting. I must give kudos to the young actor, Senan Jennings, who played The Boy. Wow. Just. Wow. This kid is fantastic. He was creepy and weird when needed. You must see this film to understand, so… Vivarium was entertaining and trippy and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars.

The One Enlightened (Chronicles of the Diasodz Book 2) continues where The One Discovered left off with a little glimpse of the ending (thank the Goddess because it’s been a while since I read it). The story follows Sofia who is learning about being a Diasodz and her power. This chapter in the Diasodz series isn’t as exciting as the first, but when it comes it is exceptional. Much of this book is about self-awareness and romance, which are integral elements to this story. Each page paints a beautiful picture of this world down and I felt like I had been transported there and can clearly see each detail through Sofia’s eyes. I enjoyed The One Enlightened very much and you need to grab a copy if you haven’t already. Keep in mind though, if you haven’t read the first, you might be a little lost. I give it 4 out of 5 Stars. About The One Enlightened Sofia has lost everything that was important to her: her mother, her boyfriend, and her best friend. Even the belief that humans are the only ...

The first thing I thought when I finished reading Prey for the Dead was that the male characters are jerks yet the female leads, Linda and Shana, are in love with them no matter how badly they treat them. The men are vampires, but still, it left me with an uncomfortable feeling. That aside, I did enjoy the story with the many twists thrown in Linda’s path as she discovers what is actually happening in Oasis. I felt confused about what was happening at times, but everything was answered for me as the story unfolded. Please know that this is part of a series and is Book Two of The Dead Game Series, and I recommend reading the first, if you haven’t already, as a few details from the first are intertwined and explained in this chapter. I gave Prey for the Dead 4 out of 5 Stars, and I must say that enjoyed the first book in the series better. Prey for the Dead by Susanne Leist @SusanneLeist #BookReview #RRBC Click To Tweet About Prey for the Dead Linda Bennett’s dreams of happiness hav...

I’d never heard of Hide and Go Shriek (1988) until I was scrolling through a streaming service’s neverending list of titles. I read the short sentence describing it and was interested, but I thought I’d seen something similar recently (The Initiation). I don’t remember ever wanting to break into a store and stay the night in it. I had nightmares about getting locked in and the mannequins scaring me. In this film, a group of teenagers sneaks into their friend John’s dad’s furniture store to hang out on the furniture….what the hell? Why? Anyway, when they meet the new warehouse worker who just got out of prison, they are freaked out by him because of his size. Then there’s this transvestite who’s killing hookers. Yeah, it’s got a lot of pieces, but it does work.  The teenage shenanigans go on a little too long, but the creepiness makes up for it. There are some great kills by the transvestite who somehow got inside and locked all the doors. (Talk about planning.) Let’s not forg...

When I read the description for Glorious (2022), I did a doubletake because there’s no way anyone would make a movie like that. Well, they did. For the most part, it was fun. Poor Wes is upset about the end of his relationship with his girlfriend, Brenda. He’s driving to make distance from the pain of his loss.  Then Wes stops at a rest area where he gets drunk. He burns his belongings and wakes next to the fire pit the next day—his world changes when he goes inside the public restroom to vomit. I loved the idea of this film and the twist. The gore, when there was some, was satisfying, but like so many other “horror” films of the decade/milenia, it wasn’t as frightening as I wanted. I wonder if it’s me? Have I watched so many horror movies that I’ve become desensitized? Or are these so-called slow burns how horror creators are doing it now? I hope I’m desensitized. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy Glorious. It was great, just not off the charts scary, and only one bit that caused m...

Black Roses (1988) takes place in the fictional town Mill Basin, where nothing exciting ever happens. That is until the Black Roses come to town to perform for the teenagers. The good Christians are against it, but the mayor compares them to the Beatles and Elvis, so they allow it. They even go to the first concert that is totally beautiful and wholesome, until the conservatives and the mayor leave. This cheese-fest is filled with amazing puppets and effects, making me think the creators of this film were inspired by Gwar even though King Kobra played most of the band’s music.  The cast in this one is interesting, with many people I’ve never heard of except John Martin. I didn’t know his name until I looked up the cast, but he looked familiar, and that’s because he guest starred in tons of 1980s TV Shows. Black Roses is super fun to experience, and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. Black Roses (1988) #RockandRoll #Horror Click To Tweet

The Black Phone (2021) stars Ethan Hawk and was produced by none other than Blumhouse, so with that knowledge, I went in knowing that it wasn’t going to be that scary for me, at least. This film also made me realize that Blumhouse films are like a gateway drug for newbies to the horror genre. Once they see one, they be like, oh, that wasn’t so bad, I can handle a little harder next time. This is an adaptation of Joe Hill’s short story of the same name, which I’ve never read…or anything he’s written. The fact that this story takes place in a Denver suburb gave it an extra chill since I live in one of those suburbs. The Black Phone is darker and creepier than I expected from the usual Blumhouse experience. In fact, some scenes gave me actual chills. Ghosts using the phone to tell Finney what they’d done and his next steps was cool. Even showing them lurking just out of sight was a great touch. The Grabber was freaky with the different mask parts over his mouth. Of all the Blumhouse produ...

I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Runner (2022) by Boy Harsher, and honestly didn’t know what it was or that it existed until Shudder posted it on Instagram. And after seeing it, I’m not sure what it was still except for a forty-minute music video featuring some fantastic Boy Harsher tracks. At least I knew who Boy Harsher was thanks to YouTube Music which randomly puts their music on my playlists from time to time. As I watched, I was enthralled by the imagery and lulled by the music (my favorite track is Autonomy, if you were wondering). The Runner is an exotic-looking woman who doesn’t speak and kills fewer people than I expected or wanted. She is very hypnotic to watch as she allures or repels people. A few times, she calls someone who speaks through the phone, but we don’t know who he is or their connection. While I wasn’t frightened by The Runner, it kept my attention and drew me into this strange world filled with questions. I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. The Runner (2022) #Mus...

Intruder (1989) is another slasher film I remember seeing back in the day, but the details were fuzzy. I’m glad I took the time to rewatch it, as it’s a great movie. It starts with a grocery store closing for the night and the workers beginning to stock the shelves for the next day. A creepy man watches as Jennifer gathers shopping carts from the lot. He pushes a cart toward her, but she doesn’t see him. Soon we discover that the creepster is Craig, Jennifer’s ex.  There’s so much happening in this film, which I think was on purpose, so it’s unclear who the killer is. And the gore is awesome. Each kill is brutal and satisfying. And the jump scares are off the charts. I appreciate Scott Spiegel and Lawrence Bender’s effort to make this one. Then there’s the ending, which I won’t spoil, but I was surprised by the twist.  I enjoyed Intruder and gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. Intruder (1989) #Lost80s #Horror #Slasher Click To Tweet

The One Betrayed is the third installment in the Chronicles of the Diasodz and shows what happened to Rafe after Sofia went with Ar’ch and Angel (basically an overlay of Book 2). This book is quite the page-turner, and I had a hard time putting it down even when my eyelids started to get heavy. If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend it. I gave The One Betrayed 4 out of 5 Stars. The One Betrayed by Yvette M Calleiro #Fantasy #Review #RRBC @YvetteMCalleiro Click To Tweet

It’s been a while since I took copious notes for a movie, but for some reason, Nightmare (1981) seemed to be the one I needed them. I had to start this movie over after about fifteen minutes because I thought I missed something, but I didn’t. Rather than my usual review, I will give you the notes, which include spoilers. Lots of screaming Pretty gruesome Kids are screaming because they saw someone peep through the window. When mom comes in to check, there’s no one there. George gets released from the psychiatric unit and goes to a peep show, then he goes to a pay phone and calls phonesex. They show the phonesex operator with a vibrator, and the only thing I could think was Mary, Mary, quite contrary, trim that bush. It’s too damn hairy. Andrew Dice Clay. He foams at the mouth as he has a flashback or vision of a young boy chopping off his mother’s head with an ax. George calls the house, and a boy answers, and he hangs up. He ends up at a bar after his car breaks down and follows a wo...

The Long Night (2022) is not exactly what I expected, though I don’t know what I expected since I barely remember adding it to my watch list. It’s about Grace and Jack who go to the countryside to meet with a man to learn about Grace’s family. When they arrive, he’s not there, but she knows where the key is and opens the door. After wandering around the house looking for him without luck, except coming upon a nasty smell in a room, they decide to stay the night, hoping he’ll return. Of course, they don’t investigate the scent, which is somewhat weird. It’s also strange that they don’t smell it anywhere else in the house. Enter the craziness of a group of pagans circling the house. As things escalated, it became clear, to me, what was happening because of the flashbacks and the reveals that came a little too soon. But I didn’t care. I was totally into watching the chilling events that unfolded as the movie progressed. Leading to the ending that was over the top even for me, but whatever...

Revealer (2022) starts with a preacher waking in a room with a TV showing his televangelist show. Then something comes for him. To make this film feel right in the 1980s, the creators put some hair band music in the background as a young woman walks to a payphone. The main characters, Angie, a stripper, and Sally, a Jesus freak, denounces the strip club (Revealer). How the characters are portrayed nail the 80s vibe, though I expected the acting to be much worse, which was a relief that they were good. As the story progresses, everything that Sally preached outside the club comes true, and she quotes random Bible quotes during the movie. The two women are trapped inside peepshow booths and figure out how to get together to get into the tunnels below. The creepiness and strangeness of this film are incredible, as are the minimalistic effects. The one thing I wasn’t impressed with was Asmodeus, but for a low-budget movie, it was adequate. The ending left questions, and that’s OK. I don’t ...

A Blade in the Dark (1983) is an Italian slasher directed by Lamberto Bava. The story revolves around Bruno, a composer working on the soundtrack for a horror film, finding himself in one. Now, the translation to English isn’t perfect, and sometimes, I wondered what they really said. In the beginning, when Bruno finds a woman in a closet, she screams when she sees an insect on the floor. He laughs and calls it a cockroach when it’s a spider. Even the original Italian title is La casa con la scala nel buio, which I learned means The House with the Dark Staircase. I like the translation title better. A Blade in the Dark was definitely a surprise slasher, and I didn’t expect the culprit of the killings at all, but I also didn’t suspect who the characters did. The suspense is good and kept me entertained. But the strangeness of this film was the star. I can’t explain that, so you’ll have to trust me and see it. A Blade in the Dark was excellent and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. A Blade ...

The Twin (2022) follows Rachel, Anthony, and their son Elliot as they move from New York to Finland to heal from losing Elliot’s twin in an auto accident. Rachel doesn’t seem thrilled about being there, but she says as long as her family is happy, so is she, which is understandable after losing a child. Anthony wants to move on with their life, though he doesn’t want to spend much time with Elliot. Elliot picks a room at the top of the house for his bedroom and requests a bed for Nathan to be set up too. Well, I can’t, in good conscience, say anymore, except that the strangeness and cult introduction is thrilling. The revelations in the ending scenes are shocking but not outlandish. The Twin was one of those movies that left me shaking my head, and for once, it wasn’t because I thought it was horrible. This is a good one, and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. The Twin (2022) #Psychological #Horror Click To Tweet

The way the lead characters are introduced and past events are discussed, I thought Baubles to Die For was two or three in the series. Then I noticed the statement in parenthesis,  A Shell Isle Mystery Book 1. The story follows Page Wright and her cousin Betsy Ross as they unravel a mystery that falls onto their laps while vacationing on Shell Island. There was so much in the first half of the book that made it feel like I’d been reading it for weeks that when I reached that fifty percent mark, I was on the verge of boredom. But since I made it that far, I finished it. Once the clues fell into place for Page and Betsy, it went fast, and then it ended, abruptly. All in all, it wasn’t a bad read, and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. Baubles to Die For by Tonya Penrose #Cozy #Mystery Click To Tweet About Baubles to Die For Gifted sleuth Page Wright’s inner world is anything but ordinary, yet her outer world craves a revamp from her mountain bookshop’s continuing demands. A summer escape to...

Don’t Breathe 2 (2021) picks up eight years after the first film that I’m surprised I didn’t write about because I enjoyed it a lot. It’s just as violent as the first with interesting additions to the story.  Phoenix finds out the truth about who she is and why her father wants her. Unfortunately, it’s not for the best. Of course, Norman goes to rescue her from them. His goal is to keep her safe and that’s what he does. Throughout the years, he’s trained her how to get away and defend herself. As I write this, I ponder the film and wonder what the point is besides Norman keeping Phoenix safe, and actually, that’s all there is. Does it need more? Does it need to have an elaborate plot? No, because the goals of the lead characters are met. Don’t Breathe 2 was as good as the first and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars. Don’t Breathe 2 (2021) #Review Click To Tweet

The Fly (1986) is a remake that doesn’t do an exact copy of the original but stays close to the storyline. While I like this film, I just wish it would’ve held up better than it did. I’m not talking about the effects because those were pretty solid. I saw this in the theaters in 1986 and was amazed by it then. Seeing it now, I’m a little disappointed by the acting. After seeing several of his films, Jeff Goldblum is one of those actors who’s the same in every role (even TV commercials). The only thing different in this was the twitchiness as he began to morph into the fly creature. Of course, I know other actors that are the same way. Speaking of…Geena Davis is similar to her roles in Beetlejuice, Earth Girls Are Easy, League of Their Own, etc. That’s not to say that I don’t like either of them, because I do. I’ve never noticed before how they don’t change from role to role. The Fly is one of those films that you either love or hate. There’s really no middle ground for it. So, for nost...