Blow Out (1981) – Brian De Palma

With a film like Blow Out it is very easy to see why comparisons to Hitchcock were made throughout De Palma’s career. A fantastic thriller that makes unique use of camera angles, framing, shots and the all important sound aspect of film. John Travolta headlines as Jack a soundman for low-budget horror movies who is…

Demons 2 (1986) – Lamberto Bava

Demons 2 came fast on the heels of the first, now iconic horror film, and while there are some interesting moments, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one. There are some solid kills, and some pretty sweet practical effects, but it just didn’t have the kick of the first film. Set shortly…

The Raven’s Revenge (2023) – Kevin Sands

This is it, the final adventure in The Blackthorn Key series by Canadian author Kevin Sands. Six books in, Sands has kept up a relentless pace, as Christopher, Tom and Sally confront dangers, mysteries and puzzles that place them in grave danger. And it’s more of this page-turning excitement in The Raven’s Revenge. Sands has…

The Traitor’s Blade (2021) – Kevin Sands

The fifth book in the highly enjoyable Blackthorn Key series, The Traitor’s Blade, is wonderfully engaging as the reader is reunited with Christopher, Tom, and Sally as they finally arrive home in London, following the events of the previous book. It’s now March 1666, and their lives are about to change again, as they find…

Call of the Wraith (2018) – Kevin Sands

Simon & Schuster Canada keeps the adventure coming with the fourth book in The Blackthorn Key series by Kevin Sands. You can collect them individually, or in a gorgeous six book hardcover collection. In book four picking up shortly after the previous story, Christopher wakes up, not knowing where he is, or more importantly, he…

The Assassin’s Curse (2017) – Kevin Sands

Simon & Schuster Canada continues to fire my imagination and sense of adventure with the third book in The Blackthorn Key collection which is now available on its own or as part of a gorgeous six-book hardcover collection available now! It’s the tail end of 1665 and the fact that apothecary apprentice Christopher Rowe and…

Mark of the Plague (2016) – Kevin Sands

Simon & Schuster delivers the second book in Kevin Sands’ The Blackthorn Key Series, Mark of the Plague, available on its own or in a hardcover slipcase collection that contains all six books in the series. Picking up a couple of months after the first book, the tale finds apothecary apprentice Christopher Rowe working to…

The Equalizer (1986/1987) – Heartstrings, and High Performance

McCall (Edward Woodward) gets involved in bringing down an illegal adoption scheme when a new mother, Vanessa (Michele Dotrice) comes to him for aid when her newborn is taken from her before she even leaves the hospital with him. Heartstrings was written by Loraine Despres and it first aired on 17 December, 1986. Joining him…

Red Lights (2012) – Rodrigo Cortes

Red Lights is a bit of a mess, there are some solid ideas to it, but it doesn’t come off as well as it could have. It does feature a solid cast including Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, Elizabeth Olsen, Joely Richardson, and Toby Jones. Dr. Margaret Matheson (Weaver) is a skeptic who…

Triangle (2009) – Christopher Smith

Posters and promotional images can do a lot to sell a film. The poster for Triangle that I had always come across on whatever streaming service it was on was completely uninspiring. It’s not until it started popping up on a variety of lists that I paid it any mind, and then learned that it…