C. Courtney Joyner Movies
This made-for-cable shocker was the evil alien spawn of two separate Full Moon film series, Puppet Master and The Demonic Toys. The grandson of original puppet master Andre Toulon, Robert Toulon (Corey Feldman) has inherited grandpa's secret formula whereby Robert and his daughter, Alexandra (Danielle Keaton), can bring puppets to life. This places the Toulons in the crosshairs of Sharpe Industries, led by evil Erica Sharpe (Vanessa Angel), who has entered into a pact with a Satan-like character to create an army of demonic dolls, to be unleashed on the helpless public on Christmas Eve. Marshalling her mechanical forces, Erica prepares to kill Robert and get her lunchooks on his animation formula. It is up to Robert's "reformed" band of puppets to fend off the attack of demonic toys Baby-Doll, Jack-in-the-Box, and Teddy-Bear. The Freddy vs. Jason of cheap cable horror flicks, Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys debuted over the Sci-Fi Channel on December 18, 2004. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Corey Feldman, Vanessa Angel, (more)
- 2004
Hilarity ensues when friends Jeff (Justin Whalin) and Derek (Zachery Bryan) try to enter the world of back bar wrestling; where the most beautiful girls could beat the tar out of both of them without a second thought. Even with a little help from the notorious Buckle Girls, can Jeff survive a fight against Switchblade Rick for not only the title, but the heart of the girl he loves? ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Justin Whalin, Sasha Mitchell, (more)
Beautiful, sultry Jayne Ferre (Julie Du Page) is a ruthless, mob-connected hitwoman who, in the opening scenes, "eliminates" several mobsters by pretending to seduce them before blowing them away. Her greed gets the best of her, however, when she absconds with a metal briefcase containing a million dirty dollars rightfully/wrongfully belonging to her boss, the equally ruthless Frank Bianci (Louis Mandylor). In an effort to escape with the cash she hitches a ride from California to Texas with down-and-out Emily (Erika Eleniak) and her 16-year old son Kerry (Jeremy Lelliott), who is on the run from a small time drug dealer. Meanwhile, a detective (Adam Baldwin) is tracking the trio as a gaggle of Bainco's henchmen close in on their car -- which breaks down, sending Jayne and Emily in different directions in search of Kerry who now has the million bucks. Emily is eventually picked up by a friendly stranger (James Remar), who happens to be in cahoots with Jayne. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Erika Eleniak, Julie du Page, (more)
A futuristic crack tactical unit from the year 2100 travels back in time via a special submarine in order to prevent the destruction of the planet. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1994
In this chilling horror movie, loosely based on a tale by H.P. Lovecraft, a group of people in an ancient church find themselves beleaguered by terrifying monsters. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- R
Doctor Mordrid (Jeffrey Combs) is an interdimensional sorcerer whose earth cover consists of acting as a super for a Manhattan apartment building. He gets word from his contact that a rival sorcerer, Kabal (Brian Thompson), has escaped and is coming to earth to take over the planet. Framed by Kabal for murder, Mordrid is sent to jail where his girlfriend (Yvette Nipar) is the only one who can help him escape -- and prevent the destruction of Earth. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Yvette Nipar, (more)
- 1992
- R
In this psycho thriller, Richard Sullivan is a mild-mannered, trusting ad-man who is tickled when his long lost cousin Harry suddenly shows up at his door. Harry is accompanied by Connie, his fiancee and the innocent Richard welcomes them into his happy home. Unfortunately, whereas Richard, his wife Kate and their son Alex live an idyllic existence, Harry and Connie's relationship is stormy and unstable. Connie constantly whines about wanting the perfect home, and both of them are intensely envious of the Sullivans. Their jealousy takes a darker turn when they try to become the Sullivans. First they begin undermining Richard and Kate's authority over Alex. Then Harry and Connie begin going through the couple's personal effects and files. Eventually, the spooky duo begins impersonating the Sullivans as much as they can. When Kate begins to get suspicious,the story takes a deadly turn for neither she nor Richard realize that they are dealing with cold-blooded, murderous psychopaths. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Harris, David Keith, (more)
- 1992
- R
This third entry in the sci-fi Trancers series involves a futuristic L.A. cop/detective who time-travels to battle more Trancers from a 23rd-century totalitarian government that maintains control by injecting victims with trance-inducing drugs, causing them to become virtual puppets. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
This entry in the horror thriller series shows how the mad French puppeteer Toulon created his supernaturally animated demonic marionettes. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Guy Rolfe, Sarah Douglas, (more)
Mark L. Lester's follow-up film to his Class of 1984 is a rancidly violent peek at a near-future high school world of terror -- The Jetsons meet The Terminator. In Lester's world, total anarchy rules (at least in Seattle). Classrooms are sinkholes of violence, and around the kill-zone high schools "Free Fire Zones" are set up that look like re-creations of Dachau. Rival youth gangs roam these areas with enough artillery for a second Vietnam War. The gangs' insane violence is exacerbated by a drug called Edge. When the Department of Educational Defense needs to supply new teachers, they look to a secret government agency headed by Dr. Bob Forrest (Stacy Keach) who sends new teaching recruits (Pam Grier, John P. Ryan, Joshua Miller) to the beleaguered high school. These novice teachers are not your ordinary teaching-college graduates, however. They are "tactical education units" -- cyborgs reprogrammed to teach readin' and writin' and 'rithmetic. If the students don't learn their daily assignments, they learn an even bigger lesson -- learn or die. The strict disciplinarian robots compel the student gangs to unite and fight the new educational menace. Under the leadership of Cody Culp (Bradley Gregg), who has just gotten out of reform school and has seen that there is more to life than killin' and cuttin' and Edge, the punks take up arms against the cyborgs who are invading their high-school turf. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bradley Gregg, Traci Lind, (more)
- 1990
- R
From a script by Tom Badal and C. Courtney Joyner comes this film about a man whose wartime experiences continue to affect his life back in the U.S. Robert Ginty, a veteran low-budget actor who specializes in portraying drifters and loners, directs himself as Thomas McCain, an American GI who returns home and tries to wipe out the past by becoming a priest. McCain is haunted by his acts in Vietnam, where he had a baby with a Vietnamese lover but abandoned both of them. When he learns that his daughter has come to the U.S. with her mother, McCain goes to Houston to reconcile his newfound morality with his past and to try to get his daughter back from the notorious drug dealer whom the mother of his child has married. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Ginty, Dr. Haing S. Ngor, (more)
- 1988
- R
Prison guard Ethan Sharpe (Lane Smith) watched as Burke (Viggo Mortensen) dies in the electric chair in 1964. Over two decades later, Sharpe is the warden, and Burke returns from the dead to exact revenge on the wicked warden when the prison re-opens. Two victims drip blood while dangling in barbed wire in a macabre dance of death, and the guards and inmates suffer at the hands of the malevolent Burke as he seeks his supernatural vengeance. The film location was the Wyoming State Prison. Built at the turn of the century, the jail became a tourist attraction in 1981. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lane Smith, Viggo Mortensen, (more)
This horror anthology is hosted by Vincent Price and features a quartet of chilling stories, all of which took place in a single town that seems to inspire people to do horrendous things to each other. The stories contain scenes of graphic violence and considerable gore. The film is also known as From a Whisper to a Scream. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Price, Clu Gulager, (more)
