Spoiler-Free Review of “PRIMATE” in Theaters: Bonkers & Bananas in the Best Possible Way!

“Something’s wrong with Ben…”

PRIMATE released in theaters on January 9th 2026. The horror film stars Johnny Sequoyah, Victoria Wyant, Jessica Alexander, Gia Hunter, and Troy Kotsur. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty minutes.

Lucy travels to her home in Hawaii with her friends for their summer vacation, but after their pet chimpanzee gets infected with rabies, they are forced to work together to survive before he kills them all one by one.

Here is the trailer:

PRIMATE is a wild ride from start to finish featuring some outrageous and gruesome moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Lots of well-placed gore.

In a lot of ways, this movie felt like a solid slasher to me. Sure, the killer was a chimp, but it still essentially had that slasher feel to it, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The gore was really over-the-top and disturbing, which worked well here. This movie really went for it without holding back and I think it paid off ultimately.

Fast watch with little fluff.

This movie was just about 90 minutes, which is the perfect length for slasher films in my opinion. There was minimal set-up and the majority of the movie focused on the girls trying to escape, which made this such an entertaining popcorn watch. Sure, it was silly at times, but the horror genre is off to a promising start for 2026 with this entry. More please!

PS: that house in Hawaii was to die for…literally!

The Cons:

Minimal investment in the characters.

Other than Lucy, I was not really too impressed with the other characters here and I didn’t care who lived or died. I guess that doesn’t always matter in a slasher film like this where you can ultimately root for the killer, but it seemed like we glossed over a few moments that could have made me invest a little more here in what happened to everyone.

I’m also a huge animal lover so while this movie was silly and fun, I’m never really a fan of anything bad happening to animals so there’s that (Yes, I get that this was a guy dressed in a suit, but still the concept bothered me).

I do have to point out that there was a puppy in the movie theater near the front row. I hope she wasn’t too traumatized by all of this!

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

PRIMATE is a solid slasher filled to the brim with extreme gore and mindless fun. This was a blast to watch in the movie theater!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on PRIMATE in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Run Away” on Netflix: Harlan Coben’s New Mystery will keep you Guessing!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Come with me and everything will be ok…”

Harlan Coben’s Run Away premiered on Netflix on January 1st 2026. The mystery thriller series (based on the novel of the same name) features eight episodes available to stream now. It stars James Nesbitt, Minnie Driver, Ruth Jones, Jon Pointing, Maeve Courtier-Lilley, Amy Gledhill and Alfred Enoch. Each episode runs for approximately 46-48 minutes.

When Simon tries to track down his missing daughter, Paige, he gets caught up in a dangerous search exposing deadly secrets as he gets closer to the truth.

Here is the trailer:

Run Away is a strong entry into the Harlan Coben mini series, featuring plenty of shocking and jaw-dropping moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A mystery that hooks you right away.

New Year’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year because it means we typically get a new Harlan Coben series to dive into. I was super excited for this one and I have to say that it delivered and then some! The opening was very strong and its premise sunk its teeth into me immediately, drawing me in completely.

I watched all eight episodes in one day. Each one did just enough to keep me coming back for more. As soon as I thought I had things all figured out, there would be another unexpected turn, leading up to an incredible and beyond shocking conclusion that I’m still thinking about.

I haven’t been this excited about a Harlan Coben series since The Stranger, which I still think is the strongest entry to date.

Solid pacing.

I never looked at the time even once while watching this. I have struggled with the pacing of some of the other Harlan Coben series, but I thought they did a fantastic job with this one. There wasn’t too much unnecessary fluff packed in. Everything seemed necessary for the main plot and the end of each episode featured a terrific cliffhanger.

The Cons:

Some unanswered questions…

I don’t have too many cons for this one. I thought this was an exceptional series, but I did have a few unanswered questions by the time I got to the end. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention enough or maybe the details were explained more in the book, but I was scratching my head at the end wondering about a few details that didn’t seem to be explained enough. That being said, after that final twist, I’m not sure that it really mattered…wow.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Run Away starts the year off with a bang, bringing us a shocking and well-layered mystery that will keep you guessing. I absolutely loved this!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Run Away in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Ranking my Top 12 Television Shows of 2025: Which Shows Made The Cut?

It’s that time of year again! As we get closer and closer to approaching 2026, I thought it would be the perfect time to count down my Top 12 TV Shows of 2025.

While some returning shows continued strong, others fell off slightly. Meanwhile, some other new shows completely hooked me, making their way into my top 12. There are also still a lot of amazing series I have not watched yet, but I’m hoping to catch up on them in early 2026 so keep those recommendations coming!

Without any further delay, let’s get to my list!

My Top 12 Television Shows of 2025 are:

12

The Better Sister

A gripping drama thriller that hooked me from the first episode starring the fantastic Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks. I was worried there would be too much fluff in this one, but the pacing was great and the reveals were satisfying, leading to some shocking outcomes in the end.

11

The Girlfriend

A guilty pleasure thriller filled with juicy secrets and jaw-dropping moments well worth you time. Olivia Cooke’s wardrobe was FANTASTIC and I loved how campy and sleazy this one was while still delivering on some genuine thrills. More shows like this please!

10

The Bondsman

Kevin Bacon was absolutely wonderful in this fun horror comedy series that had some Ash vs Evil Dead vibes. I’m still really annoyed that Prime decided to cancel this one. I think it flew under the radar and deserved a chance, but the first season truly delivered and then some!

9

The Night Agent (season 2)

While not as compelling as the first season, I still thoroughly enjoyed my watch of The Night Agent (season 2). If you enjoy action spy thrillers, this one is for you and there’s plenty to uncover the second time around.

8

All Her Fault

I just binge-watched this one over the weekend after getting a few recommendations on it. I wasn’t really aware of this show but once I started it, I couldn’t stop watching until the end. I watched all eight episodes in one day…

This one really surprised me. There was some fluff to get through, but I did not see the reveal coming and I’m still shocked over everything that transpired. Wow…what a show!

7

Squid Game (third and final season)

Squid Game (season 1) was one of the best things I had witnessed on television in a very long time. Season 2 still held my attention and season 3 did just enough to give us a jam-packed conclusion. There were quite a few things that didn’t make sense, but this crazy show always kept me invested with plenty of gory and extreme moments and absolutely deserves a spot on the list.

6

The Hunting Wives

I love soapy drama thrillers like this so much! This show really wasn’t afraid to push the envelope with some over-the-top scenes, but it all just kind of worked with the vibe it was going for. Our leads were dynamic and the chemistry between these characters was off the charts. I can’t wait to see what season 2 has in store for us after that insane season finale.

5

The Summer I Turned Pretty (third and final season)

Look, this show didn’t write the book on love triangles, but it did a really great job of pulling us back and forth, waiting for Belly to make her final decision once and for all between Conrad and Jeremiah.

I thought the final season allowed Belly to find her own way on her journey, leading to a heartwarming conclusion. I’m psyched to watch the final movie whenever that releases!

4

The Beast In Me

Welcome back to the small screen, Claire Danes! Wow, this show was so fantastic. Claire Danes was brilliant, which should come as no surprise. This series had so many twists and turns, keeping the audience on an adrenaline filled ride until the very end. I loved every second of it!

3

Dexter: Resurrection

Welcome back, Dexter Morgan! Look, I’ve watched every spin-off of the original Dexter series, but this one takes the cake. This series was EXCEPTIONAL! It had everything I wanted in a series and more. Dexter’s back and better than ever!

2

Stranger Things (fifth and final season)

OK, I still have one episode to go, which will air on 12/31/25, but it’s safe to say that Stranger Things absolutely deserves one of the top spots on my list. It’s been many years since the last season aired, but I was hooked once again. The characters are all so wonderful and it’s been an honor watching their journey over the years. I can’t wait to see how it all ends!

Some honorable mentions:

Paradise

Only Murders in the Building (season 5)

Wayward

Sirens

The White Lotus (season 3)

School Spirits (season 2)

Daredevil: Born Again

You (season 5 , final season)

Yellowjackets (season 3)

Harlan Coben’s Missing You

Drum roll please…

1

The Pitt

I’m not normally into medical dramas at all, but this series was on another level. Each episode drew me in more and more and I was anxiously waiting for new episodes to drop each week, bringing me back to a time when television shows used to feel like an event. The acting was incredible, the moments were real and heartbreaking and there was so much drama based in reality that kept me completely hooked. I can’t wait for season 2!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post some of YOUR favorite television shows of 2025. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing in the new year!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Ranking my Top 12 Films of 2025: Which Movies Made The Cut?

It’s that time of year again! As we get closer and closer to approaching 2026, I thought it would be the perfect time to count down my Top 12 Films of 2025.

There are still a lot of movies that I have not seen yet, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorites of the year so far!

My Top 12 Films of 2025 are:

12

The Housemaid

Wow, this movie was a trip in the best possible way! I loved the twist. If you love guilty pleasure thrillers, there are plenty of juicy and shocking moments in this one to indulge in. Plus, Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney are dynamic on screen together.

11

Materialists

Written and directed by Celine Song (who wrote and directed one of my favorite films, Past Lives), this movie was so beautifully done. It was intelligent without being overbearing and it really captured what’s important when it comes to relationships and the standards we are often held to.

This was such a thought-provoking watch and I loved every second of it.

10

Final Destination: Bloodlines

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the Final Destination franchise and I have been waiting years for this film to be released. Well…it was worth the wait. This movie was gory, shocking, and an absolute blast, featuring one of the best openings I have ever seen in a Final Destination movie.

9

Companion

This movie was so entertaining! It had the right blend of humor and violence, making this a blood-soaked horror comedy worth your time. Sophie Thatcher was absolutely terrific in this!

8

Heart Eyes

Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

A slasher that delivers and then some! I’m a huge fan of 90’s slashers and this film really tapped into that in a lot of ways. It wasn’t afraid to be campy and silly while delivering on some extreme gore and the chemistry between our two main leads was off the charts!

7

The Long Walk

Based on the novel by Stephen King, this film was a gut-wrenching and emotional movie that really moved me and destroyed me at the same time. This is one of those movies that completely sucks you into its world and when you are finished watching, you’re forever changed.

6

Bone Lake

I can’t stop talking about how much I loved this movie! It had such an insane final act that really popped. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but the payoff is worth it. Trust me!

5

Influencers

A sequel that somehow manages to top the original film (which I’m a huge fan of). This movie was batshit crazy in the best way possible. It really found its voice in this one, delivering in so many ways. Our two female leads were OUTSTANDING and weren’t afraid to go all out here, making this such a an entertaining popcorn watch. I really hope they make a third film!

4

Dangerous Animals

I saw this movie a few weeks before it released at a movie mystery night and I was beyond excited. I love shark movies and this quickly became my favorite one after Jaws. Sharks plus a deranged serial killer is quite the combo and Jai Courtney gave his best performance to date in my opinion. He was bloody brilliant!

3

Weapons

This was such an insane ride and I loved every second of it. It’s best to go into this movie completely blind. I thought it was so fantastic and the second half was jaw-dropping and shocking. I can’t say enough good things about this movie.

2

Sinners

When I think about cinema and what films should really achieve, I think of this movie. It had EVERYTHING in it. The music was amazing, the time period just worked seamlessly, the performances were out of this world, and the thrills kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. An absolute masterpiece!

Honorable Mentions:

Together

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Freakier Friday

Bring Her Back

Black Phone 2

Night Always Comes

The Monkey

Drum roll please…

1

DROP

I love simple, fast-paced thrillers like this. I had a feeling I would love this movie when I first saw the trailer and it exceeded my expectations.

Meghann Fahy is one to watch. She was such a bad-ass lead. This movie kept me guessing until the last moments and I loved the humor sprinkled in. This film was definitely my kind of movie and I absolutely fell in love with it.

I hope to see more films from 2025 soon, but I hope you enjoyed the list!

Did you have a favorite film of 2025? If so, drop it in the comments!

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year and can’t wait to review more new films in 2026! Happy viewing!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Housemaid” in Theaters: A Soapy & Campy Thriller Worth your Time!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Would you like to see what you’re getting yourself into?”

The Housemaid premiered in theaters on December 19th 2025. The mystery thriller film (based on the novel of the same name) stars Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Brandon Sklenar. It runs for approximately two hours and ten minutes.

Millie has a troubled past and is looking for a fresh start by interviewing for a live-in housemaid position in an extravagant home, but she soon discovers that her new bosses may be hiding deadly secrets that put her in danger.

Here is the trailer:

The Housemaid is a guilty pleasure thriller with plenty of juicy and shocking moments built in. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Sweeney and Seyfried are a dream duo!

I thought both actresses did a really great job here. Amanda Seyfried is such an exceptional actress and she really went all out here. Sweeney kept up with her as well and I loved the back-and-forth between them.

Brandon Sklenar is popping up quite a bit now in movies (It Ends With Us, Drop) and I hope to see him in more as well. His wardrobe was fantastic…among other things.

This movie was very pretty to look at from the gorgeous cast to the beautiful Long Island home they were living in. I love pleasing aesthetics like this that tend to hide something dangerous and sinister beneath them.

Entertaining reveals.

I wouldn’t say that they were that shocking. I sort of saw the main twist coming a mile away. That being said, it was still so much fun to watch unfold on screen. I had a packed audience with me in the theater and they were cheering along during certain parts, which made this a blast to watch. In a lot of ways, this felt like an elevated Lifetime movie…but that’s my favorite kind of guilty pleasure thriller so I’m not complaining here.

The ending was satisfying as well.

The Cons:

A little too long…

I was never bored, but I think things could have been wrapped up a little bit sooner. I like my movies to hover around 90 minutes or so. There were a few parts in the middle that were drawn out, but luckily things turned around for the explosive conclusion.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!!

THE HOUSEMAID is sultry, satisfying, and so much fun to indulge in.

Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried go all out here in the best possible way!

Loved it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Housemaid in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Influencers” on Shudder: A Bloody Entertaining Sequel that somehow Surpasses the Original!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You don’t get lonely traveling all alone?”

Influencers premiered on Shudder on December 12th 2025. The horror-thriller sequel stars Cassandra Naud, Emily Tennant, Georgina Campbell, Veronica Long, and Jonathan Whitesell. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty minutes.

After the events of Influencer, CW is enjoying carefree life in the south of France with her girlfriend, but when they go away for the weekend she meets a new social media influencer who gets under her skin as the old CW quickly returns.

Here is the trailer:

Influencers takes things further than the original film, proving to be even more shocking and bloodier than before with two dynamic female leads at the center of it all. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Cassandra Naud is incredible!

She was fantastic in the original film, which I watched recently again to get ready for the sequel, but she took things up a notch in the sequel. She was an unstoppable force of nature. I loved how unhinged she was. It really complimented the overall tone of the film so well, mirroring the camp of it all in such a wild way. I enjoyed every second of it.

Emily Tennant was fabulous as well and kept up with her. Honestly I expected nothing less after that insane ending, but wow these two were amazing.

There will be no spoilers in this review, but can we somehow get a third film out of this? I’ll be waiting…

Finds its identity and OWNS it!

I loved the first film. I thought it was such a fresh take on the social media angle, which I have seen butchered to death by other films. However, after watching the first film again, it seemed like it was still finding its way even though it was terrific overall.

Well, I can definitely report that the sequel found its identity and just went for it in the best way possible. This film didn’t hold back at all. It was bold, extreme, and so incredible to watch unfold on the screen. I loved how campy and cunty it was. Honestly, I was surprised by how well executed this sequel was and that ending…wow! It was incredible.

There was so much buildup after the first film and I thought the sequel did an amazing job of giving the audience what they were craving.

The Cons:

A few unanswered questions.

I know this was intentional, but I had a few lingering questions by the time I got to the end. There was one that stood out the most and they even poked fun at it during the film, but I need to know what happened there! I’m hoping we get a prequel as well with some of these answers because I am officially obsessed with these films!

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

INFLUENCERS is a satisfying sequel that doesn’t hold back, delivering on camp, gore, and insane moments galore.

One of my favorite films of the year!

I’m a big fan of the vacation gone wrong genre and this one just moved to the top of that list. Bring on the third film!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Influencers in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” in Theaters: An Underwhelming Sequel

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Are you ready to start the show?”

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 released in theaters on December 5th 2025. Based on the popular video game, the horror film stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mckenna Grace, Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard. The film runs for an hour and forty-five minutes.

After the horrific events at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, Mike, Abby, and Vanessa learn that a new threat has emerged at the original Freddy’s, threatening to destroy them all.

Here is the trailer:

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is an exhausting sequel with little charm, but it does feature two legendary scream kings on the big screen. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Billy and Stu are back! Well…kind of.

Look, I’ll take what I can get! I really didn’t enjoy the first film that much, but I was happy that Matthew Lillard was in it. The only reason I showed up to see the second one was to witness both Matthew Lillard AND Skeet Ulrich on screen. I mean…talk about a dream come true!

Sure…they needed more screen time, but it was fun seeing them both in this even though I’m pretty sure that the majority of the audience (kids under 14) had no idea who they were.

A cool new addition.

I thought the addition of the Marionette worked well for the most part. This movie didn’t have any major scares to it, but the creepy factor was there and I think that she was a cool character to explore. Things would have felt completely stale if we were just dealing with the same exact characters again so there’s that.

Unfortunately the pros stop here…

The Cons:

Forced character side plots…

This is one of those sequels that would have benefited from a completely new cast. Having Mike, Vanessa, and Abby back in the mix may have seemed like a good idea, but the execution didn’t come across well. Everything felt exhausting, boring, and drawn out. Every major plot point had a convenient solution and I lost the partial investment I had in these characters from the first film.

Silly scares.

I know this is more of a kid-friendly horror film, but it’s still horror so I would have liked a few more authentic scares. The jump scares felt gimmicky and I think they wasted the potential of the Marionette. The reveals at the end felt so desperate and I honestly couldn’t wait for this to be over. I sprinted out of the theater…

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 exhausts everything from the original film, proving to be a completely unnecessary sequel with not much to say at all…

Sure, there were a few fun moments and I loved seeing Lillard and Ulrich in this, but this was lacking in some major fun.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Stranger Things” Season 5: Part 1 on Netflix: A Solid Start to the End

*This is a spoiler-free review for season five so feel free to read on!*

“It was always just about me…”

Stranger Things season five (part 1) premiered on Netflix on November 26th 2025 with four new episodes available to stream now. Part two will release on December 25th and the series finale will air on December 31st. The sci-fi horror series stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, and Natalia Dyer. Each episode runs for approximately 90-140 minutes.

Our beloved group is put to the test once again as they try to stop Vecna from abducting the children of Hawkins before it’s too late.

Here is the trailer:

Stranger Things season five brings us back to the town of Hawkins after quite some time. Does it have enough steam left to finish out the series in a satisfying way? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Great pacing.

The episodes for season 5 are once again on the long side. Each one almost feels like a mini movie, but I have to say that time flew by while I was watching each one. Episode 1 took me a little bit of time to adapt, but I think that’s mostly because I was trying to remember everything that had happened previously. I strongly recommend watching the recap if you haven’t done a recent re-watch.

Episodes 2-4 were fantastic with pacing, however. I was on the edge of my seat and there were so many stand out moments. So far part 1 is delivering in terms of a final season. It really feels like it’s leading up to an exciting conclusion…don’t let me down!

Characters begin to reach their true potential…

It’s about time! There were SO many incredible moments between characters so far. There will be no spoilers in this review, but the conversation between Robin and Will is one of the most vulnerable and real moments I’ve ever witnessed on a television series. It didn’t feel forced. It just transpired in such an authentic way, which truly moved me.

I also really loved seeing some supporting characters step up and I loved the introduction of Nell Fisher (Evil Dead Rise) who took over the role of Holly Wheeler. You can just tell that she’s going to be a star!

Also, shout-out to scene stealer, Erica Sinclair once again!

The Cons:

It’s been some time…

Season 4 came out in 2022 so it’s been a huge gap for the audience. I didn’t have the time to do a re-watch so I was scratching my head quite a few times trying to put the pieces together during certain moments. Eventually things caught up for me, but I wish we didn’t have to wait so long for these episodes.

So far I really don’t have too many cons. I just hope that we have enough time to give each and every one of these characters the screen time they deserve because we’ve spent years watching them grow. I’m confident we’ll achieve it though.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Stranger Things season 5 is off to a fantastic start with plenty of heart-pounding and heartfelt moments packed in.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Stranger Things season five (part 1) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A Halloween they’ll never forget…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Beast in Me” on Netflix: Carrie Mathison is Back…Kind of!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Sometimes bad things just happen…”

The Beast in Me premiered on Netflix on November 13th 2025 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The crime thriller mini-series stars Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys, Brittany Snow, Jonathan Banks, David Lyons, and Natalie Morales. Each episode runs for approximately 48-52 minutes.

After a family tragedy, Author Aggie Wiggs has trouble writing her next book until her new neighbor, Nile Jarvis moves in. After his wife went missing, he was blamed for her murder, but it was never proven, but Aggie begins to discover some connections of her own leading to a dangerous new friendship.

Here is the trailer:

The Beast in Me has a talented cast, an addicting premise, and quite a few entertaining reveals along the way to keep you invested until the end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Claire Danes is back!

I’ve missed watching Claire as Carrie Mathison on Homeland and have been waiting for her to appear in a series like this. She was in Max’s series, Full Circle a few years back, but I thought this one was much more suited to her.

If you missed the over-the-top emotional crying and yelling…it’s back! But seriously, Claire Danes is absolutely terrific in this series and Matthew Rhys was charming in such an eerie way. The rest of the cast is stacked as well and there were quite a few familiar faces in this one.

A consuming watch!

I was hooked right from the opening episode. I loved the setting (I’m very familiar with it) and I thought it worked well against the chaos and turmoil going on between these characters. Each episode did just enough to pull me in for more and I found this series very easy to binge-watch. I finished all eight episodes in two days.

There were a few side-plots to deal with, but everything connected enough in the end so I didn’t mind this. Episode 7 was incredible!

The Cons:

Predictable at times…

Even though I enjoyed it, you can pretty much guess what’s going on in this one. None of the reveals were that surprising, but they were still satisfying enough. I really enjoyed my watch, but I would have appreciated at least one shocking twist here to keep me guessing.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

The Beast in Me is an engrossing watch enhanced by two powerhouse performances by Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys.

This was such a nice surprise. I haven’t been able to get into a show in a while, but this one really hooked me and never slowed down for one second. Loved it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Beast in Me in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rule…they can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Die My Love” in Theaters: A Depressing, but Well-Acted Watch

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“You like to feel like nothing?”

Die My Love released in theaters on November 7th 2025. The black-comedy drama film (based on the novel of the same name) stars Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, Sissy Spacek, LaKeith Stanfield, and Nick Nolte. It runs for an hour and fifty-eight minutes.

Grace and Jackson move into his uncle’s old home in rural Montana. They are crazy in love, but after they have a baby, Grace begins to spiral into psychosis.

Here is the trailer:

Die My Love is not the movie I expected to see, taking a darker and real look at postpartum depression. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Moving performances.

Jennifer Lawrence was exceptional in this role. Even though I didn’t care for the film that much, this may have been her best performance to date. She was raw, unfiltered, and captivating. The dark comedy moments sprinkled into the film worked because of her delivery.

This couldn’t have been an easy role to portray and she did so anchored with real emotions. I honestly believed that this was happening to her as I watched her on screen.

She did drive me crazy crawling through that high grass though…

Robert Pattinson held his own as well and the rest of the supporting cast did enough, but the star of this was Jennifer.

Makes you think…about a lot.

In a lot of ways this movie reminded me of Nightbitch with Amy Adams. I wasn’t really a fan of that one either but I get what it was trying to do. This film took a much darker approach, however. The content was heavy, but necessary at times. Even though this film moved at a very slow pace, there were enough shocking moments in it to keep me watching.

Although I do have to comment on the fact that half of the theater got up at different times during this movie and left. I haven’t seen that in a long time so this movie is clearly not for everyone. I did appreciate that it didn’t sugarcoat anything, however. There were quite a few moments that really got to me and they were presented in an authentic way.

The Cons:

Triggering moments.

There are quite a few triggering moments in this one so I am warning you now. This film doesn’t hold back when it comes to depicting depression and there is one scene in particular that really bothered me. If you think something might end in a horrible way, go with your gut and be aware. I also think that you need to be in the right mindset while watching this. It is super heavy and emotionally draining.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Die My Love explores postpartum depression in a bleak and drawn out way, but Jennifer Lawrence gives us an exceptional performance worth noting.

This was not the movie I was expecting to see after watching the trailer. I’ve seen similar films, focusing on a woman’s descent into madness after her losing herself. This was the most dismal one yet, however.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Die My Love in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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