Month: October 2023

Spoiler-Free Review of “Totally Killer” on Prime Video: A Feel Good Slasher Flick

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

“It’s not 1987 anymore…”

Totally Killer released on Prime Video on October 6th 2023. The horror comedy film stars Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson, Liana Liberato, Lochlyn Munro, and Julie Bowen. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

The “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns 35 years after murdering three teens around Halloween. When Jamie faces off against the killer, she winds up accidentally time traveling back to 1987, teaming up with her teenage mother to take the killer down.

Here is the trailer:

Totally Killer successfully channels vibes from Happy Death Day and The Final Girls while finding its own identity along the way, presenting us with fantastic music, welcomed references, and some bloody fun. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Kiernan Shipka and Olivia Holt are incredible!

Wow…what a team up! I honestly LOVED the entire cast and thought that even the supporting characters were a lot of fun. There were plenty of familiar faces in this one, but Kiernan Shipka and Olivia Holt stole the show.

They were both so fantastic and I hope to see them both in some more horror films soon because they kick ass and then some!

Images courtesy of Prime Video

A self-aware slasher.

It’s no secret that my favorite genre is the slasher one and I love when films like this recognize what they are and just embrace their identity fully. The movie references were so much fun and they didn’t overdo them, which I was initially slightly worried about. 

The music was an absolute blast and there was a good balance of dry humor and slasher fun, which worked seamlessly.

Plus, that opening scene was INCREDIBLE!!!

Please make more films like this!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Loses a touch of steam in the middle.

The pacing was mostly on point, but I thought that the opening and ending were the strongest parts. We fell off a little bit somewhere in the middle, but I wouldn’t say this was a major con.

I also wanted a little bit more in the slasher department. We got some decent kills, but this film definitely leaned more toward the comedy side of horror comedy.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in!!!

Totally Killer is a bloody good time!

Effortless fun and a cast to die for.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Totally Killer 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!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

 

 

Spoiler-Free Review of “Found” on Peacock: A Twist Worth Sticking Around For

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

“There will always be a need for what I do…”

Found premiered on NBC (next day streaming on Peacock) on October 3rd 2023 with its first episode. The series has been picked up for thirteen episodes (with the option for renewal) that will air weekly. The crime thriller series stars Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gabrielle Walsh, Brett Dalton, and Kelli Williams. Each episode runs for approximately 42-44 minutes.

A recovery specialist with a jaded past and her team work together to find missing people that the police are unable to.

Here is the trailer:

Found starts off like your standard crime drama-thriller with a recognizable cast, but its twist ending in the pilot episode has some juicy potential. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Peacock

A cast to elevate the mundane.

Shanola Hampton (Shameless) is effortlessly stepping into this role and is a force to be reckoned with so far. Her character appears to be strong on the outside, but she has some dark secrets as well that are worth exploring, giving us enough potential layers.

The rest of the cast is filled with familiar faces, but I was most excited to see Mark-Paul Gosselaar and I’m thrilled that he’s playing a character he doesn’t normally play. I’m intrigued to see where this goes…

Images courtesy of Peacock

A fantastic hook.

I’ll be honest…I wasn’t sure if I was going to stick around for more, but by the time I got to the end, I changed my tune. It wasn’t the most original twist, but it definitely livened things up and I think it could give this show the boost it needs. Fingers crossed!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Peacock

A show I’ve seen before…

This show follows a very familiar pattern…especially if you’ve seen your fair share of NBC crime dramas. The cases so far have been interesting and we have a strong enough cast to elevate things, but that could get stale fast…

Also, a lot of the dialogue felt very unbelievable. It seemed like the actors were using catch phrases rather than speaking organically, which was frustrating at times since we have a good enough cast to work with. Hopefully this will improve as the show continues.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Peacock

I’m in about 75 percent…

Found steps things up with a twist ending with loads of potential, setting up an intriguing character dynamic worth exploring.

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

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Blood Rose Island Ad

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!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Saw X” in Theaters: A Solid Entry to the Franchise

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

“I’d like to play a game…”

Saw X released in theaters on September 29th 2023. The tenth film of the Saw franchise stars Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, Renata Vaca, and Steven Brand. It runs for approximately an hour and fifty-eight minutes.

Taking place between the events of Saw and Saw II, John Kramer travels to Mexico to undergo experimental treatment, hoping to cure his cancer once and for all, but once he discovers that everything is a scam, he turns the tables on these con artists to teach them an important lesson about life and death.

Here is the trailer:

Saw X invites us back into the dangerous mind of Jigsaw with extreme gore and plenty of twists and turns to keep us guessing up until the end. Does the tenth film do the franchise justice? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

John Kramer and Amanda are back!

I’m a huge fan of the Saw franchise. I have very fond memories of waiting on lines out the door at the movie theater, anxiously waiting to watch each of these films on the big screen. The earlier films are the best of the franchise so I had high hopes when I learned that both John Kramer and Amanda would be featured in this entry and they delivered and then some!

It was very smart to have this film take place between Saw and Saw II, giving the audience the chance to gain back some nostalgia after some of the later films failed to deliver.

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

More gruesome than ever!

The games in this entry were beyond extreme. My skin was crawling during several moments. This film did not hold back with the blood and gore, reminding us that the Saw franchise knows how to make its audience squirm in the best way possible.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

Predictable at times…

I always enjoy the twists in Saw and this one had plenty, but a few of them I saw coming a mile away. This wasn’t necessarily a major con, but I guess I wanted a little bit more in this department.

Make sure you stick around for the end credit scene though!

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Lionsgate

I’m in!!!

Twisted and gory with a solid story that brought us back to the beginning in a clever way!

While not my favorite film of the franchise, I think it put forth a valiant effort and reminded me why I fell in love with these films in the first place.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Saw X 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!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!