Spoiler-Free Review of “Thanksgiving” in Theaters: A Delicious, Blood-Soaked Delight!

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

“There will be no leftovers…”

Thanksgiving released in theaters on November 17th 2023. The slasher-horror film (directed by Eli Roth) stars Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Rick Hoffman, Milo Manheim, and Gina Gershon. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-six minutes.

A year after a horrific tragedy on Black Friday, a masked killer begins to pick off those responsible one by one, leading up to a deadly feast.

Here is the trailer:

Thanksgiving successfully channels 90’s slashers to breathe new life into the genre, supplying us with plenty of fantastic chase scenes and gory kills. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Channels 90’s slashers in the best way possible!

I absolutely loved this aspect of the movie. It recognized the perfection of this era and borrowed from it in a clever and satisfying way. So many moments reminded me of films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, but it wasn’t overdone. Thanksgiving still managed to find its own identity in the process, hopefully carving the way for more slashers to come.

Gore galore!

OK, so first off…that opening scene was jaw-dropping! But the gore didn’t stop there. Each kill was inventive, entertaining, and filled to the brim with seat-squirming moments. If extreme gore isn’t for you, I’d stay clear, but for those of you who can’t get enough of it, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

The Cons:

Predictable here and there…

This didn’t take away from the entertaining moments, but perhaps a little too much was revealed in the trailers. That being said, I still loved every second of it. I guess I just wanted a few unpredictable twists thrown in for good measure…

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A clever, entertaining slasher that delivers and then some!

Slashers are DOMINATING cinema right now and I’m absolutely loving it. More please!

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Thanksgiving in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

After working the night shift, Ashley becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a local street gang, forcing her to come up with a plan to survive the night by turning the tables on them.

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night 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 “A Murder at the End of the World” on Hulu: Your Next Whodunnit Obsession Has Arrived!

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

“I spent a lot of time around dead bodies…”

A Murder at the End of the World premiered on FX on Hulu on November 14th 2023 with its first two episodes. There will be seven episodes in total that will air weekly. The mystery limited series stars Emma Corrin, Clive Owen, Brit Marling, Harris Dickinson, and Alice Braga. Each episode runs for approximately 60-62 minutes.

A tech savvy amateur sleuth and true crime author, Darby Hart, gets invited to an exclusive retreat in a dazzling remote location by a billionaire, but things go horribly wrong for the invited guests when one of them ends up dead.

Here is the trailer:

A Murder at the End of the World is engrossing with a solid whodunnit mystery at its core. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Meet your new favorite amateur sleuth!

Darby reminds me of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in a lot of ways. She’s a little offbeat and has some hacker skills, but she still has a sizzling charm to her that lights up the screen. We’re getting a lot of character layers right off the bat and I’m confident that she’ll continue to show off her sleuth skills as the episodes continue.

The rest of the cast is fun as well and it’s always great seeing Clive Owen.

A fantastic location with lots of potential!

I’m not sure that I would sign up for a remote retreat in the middle of nowhere, but the hotel the guests are staying at is absolutely breathtaking and filled with unique technological advances. This modernizes the whodunnit approach in a clever way.

So far I’m really enjoying the mystery involved in both the past and the present and I can’t wait to unlock more.

I really love the whodunnit genre because it allows viewers to become active participants. With this series, I already have plenty of suspects and theories, but I can’t wait to see what Darby discovers next.

The Cons:

The episodes are on the long side…

This isn’t a major con at all, but you need to be prepared to devote a lot of time to this one. This is one of those shows where a minor detail can come into play later so be prepared to pay attention. There’s some excess fluff to sift through, but it’s not disrupting the pacing at all for me just yet.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A modern whodunnit mystery with a captivating lead and a spectacular setting!

This series is everything I hoped for so far and I’m excited to continue my watch. If you enjoy whodunnit mysteries, I highly recommend checking this one out.

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night 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 “The Curse” on Showtime: A Disconcerting Watch

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

“We have a chance to make something really, really good…”

The Curse premiered on Showtime on November 12th 2023 with its premiere episode. There will be ten weekly episodes in total. The dramedy series stars Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder, and Benny Safdie. Each episode runs for approximately 60-62 minutes.

A newlywed couple begins to shoot a reality television series documenting their efforts to make housing more eco-conscious and affordable for the small community of Española. However, their efforts are complicated when a girl puts a curse on them, prompting their reality producer to exploit some of their flaws off camera, which puts a strain on their relationship.

Here is the trailer:

The Curse takes a stab at uncovering some of the problematic issues behind typical HGTV series, making this a unique and intriguing watch, but does it do enough to keep us coming back for more? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Emma Stone is mesmerizing on screen.

She’s so talented and terrific in everything, which helps this series quite a bit. There are already a lot of layers to unfold with her character and within her marriage. Her expressions and cheerful delivery are worth noting. She’s a force to be reckoned with and I’m curious to find out more about her character.

Odd and unique.

I really didn’t know much going into this series, which actually helped. There’s a lot going on and things are odd, bizarre, and all over the place, which could be a good or bad thing. So far the premiere episode held my attention enough, but I need to see where we go with all of this content.

The Cons:

Where’s the hook?

I don’t really know where we’re going with this series. I’m not even sure what kind of show it is and while there is interesting content going on, I’m just worried that this show can quickly fizzle out or lose steam as it continues. It was originally billed as a comedy, but it seems to be more of a dark drama. I’m all for giving it a shot for a few more episodes, but I’m not sure if there’s enough here for ten of them.

The episodes are also on the long side, which can drag things out even more.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

The Curse is unlike anything else on TV right now, which works in its favor, but I don’t really know what I’m signing myself up for just yet.

Either way, consider me intrigued!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night 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 “It’s a Wonderful Knife” in Theaters: A Delightful Holiday Horror Entry that Slays with Slasher Cheer

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

“That night still haunts me…”

It’s a Wonderful Knife released in theaters on November 10th 2023. The slasher-horror film stars Jane Widdop, Jessica McLeod, Joel McHale, Katharine Isabelle, and Justin Long. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-seven minutes.

One year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve, Winnie wishes that she was never born, bringing her into an alternate reality where the killer has returned and her family doesn’t remember who she is.

Here is the trailer:

It’s a Wonderful Knife is utterly charming with some inventive kills and a cast worth cheering for. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

This cast KILLED it!

OK, Justin Long can do no wrong for me and he was bonkers and brilliant in this one! I was super excited to see Katharine Isabelle and Joel McHale in this one too and thought they both did a great job.

Our main two leads had fantastic chemistry together, making the heartfelt moments of this film a lot more believable.

Solid balance of brutal kills and heartwarming moments.

This is a holiday film after all…

The kills delivered for the most part. I just wish there were more of them, but you’ll get some bloody moments to enjoy. I personally think the opening scene featured the best ones.

I really liked the development of characters and friendship here and appreciated the heartwarming moments, reminding me of films like Happy Death Day and Freaky while still channeling It’s a Wonderful Life in a clever way.

The Cons:

A few pacing issues and some odd choices with dialogue…

This film was on the shorter side, but I thought it needed a severe energy boost in the middle of it. There were some scenes between characters that could have been cut out and while I did find myself laughing out loud at some things (Katharine Isabelle mostly), some of the dialogue felt like it was used to over-explain things to the audience, which felt odd and forced.

As I mentioned earlier, I also wanted some more kills in this one since it is coded as a slasher…

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

It’s a Wonderful Knife is bloody charming with a few killer twists thrown in, making this a fun B-movie slasher that is worthy of your time.

I thoroughly enjoyed my watch and will be adding this one to my yearly holiday horror list for sure!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night 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 “The Marsh King’s Daughter” in Theaters: Daisy Ridley is Worth the Watch

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

“It’s time you finished the hunt…”

The Marsh King’s Daughter released in theaters on November 3rd 2023. The thriller-drama film (based on the novel of the same name) stars Daisy Ridley, Ben Mendelsohn, Garrett Hedlund, and Gil Birmingham. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-eight minutes.

A young mother’s happy new life is threatened when her dark past returns as her father is released from prison, targeting her daughter.

Here is the trailer:

The Marsh King’s Daughter features some gripping performances centered around an interesting story with layers and some powerful moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Stellar performances.

The force is strong with Daisy Ridley! She was absolutely mesmerizing on screen and did a really great job with this role. I believed her performance and then some. Ben Mendelsohn was terrific as well and the dynamic between the two of them worked really well on screen. I’m not sure that I would have liked this one as much without these two actors. They really elevated every scene to the max, making this an intriguing watch.

Solid start and a satisfying ending.

I was pulled into this film immediately. Usually I don’t always like films that skip from the past to the present, but this one had seamless transitions and I actually found the events in the past to be really interesting.

I really thought the ending was fantastic as well. The casting was superb in this one. I’d like to read the book now because I want to explore this world a little bit more and I’m sure it went into more detail there.

The Cons:

Slow-moving in the middle.

As much as I enjoyed the beginning and end of this film, the middle slowed down quite a bit. The pacing felt sluggish and things went on for a little bit too long. I also wanted some more edge and grit in this one. It had a lot of potential with a strong story and great performers, but I wanted a touch more darkness in this one to really make it come to life on the big screen.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Daisy Ridley shines in this powerful and consuming thriller.

This film wasn’t perfect, but it captivated my attention and had enough going for it to make this an entertaining watch overall. If you like crime thrillers, there’s enough here to enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Marsh King’s Daughter 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!

**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!

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